Is the Willi Becher Knocking the Pilsner Glass off its Pedestal? (or, An Incomplete History of Pilsner Glassware)
Advances in glassmaking, electricity and filtration were happening as the Pilsner beer style was created in the mid-1800s. The excitement over all these may have led to the creation of a stately glass for a beer style now seen as humble. Perhaps this is why Pilsner is served in a variety of vessels, not just the one that bears its name.
I thought about this while recently looking at my glassware, which includes several styles that are used for Pilsner. The Willi Becher glass is one that I use most often at home, and an increasing number of breweries in the US are using them as well. I decided to do a quick poll of some of Pilsner brewers to find out their recommended glassware, and to try and determine if the Pilsner glass is fading in popularity. I also threw it out on social media.
Before getting to the topic at hand, I wanted to have a deeper historical understanding of the various glass styles. Turns out there’s little information readily available on the subject, and I got a little carried away doing research. What was meant to be a brief and lighthearted post about glassware trends, has turned into a brief and incomplete history of Pilsner drinking vessels.
Precursors to the Pilsner Glass(es)
The Pilsner glassware types that we are familiar with today have historic precedent predating the creation of the beer style. One example is the passglas, dating from the late 16th century. This was a narrow and tall footed glass that slightly tapers out. The glass is discussed further at this post from Boak and Bailey.
Examples of the historic passglas from the Corning Museum of Glass.
There are a series of rings around the glass, and it’s said that it was designed as a drinking game. Read the comments in the article above for other possibilities and interesting pieces of history. The post notes evidence of the glass in Germany, Denmark, Sweden and the United States. The Corning Museum of Glass website shows several examples attributed to, without certainty in some cases, Germany, Austria, Italy and the Low Countries.
The Corning site also includes historic examples of the pokal glass, and indicates it is a “covered goblet with a flared bowl, made mostly in Germany between the 17th and 19th centuries”. The examples show variations in design, but do reflect aspects consistent with modern Pilsner glasses (see notes for further comments on the pokal.)
The Corning Museum of Glass identifies these as pokal glasses. These examples are from Germany and Czechia from the 18th century to the early 20th century.
Mugs in all different forms have existed for millennia, comprised of a variety of materials such as wood, metal and stone. These are ancestors to the versions we find today.
In German, a mug is sometimes referred to as a Krug (jug), Steinkrug (stone jug), Humpen (tankard), or Seidel (which is essentially a generic term for a mug. In Franconia, Seidla is used in reference to a half liter mug). One particular mug style developed in the 1800s is the Keferloher, a glazed clay vessel with a handle. Historically, lids (called Zinndeckel in German, and used to keep out flies and stop the spread of disease, but also other debris like ash from cigarettes) were common, but they are now less prevalent. That said, they are often still found on the ornate Steinkrug, but those are more of a souvenir for display rather than a vessel regularly used for drinking.
Left: A 0.5 Liter Keferloher. Center: Tübinger "Igel" (hedgehog). Source: Stein Marks Right: Seidel, Steinkrug or Stein. The lid on top is called a Zinndeckel. These are typically made of pewter, and can be basic in design, or highly ornate. Though most common on stoneware, they can be found on glass mugs, or at least they were historically.
Another mug is the Tübinger. These days, some identify this glass as a stout, dimpled mug, most associated with Czech lager, and holding up to 0.5 liters with room for foam, of course (more on this below). This mug evolved from an earlier form associated with an academic association, or fraternity, called the Hedgehog Academic Student Association (Akademischen Studentenverbindung Igel) at Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen in the mid to late 1800s.
Glassware for the Original Pilsner
Pilsner was created in 1842 when the Bavarian brewer Josef Groll first made it for the Bohemian brewery Pilsner Urquell (called Burghers’ Brewery at the time). While they produce a variety of drinking vessels for their beer (see below), their website indicates the Pilsner glass is most appropriate:
The long slender taper of the classic Pilsner glass maximises the amount of light that shines through the beer, showing off its golden clarity. The stem of the glass gives the drinker a place to put his or her hand without warming up the beer. The shape of the glass also concentrates the aroma at the top, much like a wine glass, making drinking Pilsner a multi-sensory experience.
