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The 8 Best Beer Glasses of 2024, Tested and Reviewed

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These 11 Beer Glasses Will Bring Out Your Brew's Best Potential

Liquor / Chloe Jeong

Craft beer has stormed the nation, and with it, the rise of specialty beer glasses. Glass selections today range far beyond your standard pint glass—there are snifters for bold barley wines, whisper-thin stemware, and cicerone-beloved Teku glasses. 

"Whether you realize it or not, many things happen when you pour a beer into a glass,” says Patrick Bisch, certified cicerone at Illinois' The Open Bottle. "To wax poetic a little bit, it's like the blossoming of a flower, but a blossoming of your sensors: carbonation is released, and that releases gas that further enhances the aromas of the beer." He continues, "The sight of the beer, no longer covered up by the brown glass or aluminum can, shows off its color and clarity.” Simply put, you can keep sipping your low-cost lagers out of a can, but for craft beers, do the brews justice and drink them out of a glass. “You're robbing yourself of all these subconscious enhancements that truly make a beer enjoyable when you drink out of a bottle or can,” says Bisch. “So pour your beer into a glass and realize its full potential!”

To help guide your search for the best performing beer glasses, we've carefully home-tested our favorite glassware for different styles of beer and occasions. Some of the attributes in which we rated each item include design, quality, size, and durability. We also looked at how these glasses feel in the hand, the thickness of the rim, how the shape affects the aromas and taste, and whether or not it was easily cleaned.

Pros
  • Excellent for tasting

  • Versatile for beer styles

  • Attractive

Cons
  • Fragile

  • Wash by hand

If you’re going to invest in a really great beer glass, Teku's beautiful stemmed glass is a worthy pick. Designed by brewers Lorenzo “Kuaska” Dabove and Teo Musso, the glass was initially designed to be the beer equivalent of the ISO, a universal wine-tasting glass used by professional wine tasters. The 14.2-ounce glass is designed to showcase the full flavors and aromas of each beer. Made in Germany by Rastal, the angular, modern shape should trap the aromas, so when you sip, waves of the flavors hit your nose.

During testing, we found the 14-ounce glass to be the perfect size to hold a 12-ounce can or bottle of beer with ample room for foam. It’s as heavy as a standard pint glass, with thick, durable glass—it’s not one of those whisper-thin crystal glasses. But we found an appeal to that—we could be less precious with our pint, and we weren't worried about breaking it. A feature we liked was the tiny lip that curves outward and lets the beer roll from the glass right onto your palette. We also loved the thin stem—long enough to keep sweaty palms from affecting the temperature of your beer while still being stable enough, which is particularly essential if you’re a slow drinker.

The shape of the bowl is designed to concentrate the aromas of the beer and bring out nuanced scents you may not pick up in a regular pint glass. We found in our tests that it does just that, but also that if you’re drinking a bolder beer (think stout beers or IPAs), the scents can be overwhelming and far too concentrated.

The glass had nice clarity; for a glass of that thickness, it was radiant and displayed the hues of the beer well. While you can put these in the dishwasher in a pinch, it's not recommended. Clarity will diminish over time, and just like a wine glass, you risk snapping the stem. Washing with non-residue soap by hand ensures you don't get any nasty odors in the glass.

One of the best parts of this glass is it serves almost every beer particularly well. Sour beer? Sure! Hazy IPA? Crack it open! While it’s a switch-up from a standard beer glass, any suds fan deserves a proper home for their beers. Use these as your all-purpose beer glass, though perhaps stock up on some additional style-specific beer glasses, depending on your preferences.

Rastal Teku Glasses

Liquor.com/ Kate Dingwall

Capacity: 14.2 ounces | Dimensions (WxH): 7.68 x 13.66 inches | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Pros
  • Use it as a mixing glass

  • Durable

  • Dishwasher-safe

Cons
  • Nuanced flavors may get lost

  • Thick glass

Libbey’s standard fare pint glass is built to last. The classic glass (with the shape found in every pub and bar across the country) is made with a DuraTuff heat-treated rim, designed to resist thermal and mechanical shock. There’s a reason why so many bars stock these 16-ounce glasses—they are durable, affordable, stackable, dishwasher-friendly, and resistant to rough and tumble use. When this versatile glass is not holding fresh suds, it doubles as an excellent cocktail mixing glass once you've chosen the right pairing.

