Guide to Glassware Series: The Goblet

In continuation with our "Guide to Glassware" guest blog series with Lakeshore Beverage, we focus this month on the goblet, or chalice. Click on the link to read the full article, which highlight's the goblet's rich history, as well as the sensorial benefits of its various designs.

The full beer glass guide infographic:

Guide to Glassware Series: The Stein

In continuation with our "Guide to Glassware" guest blog series with Lakeshore Beverage, we focus this month on the icon stein. Click on the link to read the full article, which highlight's the steins 5 century history, as well as the sensorial benefits of its various designs.

The full beer glass guide infographic:

New Blog Series: Beer Glass Guide with Lakeshore Beverage

I've recently embarked upon a new guest blog series with the passionate folks at Lakeshore Beverage, featuring an often overlooked aspect of beer – glassware.

Much like beer itself, the vessels have been around for centuries and have evolved over time to accommodate beer drinker's needs, as well as trends in the structural materials.

Many books have touched on glassware, but my mission is to dive deeper into some of the world's most popular styles, sharing their historic and aesthetic significance.

Part of this exploration was creating a visual reference guide in the form of a designed infographic. To read the full story and view the graphic, check out our first post on Lakeshore Beverage's blog.

Beer-Centric Holiday Gifts - 2014 Edition

By guest contributor MC Johnsen

The holiday season is upon us again! In search of beer-centric gifts for (myself and) others, I visited Chicago’s Renegade Craft Fair last weekend, held at the beautiful Bridegport Art Center. There I came across the following artists & makers who all had beverage-centric wares for sale, perfect for design and beer lovers alike:

Swoon Glassware from 3-Switch (starting at $48)
Patrick Fitzpatrick, Alex Zimmerman, and Brent Rogers create beautiful hand-blown glasses and decanters out of their studio right here in Chicago. Perfect for beer, wine, or spirits, you can purchase them in various sets, which include a wooden base to house the pieces. These glasses are special because of their pointy base; when placed on the table, they spin (or swoon, if you will) around on a point, without spilling the contents. The rotation of the glass also provides the perfect amount of agitation to release the flavors and aromas of the beverage held inside. Available on their website or Etsy store. 

 

Magnetic, Wall-Mounted Bottle Opener by Drop and Catch (starting at $50)
A bottle-opener attached to a smooth slab of stained wood, this piece uses magnetic power to catch bottle caps as they are popped off. One unit will catch as many as 60 bottle caps which accumulate below the release mechanism, or you can go big and get the opener that catches 100 caps. This piece, created by Joe Walsh, can be wall-mounted or will magnetically attach to the fridge. He also creates wooden 6-pack carriers and handheld openers, all available on his website. 

 














Illustrated Beer & Food Pairings, Pint Glasses, and Tea Towels from RedCruiser ($4–$44)
If you’re looking for illustrated, handmade home goods with a focus on beer, look no further than RedCruiser, created by Heidi Schweigert of Minneapolis, MN. Heidi’s beautiful and playful beer and food illustrations can be found on tea towels in black & white, on a set of four pint glasses, or as full-color, frameable prints. I purchased the Beer & Food Calendar so I could enjoy her illustrations all year. All items, plus more are available in her Etsy shop. 

 

 

Dirty Dishes Beer Steins from My Only Regret Besides Dying ($20)
Emblazoned with phrases that would make a pirate blush, these oat-colored 22oz. steins are not for your grandmother, unless your grandmother loves dirty words. The steins’ original illustrations of hilariously humanlike animals come from the mind of Julie R. Madison, and can be purchased from her Etsy shop. 

 

Beer Soaps from Rinse Bath & Body ($6.95)
After those beer steins, you’ll need to wash your mouth out with soap… beer soap, that is! Heather Swanepoel hand-makes these beer soaps in a variety of scents, including Orange Blossom Pilsner, Pumpkin Ale, and even Blue Ribbon! I tried their Chocolate Stout soap, and found that the chocolate and roasted aroma of the stout really came through in the soap’s thick, bubbly lather–very nice! Available on her website. 

 

Single Bottle Caddy, Coasters, or Bottle Opener from RxMade ($6–$25)
Rebuilding Exchange here in Chicago uses reclaimed materials to create unique home goods with remarkable character. They made a variety of products, including furniture, and even teach building workshops. Available for purchase from their RxMade Store is a beautiful large-format bottle carrier with a leather strap, or you could opt for their bottle opener or wooden coaster set. All available on their store website.