It is unclear when the brewery first used a glass style specifically for this beer. The same page on their site indicates “the most famous Pilsner glass in history was the special Moser crystal chalice that brewery workers made for Emperor Franz Josef I upon his visit to the brewery in 1874.” They sell a reproduction of this goblet style glass, shown below.
Despite Urquell’s glitzy description of the Pilsner glass, the reality is that most Bohemian Pilsner served in Czechia will come in a mug of some type. Urquell recognizes this:
Occasionally you’ll still be served in a classic Pilsner glass, especially if you come to the Czech Republic, but today our tank pubs use more utilitarian mugs with sturdy handles. The stout, round shape and the angular cuts at the bottom of the mug show off the beer’s colour.
Pilsner Urquell sells an extensive array of drinking vessels for one beer. A sample is shown above, and you can find many more at their store. The glass shown on the left is a reproduction of the Moser crystal chalice made for Emperor Franz Josef I when he visited Pilsner Urquell in 1874. When a particular glass is chosen to serve this beer, you are most likely to find it in the mug on the right.
Variety of Glasses Used for Pilsner
The design of the traditional Pilsner glass varies depending on who you ask. Some say it’s a footed glass without a stem, that tapers out with little to no curve. Others will tell you it has a stem. The Oxford Companion to Beer calls this type a pokal (see footnote). Some have no stem or foot at all.
Traditional Pilsner glasses with very subtle differences. The two on the right do not have stems. The two on the left, including the middle one, depicted by the Cicerone Certification Program, are both footed. The glass on the right is manufactured by Libbey.
It seems when the term pokal is deliberately used, it is for a glass that has a short stem and is more squared off at the bottom of the bowl, which has little to no curve at all. I find these, including the examples below, to be most attractive out of all the glasses used for Pilsner.
In 1883, Bitburger (called Simonbräu at the time) was one of the first to brew Pilsner in Germany. Their glass, shown in the accompanying photo, was created in 1964. A Pilsdeckchen (aka beer rosette, Pilsrosette, beer collar, Pils collar and/or drip catcher) is around the stem. This is a circular piece of paper meant to catch beer or condensation. Bierstadt Lagerhaus in Denver serves their Pilsner with a Pilsdeckchen . Stiegl makes a classic Pilsner from Austria. Their Pilsner glass is one of the most unique you will find. Oxbow, known for their farmhouse brewing, has also received praise for their Pilsner. They even host an all-Pilsner festival, Pils and Love, on a bi-annual basis in Portland, Maine. (Images for Bitburger and Stiegl are from their websites. The Oxbow image was provided by the brewery.)
The pilstulpe (Pilsner tulip) is a type of pokal, which has subtle curves, similar to a tulip. The shape may vary slightly, including the width of the bowl. However, they rarely flare out at the top like other tulip shaped glasses.
A traditional pilstulpe from Jever.
Breweries and glass manufacturers continue to put their spin on the Pilsner glass. There are some nicely designed modern versions that are not footed, including Sahm’s Aspen Glass, used by Portland, Oregon’s Wayfinder, and Spiegelau’s Craft Pils glass used by Trumer.
The reality is that there are many variations from different glass manufacturers and breweries looking to design a unique glass with their branding. Generally speaking, a Pilsner glass is tall and narrow, and carries a small volume of beer (usually up to 0.4 liters). Sometimes it tapers in, sometimes out. Sometimes it has curves, sometimes not. If it is straight-sided, it typically has a stem.
Pilsner can also be found in a variety of mugs that are much more robust than the glasses noted above, and usually hold a moderate to large volume of beer (0.5 liters and up). These include the Mass (the one liter dimpled mug you will find at Oktoberfest) and the Keferloher. The previously mentioned Tübinger is favored by many serving lager, including Bohemian Pilsner (Světlý Ležák).
