Beer serving temperature and glassware guide

Cold hides flavor and warm shows it. The stronger and darker the beer, the warmer it wants to be. A beer straight from the fridge sits around 38°F, so give a big stout 15 minutes on the counter.

IPA

Style	Serve at	Glass
Hazy IPA	45–50°F (7–10°C)	Teku
West Coast IPA	45–50°F (7–10°C)	Tulip
Double / Imperial IPA	48–54°F (9–12°C)	Tulip
Session IPA	42–48°F (6–9°C)	Nonic pint
Cold IPA	40–46°F (4–8°C)	Tulip
Black IPA	46–52°F (8–11°C)	Tulip
Fruited IPA	44–50°F (7–10°C)	Teku
IPA (general)	45–50°F (7–10°C)	Tulip

Pale Ale

Style	Serve at	Glass
American Pale Ale	45–50°F (7–10°C)	Nonic pint
Extra Pale Ale / XPA	42–48°F (6–9°C)	Nonic pint
English Pale Ale / Bitter	50–55°F (10–13°C)	Nonic pint
Australian Pacific Pale Ale	40–46°F (4–8°C)	Nonic pint

Lager

Style	Serve at	Glass
American Lager / Light Lager	36–40°F (2–4°C)	Shaker pint
Pilsner	40–45°F (4–7°C)	Pilsner glass
Mexican Lager	36–42°F (2–6°C)	Shaker pint
Helles	40–46°F (4–8°C)	Mug or stein
Rice Lager	36–42°F (2–6°C)	Pilsner glass
Dark Lager / Dunkel	44–50°F (7–10°C)	Mug or stein
Amber Lager / Vienna	42–48°F (6–9°C)	Mug or stein
Oktoberfest / Märzen	44–50°F (7–10°C)	Mug or stein
Bock / Doppelbock	46–54°F (8–12°C)	Chalice
Fruited Lager	36–42°F (2–6°C)	Shaker pint
Lager (general)	38–45°F (3–7°C)	Shaker pint

Stout

Style	Serve at	Glass
Dry / Irish Stout	45–50°F (7–10°C)	Nonic pint
Sweet / Milk Stout	48–54°F (9–12°C)	Nonic pint
Oatmeal Stout	48–54°F (9–12°C)	Nonic pint
Imperial Stout	52–60°F (11–16°C)	Snifter
Pastry Stout	52–60°F (11–16°C)	Snifter
Barrel-Aged Stout	54–60°F (12–16°C)	Snifter
Stout (general)	48–54°F (9–12°C)	Nonic pint

Porter

Style	Serve at	Glass
Porter	48–54°F (9–12°C)	Nonic pint
Baltic Porter	50–55°F (10–13°C)	Tulip
Imperial Porter	52–60°F (11–16°C)	Snifter

Wheat

Style	Serve at	Glass
Hefeweizen	42–48°F (6–9°C)	Weizen glass
American Wheat	40–46°F (4–8°C)	Weizen glass
Witbier	40–46°F (4–8°C)	Weizen glass

Sour

Style	Serve at	Glass
Gose	40–46°F (4–8°C)	Stange
Berliner Weisse	40–46°F (4–8°C)	Flute
Fruited Sour	42–48°F (6–9°C)	Teku
Kettle Sour	42–48°F (6–9°C)	Teku
Wild / Brett / Lambic-style	46–54°F (8–12°C)	Teku

Belgian

Style	Serve at	Glass
Belgian Blonde / Pale	44–50°F (7–10°C)	Tulip
Saison	44–50°F (7–10°C)	Tulip
Dubbel	50–56°F (10–13°C)	Chalice
Tripel	46–52°F (8–11°C)	Tulip
Quad / Belgian Strong	52–58°F (11–14°C)	Chalice

Amber and other ales

Style	Serve at	Glass
Amber / Red Ale	46–52°F (8–11°C)	Nonic pint
Brown Ale	48–54°F (9–12°C)	Nonic pint
Scottish / Scotch Ale	50–56°F (10–13°C)	Tulip
Kölsch	40–45°F (4–7°C)	Stange
Cream Ale	38–44°F (3–7°C)	Shaker pint
Blonde / Golden Ale	40–46°F (4–8°C)	Shaker pint

Strong

Style	Serve at	Glass
Barleywine / Strong Ale	54–60°F (12–16°C)	Snifter

Specialty

Style	Serve at	Glass
Fruit Beer	42–48°F (6–9°C)	Tulip
Spiced / Pumpkin / Honey	46–52°F (8–11°C)	Tulip
Smoked Beer	46–52°F (8–11°C)	Mug or stein
Rye Beer	46–52°F (8–11°C)	Nonic pint
Gluten-Free / Reduced	38–44°F (3–7°C)	Shaker pint
Non-Alcoholic Beer	38–45°F (3–7°C)	Shaker pint

What each glass does

Shaker pint: the plain bar pint; fine for an easy beer.

Nonic pint: the bulge gives you a grip and room for a head.

Tulip: the narrow top holds the aroma in and the head up.

Teku: a stemmed bowl that gathers aroma, built for sour and hoppy beers.

Pilsner glass: tall and tapered, so the bubbles and color show.

Weizen glass: tall with a wide top for the big head wheat beers throw.

Stange: a slim cylinder that keeps a delicate beer fresh and lively.

Snifter: a wide bowl you can warm in your hand, for a small strong pour.

Chalice: a wide stemmed bowl for sipping malty Belgian ales.

Mug or stein: thick, sturdy glass that keeps a lager cold.

Flute: narrow and tall, so a fizzy beer keeps its sparkle.