Pilsner glasses

Start with the serving size. A small glass of around 19 cl is finished quickly and therefore stays cold to the last sip; ideal for a busy bar. The classic café glass sits between 29 and 34 cl and is the standard in a pub. A Willi Becher of 33 or 40 cl stands a little slimmer, stacks in the washing rack and is the most used in hospitality because soft drinks and water go into it too. For at home or on a terrace, a glass of 40 to 50 cl works nicely, because you have to top up less often.

Then look at the rim and the base. A thickened, hardened rim chips less easily when glasses knock together in a full rack. A heavy base makes the glass steadier on a loaded tray. If you want a fill line, that is common in the hospitality glasses: guests can see exactly what they get and you pour the same measure every time.

The head makes the beer. Hold the glass at an angle of about forty-five degrees, pour against the wall until the glass is three quarters full, then set it upright and let the last stream fall into the middle so the head builds up. Two fingers of foam is the Dutch measure; that foam holds the carbon dioxide in and protects the beer from air.

Serve lager between about five and seven degrees. Colder numbs the flavour, warmer makes the beer taste flat. Do not put glasses in the freezer: the film of ice that forms acts as a nucleation point for carbon dioxide and ruins your head. If it is going to be a kopstoot, put the brim-full jenever glass next to the beer on the table and drink the jenever first. For the small work later in the evening, have a look at the shots.

Beer asks for a beer-clean glass, and that is something other than a clean glass. Grease is the enemy: a fingerprint or a trace of washing-up liquid breaks the head down within a minute and makes bubbles stick to the wall. So wash lager glasses separately from greasy dishes and avoid rinse aid that leaves a thick film.

All the ranges here may go in the dishwasher. Rinse afterwards with cold water and let the glasses drain upside down on a rack rather than on a cloth, so no fibres or smells are left behind. If they take on a dull haze, it is usually limescale from hard water; a wash with a little vinegar brings the shine back.

If you prefer craft beer, the stemmed glass or the tulip model is your shape, and those sit with the beer glasses. If you would rather have a large glass with a handle for half a litre, look at the beer steins. If you are after a straight glass that also works for soft drinks and long drinks, the longdrink glasses are the logical step, and the French hospitality work can be found at Arcoroc.