Catalogue no. BBG063
Glasses
Exhibit information
Capacity 33cl
Manufactured 2019 Curator’s Notes Brouwerij Wilderen describes this as its ‘eccentric glass’, reportedly already regarded as ‘an icon among beer glasses’. If the brewery itself is prepared to call its glass eccentric, it seems only reasonable to spend some time discovering why.
The proportions provide the first clue. The squat, straight-sided bowl has a frankly ludicrous circumference, closer to that of a substantial beer mug but considerably shorter — and without the convenience of a handle. Combined with an exceptionally thick and heavy base, it produces a glass that almost demands two hands.
The colourful front branding, surrounded by hops and barley, initially provides the decorative focus. Closer inspection reveals considerably more. A series of embossed ‘W’s runs around the lower part of the bowl, while even the CEM and serving markings on the rear are embossed rather than simply printed. The brewery's identity appears again, moulded into the underside of the substantial base: the Wilderen name and ‘W’ accompanied by ‘Anno 1743’. Useful information for the inveterate drinker contemplating the bottom of an empty glass — and potentially invaluable should a pub quiz suddenly demand the date associated with Brouwerij Wilderen.
There is one final peculiarity. At opposing sides of the base are two small arched indentations in the glass. Their practical purpose, if there is one, is not immediately apparent. They feel entirely consistent with a design in which someone, somewhere, appears simply to have said: ‘Yes. Why not?’
