The shaker pint and the Teku are two of the most despised beer glasses, and besides both being glass vessels used for drinking, they have nearly nothing in common. One is an incredibly basic shape; a conical tumbler that has been around forever for all kinds of uses. The other is a modern creation. An angular, stemmed glass made specifically for beer.

Neither are worthy of much loathing (I mean, they’re just glasses, people), yet beer nerds have very strong opinions on them. I find them interesting as they are so different, and, at the same time, so debated in the contemporary beer world. (I think. Probably. Right? Is this just my perception? Probably the shaker more than the Teku.)

Shakers have been part of beer culture for much longer than Tekus. Some are better than others due to their manufacturing. Countless breweries in the United States have used them. Many breweries that sell/use more interesting glassware will still sell/use shaker pints.

The term “pints” is used loosely here. They can come in varying sizes, which is part of the reason some don’t care for it. The unpredictability of what a “pint” is when you order one. That’s a matter that is formally regulated in other beer-drinking cultures.

Do they add much to your drinking experience? No, not really. But do they really detract to the level that they deserve the hatred they receive? No, not really. Knocking others for using them is a little gatekeepy. I was probably like this at one point. I also shunned Nirvana when I was a kid because they were on a major label. I grew up. Shaker haters can too. They’re not that bad.

Some of the criticisms are that they lack features that elevate the drinking experience (aroma, e.g.) and that their thick composition creates issues with temperature. An argument is that the thicker glass retains the heat from one’s hand more so than thinner glass. This assumes people hold their beer the entire time they drink it and will cradle the beer long enough for this to become an issue.  

Tekus were created in 2006 in Italy and are produced by the German glassware company Rastal. Technically, the name is spelled TeKu, representing the names of the two creators, Teo Musso and Lorenzo “Kuaska” Dabove. Musso is the brewer/owner of the Italian brewery Birra Baladin.

The websites for both Rastal and Baladin include fluffy language about how great the Teku glass is. It’s pretty. It has a modern look and works well if you like/want a stemmed glass. I like that it was specifically designed for beer and the way the curve at the top hugs the lip. Beyond that, I don’t think there are any major differences between it and most other stemmed beer/wine glasses with a decent bowl shape. This may be the reason why others gripe about it. Is it really necessary? The main complaint people seem to have about the Teku is its shape, which many people find a bit pompous, or simply unattactive.

Some of the content in this table might appear a little contradictory. But I suppose it’s possible that, for example, the Teku can be elegant and showy at the same time. Likewise, the shaker has a simple design that can be beneficial and dull at the same time. Yes, it’s basic, but sometimes basic is cool too. Tekus may help concentrate aroma, but if you have an already aromatic beer, you will still get a great sense of that if you hover your beak over a shaker.

This post is by no means a call for beer bars to start making use of either of these glasses. There are plenty of other options that are better suited for most. But if a beer bar were to use a shaker pint, it’s worthwhile to invest in a quality product. For example, Rastal makes Tekus, but they also offer a variety of shaker-style glasses that are high quality.

And just like all other glassware, once you’ve made the investment, you need to properly care for it even if it’s a shaker (i.e. no stacking, properly cleaning, etc.) Most importantly, as a customer, try not to let glassware style preferences get you bent out of shape when you’re served a beer. If you can put your feelings aside, there’s a pretty good chance you can still enjoy your beer no matter what the glass is. With all the challenges we face in life, glassware styles are something to enjoy and celebrate, but never something that should cause an uptick in our blood pressure. Except for those goddamn cheap UK-style dimple mugs everyone uses for lager.

Interest in traditional Czech beer culture has been growing outside of its homeland. This is in part due to a general renewed interest in varying lager styles of beer. It has been bolstered by Instagramable pictures of varying pours from Lukr side-pull faucets.

Here in the US, the breweries and bars with attention to detail serve Czech-style beer in a glass style generally found in the Czech Republic. Typically, that means a Tübinger. Yet this certainly isn’t the only glass used, and as their beer culture is evolving, it’s interesting to see glassware choices offered by establishments old and new. Before we get to that, let’s start with a quick recap of the Tübinger.

The Tübinger is a specific handled beer glass with dimples. Its origins go back to the late 1800s in Germany, but it’s a rarity there and it is much more common in the Czech Republic these days. Its design lends itself particularly well to the traditional hladinka pour, which you can see in the beers below. A proper pour will result in the foam ending right around where the dimple portion of the mug begins.

