Beer glassware comprise vessels made of glass, designed or commonly used for serving and drinking beer. Styles of glassware vary in accord with national or regional traditions; legal or customary requirements regarding serving measures and

fill line A fill line is a marking on drinkware indicating the volume of liquid held by the glass. Many countries mandate fill lines on glasses used commercially as a consumer protection measure. European Union and Switzerland Each of the European Uni ...

s; such practicalities as breakage avoidance in washing, stacking or storage; commercial promotion by breweries; artistic or cultural expression in

folk art Folk art covers all forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative. The makers of folk art are typically tr ...

or as novelty items or usage in

drinking games Drinking games are games which involve the consumption of alcoholic beverages and often enduring the subsequent intoxication resulting from them. Evidence of the existence of drinking games dates back to antiquity. Drinking games have been banned ...

; or to complement, to enhance, or to otherwise affect a particular type of beer's temperature, appearance and aroma, as in the case of its head. Drinking vessels intended for beer are made from a variety of materials other than

glass Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling ( quenching ...

, including

pottery Pottery is the process and the products of forming vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form. Major types include earthenware, stoneware and ...

pewter Pewter () is a malleable metal alloy consisting of tin (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver. Copper and antimony (and in antiquity lead) act as hardeners, but lead may be used in lower grades ...

, and

wood Wood is a porous and fibrous structural tissue found in the stems and roots of trees and other woody plants. It is an organic materiala natural composite of cellulose fibers that are strong in tension and embedded in a matrix of lignin ...

International styles

Pilsner glass

A pilsner glass is used for many types of light beers, including pale lager or

pilsner Pilsner (also pilsener or simply pils) is a type of pale lager. It takes its name from the Bohemian city of Plzeň (german: Pilsen), where the world's first pale lager (now known as Pilsner Urquell) was produced in 1842 by Pilsner Urquell Bre ...

. Pilsner glasses are generally smaller than a pint glass, usually in , , , or sizes. In Europe, glasses are also common. They are tall, slender and tapered. The slender glass reveals the colour, and

carbonation Carbonation is the chemical reaction of carbon dioxide to give carbonates, bicarbonates, and carbonic acid. In chemistry, the term is sometimes used in place of carboxylation, which refers to the formation of carboxylic acids. In inorganic ch ...

of the beer, and the broad top helps maintain a

beer head Beer is a village and civil parish in the East Devon district of Devon, England. The village faces Lyme Bay and is a little over west of the town of Seaton. It is situated on the Jurassic Coast World Heritage Site and its picturesque cliffs, ...

. Weizen glasses are sometimes mistakenly called pilsner glasses because they are somewhat similar in appearance, but true pilsner glasses have an even taper without any amount of curvature.

Pint glass

The definition of a

pint The pint (, ; symbol pt, sometimes abbreviated as ''p'') is a unit of volume or capacity in both the imperial and United States customary measurement systems. In both of those systems it is traditionally one eighth of a gallon. The British impe ...

differs by country, thus a pint glass will reflect the regular measure of beer in that country. In the UK, law stipulates that a serving of beer be fixed at the

imperial pint The pint (, ; symbol pt, sometimes abbreviated as ''p'') is a unit of volume or capacity in both the imperial and United States customary measurement systems. In both of those systems it is traditionally one eighth of a gallon. The British impe ...

(568 ml ≈ 1.2 US pints). Half-pint glasses of are generally smaller versions of pint glasses. Quarter-pint glasses of also exist, and are popular in Australia (now 140 ml from metrication), where they are known as a "pony". These may simply be smaller pint glasses, or may be a special pony glass. In the US, a pint is , but the volume is not strictly regulated and glasses may vary somewhat. Glasses of 500 ml are usually called pints in American parlance. The common shapes of pint

are: *Conical glasses are shaped, as the name suggests, as an inverted truncated

cone A cone is a three-dimensional geometric shape that tapers smoothly from a flat base (frequently, though not necessarily, circular) to a point called the apex or vertex. A cone is formed by a set of line segments, half-lines, or lines con ...