Kaitlin Vandenbosch, brewmaster at Mill Street Brewing, prefers these glasses for nitro beers. “Nitrogen-charged beers—whether served from draught or can—need to be served in a wide mouth glass." She adds, "You pour the can of beer directly upside-down into the glass and allow the nitrogen in the beer to create the cascade effect that produces a thick puck of dense foam on the top of your beer."

Our tester found these glasses incredibly uniform and weighty, with a thick base. Shape-wise, these aren’t particularly original glasses—they’ve been seen in pubs and bartops for decades—but they’re a completely respectable budget glass.

For a budget glass, we found the clarity to be great. The straight angular lines put the liquid on display, and even though the glass is quite thick, we found them clear enough to showcase colors. Pour-wise, it was relatively easy, but our tester found this to be the case because these are the pint glasses she started drinking from, the ones she started bartending with during her college years, and the ones she sips from at her local pub. They’re familiar and reliable.

We found the rim to be relatively thick. This isn’t a glass you’re going to analyze the finer notes of a brew, but it will certainly do the job of holding a beer and keeping it cold. The angled, wider rim does allow the beer to aerate and delivers it straight to the back of your mouth. This is a great starter glass as you begin to expand your palate.

Libbey Pint Glass

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

Capacity: 16 ounces | Dimensions (WxH): 3.5 x 5.9 inches | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Pros
  • Ideal for the IPA lover

  • Crafted by beer masters

  • Unique design

Cons
  • Specific to IPAs

Most everyone in the beer world agrees that Spiegelau sets the standard for beer glassware. This German glassware company has been a leader in the industry for decades, and its beer glasses have racked up design accolades from the German Design and Red Dot Awards.

Made of lightweight and non-leaded crystal, Spiegelau’s 18-ounce glasses were designed by two beer masters (Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione and Sierra Nevada’s Ken Grossman) to perfectly amplify the flavors of an IPA. “It was tested, engineered, and proven to be a great glass for drinking any aromatic beer, but especially IPAs,” explains Bisch. “As you pour the beer into your mouth, its ridged, narrow bottom agitates the beer while simultaneously releasing carbonation (and therefore aromas)." He adds, "While the glass sits upright, the etched logo on the inner base provides a nucleation point for the CO2 to release upward, creating a denser, thicker head that captures aromas.”

We found that as soon as we picked up the glass, the quality was apparent. The glass was lightweight but balanced out by a sturdy base for stability. The ridges help to aerate the beer, while the larger bowl decants the flavors of a stronger IPA and magnifies the fragrances.

At over 18 ounces in capacity, we found during testing that there was plenty of room to pour and aerate a can of IPA, plus space to create a crown of foam. We found the clarity spectacular—similar to a high-end wine glass. The shape of the mouth is specifically designed to concentrate aromas, and it did deliver the beer to the perfect part of our palates. Because of the shape of the glass, we really experienced the aromas and bouquets of the liquid.

While the manufacturer recommends placing these in the dishwasher, we'd recommend handwashing these to avoid breakage.

Speiglau Beer Glass

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

Capacity: 18.3 ounces | Dimensions (WxH): 3.22 x 7.32 inches | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Related: The Best Beer Fridges

Pros
  • Large capacity

  • Compatible with many styles

  • Stackable and durable

Cons
  • Thicker glass

As for his all-time favorite beer glass, Bisch points to the 20-ounce imperial nonic pint glass. “I tend to gravitate to this glass because it's compatible with many different beer styles such as English Milds, IPAs, lagers, etc." He says, "Its wide mouth allows for an easier flow of low ABV, sessionable beers."

Consider this glass your everyday beer glass. Just like a classic English pub glass, the wide rim and slight bulge make it easy to stack and store these glasses. But just because they are easy to store, doesn’t mean they lack in quality—the 19.5-ounce, machine-blown glass (a little less than the standard 20-ounce glass) boasts above-average glass clarity. “Not to mention, it fits a lot of beer and just feels damn good to hold,” adds Bisch.

