Move over, pint glass: A new glass just for IPAs

Beer drinkers, will your India Pale Ales taste better from a glass made just for IPAs?

German glassware maker Spiegelau is banking on it and has collaborated with breweries Dogfish Head and Sierra Nevada to create a glass specifically for India pale ales.

Dogfish Head brewer Sam Calagione and Sierra Nevada’s Ken Grossman, in a series of design and tasting sessions, helped choose a single glass that “showcases varying aromatic profiles for the American ‘hop forward’” IPA beer, says Spiegelau in an announcement.

The glass is meant to preserve a frothy head and the IPA’s volatiles with a comfortably wide opening for the drinker to nose the beer. Spiegelau says “all parties involved believe they have created a glass that perfectly amplifies and balances even the hoppiest of IPA beers.”

Here’s what Spiegelau says about the design of the glass:

• Thin walls maintain proper beer temperature longer
• Slender, bowed shape amplifies hops aroma
• Wave-like ridges aerate beer into and out of the glass to balance flavors as you drink
• Wide mouth allows drinker to “nose” the beer comfortably for heightened aroma
• Raw quartz silica combined with state-of-the-art production methods help beer sustain head retention and carbonation
• Delivers beer evenly across the palate for a pleasant creaminess, and a harmony of sweetness and acidity

“The world recognizes ‘wheat,’ ‘pilsner’ and other beer glass styles,” said Spiegelau vice president Matthew Rutkowski. “We are offering beer drinkers a glass that will maximize their tasting experience to its fullest potential.”

The new Spiegelau IPA-specific glasses will be sold at retailers nationwide and online starting in April.

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