How do the different types of beer glasses affect the whole beer-drinking experience? Some beginning home beer brewing enthusiasts believe that the glassware is just a marketing ploy, another spot for the brewer to add their logo. The experienced beer drinker knows better. Whether from a bottle or straight out of the home brew keg taps, glassware is a vital aspect of the beer drinking experience. For example, the shape of a traditional beer stein influences the way a head is formed as the beer is poured in, which makes a big difference in appearance and taste. A darker beer should be drunk from a glass with a wider brim in order to allow for more release of the volatile ingredients in the brew, thus enhancing both the strong flavor and aroma. A bottled beer is pasteurized and needs a taller, thinner pilsner glass for color and "pourability". These are just a few of the little different things that can, and do, make a big difference in your drinking experience.
Of course there's a big marketing presence in all these different varieties of beer glasses as the large commercial brewers slap their logo on everything from bottles to bikinis. But the true home brewed beer drinker knows that as the beer is poured in, something else is going on besides that nice looking logo on the side of the glass. The hue of the beer changes, the head forms at the top, and the anticipation of that first cool drink is more profound and complete. Just like any other pleasurable aspect of life, there's a psychology involved here. Flavor, texture, aroma, glass; these are the things that help make your drinking experience memorable. If, like most of us who home brew beer, you're drinking to relax and enjoy yourself, why not do all the things you can to enhance the experience.
One of the most important aspects of beer glasses is how the shape affects the formation of the head. This is important because the head acts as a sort of trap for the volatiles in the beer. What's volatile in a beer? Compounds such as hop oils, a variety of yeast byproducts such as spices or alcohol are what make up a beer's aroma and taste. In earlier times, beer was darker, stouter, and grainier than what we are used to today, mostly because of a lack of filtration. As glassware became more and more widely available, so did lighter colored beers and better filtration processes. With so many different kinds of beers being produced, a variety of beer glasses came into being to help enhance the maximum desired effect of the beer drinking experience.
So which is the correct glass to use with which beer? Many beer drinkers believe that the 16-ounce pint glass is the most versatile glass for the widest range of beers. But, really, the answers are vast and varied. Europeans may do it differently from the Yanks and the Australians might do it differently than anyone else in the world, but what it really comes down to is your own personal preference. Read the available literature, go with some recommendations and then branch out and try some different type glassware on your own. You may be surprised at the experience and find your own preferences to be totally unique to yourself
Instead of searching the online beer sites endlessly for information about home beer making, simply download the ebook Brew Beer Bible found at Brew Beer Today.com.
The Brew Beer Bible is inexpensive, has an iron clad money back guarantee if it does not meet expectations, and offers step by step instructions on how to always get the best tasting beer out of your home brewery.
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