In our tests, we found these glasses bigger and heavier than some of the others we tested. These are clearly designed for durability and utility and are at a great price point. We wanted the glass to have a slightly heavier base for stability, but otherwise, we thought they are nicely made.

It was easy to pour beer into this glass, and we found the bump below the lip gave enough space to securely hold the glass while pouring a pint. This particular glass does have a thicker rim, with a slight seam under the rim. You can really drink anything out of this glass, but stouts or richer brown ales shine best in this glass. The wider rim tends to cause the aromas to blow off quickly, and there’s no extra nucleation.

These are designed to be used, dropped, chugged from, and partied with. Even the bulge in the glass protects the rim from cracking if the glass falls over.

Imperial Nonic Glasses

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

Capacity: 19.5 ounces | Dimensions (WxH): 3.4 x 6 inches | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Related: The Best Gifts for Beer Lovers, According to Experts

Pros
  • Perfect for tastings

  • All the glasses you could need

  • High-quality, lightweight glass

Cons
  • Only one of each—you will need to buy several sets

Ideal for the serious beer aficionado, Spiegelau’s ultimate craft beer tasting kit contains glasses for any and every beer you’re sipping. The paper-thin, dishwasher-safe glasses are ideal for most craft beer lovers, with a thin lip that pours the beer right onto your palette. Each of the set’s four glasses is designed by beer experts to amplify the aroma and flavors of the beer. The set includes a 19.1-ounce rippled IPA glass, a 26.5-ounce deeply rounded American wheat glass, a 21-ounce stout, and 17.7-ounce stemmed barrel-aged beer glasses, all made of lightweight, non-leaded crystal and crafted by Bavarian artisans. Order one set, or pick up a few to host your own tasting club.

The first thing we noticed when testing these glasses was their weight. They’re generous in size but still light as air when empty. Even with a pint in these glasses, they had an elevated feel, designed for the discerning beer drinker. Though they call upon pretty standard beer glass shapes—wheat, IPA, stout, barrel-aged, and pilsner—we could tell the shapes have been tweaked to enhance the taste and aroma of the glass (Spiegelau partnered up with a series of brewers to help nerd out on the nuances of glass shape).

We found the clarity of these glasses to be brilliant. There are no seams on the glasses, and the glass is clearly crystal-quality. For the price point, we were surprised by how affordable these are; they feel very expensive. We loved how the thin rim helped to enhance every aspect of the beer—from the aromas to the mouthfeel to the taste. We were a little worried about breakage considering how delicate the crystal is, but if, by chance, a glass does break, you can order a single glass to replace it.

Immediately after we poured a stout, a pillow-y, bubbly foam crown appeared and remained. Sipping from the wheat glass and the wider, mellower bowl brought forward all those bright citrus and tropical fruit notes to the palate. The IPA glass was a particular favorite, as the ribbed bottom helped aerate out the beer and preserved the aromas. The barrel-aged glass did an excellent job of pushing forward the barrel characteristics without overwhelming the palate with the wood aromatics.

Spieglau Tasting Set

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

Capacity: 17.7, 19.1, 21, 26.5 ounces | Dimensions (WxH): N/A | Dishwasher safe: Yes

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Pros
  • Great foam

  • Easy, everyday glasses

Cons
  • Small capacity

“My favorite type of beer glass is the beer can-shaped glasses,” says Jessy Jolicoeur, owner, and brewer at Oval Craft Brewing. “The lip on top curves in a little making them great drinking glasses, and they hold up well with a little motion.” The shape mirrors that of a traditional beer can but opts for thin glass instead of aluminum. This is ideal for flaunting your favorite light beer. “I serve anything not hoppy in my beer can glasses,” says Jolicouer. “The narrowing top does limit aromas a little but not in an average beer.”

Upon opening the box for testing, we appreciated the design right away. These nod to a traditional beer can while taking the tasting experience up a notch. Compared to your standard pint glass, they’re light in weight and sit at a nice height.

