Those Designs in the Bottom of Your Beer Glass

Have you noticed a small etched shape, logo or pattern in the bottom of some beer glasses? It can look like a decorative detail — perhaps even a little design intended to reward the observant drinker.

No, we didn't notice either. Not for a long time.

When we eventually did, it took us a little longer to work out what they were actually for. They aren't simply decoration. They are "nucleation marks", deliberately etched into the glass to help keep your beer lively.

The tiny imperfections in the glass provide places where dissolved carbon dioxide can form bubbles. Those bubbles rise steadily through the beer, helping to maintain its head and keeping the carbonation active.

Breweries and glass designers often turn the mark into a logo, symbol or other distinctive shape. So our original assumption wasn't entirely wrong: they *are* little pieces of design. They just happen to have a job as well.

Several glasses entered this collection before we understood any of this. We had rather confidently labelled their marks as "hidden designs".

We know better now.