You can read more about the Tübinger here. It’s important to note that this mug is not the same as the British dimple mug and its modern replicas. There’s no need to be snobby about it. It’s just worth knowing that they’re different mugs from different cultures.

Branded Tübinger mugs by the Czech breweries Budějovický Budvar, Únětický pivovar and Vinohradský pivovar. Source: https://www.instagram.com/

In the Czech Republic, breweries like Budějovický Budvar (aka Czechvar in the United States), Únětický pivovar and Vinohradský pivovar have branded Tübingers. Even Pilsner Urquell has one. But Urquell and Budvar also have the luxury of creating proprietary mugs. For younger breweries with fewer resources that feel the impacts more from glass shortages and long production times, alternative styles can be appealing. Especially if they’re breaking from old traditions. More on that later.

Given Urquell’s size and popularity, their mug is one of the most iconic Czech beer glasses (to be clear, Urquell sells a variety of glasses, but the mug pictured below is the most well-known and ubiquitous). While the design is distinctive, it incorporates the elements commonly shared by most Czech beer glasses.

The classic Pilsner Urquell mug being used with a Lukr faucet. Source: Pilsner Urquell.

Typical Czech beer glasses are found in 0.3 (třetinka) to 0.5 (půllitr) liter sizes. They are handled mugs with thick glass, which some note is important to maintaining temperature (others disagree with this sentiment).

The mugs are generally referred to as a "krýgl", though they are sometimes called “sklenice s uchem”, which means “glass with an ear”. Kozel is known for its horned (rohatá) mug. Overall, these glasses work well with the increasingly popular Lukr faucet as noted by Mirek Nekolný, a Pilsner Urquell Master Bartender.

Kozel’s “rohatá”, or horned mug. Source: Pilsner Urquell.

While mugs and side-pull faucets have been around in the Czech Republic for a while, Lukr has only been around since the 1990s. Its unique design, with a ball valve, flow control regulator (compensator), and tap screen, create decadent foam.

According to Nekolný, tumblers (štucs) became popular in the Czech Republic in the 90s. Perhaps the shift back to mugs is due to the rise in popularity of the Lukr faucets and their inherent compatibility with stout-shaped glassware. The reason for this is the shape and length of the faucet, which is inserted into a glass when pouring beer. This is a practice discouraged in other drinking cultures.

Budvar’s new mug, manufactured by Sahm. Source: Budweiser Budvar (Czechvar)

Like Urquell, Budvar sells a variety of drinkware. However, the brewery released a new mug in 2020 (shown above) and has made it a point to highlight it ever since. It’s clearly something that’s important to the company.

Gabriela Kudrnacova, Budvar’s brand manager, says “the glass is one of the most impactful items we possess as it is in direct and natural contact with the customer.”

The new mug is manufactured by Sahm. In addition to the custom drinkware they produce, Sahm also makes several other commonly used glasses embraced by the Czech beer community. Some of these are depicted below.

A selection of glassware produced by Sahm that one might find in a Czech pub. Source: Sahm.

Czech beer culture continues to evolve though, and some are looking outside of their culture for inspiration. Pivovar Matuška is an excellent example. The brewery began in 2009 and makes a variety of beer styles. They do make traditional Czech lager, but they also brew IPA, Stout, Wheat beers, ESB et. al. To accommodate these varying styles, the brewery offers several types of glasses.

An array Pivovar Matuška glassware reflecting its multicultural portfolio. Source: Pivovar Matuška.

More of a traditional Czech-style glass by Pivovar Matuška. Source: Pivovar Matuška.

The range of glasses serves their portfolio well, but the brewery isn’t militant about which should be used for a particular beer. Matuška Managing Director Matěj Šůcha notes “our customers can choose what type of glass they prefer. We are not pedantic in a way that if someone orders a keg of lager and a case of Nonic glasses, we don't tell them they can't do that, but we do offer some info about the glasses so they know what it should be used for.”

Matuška Co-owner and Head Brewer Adam Matuška is also a founder of the brewery Dva Kohouti. This newer venture is in partnership with the Ambiente restaurant group, which is also behind the Lokal tank pub chain and Pult, a craft beer bar.

Dva Kohouti is similar to Matuška in the range of beer styles they make. However, their glassware program differs. Dva Kohouti solely uses the dimple mug that is closer in design to the traditional British dimple mug. In a 2018 Instagram post, the brewery recognizes the mug is in the English style, but notes they find it ideal to serve their variety of beer styles.

