Got a sec? I’m curious, have you ever given any thought to what it would be like to be a 16th century glassblower? Let’s take a sec & think about it. Ok, time & place. It’s the 1500’s & you’re somewhere in Europe. Probably Italy or England. And a lot of cool shit is happening. You’re smack dab in the middle of the Renaissance period. In 1503 Da Vinci starts painting the Mona Lisa, Michelangelo sculpts David & starts painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in 1508 (bro was in the zone). The first flush toilet is invented to the great relief of people who had to clean chamber pots & both coffee & potatoes show up in Europe for the first time (let’s gooo!).
But what’s happening in the world of glassware? Well, apparently people were getting bored with the basic ass glasses that were being produced bc by this time glass had been used for drinking for about 3K years (shout out to the Egyptians). Glassmiths needed new designs. Something eye-catching that would help increase sales. And what was landed on was pretty interesting.
Behold! The Snifter in all its bulbous glory.
Brandy drinkers were early adopters of the snifter which is why the glass is commonly known as the “brandy snifter”.
But lucky for us snobby beer drinkers, nowadays the snifter can be used to elevate those complex beers such as Belgian ales, IPAs, & stouts. Typically high gravity (denser) styles are best suited for the snifter. Why? Well, it’s all about the aroma babay! The snifter’s bulbous shape, which tapers at the rim, keeps aromas from evaporating into the air too quickly but the rim is wide enough to allow ample nose space optimizing sniffing. Is that where the name comes from? Hmm maybe…
But let’s not forget about that stubby stem that holds the bowl & forces you to slide it between your fingers so you can look pompous as you drink your barrel aged stout. But holding the snifter like this does more than simply make you look pompous. The warmth from your hand transfers to the beer keeping it at an optimal temperature for volatiles (compounds that are easily vaporized) to release their aroma.
#beer #thisiscle #clethatilove #cleveland #clevelandbrewerypassport #ohiobrewblog #snifter #beerfacts #beerfact
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