Rauchbier Archives | Which Beer Glass?

The Willi Becher or Willybecher

Harpoon Octoberfest in a Willi Becher — Octoberfest beer in a Willy Becher

The Willi Becher is also known as the Willybecher or German-Style Pub Glass.

While not terribly popular here in the US this glass the go-to pint throughout Germany.

This German-style pint glass is similar to the shaker pint but about two-thirds of the way up its body the body tapers back inwards just slightly.

Some pilsner glasses have a similar design.

Benefits of a Willi Becher Glass

With it’s tall slender body and tapered head the glass shares a lot of function with the tulip pint glass. The glass shows off a beer’s clarity, color and head in a rather striking way. It’s tapered top also helps with head retention and trapping more elusive aromas inside the glass.

Larger versions of this glass also serve well for larger bottles of beer if you know you’ll be drinking at a “session” pace.

Other Notes

In the US, Willi Becher Glasses are typically 20 ounce glasses but you may also see them listed with sizes ranging from 0.2 l (roughly 5 ounces) up to 0.5 l (roughly 17 ounces) depending on the manufacturer.

What Beer Goes with a Willybecher Glass?

This glass pairs great with most german style ales and lagers so long as the ABV remains in the sub 6% region (give or take a bit.) I specifically like them for märzens and rauchbiers.

You can also use the Willybecker to sub in for a pint or seidel when drinking something packaged in a 20 ounce bottle.

Where can I buy Willi Becher Glasses?

If you’re still starting your collection the Libbey Craft Brew Sampler Beer Glass Set that we’ve reviewed previously includes one as a “Craft Pub Glass” and is a pretty decent set-starter. Outside of that you can also occasionally find them in Oktoberfest themed gift sets at your local liquor store.

If you’ve already got a decent collection of glasses I’d recommend just grabbing this in a four-pack of the Libbey glasses on Amazon. They’re marketed as the Craft Pub Glass and can be seen below.

You should expect to pay around $4 a glass.

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.

The Beer Seidel or Dimpled Mug

Beer Seidel filled with Stout — A Beer Seidel or Dimpled Mug

A seidel is a wide-mouthed glass mug with thick walls and a sturdy handle. They’re often dimpled and can be short and rounded or large and barrel shaped.

These beer mugs are made with thick, sturdy glass walls and a strong handle which makes them easy to hold and carry. They commonly hold about 20 ounces but larger versions certainly exist. Bigger, barrel shaped beer seidels can hold up to 44 ounces.

Seidels (especially the over-sized ones) are sometimes referred to as “steins” but steins are earthenware (vs glassware) and are much more ornate and decorative.

Benefits of a Seidel

The most immediate benefit of the seidel is it’s wide mouth. It provides you with plenty of space for taking deep sips while getting a good sense of the beer’s aroma. The glass’ thick walls, handle (should you use it) and short stature also provide a degree of insulation that help keep your beer at quaffable temperatures.

In practical terms the seidel is probably one of the most sturdy of all the beer glasses. With it’s thick glass walls and handle it’s not something that’s going to be easy to break. Due to its proportions this mug is also pretty difficult to tip over. The glass’ dimpling also makes it easier to hold. These glasses are pretty decent utility glasses for serving soda, floats or milkshakes to kids.

When it comes to the drinking experience there’s also something visceral about holding a beer seidel. They feel good to hold and to drink out of.

Other Notes

Frosted mugs are great for soda, frappes, and floats. Not for beer.

Avoid freezing or chilling seidels. As cool beer hits colder glass condensation can form leading to unintended moisture watering down your good beer. So skip chilling whenever possible!

What Beer Goes with a Seidel or Dimpled Mug?

Normally you’d pair porters, stouts, and german style lagers with a seidel. Beers with strong malty flavors and lower hop profiles are also great choices.

A seidel can also be used for serving cream ales, scotch ales and even rauchbiers. Basically anything with a medium to thick body.

Where Can I Buy a Seidel?

You can find 20 oz dimpled beer mugs like the one pictured above for about $11 a pair on Amazon. 44 oz steins and can be found for around $13 a piece.

The Beer Stange or Stick Glass

The beer stange is a tall, thin, cylindrical glass that traditionally holds about 6.5 oz (200 mL). The traditional version of the stange is very similar to a tasting glass or highball glass but without the tapering sides.

Newer versions of the beer stange come in 12- 13 oz sizes to facilitate holding full bottles of beer or for making serving easier.

Because these glasses are tall and narrow they can be difficult to transport from a bar to a table. As a result, it’s not uncommon in Germany to see waiters carrying beers in a special tray called a kranz. These serving trays can be branded metal trays with a particular beer or breweries logo or they can be simple wooden trays similar to a tasting paddle.

Kranz Beer Tray — Kranz Tray for holding Stange Glasses

Benefits of a Beer Stange

The tall thin glass is great for head retention in what are usually lower carbonation beers. This also focuses the beer’s aroma right under your nose helping with enjoyment of the more mild flavors of the beer. The beer stange’s shape also helps to showcase the clarity of styles like kölsch.

It’s shorter height and narrow body are also kind of practical. Because the stange is favored for lighter crisper beers you’ll want to drink them quicker – especially on hot summer days. The small glass, even the narrow tall glass, makes for quick drinking!

What Beer Goes with a Beer Stange?

Traditionally kölsch beers and altbiers favor the stange but any light crisp beer will benefit from it. This includes Rye Beers and lighter pilsners.

You can also enjoy some darker, cloudier beers from a stange. Gose beers, rauchbier, and Lambics can also be enjoyed in a stange. If you look at the Lindeman’s Flute Glass you’ll see it that it’s similar in style to both the stange and the straight sided pilsner glass. Rauchbier is usually drunk from a becher (or willi becher) which is similar to the taller stange though usually a bit wider.

Where can I buy a Beer Stange?

Walking into a local box store or home goods store you won’t find anything listed as a stange. Instead you should look for highball glass or “Tom Collins” glasses. If you can only find the larger style of the glass don’t sweat it. At the end of the day you’re not looking for the rapid fire service a 6.5 oz glass provides. Expect to find something in the 10- 17oz range instead. Even if the glass has a slight taper it’s not the end of the world.

KegWorks sells 200ml Stange glasses for about $11 a piece through Amazon. You can also get 16oz Tom Collins Glasses at four for $15. I’d also recommend checking the glassware section of your local Walmart or Target.