Glassware revolution: has the humble pint glass as we know it had its day?

Last week was a big week for glassware: firstly, the Home Secretary presented two different prototypes of new pint glasses that won’t break into pieces and are impossible to use in glass attacks. Secondly, at BitterSweet Partnership we’ve had an unveiling of our own: following our collaboration with Amy Molyneaux, co-founder of leading fashion label PPQ, nearly 2,000 women have voted for their favourite half-pint glass design. The majority have spoken: look here to see the winner and tell us what you think.

Each glass has a separate purpose, of course – the Design Council and Home Office are innovating for safety, whereas at BitterSweet Partnership we want to make drinking beer a stylish choice for women. Both, however, have the common goal of changing behaviour, with the Home Office attempting to reduce glass attacks, and with BitterSweet aiming to make beer part of more women’s repertoire of drink choices. It’s interesting to think how something as simple as a glass could have so much potential to make us behave and feel differently about beer and pubs.

Both glassware designs have yet to be developed – the BitterSweet glass will go into production soon, whereas the prototypes of the safer pub glasses are to undergo further laboratory testing. Are these developments a sign that we’ve had enough of the humble pint glass as it is? Will saying, “I remember the traditional pint glass” one day be a sign of our age? Will our children and grandchildren spend their time in the pub sipping beer from glasses that are both beautiful and safe? I can’t help but hope so...