Friday, July 9, 2010

Can you match the beer and the glass?

While in Belgium be careful to use the appropriate glass for each beer. They take it seriously and picking the wrong glass is a big mistake. Belgium produces a lot of variety of beer for such a small country - over 8000 varieties. Every beer has its own branded glass. The brewery usually selects a glass form to accentuate certain qualities of their beer. A goblet, for example, lets the drinker's nose inhale the beer's aroma at the same time the mouth is drinking in the liquid. A tulip glass, for example, is very good for foam retention. A wider glass is required for top fermented beers so that the taste and aroma is enjoyed to the fullest. A facet glass is best for white beer so that its cloudiness and freshness are highlighted.

As one walks along the street side cafe's in Antwerp one can see four people at a table, each with a different type of glass. I found that fascinating.

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