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base, opens wide near the top before curving in at the rim. It is designed to enhance the banana- like and spicy aromas, while the concave shape helps concentrate the thick, u y head. It’s a classic Hefeweizen glass. en there’s the tulip, perfect for hoppy beers such as IPAs; it’s a glass that tilts the beer towards the back of the tongue where the majority of taste receptors that detect bitterness are found. Variations on the tulip work well with malty ales where the rich sweetness is picked up by the sweet sensing taste buds near the tip of the tongue; it’s a glass that also encourages deep sipping. For strong ales and barley wines a snifter is perfect; it’s akin to a brandy and cognac glass – perfect for savouring the multifaceted rich aromas and tastes and taking it easy. SCIENCE OR PSYCHOLOGY? For some time now designers have been reshaping classic glasses using science to instruct their ideas. But, how much has this to do with hard science and how much is down to psychology – the situational elements of where you are and who you’re with? It’s impossible to separate the aesthetic, emotional, intangible experience from the science e ects of design; that’s because you’re highly unlikely to enjoy a beer while sitting in a laboratory. However, there is merit in the scienti c approach when designing the perfect shape of glass. A multifaceted approach to bringing the individual attributes of a beer to the fore during the drinking experience. And of course if you speak with brand owners, beer sommeliers and a cionados they will tell you that the glass, without doubt, a ects how the liquid inside is perceived. Even if the di erence cannot be fully backed by hard science, beer, wine and spirits served in beautiful glassware (similar to such drinks served from bottles with beautiful labels) tend to be perceived as being higher quality. ere’s even an industry term for the phenomenon: ‘drinking the label.’ But, this is not why successful brewers team up with designers and glass manufacturers. Good beer doesn't doesn’t need to hide behind a label. Over 10 years ago Samuel Adams and the Boston Beer Co worked with sensory experts TIAX to identify and evaluate the functional design features needed in a glass to highlight Boston lager’s key attributes; the company undertook consumer research and went on to collaborate with glassware designer and manufacturer Rastal to produce the ultimate in functional glass design. Beer has very di erent requirements from a glass than wine: the glass must be designed for when it’s full and then continue to function right down to the last drop. e balloon-shaped wine glass, rst introduced by Riedel, who have designed glasses for every type of wine imaginable, is designed to hold a relatively small amount of wine (about a third or less) allowing the aroma to collect in the bowl. GLASSES FOR CRAFT rough their sister company Spiegelau, Riedel have brought their expertise and credibility to beer by introducing classic beer glasses. ey developed the IPA glass in collaboration with US craft brewing companies Dog sh Head and Sierra Nevada; it is designed to showcase the alluring and complex pro les of American ‘hop-forward’ IPAs. In 2014 the company teamed with US craft brewers Left Hand Brewing Co and Rogue Ales to create the de nitive stout glass: a glass shaped to accentuate the roasted malt, rich co ee and chocolate notes that de ne the style. In the years to follow, Spiegelau, in collaboration with brewers, designed the American wheat beer glass and the ‘barrel-aged’ beer glass. In 2017, a chic stylish pilsner glass was developed to showcase the aromatic structure of pilsner beers. Known as ‘Craft Pils’ it was crafted in collaboration with the Austrian brewery Trumer Privatbrauerei. Today brewers worldwide prefer to serve their agship brands in bespoke glassware, and nowhere is this more true than in Belgium. e Belgians take signature glasses to another level – every beer has its own glass. Of course beer can be enjoyed from a bottle, or a can and much of this is dependent on the occasion and location; but beer in a proper glass somehow liberates it and shows o all its qualities. It enhances the drinking experience – it’s the whole multi-sensory experience. is is branded glassware specially designed to accentuate a beer’s unique visual, haptic and sensory qualities and to heighten consumer enjoyment. It’s a savvy brewer who uses branded glassware, Belgian-style beer glasses, over-sized red wine glasses and even champagne utes to stress the quality of her or his beers. Beer has very different requirements from a glass than wine PILSNER GLASS SNIFTER GLASS HEFEWEIZEN GLASS STOUT GLASS BARRELžAGED GLASS WIDE MOUTH PINT GLASS IPA GLASS TULIP GLASS AMERICAN WHEAT BEER GLASS CRAFT PILS GLASS MAKING BUBBLES As well as shape and size, there’s another little weapon that many beer glasses possess: nucleation. Often there is a laser-edged nucleation site on the inside base of the glass. Scratches etched in the glass act as the starting point for the formation of a CO 2 bubble. The bubbles rising through the beer create a consistent aroma release and add a certain sparkle. BEERGINNER’S GUIDE 30 | Summer 2018 | ontapmag.co.za