around tall and tapering by about in diameter over its height. *The nonic, a variation on the conical design, where the glass bulges out a couple of inches from the top; this is partly for improved grip, partly to prevent the glasses from sticking together when stacked, and partly to give strength and stop the rim from becoming chipped or "nicked".The Times: ''Last orders for traditional pint glass as search begins for alternatives''
/ref> The term "nonic" derives from "no nick". *Jug glasses, or "dimple mugs", are shaped more like a large mug with a handle. They are moulded with a grid pattern of thickened glass on the outside, somewhat resembling the segmentation of a WWII-era hand grenade. The dimples prevent the glass slipping out of the fingers in a washing-up bowl, and the design of the glass emphasises strength, also to withstand frequent manual washing. These design features became less important when manual washing was superseded by machine washing from the 1960s onwards. Dimpled glasses are now rarer than the other types and are regarded as more traditional. This sort of glass is also known as a "Handle" due to the handle on the glass. They are popular with the older generation and people with restricted movement in their hands which can make holding a usual pint glass difficult. They have recently started to make a renaissance, especially in northern Britain. Image:British dimpled glass pint jug with ale.jpg, British dimpled glass pint mug Image:Real Ale 2004-05-09 cropped.jpg, "Conical" pint glass Image:Pint Glass (Pub).svg, "Nonic" pint glass. File:Guinness Glass 2010.jpg, Current Guinness glass

Connoisseur's glassware

Beer connoisseurs sometimes invest in special, non-traditional glassware to enhance their appreciation. An example was the range marketed by Michael "Beer Hunter" Jackson.

Snifters

Typically used for serving brandy and cognac, a

snifter A snifter (also called brandy snifter, brandy glass, brandy bowl, or a cognac glass) is a type of stemware, a short-stemmed glass whose vessel has a wide bottom and a relatively narrow top. It is mostly used to serve aged brown liquors such as ...

is ideal for capturing the volatiles of aromatic beers such as Double/Imperial IPAs, Belgian ales,

barley wine Barley wine is a strong ale between 6–12% alcohol by volume."Barley wine"

wheat wine Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeological ...

s. The shape helps trap the volatiles, while allowing swirling to agitate them and produce an intense aroma.

Taster glasses

Glasses holding 1/3 of a pint or less may be used to: *Try a beer in a pub or café before purchasing a full measure *Split a bottle of rare or strong beer between friends *Sample multiple beers without becoming

inebriated Alcohol intoxication, also known as alcohol poisoning, commonly described as drunkenness or inebriation, is the negative behavior and physical effects caused by a recent consumption of alcohol. In addition to the toxicity of ethanol, the main ps ...

. For instance a brewpub might provide a sampler of three different brews in pint measures; or a

beer festival A beer festival is an event at which a variety of beers are available for purchase. There may be a theme, for instance beers from a particular area, or a particular brewing style such as winter ales. Asia * Singapore holds an annual Beer Festiva ...

might provide small capacity glasses for

patrons Patronage is the support, encouragement, privilege, or financial aid that an organization or individual bestows on another. In the history of art, arts patronage refers to the support that kings, popes, and the wealthy have provided to artists su ...

Plastic

Plastic beer vessels are usually shaped in imitation of whichever glasses are usual in the locality. They are mainly used as a substitute for glass vessels where breakages would be particularly problematic or likely, for instance at outdoor events.

German, Austrian, and Swiss styles

glasses

A glass is used to serve wheat beer. Originating in Germany, the glass is narrow at the bottom and slightly wider at the top; the width both releasing aroma, and providing room for the often thick, fluffy heads produced by wheat beer. It tends to be taller than a pint glass, and generally holds with room for foam or " head". In some countries, such as Belgium, the glass may be or . Wheat beers tend to foam a lot, especially if poured quickly. In pubs, if the bottle is handed to the patron for self pouring, it is customary for the glass to be taken to the patron wet or with a bit of water in the bottom to be swirled around to wet the entire glass to keep the beer from foaming excessively.

