Wednesday 6 February 2013

The perfect glass for IPA?


I’m not a glass geek but I do own a lot of them (too many, to be honest, given that I drink out of the same two or three glasses for most beers). But I am of the opinion that the glass makes a difference to the drink, perhaps not in any perception of the flavour, but in the way we relate to the experience – the many different Belgian beer glasses might not necessarily make their beers taste more delicious, but we definitely enjoy drinking them more in a unique branded glass than in an off-the-shelf mug.

When I drink IPAs, I like an American shaker glass: straight-edged, sturdy, easy to drink from. But now I might need to add another glass to the cupboard because SierraNevada, Dogfish Head and Spiegelau have created a glass specifically for IPA. These are the features:

·         Thin, round walls to maintains proper temperature longer
·         A slender, bowled shape to amplify hop aromas
·         Wave-like ridges to aerate beer on its way in and out of the glass
·         A wide mouth, allowing drinkers to comfortably nose the beer
·         A laser-etched logo on the bottom of the bowl to sustain carbonation and head


Spiegelau make glasses of excellent quality with a genuine elegance to them and I find this design oddly-appealing. The top half is like the glass I always drink from – a tulip-shaped bowl which is good for all beers – but the bottom half is completely different and I’m intrigued by how it aerates and what that might give to the beer – I assume it’s the same as a swirl only it helps to kick hop aroma right into your nose. Will it make IPAs more wonderful? Who knows, but I'd definitely like to try a few beers in one to find out. 

It’s a glass for home instead of the pub – I can’t see many bars carrying these – but what do you reckon about the design? Do you want one for your glass cupboard or do you favour a different shape and size for an IPA?

The excellent top image is from Castello Cheese

17 comments:

  1. Looks like a good way to make the last quarter of your IPA go horribly warm quickly.

    An important part of IPA is the aroma - so I have a preference for nice bowl-y glasses. Sometimes even a brandy snifter. My current 1st preference is the stemmed and curvaceous Summer Wine Brewery goblet though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I guess you don't actually need to hold the base of the glass when you drink. Knowing the Spiegelau glasses they are very light so you could just hold around the middle.

      Delete
  2. Very similar to one of my favourite glasses (no affliation with the manufacturer):

    http://www.dartington.co.uk/ultimate-beer-glass-shaped-for-flavour.html

    No nucleation in the base on this one though.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yep, I have one of those glasses as well and I think it looks similar in many ways. I also have one of those Sam Adams which takes a similar how-can-we-make-this-better approach

      http://www.samueladams.com/enjoy-our-beer/tasting-eval/function-over-form.aspx

      Delete
  3. The main reason for having a man bag is nicking any nice glass that comes your way.

    ReplyDelete
  4. 'Wave-like ridges'? I thought it was a hand grip, to stop you dropping the glass...

    ReplyDelete
  5. Not sure what I think about the glass...

    I like that castello have done beer pairings for each of their cheeses.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I think your first commenter has the right of it. Not thought through. You don't want beer in the bit you hold.

    But it is attractive. I'll get Cookie to nick one for me, using his man bag.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm not entirely sure you can say that two of the biggest breweries in the US and a major glass manufacturer haven't thought it through... Why would this glass we any different to any other non-stemmed beer glass (because this is a non-stemmed beer glass)? It's the same as a pilsner glass, a weiss glass, a nonin and so on... Plus, I imagine that you'd end up holding this glass at the base of the bowl curve.

      Delete
    2. I'm afraid I was expecting that list of features to end with

      - And we did see you coming, so...

      Delete
  7. I agree with the fact than an important part is the aroma and to keep the drink cold, so I prefer the stemmed and curvaceous Wine goblet; but anyway I´ll try this special glass.

    Regards!

    ReplyDelete
  8. If the glassware doesn't affect how the drinker perceives flavour then surely the question is 'what is the bloody point?', other than being a marketing gimmick for extracting more money from beer drinkers?

    Personally I think it's ugly and I wouldn't be seen dead drinking from it.

    Another thing, how does one 'nose beer'? Is it insufficient to just smell the stuff? How poncey is 'craft' beer getting?

    ReplyDelete
  9. This glass and the Dartington remind me of my favourite glass used for the house beer in De Garre, in Bruges/Brugge which always has excellent head retention. See:

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-E1dJO79ELfw/TsEgTx7CalI/AAAAAAAAAXQ/9vDKzKRbPOs/s1600/P1030925.JPG

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mark. If they had thought it through, everyone would love it.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Like others I would be concerned that the top half would taste different to the bottom half. Also I'm not sure how thin walls would maintain temperature better. Glass is a pretty good insulator, so thicker walls should help to maintain temperature. That is provided that the glass is a similar temp to the beer at the time of pouring.

    ReplyDelete
  12. How stable is the glass? It looks a bit too easy to accidentally knock over.

    ReplyDelete