You have probably drunk the same beer in two different places and felt that it tasted just a little bit better somewhere else. Nine out of ten times, it’s not the beer itself that’s the problem, but the glass it comes from. At Hophelden, we make a conscious choice to do so, and we are happy to explain why.
Why that shape matters so much
A beer glass is actually a small instrument. A narrow opening keeps the aroma close to your nose, while a wide opening allows it to escape. A small stem under the glass keeps your hand at a distance, so that a strong beer doesn't warm up immediately. And the space you leave at the top determines how long the head lasts. All small details, but together they make the difference between gulping down a beer and truly tasting it.
Fresh and airy: wheat beer and blond in a tall glass
For a light beer like wheat beer, it is best to use a tall, sturdy glass with a wide rim. This allows the yeast cloud to release nicely when pouring and gives the spicy aroma of coriander and orange peel room to come through. Witgoud White beer from Leidse Goud, brewed with chamomile tea from the local neighborhood in Leiden, comes into its own there. Also a full-bodied, fruity blond like the Dijks Blond from Bospolder Brewery, with its 23 IBU and 6.5 percent alcohol, drinks just a little more pleasantly from a glass like that than from a simple tube.
Rich and Belgian: tripel and quadrupel in the goblet
For the heavier Belgian styles, reach for a goblet: a wide bowl on a foot, designed to give complex aromas plenty of room. The Our Abraham Tripel from Struuk Beer, with its deep malt notes and a surprisingly light color, shows exactly what a good tripel can do in that glass. It becomes even more intense with the Our Berry Quadrupel: dark, full of caramel, and with a serving recommendation of around twelve degrees on the product's own page. A goblet holds that temperature beautifully, so you can really take your time with it.
Hops and heavy artillery: IPA and imperial stout
An IPA deserves a tulip glass, with a bulbous body and a slightly narrowed rim that beautifully concentrates hop and fruit aromas. Hoppy Invaders Neipa by Utca Brews, Brewed with Citra, Galaxy, and Strata hops, it lets you smell every layer of mango and citrus even before you take a sip.
For something heavy like the Helemaal Stout 2.0 from Bospolder Brewery, For , a Russian Imperial Stout at 11 percent full of chocolate, coffee, and vanilla, you should choose a balloon glass with a wide opening. It is already aptly described on the product's own page: small glass, big evening.
So the next time you open a craft beer, don't just grab the first glass you find. It will only take you a few extra seconds at most, and you'll immediately taste why it's worth it.