Three Cheers – In The Right Glass
Jun 7, 2010 Beer & Other Edibles, Myth Busting, craft beer, education
Here’s an article that’s headed in the right direction.
Makes me cringe when I see ice cold glasses used for ANY beer, whether it’s supposed to be served chilly or not. Beer is not supposed to be served frozen.
When giving any kind of event or education piece, this is a critical light bulb turn on. Here’s my analogy.
Say you have a garden ripened tomato. Do you store it in the fridge? If you do, what happens to the taste and flavors? What happens to the tomato? What then is your experience going to be like?
Beer, like garden tomatoes, needs to be served (preferably when possible – and it’s not being snobby) at its best temperature. We’re not talking about getting candy thermometer out. We’re talking about good uncommon sense. What temperature should it be served at, approximately? Lager? Crisp out of the fridge. Stout – let it warm up just a bit to really be able to enjoy all the flavors.
Do you see pourers of Guinness grabbing a frozen glass? Cold glass, fine. Frozen – the beer doesn’t really appreciate it , me thinks.
Plus who wants a bunch of frozen crystallized froth in their beer glass?
So pick your glassware, pick the right temp of the glassware. Double whammy for double the pleasure and authentic experience.
This isn’t being a snob. It’s knowing what you like and asking for it.
Tags: beer justice, glassware, temperature
Glass Matters
Jan 27, 2010 Beer & Other Edibles, Myth Busting, education
Found on the table after the event...
The different beers served with the recent men’s beer pairing and tasting:
- Stout – small straight cylindrical taster
- Lager – half pint glass
- IPA – half pint glass
- Barleywine – flute
- Double IPA – wine glass
- Cider – flute
Glassware matters. Focus groups have told me time and again that what they drink out of is can be integral part of the experience to them.
- Size
- Capacity
- Style
- And for those who know sensory science, Design
Beer deserves to have its own and proper glasses for serving. Just like the wine industry has identified glasses that optimize the wine, brandy makers have snifters and so forth.
The glassware we had on hand and used was partially to get them to rethink their drink. Looking at it for color and head, smelling it for aromas, swirling it about for aeration, ideas for presentation.
Rethinking requires a new approach be taken. Different glassware can do that.
Tags: glassware, serving beer
Glassware
Dec 17, 2009 Beer & Other Edibles, Something To Think About, education
Here’s a picture of one beer I find to be a favorite for me. It’s a framboise and delicious in very way.
No, I don’t drink it only because I’m female and gravitate towards fruity beers (sometimes no, sometimes yes as with any beer). After all, the issue here at WEB is not gender. It’s opportunity.
I drink it because it’s beautiful, has a luxurious flavor and mouth feel, has a zing of effervescence, and pairs nicely with a great many foods. It’s also very drinkable all by its gorgeous self.
This glass in particular was served to me at a very recent stop, Willimantic Brewing, in Connecticut at David’s place. What a refreshing surprise to get it served in an appropriately well designed glass.
Refreshing because too many places still use the standard (and cheapest) and expected beer vessel around – the tapered pint. At 16 or 20 ounces, it’s not the right glass for some beers. It allows the carbonation to escape too quickly therefore not fully allowing the flavor of the beer to shine and it’s too big a portion for many, women and men. Especially when you want to try a few beers.
If you make beer, be proud of it and do it justice by serving it in a more appropriate glass.
Tags: glassware