Dva Kohouti uses a British-style dimple mug for its Czech and non-Czech style beer. Source: Dva Kohouti.

Opened in 2013, Vinohradský pivovar also follows these beer production trends. When it comes to glassware though, they use the Tübinger for their Czech lager. A shaker pint (aka straight glass) and a Teku glass meets the needs for their other brews.

In addition to their Tübinger shown earlier, Vinohradský pivovar also makes use of the shaker pint (aka the straight glass) and the Teku to serve their range of beers. Source: Vinohradský pivovar.

The recently opened Pult typically offers six lagers on tap and packaged offerings of varying styles from around the world. The bulk of their beer is served in a simple, unbranded panel mug. A stemmed glass is used for their other beer offerings.

This is reflective of one way to deal with the changing nature of Czech beer culture. Though not a tied house and free to serve an array of styles (they notably have both Pilsner Urquell and Budvar on tap, which is uncommon), Pult continues to keep its glassware program streamlined. This is traditional in a sense and has certain efficiencies. It’s in contrast to what you find at a beer bar in Belgium or even the United States.

Amid the thriving Czech beer scene, the Tübinger is still common, and likely will be for some time. Again, many breweries offer this mug with their branding. They’re common in pubs and restaurants, and offer an accepted and reliable alternative for tied pubs that, for example, may be connected to Pilsner Urquell and use their proprietary mug, but offer one or two other beers. Jan Fišera of Únětický pivovar puts it in simple terms, “this type of glass has been tried and tested for us for a long time and we are satisfied with it.”

One last item of note that came up repeatedly in the responses received for this post is glass/serving size. In the past, 0.3 and 0.5L have been common serving sizes. However, 0.4L is rising in popularity as the only serving size for some. Kudrnacova at Budvar notes this is “quite a thing in modern places” and Šůcha at Matuška says “people have gotten accustomed to it quite easily.”

For Dva Kohouti, their British-style dimple mug is a pint, which means when served with a proper amount of foam, consumers receive a 0.4L beer.

This is also the serving size at the famed brewery/restaurant U Fleků. While you can buy a variety of drinkware in differing sizes in their gift shop, they only serve their beer in an unmarked 0.4L Salzburg mug by Sahm.

Support for the 0.4L serving size is not universally accepted though. Fišera notes that many find it one sip too much, or one sip not enough. I see merit to all though and find it best for each establishment to pick whatever meets their needs.

In a 2020 post about the nonik glass (or nonic, if you prefer), I noted its origins in the US with a blip in Germany, before it made its way to the UK. However, a reader recently passed along several Continental examples of the nonik from before its British heyday, and it led me to discover some other interesting pieces of information.

Cyril Pagniez shared several photos of nonik glasses from Germany, Belgium and France, which he notes are circa the 1930s. Cyril is a tegestologist in France with the webpage patersbier.net. He is also the communications and media manager for Brassicol', which is a breweriana club.

Cyril was kind enough to allow me to share the images here. All glassware photos in this post are courtesy of him with one exception.

Nonik glasses by French breweries c.1930s. Images courtesy of Cyril Pagniez.

Nonik glasses by Belgian breweries c.1930s. Images courtesy of Cyril Pagniez.

In my earlier post, I included this listing in a 1934 German glassware catalog. It identifies the glass as “Wulstrandbecher”. At least one brewery, Kulmbacher, used the glass. With a little more digging, I found news touting arrangements to sell Nonik Glassware in Belgium by Comptoir Bruxellois d'Exportation & d'Importation.

The nonik (on the right) as depicted in a 1934 catalog for the German glass company August Walther & Sohne AG (found online here). The glass is identified as “Wulstrandbecher”, which translates to bulb edge cup.

Kulmbacher nonik glass c.1930s. Image courtesy of Cyril Pagniez.

News posted in the November 17, 1921 edition of the Crockery and Glass Journal indicating products by the American company Nonik Glassware were to be sold in Belgium. (Retrieved from Google Books.)

Similarly, the below news clip indicates the nonik being distributed in England around the same time. However, consistent with what has been discovered with it’s early 20th century history in the US, it appears the target audience was soda fountains and not pubs.

News posted in the November 3, 1921 edition of the Crockery and Glass Journal indicating products by the American company Nonik Glassware were to be sold in England. (Retrieved from Google Books.)