Beer stein

Beer stein A beer stein ( ), or simply stein, is either a traditional beer mug made out of stoneware or specifically an ornamental beer mug sold as a souvenir or collectible. An 1894 article on beer mugs in the American ''Vogue'' magazine that describes ...

or simply "stein" ( ) has been for over a century an English expression for a traditional German beer mug made out of

stoneware Stoneware is a rather broad term for pottery or other ceramics fired at a relatively high temperature. A modern technical definition is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic made primarily from stoneware clay or non-refractory fire clay. Whether vi ...

, whether simple and serviceably sturdy, or elaborately ornamental with either a traditionally cultural theme, or so embellished as to be sold as a souvenir or a collectible. The former may be made out of

, but rarely the inferior earthenware or wood, while the latter is usually of glazed

, but often

porcelain Porcelain () is a ceramic material made by heating substances, generally including materials such as kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to other types of pottery, arises main ...

, or even silver or crystal. It may have either an uncovered mouth or a hinged

lid with a thumb-

lever A lever is a simple machine consisting of a beam or rigid rod pivoted at a fixed hinge, or '' fulcrum''. A lever is a rigid body capable of rotating on a point on itself. On the basis of the locations of fulcrum, load and effort, the lever is d ...

. The capacity of a German "stein" indicated by its

on its side ranged from "0.4l" (4 deci-litre), through "0.5l" (half a litre) or a full litre (or comparable historic sizes). Like decorative tankards, steins are often decorated in a culturally nostalgic, often German or

Bavaria Bavaria ( ; ), officially the Free State of Bavaria (german: Freistaat Bayern, link=no ), is a state in the south-east of Germany. With an area of , Bavaria is the largest German state by land area, comprising roughly a fifth of the total lan ...

n, theme. Some believe the lid that excludes flies from the beer today was originally intended for those so diseased in the age of the Black Plague.

Maßkrug

The ''Maß'' () is a quantity of beer, most commonly used in Bavaria and Austria. It is served in a ''Maßkrug'' (pl. ''Maßkrüge''), which is sometimes simply referred to as a ''Maß''. As a feminine noun, it is , though commonly confused with the grammatically neuter noun , meaning "measure". The unit of volume is typically used only for measuring beer sold for immediate on-site consumption. Because the ''Maß'' is a unit of measure, it can come in the form of a glass or

mug. The endurance sport of ''Maßkrugstemmen'' involves holding a filled, ''Maß'' at arm's length. The world record is 45minutes and 2seconds.

The high, narrow and cylindrical (German for "stick" or "rod", plural ) is traditionally used for . A , traditionally used for , is similar, though slightly shorter and fatter. The usually holds between , though larger ones are now sometimes used to reduce serving work. are carried by slotting them into holes in a special tray called a ("wreath").

Willi Becher

The Willi Becher glass is common in Germany. It is characterized by its shape: conical to the top portion where it curves inward to converge back to the top of a smaller diameter opening. The Willi Becher is produced in sizes of .

Beer boot

Boot- and shoe-shaped drinking vessels have been found at archaeological sites dating back to the bronze-age

Urnfield culture The Urnfield culture ( 1300 BC – 750 BC) was a late Bronze Age culture of Central Europe, often divided into several local cultures within a broader Urnfield tradition. The name comes from the custom of cremating the dead and p ...

s. Modern beer boots (or ') have over a century of history and culture behind them. It is commonly believed that a general somewhere promised his troops to drink beer from his boot if they were successful in battle. When the troops prevailed, the general had a glassmaker fashion a boot from glass to fulfill his promise without tasting his own feet and to avoid spoiling the beer in his leather boot. Since then, soldiers have enjoyed toasting to their victories with a beer boot. At gatherings in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, beer boots are often passed among the guests for a festive drinking challenge. Since the movie ''

Beerfest ''Beerfest'' is a 2006 American comedy film directed by Jay Chandrasekhar and starring the comedy troupe Broken Lizard, which comprises Chandrasekhar, Kevin Heffernan, Steve Lemme, Paul Soter, and Erik Stolhanske. The film co-stars Nat Faxon, ...

