Why Pint Glasses Are One Of The Worst Choices For Your Beer

If you've drink beer, chances are you've held a pint glass. It's a bar staple commonly used for serving beer (and some mixed drinks) or used in conjunction with a larger metal cup for shaking and mixing cocktails. The shape and size of pint glasses varies slightly between the English (Imperial) and American versions. Across the board, pint glasses have a flat bottom and a conical shape that widens at the top — and therein lies the problem. The large surface area of the pint glass reduces the amount of beer foam (commonly known as the head), which some drinkers are averse to. However, reducing beer foam too much may reduce aroma and overall enjoyment, especially of craft beers.

In addition to the foam reduction, the shape of the pint glass works against beer in a second way. Without a stem, the drinker must wrap their hand around the glass, which warms the beer more quickly. Along with oxygen and light exposure, temperature is one of beer's three biggest enemies, and a brew that's too warm can have a flat, boring taste. Lighter beers, like lagers and ales, are best kept between 33 and 45 degrees Fahrenheit, so for those who prefer to slip slowly, a stemmed glass or mug is likely a better choice.

According to NielsenIQ, draft beer is gaining popularity in the U.S. (led by imports and specialty craft brews) and is on track to surpass bottles and cans in revenue share. As American consumers turn more and more to beer served in glasses, conversations across the internet suggest they're also paying attention to glass styles.

A Redditor at r/beer, who said they were new to craft beer, asked other users whether they believed the style of glass has an impact on the drinking experience. One person replied that their experience suggests the tulip glass (also a great vessel for Scotch) is the best all-purpose beer glass. They also broke down the types of pint glasses, stating, "A nonic or tulip/Guinness-style Imperial pint glass is a good step up from your basic shaker pint glass, which is a bad shape for beer, actually."

On Facebook, a conversation in the Chicago area Microbreweries group opens with a self-proclaimed newbie asking, "Does the glass really make the beer?" Opinions are mixed in the comments, with some saying they believe the style of glass made little to no difference. Others offer their two-cents on glass differentiation, with one user breaking down the pint glass, writing, "Shaker pint glasses are functional, but for a lot of styles, they will hide some of the mouthfeel due to the purpose of its original intent as a shaker, and that follows into taste and aroma, which some other kinds of glassware are purpose[ly] designed to enhance."