The tradition of making pint glasses to have a bulge near the rim is decades old, but people are only just realising the reason behind it. While the average British person drinks roughly 124 pints of beer a year, most probably aren’t aware of the intricacies of the glassware.
Glasses with the bulge are called a nonic, pronounced no-nik, and was first designed over a century ago for multiple different reasons, though still goes unnoticed today. The nonic was invented in 1913 by Hugo Pick to improve on the classic pint glass, called a conical or sleever – the most popular variety in the US. Hugo’s invention has been a staple in bars across the globe ever since, for three different but equally smart reasons.
The first reason for the bulge is to help drinkers get a better grip on the glass, which is particularly helpful when it becomes wet with condensation.
Secondly, it helps bar staff stack and unstack the glasses without having to deal with them sticking together.
Lastly, and arguably most importantly, nonic glsses are harder to break as the bulge protects them in the event of being dropped or knocked over.
The part that sticks out the furthest will hit the floor or table first, thereby preserving the more fragile parts, such as the rim.
While they come in many different sizes, the two standard ones are 20 ounces in Britain and 16 ounces in the US.
This means lucky Brits get to enjoy almost 20% more beer than Americans in each pint.
Nonic glasses can also be used for any type of beer, from lagers, to ales, to pilsners.
