Glass Stories.
From soju glasses to sake cups, vodka shot glasses to beer mugs — the cultural history behind every drinking vessel, told concisely.
All Articles.
Navy Rum and Grog — The Ration Poured at Sea
For nearly three centuries the Royal Navy issued a measured ration of rum every day. An order to add water, given in 1740, gave the English language the word grog, and a 71ml measure became the currency of life aboard ship. The story up to 31 July 1970, the day the last one was poured.
The Age Statement Trap — Older Doesn't Always Mean Better
Where did the belief that 18, 21, or 25 years on a label guarantees quality come from? Angels share, climate, cask size, and why NAS whisky has reshaped the industry. How to read an age statement — and what it never tells you.
Why Prague Pubs Fill a Glass with Pure Foam: Czech Mleko and the Tapmaster's Craft
In Prague pubs, bartenders fill a heavy glass mug entirely with dense white foam. Discover the story of Mleko, the 1842 Pilsner revolution, Czech four pour styles, the fluid dynamics of LUKR side-pull taps, and the craft of the Výčepní.
Absinthe and the Louche — The Glass That Isn't Finished Until It Clouds
Drip iced water onto a clear green spirit and the glass turns milky. For this single moment — the louche — absinthe came with a glass marked with a dose line, a slotted spoon, and even a fountain to trickle the water. The story of a drink once called the Green Fairy, banned after a single murder, and clouding again a century later — and of the glassware built around it.
Irish Coffee and Its Footed Glass — Born at an Airport Bar in the 1940s
Hot coffee, Irish whiskey, and a collar of cream — Irish coffee and its stemmed, footed glass were born together at the Foynes flying-boat terminal in 1940s Ireland. The story of Joe Sheridan's improvisation and its crossing to the Buena Vista.