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Food & Wine / Kevin Liang
Whether your drink of choice is an aromatic wine, an elegant classic cocktail, or a cold beer, you'll need the proper cocktail glassware for serving and savoring that beverage. From stouts to pilsners and lagers, there's an ideal vessel for every type and style of beer. The best beer glasses are designed to enhance flavor and aroma to maximize your drinking experience.
According to Shawn Moen, co-founder of 9 Mile Legacy Brewing in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, "A beer glass should fit comfortably in your hand and be of a size and shape that best accentuates the qualities of a beer." Moen helped us sort through the practically endless options available and pick out what we think are the absolute best beer glasses. There are plenty of great options to choose from, so grab a cold one from your beer fridge, and let's dig in.
Best Overall
Libbey Craft Pub Beer Glasses
This is a quality set of timeless, versatile glassware at a reasonable price.
The large-capacity glasses are too big for small pours of high-alcohol beers.
Libbey has been in the glassware game since 1818, steadily producing well-crafted, durable drinkware. Its wide assortment of inexpensive products is a common sight in bars and restaurants today, and this glass is likely to be the one you're served a pint in at your local brewery taproom. The subtle taper at the top of the Craft Pub glass concentrates the hoppy aromas in the head of the beer, delivering them right to your nose with every sip. It's a versatile shape that suits lagers, ales, sours, stouts, and other basic styles. "Its shape concentrates the bouquet of the beer but still has a great pub feel," Moen says. (Serious beer nerds might know the design as a Willibecher — German for "Willi glass," after the first name of the salesman who created it in the 1950s.)
These glasses are strong, dishwasher-safe, and ready to handle anything despite their bargain price. They can hold 20 ounces, which is great as a water glass or for an extra-large pint with room for foam. That's not necessarily the best vessel for a high-alcohol brew: Imperial stouts, triple IPAs, and other powerful specialty styles aren't normally served a whole pint at a time, and an appropriately sized pour might make the glass look rather empty.
Dimensions: 3.1 x 6.1 inches | Capacity: 20 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best Value
Libbey Pint Glass
These basic yet classic pint glasses come at an incredible price.
The fewer glasses you buy, the less you save.
It should come as no surprise that Libbey's standard pint glasses are also an excellent choice for your home bar or your neighborhood pub. They hold exactly one pint. The rims have been heat-tempered, which makes the glass strong enough to withstand the dishwasher, and potentially even a drop onto the floor. They're also safe to stack up for storage.
No matter how many of these glasses you buy at once (you can get as few as four), you'll be happy with the cost, though you need to buy a lot at a time for the best price. You can get two dozen for less than a dollar apiece, but 24 pint glasses are probably too many for home.
Dimensions: 3.5 x 5.9 inches | Capacity: 16 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best for IPA
Rastal Teku Stemmed Beer Glass
This elegant piece of glassware was purpose-built for hop-forward beers, and it's also a great showcase for unique and unusual brews.
It takes up more space and has a smaller capacity than a traditional pint glass.
Looking to enjoy an ultra-hoppy IPA or an unusual specialty beer that doesn't fit into an existing style? Pull out the stemware. "When I want to communicate an experience that has a degree of grandeur and refinement, then I'll look for a stemmed beer glass with a robust body and a slightly concentrated opening," says Moen.
The Rastal Teku is reminiscent of a wine glass, with the stem keeping your hands from warming the contents. But the shape is specifically beer-friendly, with the bowl narrowing near the top to capture and concentrate the aromatic foam, but a slight flare at the rim to spread the aromas across your nose and mouth. With hoppy beers and sours, hazy beers, fruit- or spice-infused beers, and other unusual brews, the shape lets you catch every nuance.
This glass is a little pricier than others on this list, but it's not horrendous, especially if you pick up more than one at once. Our biggest issue is storage: The stem makes the Teku taller than a regular pint glass despite its less-than-a-pint capacity. It's also not stackable glassware, so you'll need plenty of cabinet room.
Dimensions: 3 x 8.2 inches | Capacity: 14.2 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best for Dark Beer
Luigi Bormioli Birrateque Craft Beer Glasses Stout
This glass' specialized design keeps the bubbles flowing for rich texture from first sip to last.
The top-heavy shape can be prone to tip over when full.
Italy's Luigi Bormioli makes all sorts of luxury glassware we love, including some of our favorite everyday drinking glasses and a gorgeous set of Nick and Nora glasses. The brand's Birrateque line has specialized shapes for eight different beer styles, and this unique one is ideal for lovers of porters and stouts.
The Birrateque stout glass' design is all about carbonation control, with a subtle etched ring in the bottom that keeps a steady stream of bubbles flowing up to replenish the head of the beer. That helps maintain the smooth texture and creamy mouthfeel of the head as you drink the beer. It allows for a nice balance of malty sweetness and hoppy bitterness on the palate, especially for dark beers bottled and canned on nitro, like Guinness and Left Hand Milk Stout. The downside of this unique shape is the narrow base, which can make the whole thing top-heavy and unstable, especially if the glass is full.
Dimensions: 3.75 x 7 inches | Capacity: 20.25 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best for Pilsner
Crystalia Tall-Footed Pilsner Glass
This is a quality set of proper pilsner glasses at a fair price.
The extra-tall glasses can be a pain to clean and store.
Originating in the Czech town of Pilsen, pilsner is a flavorful lager that's crisp and refreshing, renowned for its light color and perfect clarity. The tall, narrow pilsner glass is designed to show off the beer's appearance, with a thick foot that keeps it stable on the bar or table. The Crystalia pilsner glass is a classic design, and it's durable, dishwasher-safe, and reasonably priced. (It can easily pull double-duty as highball glasses, too, if cocktails are on the menu.)