The glass never took off on the Continent, and it wasn’t until Ravenhead and Dema began producing them domestically beginning in the late 1940s that the glass became ubiquitous in UK pubs for a time. (It is no longer as popular as it once was in England. Read more about modern British drinkware here.)

Speaking of British beer glasses, according to Boris Johnson, 2022 will bring back the crown stamp as a result of Brexit. Maybe.

For background, the crown stamp adorned drinkware in British pubs beginning in 1699 to ensure consumers were given a proper pint (or half pint). This started to be replaced by the CE mark (conformité européenne, or European conformity) in 2006.

Example of a nonik glass with a crown stamp. Personal collection.

Though the crown stamp was not prohibited, overseas manufacturers had little incentive to differentiate products for the British market. And the manufacturers were overseas as all major British ones had closed down by that point.

I always appreciated the stamp as a unique cultural feature, but this is not a good thing. And if the Tory government is hailing this minute issue as a great success due to Brexit, well, that’s just sad. But also hilarious since they want their traditional English stamp on a pint of mass-produced continental lager, which is overwhelmingly what most folks in Britain drink. Perhaps this glass, a kind of hybrid nonik/Pilsner glass would be most fitting.

A Pilsner-esque nonik glass. Image courtesy of Cyril Pagniez.

And who’s going to make these? I doubt the financials support the widespread production of new pint glasses with the crown stamp. In all likelihood, the CE mark will continue to be the norm.

A pint of cask Bitter in a nonic is the first thing that pops up in my head when I think of British beer. Yet this image doesn’t align with their beer culture these days as neither the beer style nor glass are particularly popular. While it might be easy to lament their decline, especially for Bitter, the British beer scene is incredibly vibrant right now. This will be explored in detail in Matthew Curtis’ forthcoming book, Modern British Beer.

Modern British Beer book cover. Image source: CAMRA.

A recently announced promotion for the book caught my attention due to the glass it included. It’s essentially a stemmed Pilsner glass. According to the Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), publishers of the book, “it is a glass that’s accessible for a wide range of beer drinkers.”

A tasting glass sold with a special offer from CAMRA for the book. Image source: CAMRA.

CAMRA has made great progress lately in promoting tradition while recognizing the need to incorporate contemporary trends. It’s the organization’s traditional component that had me assume they advocate for the use of dimple mugs and nonics, perhaps even the tulip glass often associated with Guinness. These are the glasses that Cicerone identifies in its glassware guide as British and Irish glassware styles. However, they are not commonplace in contemporary use, and neither are the styles of beer traditionally associated with those glasses (with the exception of the beers from Guinness).

From Cicerone’s Guide to Beer Glassware. The depiction is not quite consistent with modern British beer drinking culture.

Some changes were taking place in the pre-modern British beer era that impacted the glassware styles that were/are used. Before the craft beer revolution took hold of England, the growth of lager sales had been the most notable change to the domestic beer culture. This is now the overwhelming majority of beer consumed in the country. It’s growth brought different drinking vessels. Around the same time (and perhaps because of this, at least in part), glassware manufacturers in the country known for making some of the iconic domestic beer glass styles were closing down.

Since its inception, part of CAMRA’s mission has been to promote the proper serving of real ale. To them, a specific glass style isn’t crucial to enjoying a good pint. Accordingly, the organization generally doesn’t advocate for a particular shape.

CAMRA celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. In honor of the occasion, it released a commemorative glass. Its shape is the one that’s most common these days. The straight glass (aka straight-sided, conical, or shaker pint) is ubiquitous in the United Kingdom. Despite the negative connotation it has here in the US craft beer scene, it’s generally embraced in the UK.

CAMRA’s 50th Anniversary souvenir glass. Image source: CAMRA.

The straight glass is not new to UK beer drinkers. Beer writer Martyn Cornell identifies its use going back at least as far as the 1920s and 30s when it was referred to as a tumbler. Countless breweries have used it over the years, including Adnams, Batemans, Black Sheep, Fuller’s and Marston’s. A wealth of younger ones like Southwark, Verdant and Deya use them as well. However, this younger generation of breweries will often have more elegant glassware offerings as well.

Modern British glassware offerings from Southwark, Verdant and Deya. Image sources from the preceding links.

