Is glassware important?

Guess I'm just a little more sentimental than you, and I'm okay with that.

But don't fret, I've given away a lot more glasses than I've kept.

 

No, I get it, but still. Unless one has a dedicated glass display, just use them. I've got a few i kept when I cleaned a couple months ago, they were mostly gifts, and a couple departed breweries, but, they're styles I don't prefer, so they just sit quietly in the corner......

Sometimes if a friend is over they get some exercise, but otherwise, The Tulip of Doom gets 90% of the action, and the PP the other 10.

 

What’s the deal here?

 

I mostly use a tulip. I do have a pilsner glass, a stange (w/ bear-shaped nucleation on the bottom, no less), a couple of thistles,pints, and chalices, but rarely use them .
The main thing is , a glass usually gives best effect. Most of taste is due to aroma, & pouring into a glass releases more . Any glass is probably better than no glass.

+ You don't know what skeezy warehouse rodent, left what behind, on your can .

[ Ommegang Rare Vos is an exception for me. Somehow it usually strikes me better from the bottle.]

 

They're terrible for beer. They were designed to, well, shake cocktails. @jesskidden has the story of how Red Hook pushed them upon us.

 

I do believe pouring into a glass makes for a better experience than drinking from the can/bottle. I don't think the style of glass matters as long as your comfortable/happy with it. That what's really important imo if YOU are happy using whatever style glass that might be drinking whatever beer you want out of it. My 2 cents on it.

 

Extremely good post! The glass gives the visual and comfort, allowing you to concentrate on the beer itself.

 

I like them. I like them for a lot of beverages. I suppose to each their own. I’m surprised to hear this considering how many bars and breweries have served me beer in them.

 

All being said, I think we all agree; can shaped glasses are the most important piece of glass ware and are easily the piece that makes beer taste best.

 

Yes. Sorry.

 

I have a fairly large collection of glassware, and in the past I have been fairly religious about making sure I drank each style from the appropriate style of glass. in recent years I have narrowed my "daily drinkers" down to just a few glasses. I most often use my DFH Goblet Glass or my New Belgium Globe Glass. Though, if the mood strikes I will break out some of my other glassware for special beers, but I have to be careful because I am notorious for breaking some of my favorite glasses... Particularly when I am trying to clean them

 

Most of my glasses are shaker pints. I do break out the Fullers ESB Champions Ale goblet for high octane stouts, tulip for most Belgians. Recently got my first Teku, and love the way it sits in my hand. Only glassware missing is a good old fashioned English dimpled mug. Recent ones I've seen have plastic handles. Blasphemy!!

 

Not my story but I do have the article bookmarked (and never found a reason to doubt it. Although the Miller info still has me wondering).
How the humble cocktail mixer became America’s favorite personal beer delivery system

They (shaker pints) are cheap, stackable, sturdy and they sell more beer per serving at a time (even if they can't actually hold a "pint" of beer, even the 16 oz. ones) than the most commonly used beer glasses in most regions previous to their near universal adoption in the US. Here's an AB illustration of typical beer glasses before the shaker became common:

That also likely meant lower labor costs/fewer employees for bar owners (even in places that had tipped employee sub-minimum wages). They didn't become popular because of any aesthetic reason or by being favored by connoisseurs.

 

The plastic cup was common before the shaker?

Anyone else remember paper beer cups at sports venues? The big thing at Wrigley was to upturn an empty on the cement and stomp it -- sounded like gun shots.

 

Yeah, I really miss those 40 oz wax carton bombers. Amirite?

 

The image was taken from an AB keg beer price calculator - so I image some keg sales were at outdoor events (fairs, carnivals) where beer sold in disposal cups would be common. This Smithsonian article claims the infamous Red Solo Cup dates from the 1970s (but I sure don't remember it).

Do you remember some of "Beer Here!" hawkers carried the waxed paper cups of draught beer which had these little "shower caps" on them?

Others did carry cans of beer, which they poured into the paper cups when sold.

 

Definitely.

My dad had a part-time job one year; hawking Meisterbrau at the local semi-pro football games.

I was about 12 or 13 at the time and helped out by loading cans into the carriers for the sellers. Unfortunately, none were open yet, so I didn't get any sampling opportunities.

IIRC -- The hawkers used tall stacks of very thin plastic cups -- not like Solo cups, much more thin.

 

To each his own. For me lately, with the rise of cans of all kinds in every style, I drink a lot straight from the can. Which is a dirty lifestyle choice around these parts. After purchasing a Brewmate can cooler (highly recommended) most beers 7% and lower that I prefer to keep chilled I drink in this manner.
Exception to that is big beers & certain styles which are always going to be better enjoyed in proper glassware.
My fave glasses that see the most use.
Dimpled pint mug
Tulip
Proper pint
Least fave glasses
Pilsner flute
Shaker pint

Still amazed at how much canned beer I buy and drink which as a younger drinker would have been unheard of until realizing that it's airtight and devoid of sunlight.
Still knocks me out to see big, beautiful beers, classics like Aventinus in cans?! Still on point but it deserves the doppelbock Aventinus glass to fully behold and enjoy.

 

No willi no party!