Civilized Drinking

One of the many cool things Santa left under the tree for me this year was a set of small beer-barrel glasses. My dad has had a small set forever, and I’d always thought these were just antique, promotional shot glasses (these guys are only about three inches deep).

Turns out (or so I’m told — there’s not a lot of web-based information on this) this is throwback to more civilized era when the ice houses of Texas were  not air-conditioned. You’d order you beer and receive the bottle and one of these nifty glasses. To avoid heating up the bottle of beer in the already warm environment you’d handle it as little as possible, pouring small measures into these little glasses.  My little collection now features a Grand Prize, Lone Star and a Falstaff.

Pretty spiffy — If someone has any more information, please leave me a comment or two, I’d be all ears.