'' premiered in 2006, beer boots have become increasingly popular in the United States. It is an old joke to hand the boot to a young novice drinker with the toe pointing away from his person, which will result in beer pouring over the drinker's face uncontrollably when air enters the toe; seasoned drinkers always point the toe towards their body until the glass is sufficiently drained.

Pilstulpe

The ''Pilstulpe'' ("Pilsner Tulip") or ''Biertulpe'' ("Beer tulip") is the traditional glass used for German pilsner beers. Sizes are typically around , but can be as large as . When used in restaurant settings, a small piece of absorbent paper is placed around the base to absorb any drips from spilling or condensation.

Gallery

File:Beerstein.jpg, Elaborate earthenware beer steins File:Humpen.jpg, Common half-litre ''Humpen'' or beer mug. File:Warsteiner glass.jpg, Warsteiner glass File:Masskrug neutral.jpg, A Maßkrug.

Belgian and Dutch styles

Stronger or bottled beers are frequently served in specially-made, elaborately-branded glassware. In addition to the profusion of glasses provided by brewers, some Belgian beer cafés serve beer in their own "house" glassware.

Flute glass

A vessel similar to a champagne flute is the preferred serving vessel for Belgian lambics and fruit beers. The narrow shape helps maintain carbonation, while providing a strong aromatic front. Flute glasses display the lively carbonation, sparkling color, and soft lacing of this distinct style.

Goblet or Chalice

Chalices and

goblet A chalice (from Latin 'mug', borrowed from Ancient Greek () 'cup') or goblet is a footed cup intended to hold a drink. In religious practice, a chalice is often used for drinking during a ceremony or may carry a certain symbolic meaning. R ...

s are large, stemmed, bowl-shaped glasses adequate for serving heavy Belgian ales, German

bock Bock is a strong beer in Germany, usually a dark lager. Several substyles exist, including: *Doppelbock (''Double Bock''), a stronger and maltier version *Eisbock (''Ice Bock''), a much stronger version made by partially freezing the beer and ...

s, and other big sipping beers. The distinction between goblet and chalice is typically in the glass thickness. Goblets tend to be thick, while the chalice is thin walled. Some chalices are even etched on the bottom to nucleate a stream of bubbles for maintaining a nice head. File:Beerglass orval.jpg,

Orval beer Orval Brewery (french: Brasserie d'Orval) is a Trappist brewery within the walls of the Abbaye Notre-Dame d'Orval in the Gaume region of Belgium. The brewery produces two Trappist beers, ''Orval'' and ''Orval Vert''. History Evidence of bre ...

's "chalice" glass File:Beerglass trappiste rochefort.jpg, Rochefort beer's "goblet" glass

Tulip glass

tulip glass Beer glassware comprise vessels made of glass, designed or commonly used for serving and drinking beer. Styles of glassware vary in accord with national or regional traditions; legal or customary requirements regarding serving measures and fill ...

has a shape similar to a brandy

. The body is bulbous, like a snifter, but the top flares out to form a lip which helps head retention. It is recommended for serving Scottish ales, American double/imperial IPAs,

barley wine Barley wine is a strong ale between 6–12% alcohol by volume."Barley wine"

pint glasses that taper outwards towards the top are also called tulip glasses, despite having noticeably less curvature.

Gallery

File:Cuvee_Rene_Gueuze.jpg, Geuze

lambic beer Lambic () is a type of beer brewed in the Pajottenland region of Belgium southwest of Brussels and in Brussels itself since the 13th century. Types of lambic beers include gueuze, kriek lambic and framboise. Lambic differs from most other bee ...

in a flute glass Image:Duvel and glass sunday.jpg, The Belgian ale Duvel in its tulip glass File:Kwak.jpg, Kwak beer with its unusual glass and stand File:Bier gordon.jpg, A thistle-shaped glass complements Belgian Scotch ales

