Beer Has Grown Up

Beer has done a lot of growing up in the last few decades. While Camra was saving real ale in Britain a new generation of brewers in America was crafting a beer renaissance based on traditional styles and impossible twists. In Europe monks and regional brewers who had contentedly brewed for their friends and neighbors for years suddenly found their rich and flavorful beers in hot demand internationally.

Beer is grown up and its time we took it out of its school-boy shorts and dress is up in some proper glassware. The glass makers at Spiegelau have produced some stunningly elegant glasses specifically for certain styles of beer. Their Beer Classics series are a far cry from the chunky beer glasses used at most bars and pubs. They even make the branded glassware put out by breweries, some of which are quite striking in their own right, seem positively clumsy.

The Glasses

The first thing that strikes one about these pieces is that they are incredibly light. Unlike the more common thick-bottomed and thick-walled glasses these pieces feel very thin and delicate. Even so the Speigelau’s Beer Classics glasses are more durable than they seem. They are dishwasher-safe and, more to the point have survived a couple of months with me without getting broken or even chipped, an impressive feat for any piece of glassware.

The shapes are also distinctively elegant. While giving a nod to tradition they are still unique.

The wheat beer glass is recognizable as such but it is still unlike any wheat beer glass you’ve seen. The modified tulip-shaped pilsner glass is similar to other stemware made for lager but it is still remarkable for its elegance.

The glasses are German-made and appear to be designed for a metric servings. This leaves a 12 oz. bottled poured into one of them look a little short but that’s a small concern. They are still stunning and, given the fact that bottles of beer just don’t measure up, these glasses will give you the excuse that you’re looking for to finally install a tap in your home!