There are so many different beer glasses for different styles or even different brands, but do they make a difference? Do they have an effect on beer aroma and flavor? As a follow up to our discussion of beer glasses from a few weeks ago, we put it to the test. We pour beer into two different glasses and see if a glass changes our perception of that beer. Watch this video to see what we did and what we thought:

Do Pilsners taste better in a Pilsner glass?

Beer Glass Experiment #1 – Pilsner

For our first test, we poured a local craft lager into two glasses. Nightshift’s Nite Lite Craft Light Lager is a take on an American Pilsner so it made sense to compare the experience of drinking it in a regular pint glass vs. a pilsner-style glass.

The experiences were similar. I think the pilsner glass presents the beer in a more attractive fashion. That visual perception may enhance the beer’s flavor as we taste with our eyes first. Other than that, I could not tell too much difference between my perception of aroma and flavor between the two glasses.

Beer Glass Experiment #2 – NEIPA

For the second test, we wanted to see if the shape of a glass would affect the experience of a hop forward beer. So we poured a well known NEIPA from Vermont. No, not that one. Mike got Lawson’s Sip of Sunshine instead.

This beer’s aroma was quite detectable from six inches away from my nose in the tulip glass. In the regular pint glass, it wasn’t as present. You had to push your nose into the glass to get the same aroma strength. It was amazing to experience the difference. That tulip glass made a difference.

Doing Stuff So You Don’t Have To

Hope you enjoyed the outcomes of these experiments. It is nice to get some confirmation about the use of these beer glasses.

BREW ON!