25+ Different Types of Beer Glasses (with Pictures)

If you’ve decided to transition from beer bottle to beer glass, we’re here to help. Like wine, not all beer glassware is created equal. Of course, you could pour your favorite lager into whatever container you have lying around your home and use it to enjoy the beer. However, there is a purpose for why certain varieties of beer are typically served in specific types of beer glasses. Although appearance and being able to enjoy the physical qualities of the beer plays somewhat of a role in this, it isn’t the only reason.

The different styles, shapes, and designs of beer glasses that are available were specially designed to help bring out, and even enhance, the aroma of different kinds of beer. And, if you’re a beer lover, you know just how aroma plays a huge role in how you sense the flavor of the beer. Therefore, choosing the proper beer glass can take your beer-drinking experience to an entirely new level.

Remarkably, there are many different types of beer glass on the market, each meant for a different type of beer. Some of the most common types of beer glasses include the goblet, snifter, stange, pint, and chalice, to name a few. We’ve put together a list of 25 varieties of beer glassware, some more common than others, to help you find some worthy additions to your home bar.

Pilsner glasses are tall, slim, and conical-shaped. Although they are primarily designed to be used with Pilsner beers (hence the name), this glass will also work well with a variety of lighter beers including blonde ales and lagers. The relatively tall design makes it easy to visibly see the clarity, sparkle, and bubbles that light beers are notorious for having.

Similar to a champagne glass, the slim frame can actually enhance the bubbles in the beer and the narrow base helps the bubbles to rise to the top. At the same time, the Pilsner glass helps to preserve a beer’s head which keeps the delicate aromatics in place right beneath your nose as you drink. Pilsner glasses hold slightly less than a pint – approximately between 12 and 14 ounces.

Likely the most common beer glass and one you’re very familiar with, the pint glass is often the favored choice for bars and restaurants. These glasses vary slightly based on the country, with English, German, Irish, and American pints varying in size and shape. The American Pint, also referred to as a Shaker glass, is a simple glass that is slightly wider at the mouth than the base and has straight sides. It is roughly cylindrical shaped and holds 16 ounces.

You’ll find these glasses at restaurants and bars all throughout the United States, where it is used to serve a wide array of beer styles. Its omnipresence is due to the fact that the glass is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and easy to both clean and store. Unfortunately, the simple design of the American pint glass does little for enhancing any particular beer style. Though, it doesn’t seriously detract from the beer either.

The Imperial pint glass, also known as the nonic glass, is a slight variation on the conical design of the American pint. The major difference between the two in terms of physical design is that at the top of the Imperial pint, the glass bulges out a few inches. It’s designed this way for a couple of reasons: to improve grip, prevent the glasses from sticking together when they’re stacked, and to enhance strength and prevent the rim from becoming chipped.

Unlike the American pint glass, Imperial pints hold a full 20 ounces. The largemouth allows for a nice layer of foam and aids in drinking. Because of its design and capacity, the Imperial pint glass is ideal for beer styles that aren’t meant to be drunk very carbonated or cold. Choose the Imperial pint glass for British ales and lagers, along with porters, oatmeal stouts, and milk stouts.

Another variation on the traditional pint glass, the Tulip pint, tapers outward toward the top. These glasses are bulb-shaped, which makes it easy to swirl the liquid inside to further enjoy the flavor and aroma of the beer you’re drinking. The slight curve in the lip is designed to help keep a large head on the beer. Although they have a short stem, it is big enough to comfortably grasp the glass without warming up the beer with your hand.

The glass is also not too top-heavy and there’s no risk of it accidentally toppling over. Tulip pints are commonly associated with continental lagers or promotional campaigns run by breweries. You’ll typically see these types of glasses etched with the beer’s label on the side.

Often confused with champagne glasses, flute glasses are designed to help maintain some of the same properties found in champagne. These include intensifying the aroma, creating a visually appealing presentation, and providing active carbonation in the glass. The flute is made with thin glass walls and is typically tall, with a stem that is long and thin.

