Arcoroc Willi Becher

Start with what you are pouring. A small pilsner fits the 33 cl, which leaves you with roughly 25 cl of beer and a head on top. The 40 cl is the size for half a litre minus the head and the one most asked for in the trade. The 48 cl is for weizen and beers that throw a lot of foam.

Pay attention to the rim as well. Arcoroc tempers the rim of these glasses, so the spot that chips first stays intact longer. If you want something similar in another shape, the narrower models are with the pilsner glasses and the full range with the beer glasses.

Rinse the glass with cold water first. A wet glass lets the beer slide down the wall instead of splashing against it, which gives you a calmer head. Hold the glass at an angle under the tap, aim at the wall, and only straighten it once it is two thirds full. The last burst builds the head.

The same principle applies when you pour from a bottle. For a kopstoot you set the Willi Becher next to a shot glass of jenever and drink them alternately, not mixed. The glass is neutral enough for soft drinks and water too, which makes it useful on a terrace where you would rather not swap glassware for every guest.

Beer foam collapses in a glass with grease residue, even when the glass looks clean. Grease comes from fingers, from washing-up liquid that has not been rinsed off properly and from rinse aid. In a bar, use a separate glassware programme without rinse aid and rinse thoroughly.

These glasses are built for daily service. Let them air dry rather than polishing them with a tea towel, because a cloth puts grease and lint straight back onto the wall. Store them upright in a glass crate if they get moved around a lot.

If you want something heavier with a handle, take a look at the beer steins. If you are looking for the same glass in another shape or from the same manufacturer, the complete range is with the Arcoroc glasses. And if you are wondering what else goes into a tall glass, the cocktail recipes include a few made with beer.