‘Heavier the glass, the better the drink’
HOSTS should serve their guests drinks in heavy glasses because the weight of the vessel makes the beverage taste better, an Oxford University academic has suggested.
Charles Spence, professor of experimental psychology, said a heavy glass, rather than a flimsy plastic cup, would make people think the drink was significantly better.
He said lightness was associated with poor quality and “cheapness” and would change the flavour of even the most expensive tipple.
Speaking at the Cheltenham Science Festival in Britain this week, he said: “We like heavy containers. We associate them with better quality; it has greater worth.
“If you want your guests to enjoy their gin and tonics, then make sure they have a heavy glass, not a plastic one. The psychological effect means it tastes significantly better.
“We haven’t tested other cocktails, but I imagine that is true for them as well.”
He added that people were often fooled into thinking wine was of better quality if the bottle was heavier.
“People will tend to go for the heavier bottle because they think it will taste better.”
And he advised bottles of beer for a party, rather than cans, for hosts who want to impress their guests.
“If you drink beer out of a bottle, it tastes better than from a can. That is because it is heavier in the hand and people associate it with higher quality.
“Although it is a matter of perception, people really do believe it tastes better. But if you poured the beer from the bottle and the can into identical glasses, people would say it tastes the same.
“Advice? Serve all your drinks in the heaviest glasses possible. And if you want to show off, buy a heavy bottle of wine and let your guests hold it before you serve. They will think it’s top-notch.”