An ale glass is a drinking glass made for strong ale, typically with a tall, narrow funnel-shaped bowl set on a stem and foot. Strong ale was a potent drink served in small measures, so the bowl was deliberately slender and of modest capacity, distinguishing ale glasses from wine glasses and larger beer vessels.
Ale glasses were produced in England throughout the eighteenth century, following the general development of English stemware. Stems may be plain, baluster, air twist, opaque twist or facet cut, and many glasses have elegant engraved decoration of hops and barley ears, the ingredients of ale, which make them easy to identify. Short-stemmed or footed examples, often called dwarf ales, were made in large numbers for everyday use in taverns and homes and frequently show wrythen or moulded decoration on the bowl. Some ale glasses carry commemorative, political or armorial engraving, which adds interest and value. Collectors examine the quality of the metal, the clarity of the engraving, the stem formation and condition, especially chips to the rim and foot. Later reproductions exist, so comparison with known period examples and careful study of wear and pontil marks is recommended.
