What Does It Mean When Your Pint Glass Has A Bulge?
A frosty pint of beer is the perfect way to unwind after a long day. But have you ever noticed that your pint glass sometimes has a strange bulge towards the top of the glass? If so, you're not alone. In fact, this is a pretty common phenomenon, and it's one that has stumped many a bargoer.
Before we can answer the question at hand, it's important to first have a basic understanding of bar glasses. After all, not all glasses are created equal. In fact, there are all sorts of different types of glasses out there, each designed for a specific type of beverage. For example, you wouldn't drink a martini out of a pint glass (or at least, we hope you wouldn't). The same is true for beer.
Pint glasses are just one type of beer glass out there. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, but they all have one thing in common: they hold 16 fluid ounces, per Advanced Mixology. Pint glasses are also relatively sturdy, which makes them ideal for serving up foamy beers like Guinness.
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So what does this have to do with the bulge in your pint glass? Well, it turns out that the bulge is actually there for a couple of reasons.
According to Gear Patrol, the bulge helps bargoers hold onto their glass, which can often become slippery when filled with cold, frothy beer. It also reduces the risk that the glass will break if it's knocked over. That's because the bulge helps to distribute the impact of any force applied to the glass, which prevents the entire thing — and perhaps most importantly, the rim of the glass — from shattering.
Finally, nonic pints are a far better option for busy establishments than traditional pint glasses. That's because the bulge makes it easier for bartenders to stack these glasses on top of one another, which helps to prevent the classes from getting stuck together when stacked.
Although it may be the last thing on your mind at your next happy hour, the next time you notice a bulge in your pint glass, you can rest assured knowing that it's there for a good reason. Cheers!