The Dogfish Head Glass

The tulip glass teaches us that pint glasses don't have to be boring. They can have not only aesthetic appeal, but functionality as well -- holding onto head and aromas better than the standard tumbler.

Delaware-based Dogfish Head has taken both form and function into consideration with this pint glass. Its graceful curves, gently bulging center, and heavy base make the glass not just easy on the eyes but also make it feel good in your hand. The tapered top, quite narrow compared to plenty of other glasses, holds head well and captures aromas better than glasses that flare at the top.

Dogfish Head is the only brewery I'm aware of that uses this type of glass. If they are in fact the only one, that would be fitting with Dogfish Head's core value of doing things differently -- the other side of the glass reads "Off-centered ales for off-centered people."

Interestingly, this particular glass is not for sale on the Dogfish Head Web site, while their logo tumbler is, along with a couple other interesting shapes this blogger can't count among his collection.

Sometimes the beer or occasion might not call for anything too fancy, like a snifter or Belgian-type glass; yet a regular pint glass might feel too generic. In those times, the Dogfish Head pint is at its best.

As you might expect, it only makes sense that Dogfish Head beers should be the top candidates to be drank from the Dogfish Head glass (although their higher-alcohol stuff should go in a snifter or other bowl-shaped glass). Standard-strength ales and lagers, Dogfish or otherwise, would also find a happy home in the Dogfish Head glass.