GORDON LIGHTFOOT | Culture
GLASS HALF FULL
Hastings man Nathan Cooper, 34, has confirmed he now carries his own craft beer glassware to bars “just in case the venue doesn’t really respect the beer properly”.
Cooper, who works in UX design and owns what friends describe as “an unnecessary amount of tote bags”, says he first began bringing his own glass after being served a Behemoth Brewing hazy IPA in “just a standard bloody pint glass”.
“You lose most of the aroma profile straight away,” Cooper explained while carefully unpacking a tulip-shaped glass from a padded laptop sleeve. “People think it’s pretentious but it’s just about getting the beer the way the brewer intended.”
Witnesses say Cooper now quietly arrives at bars carrying what appears to be “a range of fragile scientific equipment”, before politely asking staff to “just pour directly into this one if that’s all good”.
“I’m actually making things easier for everyone,” Cooper said.
“You’d be surprised how many bars still don’t understand presentation. Some places are serving good beer in glasses designed for like, Lion Red. If that’s your thing fair enough, but certain beers need room to open up.”
Friends say the situation escalated after Cooper began briefly rinsing his own glassware in the bathroom beforehand “to neutralise any foreign detergent aromas”.
“He’s still a good bloke,” said mate Jason Reid.
“But there’s definitely a moment now when the beers arrive and Nathan sort of holds his glass up to the light like he’s checking a urine sample.”
Bar staff across Hawkes Bay have reportedly adapted well to the trend, with several admitting they initially assumed Cooper had some kind of severe allergy.
Cooper told reporters that the only thing he’s allergic to is inappropriate glassware.
“You need the right tool for the right job”.
More to come.
