American Amber Ale Archives | Which Beer Glass?

Rogue Dead Guy Ale

Color: deep amber in color, Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale looks a lot like an amber ale. The head is frothy and white with little to no lacing as it settles.

Aroma: Bready notes of malt and a little biscuit without any suggestion of hops.

Taste: Sweet and malty with hints of honey and cane sugar. There are some slightly floral hop characteristics backing it up but the finish is smooth and clean.

Body: Medium bodied and slightly sticky this is an easy drinking beer.

Other Specs

ABV: 6.8%
No date visible on bottle or packaging but it’s the new label so we’re pretty sure it’s fresh.

Why That Glass?

Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale is an ale in the maibock style which gives us couple of different options for a Maibock. For Maibocks I’ll typically look for either a pilsner or a seidel.

For presentation purposes the pilsner is the way to go. You get a good look at the beer’s color while the narrower body and mouth help with head retention. With it’s spicy notes, the Dead Guy Ale, would go really well in a pilsner glass.

So why did we go with a seidel? When I opened the bottle and got my first whiff of the beer’s bready aroma I knew I was gonna have two or three of these. I could have gone for a pint but the aroma was so inviting I really wanted a little extra sense of it. Hence, seidel.

More About this Maibock

The Dead Guy Ale is a beer that I’m kind of surprised I haven’t had before. I’ve tried a lot of Rogue’s beers but for some reason this one has alluded me (or didn’t make an impression).

The Tulip Pint Glass or Irish Imperial Pint

The tulip Pint is also known as the Irish Imperial Pint or Guinness Glass. While you’re likely to see this glass a lot it’s not quite as versatile as some of the other styles of pint glass.

This glass gets its name from it’s familiar tulip shape. Unlike shorter stemmed tulips its top lacks a flared mouth and instead ends with walls pointing straight up. These glasses are almost always 20 ounces but some mild variation can occur.

Benefits of the Tulip Pint Glass

Like other pint glasses the most immediate benefit is volume. The Imperial Irish Pint holds about 20 ounces which is plenty of space for a large pour while still leaving a generous amount of space for a beer’s head.

With it’s smaller base and more pronounced bulb some people might also find it a little easier to hold than the nonic pint.

These glasses also provide a good look at a beer’s deeper colors while the wide mouth helps support head retention. Of course it also helps with taking large sips of “Nitro” beers that have thick frothy heads. For nitros keep a napkin handy ’cause a milk beer-mustache is in your future.

Other Notes

There are smaller versions of this glass floating around in various different sizes. Many will be branded “Guinness” but will only be 16 ounces.

You want to be looking for a 20 ounce glass. Due to a quirk in how we deal with fluid ounces there might even be some small variation there but that’s OK. A true imperial pint will measure just over 19 US ounces and for our purposes that’s pretty OK.

Just avoid the 16 ounce ones.

What Beer Goes with a Tulip Pint Glass?

Most people know this glass as a Guinness Glass so that’s a good jumping off point. Irish Stouts are so tied to this glass it almost feels wrong to drink them in anything else. The same goes for Irish Ales.

After that any beer billing itself with the term “Nitro” is a safe bet. The wide mouth at the top of the glass makes a beer’s creamy head and body that much more tantalizing.

This glass also works well as a utility glass for any ales or lagers poured from a large bottle. Personally, I’d avoid lagers and keep them in something like a large pilsner or a stange but it’s not a huge deal. You’ll have to go back to the fridge to retrieve the bottle more often but it’s worth it.

I’d also avoid beers with really active carbonation, sour beers, or beers with higher ABVs. Those are better suited to other glasses.

Where Can I Buy Tulip Pint Glasses / Irish Imperial Pints?

These are going to be some of the easiest glasses for you to get a hold of. Every liquor store, box store, and some supermarkets are going to have them. Just check for either a 20 ounce volume marker or the imperial crown either on the bottom or lip of the glass.

They’re also a common inclusion in most craft beer glass sampler boxes.

New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

Fat Tire Amber Ale in a Pint Glass — Fat Tire Amber Ale

This amber ale has a clear copper / amber body with a head of dense white bubbles. On the nose I’m getting a very mild hop character that plays second fiddle to sweeter smells like green apple and … maybe a little graham cracker.

Fat Tire is light bodied with mild carbonation and goes down very smooth. Light, tingly carbonation fills out the mouthfeel and tickles a bit going down.

Mostly sweet and malty with a bit of biscuit-y tartness there’s only a mild hint of hops in the finish. This is a well balanced beer that is easily session-able.

Why That Glass?

Amber ales (and red ales) which tend to be more balanced beers with even representation of both malt and hop flavors. These beers are usually easy to drink and, with lower ABVs, can be enjoyed in larger quantities over longer periods of time.

That points us towards two glasses: either a pint glass or a seidel.

More About this Amber Ale

Fat Tire is the flagship brew of New Belgium Brewing in Fort Collins, Co. Like Yeungling before it, it’s a beer that has a bit of a cult following. It’s like Taylor Ham or Poutine in that its regional popularity makes it a kind of comfort food.

Now that distribution has reached Massachusetts I highly recommend going out and finding a six-pack or case to see what all the fuss is about.