Its long stem allows you to enjoy your beer without the risk of your hands warming up the beverage. Whereas, the narrow bowl design provides excellent foam retention. Flute glasses are typically used to serve beers that are fruity, carbonated, or both.

Goblets are glasses with large bowls that rest on a thick, short stem. They are the ideal choice for enjoying heavy beers, as they hold less and feature a wide opening that makes it easier to drink the beverage. Like the flute glass, the stem on the goblet is intended to ensure that you don’t warm your beer or reduce the carbonation.

Although visibly similar to chalices, goblets typically have thinner walls. Oftentimes, it can be challenging to tell the difference between goblets and chalices. Regardless, the wide mouth on both help facilitate big, hearty sips. Goblets are ideal for beers that are dark and heavy, such as Belgian IPAs and Belgian-style dubbels, tripels, and quads.

Although traditionally used for serving cognac or brandy, snifters are growing in popularity among beer drinkers. These glasses have a large bowl that rests on a footed stem. The size of the snifter helps make it easy to swirl the liquid inside, creating better aromatics as you consume the beer. It’s typically recommended to avoid filling up a snifter to the brim, as this can constrain the aroma and taste.

These types of glasses are usually used for drinking stronger beers. Grab a snifter if you’ll be drinking beers such as double IPAs, imperial IPAs, and Belgian IPAs.

The thistle glass is essentially an altered version of the tulip glass. Oftentimes, it is slightly shorter than the tulip glass and has a more prominent bulge at the base. It also has an elongated top component that is distinctively more angular and sharper than the tulip glass. The purpose of this design is to trap the aroma so that it can be enjoyed during every sip.

This glass gets its name because it resembles Scotland’s national flower, the thistle. Use the thistle glass to enjoy a Scottish Ale-style beer.

Chalices are very similar to goblets, so much so that they often get confused for each other. The main distinguishing characteristic is that chalices typically have thicker bowl walls. Both goblets and chalices can be highly decorative and many varieties have precious metal detailing or intricate etching.

These glasses are meant to be enjoyed with dark, heavy beers, as the design creates a dense, attractive foam. This allows the robust aromas to remain on the surface, while facilitating proper oxygenation. Some chalices have nuclei at the base that retains CO2 and contributes to the formation of foam, while the wide mouth promotes deep sips.

Although it might sound odd to use a large wine glass for drinking beer, experts suggest that a 22-ounce wine glass is the best way to serve many Belgian Ales, or virtually any beer that has robust flavors and aromas. Oversized wine glasses are similar to cups or chalices, though the enlarged nature helps to concentrate and release the aromas.

These glasses can be an excellent alternative to goblets or tulip glasses in a pinch. The long stem ensures that the beer stays at a constant temperature as you are sipping. You’ll typically find oversized wine glasses being used for serving beer in more sophisticated settings, rather than in a local bar or restaurant.

Though these glasses are similar in size and shape to traditional wine glasses, those used for serving beer will be much larger.

A tumbler glass is a flat-floored container, which can be made out of glass, plastic, or stainless steel. It is easy to drink out of and hold, resembling a traditional pint glass except for the fact that it doesn’t have entirely smooth sides. Instead, tumblers are designed in such a way that makes them easier to grasp.

Tumblers come in a range of styles, sizes, designs, and materials. These glasses are commonly used in restaurants and home bars, as their design makes them easy to clean and stack. The wide opening offers plenty of space for your beer to form a head, while also making allowing the aroma to reach your nose quickly and consistently as you take sips.

The Willi Becher glass, also referred to as the German-Style Pub Glass or the Willy-Becher, is a German-style pint glass that is similar to the shaker pint. However, approximately two-thirds of the way up the body, the glass tapers slightly inward. Some pilsner glasses are designed similarly to this glass.

With the tapered head and tall, slim body, the glass offers a lot of the same benefits as the tulip pint glass. It helps to showcase the color, head, and clarity of a particular beer in an appealing way. Whereas, the tapered top promotes head retention, while trapping the robust aromas inside of the glass.