Notch Brewery, from Salem, Massachusetts, specializes in Czech and German lager. If you visit their brewery, you will find they make sure every beer is poured the right way, in the right glass. Their Tübinger is pictured above. Not too far away in Framingham, Massachusetts, Jack’s Abby makes an array of lager beer. This includes traditional beer and modern American, hop-forward releases, all with great execution. They like their Pilsner from a mug. Their Post-Shift Pilsner is pictured here in a half liter mug.
The modern Tübinger that many are now familiar with, was identified as a Tübinger Kugel in a 1934 catalog from a company called August Walther & Sohne AG. The catalog identifies several Tübinger glasses, in slightly different designs. Generally, they are all stout mugs with a handle.
The same catalog uses the term “Kugel” in reference to several other dimpled glasses, including the Mass. These are both depicted below. Tübinger Augenkanne (eye can) is also used to refer to dimpled glasses. This term may be more prevalent in Austria.
I have been unable to determine why the word Kugel is used, though there are a couple possibilities. Kugel can mean bullet, ball or sphere, and the dimples are spherical. It could also be said that the mugs have the appearance of being struck by bullets.
I have also been unable to determine when the Tübinger Kugel was created. As mentioned above, the Walther & Sohne catalog is from 1934. This would predate the creation of the English dimple mug by a few years, which Martyn Cornell indicates first being manufactured by Ravenhead Glass in 1938.
Tübinger Kugel as depicted in the August Walther & Sohne AG catalog from 1934, provided here online.
Kugel-Masskrug, or Maßkrug, also depicted in the August Walther & Sohne AG catalog from 1934, provided here online. The use of the Mass in glass form at Oktoberfest began in 1892, though you’re not likely to find one there filled with Pilsner. Traditionally, the amber lager Märzen was served. These days, Festbier (Oktoberbestbier), a paler lager, is the standard.
Though some note the ability to see your beer as a determining factor for the switch, glass became favored because it was cheaper, cleaner and more durable than other materials. That doesn’t mean that it’s preferred by all. Many locals still drink out of the Keferloher.
The Willi Becher glass was designed by Willy Steinmeier in 1954. Steinmeier worked for a company called Ruhr Glas in Essen, Germany, and the glass was named after him (the translation of becher is cup.)
I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t own a Tübinger. However, the folks at Notch Brewing think the Willi Becher is a good substitute for it when drinking Světlý Ležák, like the one pictured here from Únětický pivovar in my glass from Subversive Malting and Brewing.
The basic design is certainly not unprecedented (in fact, the Walther & Sohne catalog depicts a glass very similar in shape (see footnote), two decades prior to Mr. Steinmeier’s creation), but does reflect themes of that era in post-war Germany. It has a somewhat modern, streamlined appearance that is simple and utilitarian. It’s also versatile, working just fine with an array of beer styles. As it rises, the glass flares out gently to about two-thirds of the way up, where it then curves back in. This promotes good head and aroma. It also makes it comfortable to handle and easy to store.
Vase shapes, typically associated with Weizen beers, are not common for Pilsner. However, I do have a Staropramen glass in that style, and I’ve seen many others serve it in a similar form.
Thoughts on these Styles
I don’t have strong feelings about the styles discussed above, and I wouldn’t complain drinking a Pilsner out of any of them. That said, there are pros and cons to each.
The varying glasses that are usually identified as “Pilsner” are fine, and often quite attractive. But in practice, I prefer a glass that holds more volume. About half a liter feels right for me. Plus, sometimes those glasses feel like you’re putting on dress or tuxedo to go hang out in your friend’s backyard.
Aside from Bohemian Pilsner, I typically don’t like Pilsner in a mug. Using one can be fun, but the beer is too delicate to be in such a robust vessel.
The Sahm glass used by Wayfinder is great, I don’t have many reasons not to use it, except it’s not as ubiquitous as others. Same goes for the Spiegelau glass used by Trumer.
