A snifter (also called brandy snifter, brandy glass, brandy bowl, or a cognac glass) is a type of stemware, a short-stemmed

glass Glass is a non- crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenchin ...

whose vessel has a wide bottom and a relatively narrow top. It is mostly used to serve aged brown liquors such as bourbon, brandy, and whisky.

Design

The large surface area of the contained liquid helps evaporate it, the narrow top traps the aroma inside the glass, while the rounded bottom allows the glass to be cupped in the hand, thus warming the liquor. Most snifters will hold , but are almost always filled to only a small part of their capacity. Most snifters are designed so that when placed sideways on a level surface, they will hold just the proper amount before spilling. A variant is called a pipe glass or pipe snifter, used for port and brandy.

Usage with beer

The attributes that have made the snifter a popular glass for brandy have also made it a preferred glass for some styles of

beer Beer is one of the oldest and the most widely consumed type of alcoholic drink in the world, and the third most popular drink overall after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches, mainly derived from ce ...

, mainly those that feature complex aromas and have an ABV measure of 8% or higher, such as imperial stout,

Baltic porter Porter is a style of beer that was developed in London, England in the early 18th century. It was well- hopped and dark in appearance owing to the use of brown malt.Dornbusch, Horst, and Garrett Oliver. "Porter." The Oxford Companion to Beer ...

, barley wine, and double India pale ale.

References

Drinking glasses Drinkware {{drinkware-stub