Traditionally, Willi Becher glasses hold 20 ounces of liquid in the U.S. There are also larger versions that are intended to serve larger bottles of beer, and sizes will vary based on the manufacturer. This glass is ideal for most German-style lagers and ales, so long as the ABV is in the sub 6% region.

The Hoegaarden glass is considered a type of tumbler, with a hexagonal base and an upper section that is rounded and wider than the bottom. It’s a particularly bulky glass with thick walls that narrow down to form a small base with jeweled facets on all sides.

Originally, the Hoegaarden glass was used for storing fruit and jellies in Belgium and France. When they weren’t being used for these purposes, farmers in the provinces used them to drink beer. The glass is also called a Belgian Pint due to the small size and straight slope. It is commonly used for serving beer styles such as Lambic, Witbier, and various seasonal beers.

The Weizen glass, or Weizenbier, is characterized by thin walls and quite a bit of length for showcasing the striking color of wheat beers. It is designed to help lock in the signature clove and banana aromas found in most wheat beers, while also allowing sufficient space for a thick, dense head to form on top.

Weizen glasses are oftentimes confused with pilsner glasses, but there are many differences between the two. While pilsners typically hold between 12 and 14 ounces of beer, a weizen glass can hold a 1/5 liter, or 17 ounces. Not to mention, Weizen glasses are much taller and feature a more visually appealing curvature. Whereas, you’ll find that pilsner glasses have straight, angled sides.

The term “weizen” literally means wheat in German so, as you might expect, this type of beer glass is meant to be served with wheat beers. Though, it is often also used for those and white ales.

The stange, or tube, glass gets its name from the German word for pole. As the name suggests, the glass is straight, narrow, and cylindrical. It is also sometimes called a rye glass, and is, arguably, one of the simplest types of beer glasses available. The glass functions similar to a champagne flute, which preserves bubbles while enhancing the flavors and notes in the beer.

This type of glass is ideal for delicate beers, such as bock or kosh. If you were to use a stange for a stronger ale, the glass will likely complicate the flavors. In addition to enhancing your beer’s concentration, stange glasses also minimize carbonation loss and heat transfer. In most cases, they can hole 6.5 ounces, though stange glasses can also be found in larger sizes.

The IPA glass is easily distinguished by its iconic ridges on the stem. These ridges are designed to aerate your hoppy, IPAs with each sip, as it releases explosive aromatics in the process. On the other hand, the glass features a tall, slim, tapered bowl that helps to concentrate and deliver the hoppy aromatics directly to your nose.

This glass is relatively new to barware collections across the United States, first gaining popularity in 2013. It essentially looks like an elongated version of the goblet glass. Some IPA glasses may be nucleated, or etched, on the base to release carbonation and also stimulate a continual stream of bubbles.

The IPA glass, as you might expect, is ideal for all types of IPAs. It can hold approximately 19 ounces, though the exact amount may vary based on the manufacturer.

This type of beer glass is recognized by many as one of the premium craft beer glasses on the market today. The Teku stemmed beer glass is visually stunning, designed by an Italian craft brewer and sensory expert. With an angular bowl and gracefully flared lip, the Teku makes the beer-drinking an elegant experience.

Aside from being an attractive glass, it also enhances the flavor of your beer more so than a typical pint does. With a shape that looks similar to a traditional wine glass, Teku glasses contain and funnel aromas to your nose, while the long stem prevents your hands from warming up the liquid as you drink.

The Teku glass advertises itself as being ideal for all styles of beer. With that said, it does a wonderful job at emphasizing flavor profiles and directing aromatics, so strong beers may be overpowering when served in a glass like this.

A tankard is a type of drinkware that features a somewhat cylindrical cup and a single handle. It is essentially a mug that is typically made out of silver or pewter. Though, the cup may be made of a range of other materials such as leather, ceramic, or wood. Some tankards have hinged lids, and it’s very common for them to consist of a glass bottom.

Regardless, tankards function and appear similar to beer steins. They have very thick walls, which ensure that the beer is appropriately insulated and minimizes contact with the warmth of the air or your hands. This, along with a thick and durable hand, lets you enjoy every sip of your beer.

