Beer Vessels Throughout History

It is commonly known that beer has been around mankind for a long time. As beer itself developed, expanded, and advanced, so did the way in which we got the beer to our mouths. Pottery, wood, stoneware, and even sewn up bits of leather made up the earliest drinking vessels. As time went on, humans witnessed small advancements in the quality of their beer receptacles. Early Europeans that lived during the era of the Bubonic plague saw the creation of beer steins, which had an enclosed top on the steins to prevent bugs from getting in the brew and getting the person ill.

Nowadays, the most important thing to affect modern beer glass production was the creation of glass. As drinkers actually started to be able to look at what they were consuming from the beer glass they started to demand a beer with more flavor and a better color. Customers didn't want chunks in their beer anymore so manufacturers began to filter their products. It almost seemed like beer steins were on the way out as the more aesthetically pleasing beer glasses started to become more popular.

The development of glassware continued and produced a number of glasses for all kinds of different beers. The most demanded in the U.S. is the 16-ounce pint glass. It was later discovered that the design allowed for a part of the carbonation to be freed and let the smell be more pronounced. The pint glass rapidly became a favorite with barkeeps who had to rinse each glass by itself because it can be put on top of each other and put easily on shelves.

On the promotional and marketing front some unique and groundbreaking moves were manufactured by breweries to try and persuade people towards their products. Early manufacturers were not allowed to give out beer or other promotionals to their customers, but found that giving away beer glasses was a good way to reward customers and also to promote themselves. This led to the manufacturers producing glasses that were works of art unto themselves. Gold or silver embossing on both sides of the glass was the standard for these first ornate and pricey glasses. Gradually, artists for the breweries started doing intricate carvings on either side of the glasses or steins and even developed a method of firing enamel paint onto the glasses. These painted glasses are still some of the most unique beer collectibles, even though they were produced more recently than the others. Today, many of the beer memorabilia and banners are worth lots of money and sought out worldwide by fervent collectors. Have you looked up in the top of Grandpappy's dresser lately?