Given its ubiquity and general embrace, it’s not surprising then that the glass image on the cover of Curtis’ book is the straight glass. It’s the “great leveler”, according to him. Versatile and inclusive. CAMRA’s Alex Metcalfe notes a similar sentiment, stating “the cover is an homage to the diversity and inclusion in the modern British beer scene.” As far as the book’s contents, he notes “for the most part, the container is not the central issue for us. Sensory experience, good company and exploring modern British beer culture are all at the core of Modern British Beer.”

Curtis explains it’s important to keep beer accessible and to suggest a particular glass must be used for a certain beer, potentially forcing consumers to spend more to enjoy it, can contribute to gatekeeping. While consumers don’t need to use a straight glass to feel that they’re egalitarian, those that do not have a selection of Teku’s to enjoy their hazy IPA should not be disenfranchised either.

To CAMRA, the straight glass imagery on the cover is important, as Metcalfe puts it, because it “is a kind of universal emblem that’s recognisable from many beer drinking contexts, locations, and cultures. Considering the transatlantic exchange of influences within beer culture and brewing over the last 50 years it is particularly relevant to the themes explored within Modern British Beer.” He adds “it is a definitive move away from the tankard in that the associations with a tankard are perhaps heavily weighted - this is a light touch approach from us, indicative of a wider feeling that it really it is up to the reader to choose their glassware.”

Sheffield brewery Saint Mars of the Desert is a wonderful representation of the modern British beer scene. The primary vessel they use to serve their beer is a stemmed tulip-like glass. They also use a Willi Becher and a dimple mug. This is a fitting, well-rounded selection. That said, brewer and owner Dann Paquette says that if he goes out to a pub and orders a pint of Bitter, he’s “hoping for the nonic glass or the old man dimple mug.”

Saint Mars of the Desert’s glassware selection strikes a perfect balance to serve patrons their varying styles of beer. Image source: Saint Mars of the Desert.

For Five Points Brewing Company in London, glassware is an “advertiser and an amplifier”, as Ed Davy from the brewery notes. It’s no secret that glassware offers a wonderful opportunity to advertise a brand. He elaborates, “in its simplest form, this just puts a logo in the customer’s hand; at its most advanced, I’ve seen breweries put QR codes on their glasses that link to tasting notes, promotional giveaways or an info-page about the brewery. Branded glassware is one of the most immediate and direct ways of establishing a relationship with the customer and informing them about the beer they’re drinking.”

Regarding amplification, Davy says “well-designed glass can improve the drinking experience by intensifying existing elements of the drink.” While different styles of glassware can amplify in different ways, he adds “you can create feelings of nostalgia by serving cask ale in ‘traditional’ dimpled jugs”, and this is something the brewery does at its taproom for its cask beer. To be most efficient with space at their pub, The Pembury Tavern, the straight glass is used. For kegged beer, they use a Willi Becher.

London’s Five Points Brewing Company is known for being a contemporary brewery keeping many of the traditional British beer styles alive. This doesn’t prevent them from making use of a variety of glassware styles. Image sources: Five Points Brewing Company.

Metcalfe mentions he understands that for some, the dimple mug is “prime Instagram fodder”. He suspects this may be because “it’s mostly the exception to the rule and now a nostalgic novelty.” That said, anyone paying attention to Five Points’ social media accounts will likely attest to how the brewery has been able to successfully leverage this nostalgia with the mug.

A tulip glass would be ideal for Davy in an everyday pub, but he’s not too picky, as long as it’s clean. However, things are different in his local pub. “All that goes out the window. I don’t care about the glass style, I don’t even want glass - I want my pewter tankard, which lives behind the bar.” Talk about nostalgia.

Curtis is a bit like me when it comes to glassware. Ambivalent about what others do, but a little picky with personal consumption. Also like me, he gravitates toward the Willi Becher.

Despite romantic notions of older glassware styles that people like myself may have, British beer drinkers have moved on to other vessels. And that’s probably a good thing. If I’m being honest, glasses like the nonic and dimple aren’t great. The craft beer scene in England is thriving and dynamic, and the glassware that’s accompanying it has changed for the better.

CAMRA will be launching a new online beer style resource soon. Examples were photographed by Nicci Peet in a mix of contemporary and traditional glassware. Keep an eye out for that, as well as Curtis’ book, which is being released on August 12th. Those in the United States can order the book through Waterstones. It’s highly recommended. I will be doing a write-up on it for PorchDrinking.com.

Note: for further reading on the history of beer drinkware in England, I suggest the above referred to Zythophile blog post ‘More notes towards a history of the beer mug’ and the book Pub Beer Mugs and Glasses by Hugh Rock. Also, if you’re interested in the history of the nonic, a glass with US origins, see a prior post here.

