A snifter (also called brandy balloon, brandy snifter, brandy glass, brandy bowl, or a cognac glass) is a type of
stemware
Stemware is drinkware where the bowl stands on a ''stem'' above a ''foot'' (base that allows to put the vessel down onto a table). It is usually made from glass, but may be made from ceramics or metals. The stemware is intended for cool bever ...
, a short-stemmed
glass
Glass is an amorphous (non-crystalline solid, non-crystalline) solid. Because it is often transparency and translucency, transparent and chemically inert, glass has found widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in window pane ...
whose
vessel has a wide bottom and a relatively narrow top. It is mostly used to serve aged brown liquors such as
bourbon,
brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured ...
, and
whisky
Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. 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 an alcoholic beverage produced by the brewing and fermentation of starches from cereal grain—most commonly malted barley, although wheat, maize (corn), rice, and oats are also used. The grain is mashed to convert starch in the ...
, mainly those that feature complex aromas and have an
ABV measure of 8% or higher, such as
imperial stout,
Baltic porter,
, and
double India pale ale.
References
Drinking glasses
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