Beer glasses are designed to enhance the flavor of the beer and to improve its visual appeal when poured; hence beer glasses are designed to develop a drinking culture, similar to the aesthetics of wine and champagne drinking. However, to enhance the flavor of each particular style of beer is of the greatest importance. A fresh, bitter-flavored Pils is best served in a thin Pils glass while a full-flavored special beer ought to be served in the elegant "Stange." The particular glass is not overly important for a Märzen beer, referred to as a beer with "Lust and Laune" (excitment and mood), but the full-bodied Bock beer, with its intensive aroma is best served in a thick-walled Krügel or Seidl. The fresh, light beer, such as Möven (available only in Austria) demands a wide open-mouthed glass for the full taste, and the ultra-thin Möven glass, similar to a "Stange" in shape is as delicate as the beer!
Especially in Germany, and Austria one can frequently tell at a glance what type of beer is being served by the shape of the glass. Beer is generally drunk from a glass "mug." However, the Bavarians in particular love their earthenware "Stein," correctly called a "Krug." With the exception of the terms "Krug," and "Stiefel" (boot), other terms for glasses, such as "Seidel," "Pokal," and "Willibecher" are nowadays seldom heard by the general public. When you order "ein Bier," you will get it in the glass typical of the bar and the area, but the quantity of beer will invariably be marked on the "mug," expressed in portions of a liter (approximately 33.8 ounces), such as 0,5 l meaning 1/2 liter, or approximately 16.9 ounces.
The Krug, the earthenware mug with a handel, is still found frequently throughout Bavaria, and you will often hear it referred to as a Mass Krug, a mass being a full liter, enough to fill the Krug. The earthenward Krug has generally been replaced with the Seidel, the same but made out of glass. Americans generally refer to both as a Stein, but my bavarian friend insists that the latter is called a Glass Krug. Might I suggest that the glass one be called a Glass Mass Krug?
The Willibecher is what one might consider a normal beer glass, no handel, and is the other possibility in Bavaria for a "normales Helles," a normal Munich light or blonde beer. (Light refers strictly to the color of the beer, and not to the alcohol content or the calories.) In Austria they are referred to as Trumpfbecher.
The Pokal is the smaller glass, found in northern Germany, and generally in the smaller sizes, 0,2 and 0,3 liter. Apparently the north German tradition is such that they prefer their beer really fresh from the tap. However, think of the poor waiters and waitresses who have to constantly serve fresh, small beers.
The tall and moderately slender Weizenbier glass is especially shaped to handel the volatility of theWeizen beer.
The Berliner Kindl glass is totally unique to a Berliner Weisse while one sits in an outdoor cafe, and sips this Weissbier from a straw, reserved and elegant, native to Berlin.
Finally departing from aesthetics of beer drinking, we find the Stiefel (the boot). The other culture of beer drinking can be the guzzling, and here the Stiefel is the fun glass. Can you drink from a Stiefel without slopping the beer all over you, especially the 2,0 liter Stiefel?
Still "IN" in Germany
and Austria. No Gasthaus or beer-bar would be complete without
several.
Absolutely
mandatory in England, bar-towels, not Zipfer.