Understanding the history and Differences Between the British Dimple and the German Tübinger

Long ago, the British dimple mug fell out of fashion in its homeland, but it is growing in popularity in the United States. With recent growth in lager production in the craft beer industry, breweries, media outlets and retailers often use a dimple when depicting lager styles of beer. However, more often than not, it’s the British dimple mug. This seems odd as the similar Tübinger Kugel glass, traditionally used in Germany and Czechia, is appropriate and readily available.

Origins

The origins of the Tübinger are connected to the Eberhard Karls University of Tübingen in the mid to late 1800s. It was here that a glass called the Tübinger Igel, a stout, handled mug, was created for the Hedgehog Academic Student Association (Akademischen Studentenverbindung Igel.) Igel means hedgehog, and the bumpy texture is designed to match accordingly.

Tübinger Igel. Source: Stein Marks

Continental beer glasses with a dimple began to appear in catalogs as early as 1878, and are identified with the word “Kugel” (more on that below). Varying styles include the dimple. Perhaps most recognizable would be the Mass (you know, that big glass mug people hoist at Oktoberfest). The Tübinger Kugel begins to appear in catalogs as early as 1906, and was sold by a number of German, Czech and Austrian firms (examples were found in other places including France and the United States).

Stölzle catalog from 1878 depicting a variety of mugs, including several with a kugel design. Source: https://www.glas-musterbuch.de/

An early Tübinger Kugel as depicted in the 1906 catalog from Krug Mundt. Source: https://www.glas-musterbuch.de/

Tübinger’s were sold by the Germany company Brockwitz for most of the early 20th century. This image is from their 1915 catalog. Source: https://www.glas-musterbuch.de/

The Tübinger is depicted in varying forms here in this 1928 catalog from Radeberg. The upper left is a standard glass. On the right it is “mit Schild”, or “with shield”, which I believe is a flat space opposite the handle for branding. On the bottom left, the glass is “mit Bodenrand”, or with bottom edge. Finally, the bottom right is a Tübinger in a different form. Source: https://www.glas-musterbuch.de/

As noted in a prior post, I have been unable to determine why the word Kugel is used, though there are a couple of 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.

Tübinger Augenkanne (eye can) is also used to refer to dimpled glasses. Historically, this term may have been more prevalent in Austria.

The Tübinger predates the creation of the English dimple mug by a few decades, as, according to Martyn Cornell, the English glass was first manufactured by Ravenhead Glass in 1938. That glass quickly rose in popularity and became a standard for many pubs.

According to Cornell, the dimple “may have been inspired by the glass beer mugs with a flat hexagonal faceted exterior manufactured in Newcastle upon Tyne in the 1920s and/or early 1930s”. That’s possible. Another theory would be that someone found inspiration from the Tübinger Kugel. Or it was a hybrid of the two.

Stout shaped mugs with a hexagonal pattern that Martyn Cornell notes are from Newcastle upon Tyne, and may have been an inspiration for the dimple. Source: http://zythophile.co.uk/2015/03/28/more-notes-towards-a-history-of-the-beer-mug/

Early Ravenhead dimple mugs that Martyn Cornell suggests may be from the 1940s. Source: http://zythophile.co.uk/2015/03/28/more-notes-towards-a-history-of-the-beer-mug/

Design Analysis

The Tübinger and the British dimple are somewhat stout, handled mugs, comprised of relatively thick glass. They will generally have two to three horizontal bands of dimples. A band of flat glass is above the dimples, and a rectangular pattern, or elongated dimple, is below.

The shape of the British dimple mug is nearly straight-sided, while the Tübinger has greater curvature. It also has circular dimples, though English versions include circular and square-ish dimples with rounded corners.

The Tübinger also has a line separating the dimpled section of the mug from the flat, upper portion. On my 0.5L Sahm Tübinger from Wayfinder, this band is close to, but not matching the fill line. The mug is made in other sizes, generally from 0.25L through 0.5L. They will typically indicate the proper fill line. Historically, in England, the crown stamp was provided to indicate the design served a proper pint, but this ended in 2007. Both style glasses can now be found with CE mark for Conformité Européene (European Conformity).

The British dimple mug on the left, and the Continental Tübinger on the right.

Sensory Components

As these glasses are often confused for one another, it’s clear that there is a large amount of similarity in their design. However, there are subtle differences that impact the sensory experience when drinking from them, particularly regarding appearance and aroma.

