Brussels lace is the name for the white froth that clings to the inside of a glass as you drink. These beer contrails – which have nothing to do with Belgium – are a small thing of beauty, especially if the beer is as fresh and tasty as it looks.

But that’s the thing about appearance, it has this way of clouding your judgment. Just because it’s got a frothy head, wonderful lacing and golden clarity doesn’t necessarily mean it’ll taste good, of course, though these factors will certainly enhance its chances. It all depends on the style of beer, its carbonation levels and so many other variables – not to mention your own mood or the music that’s playing – while the kind of glass you serve it in plays no small role either.

At the Irish Craft Beer Festival at the RDS recently beers were served in frosted, plastic glasses which was a little disappointing, given that so much of the enjoyment of trying anything new comes from looking at it first and considering its appeal, like the deep ruby tones of a red ale or the pinkish hue from a fruit sour.

Pewter tankards

Back in the days of old – and before glass was discovered – pewter tankards or mugs were used so nobody seemed to mind too much what their beer looked like. When the use of pale malt became more widespread – giving beer a lighter, golden clarity – and glasses came into usage, the appearance of beer became a bigger selling point.

Some glasses suit certain styles better and in Belgium, unsurprisingly, they can take this kind of thing quite seriously. But there’s definitely no harm investing in a few nice beer glasses for your home (many off-licences sell them now). A certain satisfaction comes with pouring a wheat beer into a tall Weizen glass, getting out a delicate, stemmed Tulip for a special double IPA, a snifter for a rich imperial stout, a simple tapered Pilsner glass for a lager. Or just cracking open a can.

@ITbeerista beerista@irishtimes.com