The vase seems inappropriate, in part because it is so closely associated with Weizen beer. While I’m not one to avoid something simply because it’s inconsistent with tradition, the space allocated for the typically robust head on a Weizen beer, is too large for a Pilsner.
The Willi Becher may be a little dull and utilitarian in appearance, but at the end of the day, this is the glass I will continue to use most often for Pilsner. It’s a humble glass for a humble beer.
Survey Results
And what about that survey? The pool was way too small to say anything definitively. Out of forty breweries I contacted, eleven responded. If you tried to identify any themes by combining those results with responses received on Twitter and Instagram polls, there were no clear takeaways. What this suggests is that glassware chosen for Pilsner is very much an individual choice, and this doesn’t appear to be changing anytime soon.
Final Thought
While I use the Willi Becher most often, I love all my glasses, and I’m not getting rid of them anytime soon. In fact, working on this post has made me realize I need to add a few to my collection.
Thank you to the breweries that took a moment out of their busy schedules, during this stressful time, to fill out a survey for a blog.
Notes
A Bockbecher glass as depicted in the Walter and Sohne catalog,
Pokal - There’s a slight inconsistency in the use of the word pokal in the beer world. The Oxford Companion to Beer notes “in Germany, a stemmed pilsner glass is also known as a pokal”. Mosher, on the other hand, depicts a somewhat different style glass that is used for Bock beer in his book, Tasting Beer: An Insider’s Guide to the World’s Greatest Drink. This may be based on the fact that Ayinger, brewers of the classic Doppelbock called Celebrator, use a glass matching the shape shown by Mosher. (He also describes an updated pokal, with an inward taper, which he identifies as more of an all-purpose glass.) Despite pokal being used more frequently for Pilsner, Mosher’s application has greater consistency with the definition of pokal, which means goblet.
I’ve had a difficult time finding other reputable sources outside of Mosher that identify the glass used for Bock beer as a pokal. For what it’s worth, the August Walther & Sohne catalog from 1934 includes this glass shape and identifies it as a “Bockbecher”, or Bock cup. I haven’t found other sources using that name either.
Folkbier Brauerei’s Pilsner served in a 0.25 liter Willi Becher from Suarez Family Brewery.
Willi Becher - Like most styles discussed here, the Willi Becher glass is sold in varying sizes. A smaller sized glass without a stem or handle makes sense in terms of temperature for those that slowly savor their beer, or will be refilling often.
I have two of these glasses. One is a 0.25-liter glass from Suarez Family Brewery. The other is approximately a 0.5-liter glass from Subversive Malting and Brewing. Suarez uses this glass in their tasting room for most of their lagers and ales. I think it is perfect in that setting.
When I purchased the Subversive glass, I had asked for a smaller size, but they were out. In hindsight, I am grateful I got the larger one. It holds the ideal volume for me while drinking at home. I’m not alone. In his Best in 2019 list, Craft Beer and Brewing Managing Editor Joe Stange put large Willi Becher glasses in a category of “Favorite Thing that Ought to Be a Trend”. Similarly, millennial friendly food magazine Bon Appétit recently noted this as a glass “you’ll see everywhere” in an article titled “Beer and Wine Only: America’s 10 Best (and friendliest) Places to Grab a Drink”.
As mentioned above, the Willi Becher did not break ground with its shape. An example of one glass that pre-dated the Willi Becher is the Sigfried, depicted in the Walther & Sohne catalog. A modern version of this, sold by Ritzenhoff, has more of a vase shape.
A Siegfried glass as depicted in the Walter and Sohne catalog, and a modern version sold by Ritzenhoff.
Historic Resources
As noted above, there is not a great amount of literature on beer vessel history. That said, the Corning Museum of Glass is a tremendous resource. Browsing their website provides a wealth of examples of historic glassware. Further, the August Walther & Söhne AG catalog from 1934 was very interesting.
This Zythophile blog post by Martyn Cornell is an informative piece for glassware in England.
The website Stein Marks is also a great resource.