Great Collectibles: German Beer Glasses

I first began collecting German beer glasses when I was a soldier in Germany back in the 1960s. Today, I must have close to 100.

The reason for the collection is obvious. Each brewery serves its beer in a handsomely engraved glass with the name of the brewery as well as many times the locale and date of establishment.

Indeed, most breweries use pictures of their glasses as part of their ads-a full beautiful glass with a foamy head on top. Who can resist?



In Germany, authentic brewery glasses are generally not found in souvenir shops. Those shops generally sell glasses with names of cities engraved or something like, "Old Germany". I am talking about the real thing.

The way I accumulated these glasses in Germany was simple. When eating in a restaurant, if I wanted the glass, I would ask to purchase it when paying my bill. Most places were accommodating and would sell you a clean glass for the equivalent of about 5 dollars or so.

I have collected some here in the States at German shops if I like them, but I prefer to get them in places I visit in Germany. Of course, bringing them back from Germany is a bit of a hassle due to the possibility of breakage while traveling.

I do also have several glasses from Switzerland, Austria  and a couple of other places but mostly because friends gave them to me. I also have a few glass and clay mugs as well as a handful of fancy steins from Munich, Nuremberg, Frankfurt, and a couple of other places. The glasses, however, are tops.