Photos and article by Nora McGunnigle Abita Brewing recently paired up with glass manufacturer Spiegelau to demonstrate why the glass used to drink a beer is as important to enjoyment as the beer itself. Speigelau regional sales manager Chris Hillin guided 60-65 eager beer connoisseurs through an Abita beer tasting in five different shaped glasses: Abita Amber in the lager glass, the SOS Imperial Pilsner in the pilsner glass, Wrought Iron IPA in the newly crafted IPA glass, Abbey Ale in the Belgian snifter glass, and Naughty Quaker oatmeal stout in Spiegelau’s brand new glass created just for stouts. Speigelau expanded from wine glasses into the beer game in 2004, bringing the traditional lager, pilsner, and Belgian glasses to the market; several years later, the company began assembling professional tasting panels of brewers, homebrewers, and sensory specialists to create glasses for specific styles, like the ridged stemmed IPA glass and and the stout goblet, which warms the beer in the drinker’s hand. The specialty glasses are superior to the industry standard shaker pint for several reasons; the quality of the raw...