Beer in Belgium - Glassware

Glassware

Belgian "special" beers (stronger or bottled beers) are often served in elaborate branded beer glassware.

One of the more common types is the tulip glass. A tulip glass not only helps trap the aroma, but also aids in maintaining large heads, creating a visual and olfactory sensation. The body is bulbous, but the top flares out to form a lip which helps head retention.

A vessel similar to a champagne flute is the preferred serving vessel for Belgian lambics and fruit beers. The narrow shape helps maintain carbonation, while providing a strong aromatic front. Flute glasses display the lively carbonation, sparkling color, and soft lacing of this distinct style.

Chalices and goblets are large, stemmed, bowl-shaped glasses mainly associated with Trappist and Abbey ales. The distinction between goblet and chalice is typically in the glass thickness. Goblets tend to be more delicate and thin, while the chalice is heavy and thick walled. Some chalices are even etched on the bottom to nucleate a stream of bubbles for maintaining a nice head.

In addition to the profusion of glasses provided by brewers, some Belgian beer cafés serve beer in their own "house" glassware. An example is La Lunette in Brussels.

  • Geuze lambic beer in a flute glass

  • Orval beer in its "chalice" glass

  • Rochefort beer in its "goblet" glass

  • Duvel's tulip glass

  • Kwak beer with its unusual glass and stand.

  • Hoegaarden Brewery wheat beer in its characteristic hexagonal glass

Read more about this topic:  Beer In Belgium