The downside with any pilsner glass is its height. These are quite tall and still hold short of a pint. They're dishwasher-safe (if they'll fit), but if you hand-wash it's tough to get a sponge into the bottom. Plus, you'll need an extra-tall cabinet or shelf to store them.
Dimensions: 3 x 9.25 inches | Capacity: 13.5 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best for Wheat Beer
Spiegelau Hefeweizen Glasses
These glasses are German-made and purpose-built to highlight hazy hefeweizens.
The extra-large, extra-tall glass is really only intended for one beer style.
If you order a hefeweizen in Germany, you will most assuredly be served a proper glass of wheat beer just like this one from Spiegelau. Germans take their glassware very seriously, and the purpose-built hefeweizen glass is made to capture aromas at the top, keep the beer at a steady temperature, and allow for sediment to settle at the bottom.
These characteristics are all ideal for serving a cloudy, yeasty wheat beer, but the hefeweizen glass is kind of a one-trick pony. Its extra-large capacity and unusual shape don't lend themselves well to stouts, brown ales, and other darker brews. If hefeweizen isn't among your preferred styles of beer, you may not need these.
Dimensions: 3.2 x 9.38 inches | Capacity: 27.5 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: Yes
Best Stein-Style
HB beer glass
This vessel from Munich's most famous brewery is the best way to have an authentic Oktoberfest experience at home.
A heavy, liter-sized glass isn't always practical.
OK, beer pedants: This is not, technically, a stein. Stein is German for "stone," and a true Bierstein is made from ceramic, not glass. Nonetheless, a large handled mug is the typical vessel for German beer festivals, and this is a truly authentic version. It comes from Hofbräuhaus, a Munich brewery and tavern that's been open since the 16th century and is at the center of the city's world-famous Oktoberfest celebrations. To throw your own Oktoberfest party, all you need is a few of these steins, some märzen beer, homemade pretzels, and, of course, lots and lots of German sausages.
This is a fun glass for toasting while dancing to accordion music, but it might not be the most practical as an everyday beer vessel. It's heavy and holds an entire liter at once — that's almost three standard bottles or cans. It also can't go in the dishwasher, though the wide opening and thick glass make it very easy to hand-wash.
Dimensions: 6 x 6 inches | Capacity: 33.8 ounces | Dishwasher-Safe: No
Our Favorite Beer Glasses
The Libbey Craft Pub Beer Glasses are our pick for best overall, thanks to their quality, durability, and accessible price point. The subtle curved shape helps intensify the flavors of almost any type of beer.
Factors to Consider
Shape
Just as there are different glasses for red, white, and sparkling wines, there are different glasses for different styles of beer. These shapes emphasize the unique flavor notes found in their particular beers by changing how the aromas are delivered to your nose, and how bubbles form a head at the top of the beer.
If you have a favorite beer style, whether stout or pilsner, it's probably worth picking up a set of glasses to match. If you're an adventurous drinker who likes variety, maybe you want one or two of several shapes. Or you might be better off with plain glasses that aren't specialized to just one beer. Glassware is a personal choice. As Moen says, "The best beer glass is the one that holds your favorite beer!"
Capacity
Ideally, your glass should hold as much beer as you plan to drink in one serving. A pint (16 ounces) is common, as it fits a standard 12-ounce bottle or can with room for foam. That or a little larger (a UK pint is 19.2 ounces) is a good all-purpose size for a beer glass. More intense and higher-alcohol beers are usually served in smaller portions, so glasses designed for these can't hold as much — a 10-ounce pour of an imperial stout would look rather silly in the bottom of a liter-sized stein. Larger glasses are better for light lagers and similar more chuggable styles.
Durability
For a beer glass that can survive repeated trips through the dishwasher, or even falling on the floor, you want fairly thick walls and tempered glass material. It can handle temperature changes and impacts better than delicate crystal, which can also be etched by dishwasher detergent. On the other hand, thin and high-maintenance glassware offers an elegant look.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is the most popular beer glass?
There are countless varieties available, but the standard pint glass is the iconic vessel you'll get in bars all over the world. It's a good size for any of the most popular beer styles.
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How many ounces are in a beer glass?
There's no one standard capacity for a beer glass, but 16 to 20 ounces is very common. That's space for a "normal" 12-ounce bottle or can with room for foam but not too much space. Beer glasses intended for higher-alcohol beers tend to be smaller, down to 12 ounces or so, and you can also find "taster" glasses that only hold 5 or 6 ounces. And then there are large glasses available: German-style steins often hold a liter (33.8 ounces).
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Do beer glasses really make a difference?
"Beer glass shape is one part tradition, one part aesthetic, and one part sensory accentuation. Each aspect contributes to the beer-drinking experience," explains Moen. If you don't buy into the hype of different-shaped glasses, that's okay, too, but Moen encourages you to experiment. "Try the same beer in different glasses to see how different attributes present."
Moen says it's important to have fun with the process. "Remember that beer is meant to be enjoyed with good friends and merriment. Don't overthink it!"
Our Expertise
- This article was written by Summer Rylander, a food and travel journalist who has written about food, beverage, and cooking products for Food & Wine, Allrecipes, Serious Eats, and The Kitchn. She also lives in Germany — more specifically, in a region with the country's highest density of breweries per capita — where she regularly enjoys beer served in glassware that is appropriate for the style.