British and Irish styles

Tankard

A tankard is a form of drinkware consisting of a large, roughly cylindrical, drinking cup with a single handle. Tankards are usually made of silver,

, or glass, but can be made of other materials, for example wood,

ceramic A ceramic is any of the various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing an inorganic, nonmetallic material, such as clay, at a high temperature. Common examples are earthenware, porcelain ...

or leather. A tankard may have a hinged lid, and tankards featuring glass bottoms are also fairly common. Tankards are shaped and used similarly to

beer stein A beer stein ( ), or simply stein, is either a traditional beer mug made out of stoneware or specifically an ornamental beer mug sold as a souvenir or collectible. An 1894 article on beer mugs in the American ''Vogue'' magazine that describes ...

s. Metal tankards were popular in 18th and early 19th century Britain and Ireland, but were largely superseded by glass vessels. They are now seen as collector's items, or may be engraved and presented as a gift. Wooden and leather tankards were popular before the 17th century, but being made of organic materials have rarely survived intact to the present day. File:MaryRose-wooden tankard1.JPG, Reconstructed 16thC wooden tankard. Image:Pewter Tankard.jpg,

Pewter Pewter () is a malleable metal alloy consisting of tin (85–99%), antimony (approximately 5–10%), copper (2%), bismuth, and sometimes silver. Copper and antimony (and in antiquity lead) act as hardeners, but lead may be used in lower grades ...

tankard File:Stein Glass (Beer).svg, Glass tankard

Yard of ale

yard of ale A yard of ale or yard glass is a very tall beer glass used for drinking around of beer, depending upon the diameter. The glass is approximately long, shaped with a bulb at the bottom, and a widening shaft, which constitutes most of the height ...

or yard glass is a very tall glass used for drinking around of beer, depending upon the diameter. The glass is approximately long, shaped with a bulb at the bottom, and a widening shaft which constitutes most of the height. The glass most likely originated in 17th-century England where the glass was known also as a "Long Glass", a "Cambridge Yard (Glass)" and an " Ell Glass". It is associated by legend with stagecoach drivers, though was mainly used for drinking feats and special toasts. (Compare with the

Pauwel Kwak Bosteels Brewery (Brouwerij Bosteels) is a brewery in Buggenhout, Belgium. The brewery was founded in 1791 and was owned and operated by the same family. Bosteels brew three beers: Tripel Karmeliet, DeuS, and Pauwel Kwak. In 2019 a new beer was ...

glass). Drinking a yard glass full of beer is a traditional

pub game A pub game is one which is traditionally played inside or outside a pub or bar. Most pub games date back many years and are rooted in village culture. Many derive from older outdoor sports. Pub games can be loosely grouped into throwing games, ...

. The fastest drinking of a yard of ale in the '' Guinness Book of Records'' is 5 seconds.

Capacity

Australian measures

Prior to metrication in Australia, one could buy beer in glasses of size 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 15 or 20 imperial

fluid ounce A fluid ounce (abbreviated fl oz, fl. oz. or oz. fl., old forms ℥, fl ℥, f℥, ƒ ℥) is a unit of volume (also called ''capacity'') typically used for measuring liquids. The British Imperial, the United States customary, and the United ...

s. Each sized glass had a different name in each Australian state. These were replaced by glasses of size 115, 140, 170, 200, 285, 425 and 570 ml. Progressively, the differences are decreasing. In the 21st century, most pubs no longer have a glass smaller than 200 ml (7 imp fl oz); typically available are 200ml, 285ml and 425ml, and increasingly many pubs also have pints available.

References

External links

* {{Authority control Drinking glasses

International styles

Pilsner glass

Pint glass

Connoisseur's glassware

Snifters

Taster glasses

Plastic

German, Austrian, and Swiss styles

glasses

Beer stein

Maßkrug

Willi Becher

Beer boot

Pilstulpe

Gallery

Belgian and Dutch styles

Flute glass

Goblet or Chalice

Tulip glass

Gallery

British and Irish styles

Tankard

Yard of ale

Capacity

Australian measures

See also

References

External links