Thanks to a wide mouth, the beer poured smoothly into the glass, although, because of the inwardly curved lip, the foam did fizz and nucleate more aggressively than in a standard pint. The glass offered medium clarity, similar to what you would find with a standard pub pint.

During testing, we found that this may not be the glass you’d evaluate beer from. If you’re transferring a beer from a can to a glass, it will certainly aerate the beer better than a can will. However, we found the lip to be thick and rounded, and it awkwardly led the beer to the palate. The sharply curved rim also pushed the liquid over the hump sharply and into the mouth. The straight walls didn't really add or detract anything to the taste. Perhaps they're not the best glass for showcasing your craft beer, but for the price, they’re perfect for parties and lower-brow get-togethers where beer is on the menu. And their unique shape is a quirky riff on a standard budget pint glass.

These glasses were cleaned easily in a standard dishwasher. Run through several times, they still boasted the same level of clarity and quality. These glasses even survived a few drops from table height.

Libbey Beer Can

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

Capacity: 16 ounces | Dimensions (WxH): 3 x 5.25 | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Pros
  • Lets beer aromas shine

  • Smart construction

Cons
  • Delicate to wash

Gifting for the beer enthusiast? These are an excellent addition to a home beer collection. These unconventional, tall-stemmed beer glasses are specifically designed to let the beer shine, from a wide, angled bowl that shows off aromas to a curved lip that allows the foam to stack perfectly in the glass. The opening of the glass is designed to let your nose fall naturally into the glass, so you can fully experience the aromas. A long stem (8 inches high) keeps the heat of your hand away from the beer, meaning your suds stay colder for longer. 

“If the person is an IPA drinker, a tulip glass is perfect,” says Jolicoeur. “The flaring top accentuates aromas and provides the drinker with a wider mouth to sink their nose in as they enjoy.” 

During our testing, these were, by far, the most well-packed glasses. Many of the glasses we tested were hastily packed in brown cardboard with little cushioning, but these were packed to safely protect all the contents. We found this glass nods to a Teku style in design, with the angular, stemmed shape, though they’re less sharp in silhouette and more similar to a stemmed tulip with a flared lip.

The clarity was brilliant off the bat. However, as we drank, the glass fogged quite easily. It took a little extra effort to maintain the clarity of this glass. We appreciated the thickness of the rim. It’s not whisper-thin like the Spiegelau glasses, so you can worry less about cracking the glass while polishing or snapping it in the dishwasher. It’s thin enough to let the drinks shine while maintaining a durable thickness. Like the Teku, the curve under the lip forced the beer to waterfall slowly into the mouth, letting air into the beer right before drinking it and bringing out all the best aromas. The top curve was less angular than a Teku, which helped guide the beer a little smoother toward the palate. It was a really enjoyable beer-drinking experience—the glass brings a whole painter’s palette of flavors out of any beer, craft or not, and makes drinking beer feel fancy.

The glass comes in a set of four and is dishwasher safe for simple cleanup. The glasses held up well in the dishwasher with a quick polish.

Made in Cookware Glass

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

Capacity: 14 ounces | Dimensions (WxH): 3.15 x 8 | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Pros
  • Dishwasher safe

  • Versatile

Cons
  • Small capacity

While many of the options on this list are designed to specifically flaunt the flavors, aromas, and nuances of a beer, this glass is a little more laid-back. The standard bodega-style glasses are excellent for your everyday life. Merging form and function, these chip-resistant glasses made of tempered glass are excellent for every drink, morning, noon, and night, from sipping a flight of beer to pouring water to serving G&Ts

In our testing, we loved these glasses, however, they are smaller than a typical beer glass, reminiscent of one of those tiny caña glasses Europeans sip small beers from in the late afternoon. But if you’re splitting a special bottle of beer with friends, what’s more perfect? The glasses angle outward slightly, so it showcases foam just as well as a standard pint glass (though in a smaller capacity). We found this is a great glass to taste and test a few different beers. And a perfect option to dole out at a dinner party where cups are emptying quickly and many bottles are being passed around. Beyond size, we found the glasses were light in weight and minimalistic in style, so they can match anything that’s on your table.

