Beer is not just beer. It will never just be beer. Like Charles Glass, founder of SA Breweries, famously said, "It's the taste that's stood the test of time."Worldwide, people enjoy their chilled brews on hot summer days. But this enjoyment is about to become even better.Brewers of the golden liquid have always known that the taste is enhanced by the shape of the glass and manufacturers are now zoning in on this.Whereas lager was previously served in a straight glass, regardless of the beer you ordered, individual tipples now have their own custom-made glasses.That stands to reason, says home brewer Dave Wood."It's all in the shape of the glass - from the height to the width."Differently shaped glasses do different things in enhancing the flavour of a beer, with some holding aromas better as the beer is delivered to the tongue, whereas others allow for a bigger head," he says.Manufacturers now want beer-lovers to know that each beer has its own meticulously designed glass, carefully engineered to coax the best out of the liquid.Rims of glasses are of particular importance, affecting the way a person drinks a beer.Narrow rims encourage sipping, allowing the beer to reach the front and sides of the tongue first, where sweetness and acidity register.Wide rims encourage chugging, the beer being sent to the back of the tongue, where bitterness is tasted.So, what beer goes with what glass and why?The Stella Artois chalice is probably what first springs to mind when the topic of branded glassware is broached.The star of many a glamorous, 1920s-tinged advertising campaign, the Stella Artois glass's oval design allows a large, foamy head and lets complex aromas develop.The stem of the glass, much like that of a wine glass, gives the drinker something to hold without grabbing the main bowl, so warm hands stay away from the cool lager.The gold-rimmed chalice is intended to deliver a smooth pour, fewer bubbles and a colder beer for longer.Heineken's newly launched glass is an improvement on its previous glassware, which was slightly shorter and wider.It's designed to facilitate the perfect pour: curved sides catch the beer as it flows from can, bottle or tap and guide it gently to the bottom of the glass.It widens at the top, encouraging the formation of a smooth, foamy head.The beer company believes that the glass helps lock in the carbonation and prevents the beer from going flat, with the malty flavours registering first with the drinker as it passes over the fairly narrow-mouthed rim.Grolsch's glass stands tall, tapering at its waist, so when the beer is poured it runs smoothly down the side of the glass.But, on passing the kink line, it splashes into the lower chamber and is nucleated, with the frothing carbonation giving a smooth, foamy head to the beer as it fills to the widening rim.(Additional reporting © The Telegraph)..