You’ve probably seen other glasses of all shapes and sizes… but do they really affect how the beer tastes? Turns out, they do! Not only that, the geometry of the glass can affect how the beer looks, smells, and even how the beer feels in your mouth.

So how do you know which glass to use? When determining appropriate glassware, an educated drinker will note the beer style, and consider things like alcohol content, and whether the beer is bottle conditioned. Here are a few quick tips to help you choose the right glass for the right beer…

Weissbier “Vase”

The weissbier vase has a tall, slender shape that beautifully displays the bright colors and swirling haze typical of wheat beers. The glass is tapered at the bottom and wider at the the top to provide ample space for the thick, frothy head, representative of the style. A quick rinse with cold water can help break surface tension and reduce excessive foaming, though a great head is a desirable characteristic of any wheat beer, helping to lock in the aromas of the beer being served.

This is the preferred glass for hefeweizens, weissbiers and other wheat beers.

Stemmed Tulip

The tulip glass, named for it resemblance to the Spring flower, is my favorite glass for craft beer, and will work in most cases if you’re struggling to find the right glass. The flared rim helps support the head and fits well to your lips, while the inward taper helps hold aromas inside, a treat to the senses with every sip. You can also hold this glass by the stem to prevent heat transfer from your hands to the beer, or conversely, cup the glass in your hand if the beer is served too cold.

This is the preferred glass for serving Scottish ales, American double/imperial IPAs, barleywines, Belgian ales and other aromatic beers.

Tapered Pilsner Glass

Pilsner glasses are tall, slender and tapered to reveal the color, and carbonation of the beer, with a broad top to help maintain head. They are similar in appearance to the Weissbier vase, but a true Pilsner glass has an even taper without any amount of curvature.

This is the preferred glass for Pilsners, Amber Lagers, Maibocks/Helles Bocks, and other American and imported lagers.

Snifter

Typically used for serving brandy and cognac, the snifter is perfect for capturing the complex aromatics of Belgian ales, IPAs, and stouts. The shape of the glass allows swirling to agitate volatiles, producing an intense aroma. At the same time, the snifters smaller size make it a great choice for beers that are high in alcohol, such as barleywines and Russian imperial stouts. Like the tulip, the round shape allows for the beer to be warmed by the hand, as these styles are generally meant to be enjoyed at 55-60º F or “cellar temperature”.

This is the preferred glass for Belgian Strong Ales, Gueuze, Flanders Red, Russian Imperial Stouts, Barleywines, Wheatwines, and other aromatic or high alcohol content beers.

The post The Perfect Pint? first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.

What: Beer Bar featuring Belgian imports and Belgian-style beers.

Where: 120 East Avenue, Rochester NY, 14604 / tel: 585-325-3663

When to go: Open 4:00 pm – 2:00 am. Regular hours start Monday, July 9th: Monday – Friday 11:00 am – 2:00 am

A new addition to the East End district, Victoire (pronounced veek-twahr) offers an impressive selection of authentic Belgian imports along with Belgian style beers from breweries like Ommegang, Victory, Stone, & Unibroue. They feature 20+ taps along with an impressive number of bottle conditioned beers. The Belgian people take their glassware seriously, so it’s also nice to see that Victoire serves much of their beer in the corresponding specialty glassware from the breweries. I ordered a Duchesse De Bourgogne from Brouwerij Verhaeghe (Belgium), and a Liefmans Fruitesse (Belgium)… both of which, I adored. JD started with a Hennepin from Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY) and finished with a Delirium Tremens from Brouwerij Huyghe (Belgium).

The atmosphere at Victoire is great. The dimly lit interior features multiple rooms, plenty of private seating areas as well as a few large wooden tables well-suited to large parties or dining alongside other guests (make new friends!). Perhaps their most endearing feature, is the outdoor seating area. Located a few steps below street-level, the sunken beer garden offers the perfect spot to enjoy a warm summer night in the city… JD and I agreed, we felt like we were in a different city.

When we went, they had yet to release the full menu (available starting July 5th), but we ordered the charcuterie plate, which was huge! A perfect pairing for those looking for something to snack on with drinks and enough to serve as a small appetizer for a table four. For $12 we got 4 cheeses, 4 meats, 4 fruits, tapanade, pepper jelly, mustard, and a sliced baguette… my only critique was that our server didn’t explain what was on the plate so we were left to guess what would pair well with what. (I’m hoping this is one of the “start-up kinks” that will be worked out as the staff gets the hang of what’s on the menu.) The table next to us ordered one of the 8 varieties of moules & frites (mussels & fries) and they said it was delicious, I’ll definitely be back to try those!

*Update!

I stopped back in last night for a quick beer after work and I tried the mussels… I paired a Delirium Nocturnum (Belgian Dubbel) with the Victoire Moules & Frites – white wine, cream, bacon, caramelized onions, scallions, & organic herbs.  It was a great pairing and MAN, those mussels were delicious!  The hand cut fries were also quite good, served with both a pesto and a garlic aioli for dipping.  I gotta hand it to them… they’re doing a great job.  Definitely adding this to our list of favorite beer spots in the city!

The post Local Spotlight: Victoire Belgium Beer Bar first appeared on The Craft Beer Blog.