Beer drinking vessels have come a long way since the first brews were poured into clay jugs over 7,000 years ago. In the 1500s, the Germans were first to use glass. Today, different beer styles have dedicated glass styles that are carefully engineered to show off the beer's best qualities.

The secret to unlocking your beer’s potential is pairing it with the proper branded glassware. But choosing the right glass is only the first step to enhancing your beer’s overall perceived value. Here are three secrets to make the most of your glassware.

1. Put your beer on a pedestal.

Or, at least, in a stemmed goblet, snifter or tulip glass. Stems lift that trophy brew off the table and give it the perfect visual presentation.

Have a pilsner that sparkles? No worries. The Germans came up with a glass for that, too. The Pokal is a stemmed glass for pilsners, and even lagers, that showcases color, clarity and carbonation like other stemware.

The bottom line is that stemmed glasses aren’t just for strong, aromatic beers like Double IPAs anymore. Find the glass that makes your brew loom large over the rest.

2. Use your head.

Craft connoisseurs savor every sip and drink by sight as much as they do by smell and taste. They are in no hurry to finish your beer–and you don't want them to be! For this reason, retaining a foamy head is essential for the optimal tasting experience.

Sure, goblets and tulip glasses have better head retention by design. But the secret to retaining it even longer is laser etching on the inside bottom of the glass. This process, called nucleation, accelerates the release of CO₂. This in turn increases effervescence, boosting aroma and flavor and giving your beer a long-lasting head.

3. Make your brand crystal-clear.

Each glass style is made to promote a beer style’s unique complexities. But there's one thing even a perfectly styled glass can't do: promote your brand. That’s where glass decoration comes in.

Some high-profile brewers custom-design a glass shape that's as unique as their brew. Think of the last time you saw a Stella Artois. There's no mistaking that glass. Do you feel that strongly about your taste offering–enough to create a brand new glass type?

Perhaps resources are too tight to climb that mountain, but you don't need to manufacture your own glass to get branded glassware.

Branded glassware from Boelter

Here at Boelter, we can help you create the perfect glass for your beer, complete with all of these value-adding tricks. Customize your glass in any way you can imagine to make your brand stand out loud and clear. Our online design tool lets you preview your creation before you order. Could your glass be the next Stella?

A glass worth making your own is the 21.25-oz. Munique Beer Glass by Libbey. This tulip-shaped stem glass stands 8.5” tall, with an extra large canvas to show off your brand. No one will need to ask, “What are you drinking?”

So let’s raise a glass, but not just any glass: yours. Cheers!