It is no secret that craft brewers and beer lovers have developed a taste for hoppy IPAs. The American-style IPA category has had more entries in the annual Great American Beer Festival than any other style in the last 10+ years. This week, craft brewers Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery announced that it has teamed up with Spiegelau USA, to develop a new style of glassware aimed at enhancing the characteristics of IPAs.
“I’ve been a longtime believer in the importance of using quality glassware to enhance the enjoyment of quality craft beer,” says Dogfish Head Founder and President Sam Calagione.
“Hop-forward beers are close to our hearts, and we’ve had fun figuring out how to best highlight an IPA’s nuances,” says Ken Grossman, Sierra Nevada’s founder. “We imagine hopheads will enjoy giving the glass a try.”The new glass features the following characteristics that the respective breweries, along with the glass producer believe will enhance the enjoyment of the style.
- Thin, round walls to maintain proper temperature longer.
- A slender, bowed shape to amplify hop aromas.
- Wave-like ridges to aerate beer on its way in and out of the glass.
- A wide mouth, allowing drinkers to comfortably nose the beer.
- A laser-etched logo on the bottom of the bowl to sustain carbonation and head.
For more information on the importance of glassware for craft beer enjoyment, check these resources on CraftBeer.com.
To read more on the new glass, read: “Dogfish Head, Sierra Nevada debut new standard for IPA glassware” on the Dogfish Head blog.
Andy Sparhawk, the Brewers Association’s Craft Beer Program Coordinator, is a Certified Cicerone® and BJCP Beer Judge. He lives in Arvada, Colorado where he is a homebrewer and avid craft beer enthusiast. On occasion, Andy is inspired to write on his experiences with craft beer, and if they are not too ridiculous, you might see the results here on CraftBeer.com.
CraftBeer.com is fully dedicated to small and independent U.S. breweries. We are published by the Brewers Association, the not-for-profit trade group dedicated to promoting and protecting America’s small and independent craft brewers. Stories and opinions shared on CraftBeer.com do not imply endorsement by or positions taken by the Brewers Association or its members.
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