The glasses did pour easily during testing. If you consider them a mini pint glass in shape, they show off foam well. Despite the size, and thickness of the rim, we found each glass to be crystalline in clarity. Because they are small, however, half the glass may be foam, which challenges how you evaluate the color of a beer. Because there is no stem and the glasses are low, we did notice handprints all over the glass, leaving it foggy by the last sip.

The shape of the glass angles outward, which did allow for the head to perch properly on the top of the beer and helped pull in the flavors of the beer. The rim was thinner than a glass you’d find at your local pub but thicker than some of the higher-end options available. Because of the size, these glasses are not ideal for higher-ABV beers.

These low-effort glasses are an easy solution for parties, larger gatherings, and other social drinking situations. The thick base, crystalline clarity, and dishwasher-safe construction make these an easy option. When you’re done, the glasses neatly stack for simple storage.

Bormioli Rocco Bodega

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

Capacity: 7.4 ounces | Dimensions (WxH): 3.25 x 2.25 | Dishwasher safe: Yes

Final Verdict

If you’re going to invest in a really great beer glass, Rastal Teku's Stemmed Beer Glasses are a great pick. For most beer drinkers, a simple, everyday style like Bormioli Rocco Bodega Glasses or Libbey Classic Can Tumbler Glasses can fit the bill and work well in an entertaining scenario.

Our Testing Process

All of the products featured in this list of beer glasses have been carefully chosen by our editors and writers. We then sent each of the products directly to the writer for at-home testing. After applying a comprehensive list of methodologies—rating each item through several steps and ranking them on key attributes tailored to each category—the writer provided personal feedback and captured photos of the items in use.

Some of the attributes we looked for and rated each item on included: design, size, material, quality, and aesthetics of the glass. We looked at how these glasses felt in the hand, the thickness of the rim, how the shape affected the aromas, and the tasting experience. We had our tester taste the beer after it was poured to evaluate the result. And finally, they tested the product to see how easy it was to clean.

Related: Learn More About How We Test Products

What to Look For in a Beer Glass

Shape

How the glass is shaped plays a big role in your beer’s flavors. Tulip glasses are suited for more aromatic beers, while Weizen glasses will let wheat ales shine. Can’t decide what style? A standard pint glass is near-perfect for a wide range of styles.

Size

A standard pint glass sits at 20 ounces. That said, higher-alcohol beers may call for smaller glasses, while small cans may only need to be poured into a 16-ounce glass. Ensure your favorite beer will fit in your favorite glass!

Durability

Many of the glasses on this list are delicate, with whisper-thin glass that lets flavors sing. But there’s a reason beer glasses in biergartens are thick; they’re built to withstand more spirited evenings. Also, consider whether the glasses are dishwasher safe. You may not want to hand wash and polish glasses after a rowdier evening.

Speiglau Glass

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

FAQs

What are the different types of beer glasses?

The standard types of beer glasses are a pint glass, weizen (or wheat) beer glass, goblet, tulip, snifter, stein, and flute.

Do different style beer glasses make a difference in the beer's taste?

Similar to wine glasses, the shape and size of the beer glass affects how certain beers will taste. Glasses can accentuate the flavors of the beer, starting with the aroma, which is trapped in the head of the beer; a tulip-shaped glass, for example, retains the aroma in the glass while the wide mouth of a pint glass allows it to dissipate. Additionally, a stemmed glass prevents our hands from warming up the beer.

How many ounces are in an average beer glass?

A standard beer glass has 16 ounces, while larger pint glasses will hold 20 ounces.

Does beer stay colder/more effervescent in glass?

Liquid stays colder in glass longer, though that will also depend on the heat transfer from your hand. Beer in a stem glass will stay cold for the longest.

Beer Glasses Group Shot

Liquor.com / Kate Dingwall

Why Trust Liquor.com?

The items featured in this piece were tested by Kate Dingwall, a seasoned beverage writer, and sommelier who has spent the last five years writing about wine and spirits and the last decade as a working sommelier. Her work appears in various national outlets, both print and digital. She’s the niece of an award-winning Belgian brewer and is always kind enough to help test his new brews.

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