In the summertime, when the weather is fine, we’ve got fresh produce and beer on our mind. Learn what beers go best with your farmers market finds using this handy field guide.Â
Raising a Glass to Dad: A Beer Glassware Guide to Father’s Day
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While growing up, your Dad had an explanation for just about everything. Now, it’s time to share a little wisdom of your own targeting his favorite beverage - beer.Â
For instance, did you know that barley is the heart and soul of beer, providing its range of colors, its subtle sweetness and its unmistakable aroma? Also, the correct glassware can heighten all of these characteristics (and more), helping to properly see the barley’s hue, smell its toasty aroma and enjoy its grainy flavors. In honor of beer-loving dads everywhere, here are some tips on picking the proper glassware for Dad’s favorite beer styles to show dad just how well you were raised.
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Lagers
Popular Glass Types: Pilsner Glass, Flute Glass
Little surprise that the most popular beer style in the world also comes with the widest variety of glassware to drink from. The shape and size of the beer glass is often determined by the time and setting that this crisp, refreshing beer is being enjoyed. Session Lagers are often served in tall, wide open glasses to ensure a quick release of the beer’s aroma and flavors - instantly delivering everything dad loves about a cold one. When served in a more relaxed environment like dinner at a restaurant, the Lager beer glass will often be stemmed and more inwardly curved, creating a slower release of the carbonation and therefore an extended release of the beer’s aromas and flavors.
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Amber and Brown ales
Popular Glass Types: Tulip Pint Glass, Nonic Glass
These beers showcase the beauty of the main ingredient in beer - barley, which is toasted and roasted to different degrees delivering a wide range of bready, toffee and caramel aromas and flavors. You want to capture these beautiful characteristics, so use a round, inward flared glass. You’ll notice that the brewing ingredients are pulled in and concentrated in front of your nose. Just like you may consider dad the heart and soul of your family, barley is the heart and soul of beer, and should be appreciated as such.Â
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White beers
Popular Glass Types: Weizen Glass
The unfiltered cloudy Belgian-style Witbier/White beers are traditionally served in wide open glasses to dispel the aroma of the Belgian Witbier yeast more quickly, allowing the other aromas and flavors of the barley to prevail. The cloudy German-style Hefeweizen beers come in tall, inward flared tulip shaped glasses to enhance the fruity, sometimes almost spicy-fruity banana aroma while keeping the frothy, creamy head of foam in the glass. And remember, goam is a good thing! To impress Pops, pour into the center of the glass to agitate the beer and unleash its bouquet, or collection of beer aromas.
iStock / Lauri Patterson
Stouts/Porters
Popular Glass Types: Tulip Pint Glass, Nonic Glass
Strong stouts and porters have a noticeable appearance, aroma and flavor. The use of dark, roasted barley delivers unique smoky aroma and barley bitter-dryness. To dial down these characteristics, these beers are served in taller, wide open glasses to allow some of that prominent smokiness to dissipate before drinking up.
iStock / zmurciuk_k
Wild beers
Popular Glass Types: Tulip Glass, Flute Glass
For the more adventurous beer-drinking dads, check out Wild beers. Created through mixed fermentation, both using wild, airborne yeasts, Wild beers often have a more challenging aroma known as ‘funk’ or ‘Brett’. Wide open glasses are used so that these smells aren’t pinpointed, allowing you to cut through the funk and experience the great flavors of these beers. Take turns with dad first smelling these unique beers and then trying to guess what they will actually taste like - it isn’t easy!
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