Branded Beer Glasses 101

Last month we talked about the importance of branding and marketing when using the correct beer branded glass.  Today, how it changes the taste of the beer.

A while back we teamed up with our good friends at Brand Concepts – Canada’s number one beer glass supplier to the brewing industry. These guys know beer glasses! Here is an excerpt from a short piece they wrote about how and why the branded glass matters.

“What is the right glass for your beer? Many factors in selecting the right glass include price, size, ability to stack, and aesthetics. Rarely is how the beer tastes in the glass considered. Yet when a beer is being brewed, taste and flavour are the quintessential factors for the brewer. So why is shape not the most important factor in choosing the glass?

The most probable reason is not knowing precisely how the shape of a glass influences the flavours and aroma. The glass shape changes the sensation of aromas on the nose and distribution of the beer over the palate. This influences the taste experience. The glass also influences the mouth feel and perception of the beer’s colour. Even a slight change in the glass shape produces different results.

To experience how the shape of a glass affects the flavours and aromas of a beer, simply pour half a beer in one glass and the other half in a different-shaped glass. Assess the beer’s characteristics. Start by looking at the colour and note any differences. Then compare the aroma. Now drink the beer from both glasses and note the differences in taste. Does the mouthfeel change between the two?

Each glass gives you a different taste experience, but which is the right glass? The one which brings forward the flavours intended by the brewer. The right glass shape will also deliver an enjoyable taste to the drinker’s palate from the first sip to the last, and often lead to another beer. The less effectively-shaped glass will leave a drinker feeling full and with less desire to consume the first beer, let alone the next one.

Choosing the right glass is a mix of art and science. At Brand Concepts we specialize in this skill and know how to help you choose the right glass for your beer. Does this mean you have to forgo the other purchasing factors when selecting the right glass for your beer? Not at all”

I always explain that a wide-mouthed ale glass helps you appreciate the aromas of the beer (flavour = taste + aroma) and allows the beer to enter your mouth in a wide plane so that the beer covers the inside of your mouth in its entirety. Think of an Guinness glass.

The tall thin glasses usually used for refreshment beers have a smaller opening at the top restricting the amount of aroma that you will experience.  Also, it allows the beer to enter in a narrow channel so it only goes over the centre of your tongue so you don’t experience all of the tastes of the beer. This is fine as these beers are typically less flavourful than ales and are for refreshment. Think Lagers.

Try it at home. Grab a couple of different shaped beer glasses and see if you can tell the difference.  And if you are looking to buy some beer glasses, talk to our friend Giulio at Brand Concepts.

When having a conversation with my neighbour last week, we were talking about beer (go figure) and he tells me, completely unprovoked, that he visits a certain bar because they serve his Keith's in a Keith's glass.

Then he proceeded to list several bars where he gets his Keith's in a Guinness or an unbranded/pop glass. He couldn't tell me exactly why he doesn't like it in the wrong glass, but said it's much better in the right glass. He did say he'll never go back to the places "who don't do it right". At $7.00 a pint, branding, image, presentation, and guest perception are as important now than they ever have been.

Want to see reason #2 for branded beer glasses:

How using branded beer glasses makes you more money.