Ask the Chatbot Games & Quizzes History & Society Science & Tech Biographies Animals & Nature Geography & Travel Arts & Culture ProCon Money Videos
yard-of-ale glass
Introduction References & Edit History Related Topics
Quick Facts
Related Topics:
glassware
See all related content
Britannica AI Icon
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites

yard-of-ale glass

drinking glass
Written and fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

yard-of-ale glass, tall, extremely narrow drinking glass that was known in England from the 17th century. It is approximately 1 yard (90 cm) long and holds about 1 pint (0.5 litre). The glass has a trumpet-shaped opening at one end and either a foot at the other or a trick bulb, which makes drinking more difficult, for when air gets into it the ale is forced out in a rush. Impractical for ordinary use, it appears to have been reserved for demonstration of drinking feats or for special toasts and the like.