As a random note...

[chipotle]

...Drambuie in a brandy snifter is a good thing.

After having coffee with a shot of Morgan's Spiced Rum, and the Drambuie later, I feel noticeably light-headed. Either I've had more of one or the other or both than I'd thought, or I'm even more pathetic when it comes to alcohol than I'd thought. (Or all of the above.)

Drambuie's web site claims it's supposed to be served over ice in a whiskey glass, but the first time I was served it, it was in a snifter, so the notion's stuck with me. At Beverages and More today I was tempted to get a beer glass or two that's more appropriate for Belgian-style beers, the ones that want you to serve them in bell-shaped glasses. The only beer glass I have is actually left over from a former roommate, and seems to be a traditional lager glass (what BevMo refers to as a pub glass).

I don't actually have proper wine glasses, except for one which I think is, technically, for white wine. And you know, I've read the basic rationale behind the different shapes of glasses for different beverages, but I still suspect one serves different types of alcohol in the proper glass chiefly to show that one knows what the proper glass is.

What's the proper shape glass for a root beer? Does the brand make a difference? A&W goes in a frosted mug, Weinhard's in a lager glass, Safeway in a paper cup?

Comments

[rafn.livejournal.com]

All a matter of how much you want the drink to breathe and how important is the nose.

As for root beer, seems about right! ;>

[rancourt.livejournal.com]

Hmm. Root beer. Root beer. Root beer. Yes, there *is* an etiquette for it. I present this more as a chance to laugh about the fact that I know this, than any sort of serious admonishment or 'lesson.'

Sweeter, wetter root beers ('dessert' root beers) are best served in a tumbler glass, as they are a soft drink and treated as such. Flaretop 'Coke' glasses and other vintage soda fountain glassware are also perfectly acceptable. Tinted glass is acceptable as well, so long as it passes light and emphasizes the deep red-brown notes in the beverage. A&W has a tradition with frosted mugs, and this is also acceptable due to bottler tradition.

Dryer, more pretentious root beers are served as beer, often in a glass mug (frosted is certainly cooler, but not strictly necessary). With these, follow the general etiquette for true beer, although steins would probably be overkill. I have also seen a trend to serve dryer root beers in large bowl-shaped goblets, particularly if it's a 'rare' sort, a house microbrew or similar. I don't believe this is strictly cricket, but as it's being practiced coast to coast (both Tampa Bay Brewing Co. and my favorite house root beer in Los Angeles came this way), I suppose it's becoming a 'new alternative.'

Additionally, any root beer may be served from the bottle if the bottle is glass, and at least moderately elegant to present.

Safeway root beer, to the best of my knowledge, isn't truly a root beer, but rather a horehound and licorice flavored soda (as is common for economy 'root beer'). In this case, treat as any soda. Paper cups, basic household glassware, etc.

Yes, I probably need to get out of the house more.

[doodlesthegreat.livejournal.com]

Root Beer is served in the bottle. Unless it's in a can, whereupon you throw it out. =};-3