Those that understand how important an inward curve is at the top of a glass for aroma will quickly note the difference between these two glasses. It makes the British dimple less appealing with its somewhat wide opening and lack of curvature. The Tübinger, on the other hand, with a bowl shape, has an inward curve in its upper half. It fosters better head retention and bolsters the aromatic qualities. For most styles of lager, this is important. Liz Olive, Tap Room General Manager at Notch Brewing, says “the different drinking experiences between a pub mug and a Czech mug are probably pretty subtle. But lager is subtle.”

Both glasses have handles and thick walls, and this can impact the temperature of the liquid as it is consumed. This is generally not a problem, assuming the beer is served at a proper temperature. One potential scenario where it could be an issue would be with English ales in the US, where they tend to be served too cold. Sadly, though, demand for these styles is deleteriously low.

Current Status in Europe

As noted above, the dimple mug fell out of fashion in England. While it can still be found, it is not as ubiquitous as it once was. This is despite a brief renewed interest a few years ago, according to this article in BBC News Magazine.

While it seems the Tübinger’s origins are in Germany, and still sold by German glassware companies, you are more likely to find these glasses in Czechia. But even there, it is one of many glass styles that are used. A few examples of Czech breweries that have branded Tübinger’s include Budějovický Budvar, Únětický pivovar and Vinohradský pivovar.

Branded Tübinger mugs by the Czech breweries Budějovický Budvar, Únětický pivovar and Vinohradský pivovar. Source: https://www.instagram.com/

Contemporary Manufacturers

A few contemporary companies selling Tübinger mugs include Sahm in Germany, Oberglas in Austria, and Condec in Czechia. Sahm actually has two stout dimple mugs. One is a traditional Tübinger, and the other is called Praha (Prague). The latter is not as round as the Tübinger and lacks the horizontal band.

Oberglas, who have made this glass since at least the 1930s, gives it high praise, noting in their catalog “European beer culture is virtually unimaginable without the TÜBINGER beer mug.”

Cornell noted in his above-cited post that most British dimple mugs these days are made in China by companies like Zibo Hondao Trading Co Ltd, Bengbu Longyu Glass Products (they call it a pineapple shaped glass), or the Shanghai Jingsheng Glass Co Ltd.

The British Dimple is also made by the French brand Arcoroc, and their name for the glass, “Britannia”, suggests there is an understanding that the design has a connection to England and English ales. Oddly enough, their description for the glass states it is “favoured for tasting white or Gueuze beer”.

Finally, in the United States, Libbey sells a British dimple mug. However, perhaps in an effort to generate sales, they take a very broad and erroneous approach by calling it the “Dimple Stein Beer Mug”.

In the United States

How did a dated British mug become the go-to glass for lager beer in the United States? It’s unclear, though simple ignorance could certainly be an answer. A google search for things like “dimple mug”, “beer mug”, or “German beer mug” will lead you to the Libbey glass noted above. Those not knowing the difference could easily think this glass, designed in the British tradition, is the appropriate vessel for lager.

There are lager breweries with attention to detail that properly use and sell the Tübinger. This includes Notch Brewing, Dovetail Brewery and Wayfinder Beer.

It’s incredibly hard to find breweries in the US making traditional British ales. Even harder to find one using a dimple mug. Seattle’s Machine House is the only one that comes to mind. However, there are many examples of breweries using the British dimple for their lager.

A Czech lager poured in a Tübinger mug at Notch Brewing, Salem, MA.

A Dark Mild by Suarez Family Brewery in a Libbey British dimple.

Does Any of This Matter

Yes. The distinction between these two glasses matters based on history and tradition. Aside from the subtle differences in design, they come from different places and have been vessels for different styles of beer.

Further, getting it right adds to our experience when we drink, which is important for breweries in today’s market. Ms. Olive from Notch says “I enjoy drinking a beer while watching tv or folding laundry - in a glass or straight from the can. But the EXPERIENCE, of being in the taproom, a clean, Czech mug and three fingers of dense velvety Lukr foam? There is no comparison.”

If you took out all the other experiential components, closed your eyes and tasted the same beer from each of these glasses, the experience could very well be the same. But again, there’s value in understanding the differences and the history they represent. A history that is still not well documented.

* This post was updated to eliminate a reference that suggested Pilsner Urquell does not have a Tübinger Kugel mug. They do.