The Tulip Glass

A glass is a glass is a glass.  As long as it’s clean & holds the beer long enough to get it to your lips, it’s done its job, right?  To an extent, yeah – a good beer should be able to speak for itself, regardless of what kind of glass it’s in.  But if a beer can speak, the right glassware can act as a microphone & make it sing, amplifying & clarifying the notes.  And let’s not forget that a good glass can make a beer look damn fine – we drink with our eyes first, & presentation can play a big part in our appreciation of a beer.

The stemmed tulip is about as close to a perfect beer-drinking glass as has been invented.  It’s most often associated with Belgian beers (& everyone knows you can’t argue with the Belgians when it comes to beer!).  The tulip design is all about aroma delivery: the inward taper around the neck holds the aroma, while the outward flare of the brim supports the head, delivering those assertive, deep smells to the nose.  The stem lets you hold the beer without hand heat warming the body of the beer too much, & the bulb allows bright highlights to show through like a Christmas tree ornament.  Like I said: damn fine.  No glassware collection is complete without at least one tulip (or Poco Grande, as they’re also known), & they work great with Belgians, wheats, IPAs, barleywines, really anything.  A fun exercise is to taste the same beer in a regular pint & then a tulip, side by side, & see if you notice any difference.

The Duvel tulip is a classic, & Duvel was practically made for this style of glass.  The original Belgian golden ale, Duvel is known for its glowing gold body & huge, effervescent head, which is why its crafters designed a notoriously large tulip for this complex ale.  For a limited time, the House is giving away a Duvel tip with the purchase of 750 mL bottle of Duvel.  Or try a Duvel on draft, or any other beer, for that matter!  Your beer has a voice – make it loud & clear.