The term ‘tankard’ is often used to refer to a large glass beer mug with a similar shape and design. In this case, the clear glass allows you to enjoy the clarity and color of your beer, while also monitoring its carbonation and head.

If you’ve ever been to the popular restaurant chain Yard House, then you are familiar with this type of glass. A yard glass is an incredibly tall type of beer drinkware that is designed to drink 2.5 pints of beer. Though, the actual volume will vary based on the glass’ diameter.

The glass features a bulb at the base, with a shaft that gently widens as you reach the top. Because of their length and shape, they do not stand up on their own and typically require being supported by a wooden structure. While you may be able to find these types of glasses at your favorite bar, they are very common at Oktoberfest celebrations and beer festivals.

However, this is one glass that you won’t ever want to set down without some sort of support, as it will very likely topple over, you’ll lose your beverage, and may even break the glass.

Glass beer boots, or “das boots,” have been wildly popular at parties and beer festivals in the United States for many years. They are also commonly used for drinking games. However, beer boots actually stem from Bavarian beer culture. There is a legend that claims a Prussian general promised his troops that he would drink beer out of his own leather boot if they won on the battlefield. When they did, he had a glass version of his boot custom-made so that he didn’t have to drink out of his own.

After this, the beer boot glass gained popularity and eventually became synonymous with Oktoberfest traditions. The proper way to hold a glass beer boot is with the toe facing your body, as the other way around and you risk spilling your beer all over you. This positioning allows air to carefully enter the toe, without causing the liquid to spill.

A beer stein, or simply stein, is the English term for a beer mug that is made out of stoneware. The term also refers to ornamental beer mugs that are sold as collectibles or souvenirs. They may be made out of stoneware, porcelain, pewter, wood, silver, or even crystal class. In some cases, beer steins feature open tops or hinged lids that are operated using a thumb-lever

Steins typically come in half-liter and full-liter sizes and, like decorative tankards, they are usually decorated in a nostalgic way. These mugs were exceptionally popular during the 16th century, as folks believed their lids prevented the bubonic plague and kept the beer sanitary. Although not as commonly used today, you’ll typically see them sold as souvenir glassware.

Originally used in England, these mugs have now made their way over to America where they are loved for their hardiness. The sides of dimpled mugs are mostly straight, while some variations feature a minor curvature. They are characterized by having a strong handle and dimples on all sides. These dimples serve two purposes: they help measure how much beer is poured, while also making the mug easier to hold.

The handle on the dimpled mug helps to prevent the heat of your hand from warming up the beer. These mugs are designed with sturdiness in mind so that you can collide glassed during toasts without breaking them.

Oktoberfest mugs are basically jumbo-sized dimpled beer mugs that can hold approximately 44 ounces of beer. Like the dimpled mug, these glasses feature a sturdy handle and the signature dimple pattern that is common among many German-style beer mugs. With exceptionally thick walls, your beer is perfectly insulated and the risk of chipping the glass is reduced.

Though Oktoberfest mugs often hold 44 ounces of beer, this number may vary. For example, the “Mass or Maß” jug, which is derived from the Bavarian word meaning a measure of 1,069 liters, is the jug found at massive beer festivals, like the renowned Oktoberfest in Munich. Though, the Mass jug is currently the name given to a one-liter beer mug.

Again, like dimpled mugs, the walls on Oktoberfest mugs are so thick that you can toast and clink to your heart’s content without worrying about breaking the glass.

Also referred to as sampler glasses, tasting glasses come in a variety of shapes and sizes. You’ll typically see these at your local breweries, while on a brewery tour, or when being served a flight of beer at a bar or restaurant. The idea behind tasting glasses is that they hold a fraction of the amount that pint glasses do, as they are intended to be used primarily for “tasting” purposes.

Tasting glasses typically hold between 2.5 and 6 ounces, depending on the design. This petite pour lets you sample a range of different beers at the same time, whether you want to try out a few sips before you make an order, or simply while enjoying a beer sampler at dinner. Tasting glasses are often used by beer connoisseurs so they can enjoy more expensive beers, without having to pay full price for a pint.