New Wave Tankards

One of the biggest misconceptions about Pewter Tankards is that they're an antiquated item, looking more towards the past than future. It's easy to see why you might get that idea. Think about Tankards and you instantly conjure up images of men of yore sitting around an ale house knocking back a pint or two (or ten!) of their favourite brew. Over here at Tankard Blog however we care as much about the present as we do the past. If a classic Pewter Tankard design is not for you then Tankard Blog is on hand to make some more contemporary suggestions.

Pint 'Glass' Pewter Tankards

You've seen these before, albeit in other forms. These contemporary Pewter Tankards are shaped like the classic pint glasses adorning pretty much every local pub or bar. I think all of them would look distinctive and cool anywhere. Clockwise from left, we have the Straight Sided Pint 'Glass' Pewter Tankard, The Continental Pewter Tankard, The Bitter 'Pint' Pewter Tankard and finally The Pint 'Glass' Pewter Tankard. As much as we love our Vintage Tankards, sometimes you just want a nice lager or bitter in something that leans little bit more towards modernity...

The Guinness Pewter Tankard

Ok, so Guinness isn't exactly the most modern and sophisticated of beverages. But that's why we all love it. As one of the most time honoured and simple yet brilliant beers, it is definitely deserving of a Pewter Tankard that reflects its status as the powerhouse of all Celtic brews. The Guiness Pewter Tankard has an elegance in its simple curve that reflects a modern adherance to simplicity. The graceful aesthetics of the Guinness Pewter Tankard reflects the lasting appeal of a beer that is able to reinvent itself without losing any of the vitality that made it so essential in the first place!

Claret Translucent Stripe Tankard

Finally we have the Claret Translucent Stripe Tankard, composed of all sleek sides and quirkly handle (available in other colours, being a Villa fan I just like this best!). One of the defining features of many a tradional Tankard is lots of various curves and squiggles. As much as I love that, I also love challenging design, and the Claret Translucent Stripe Tankard is all about that. The simplicity of this Tankard lies in its eschewing of traditional Tankard design for a new look that revolutionises ways in which to drink your beer! Definitely one of more favourite Contemporary Pewter Tankard designs.

Well, that concludes my rundown of cool modern Pewter Tankards. All of these great designs and many are available from Tankardstore.com. Stick around for more cool Tankard news!

How to Clean a Pewter Tankard

Hello again, over here at Tankard Blog we love our Pewter Tankards, but there is something we loathe almost as much and that is a grubby Pewter Tankard! However fear not there are ways to get your Tankard fresh and clean. Presenting a quick and easy guide to getting your tankard looking good as new.

1) Get a pewter tankard. If you don't already then Tankardstore.com has over 100 Pewter Tankards with engraving available.

2) Have a few beers!

3) Thoroughly wash the inside using a solution of clean, warm water and several drops of washing up liquid, then rinse thoroughly with clean water before polish.

4) Make the polish for cleaning the pewter tankard. Your polish should be a paste made of vinegar, salt, and flour. If you would prefer to buy your polish, they can be found online, at hardware stores, or lumberyards.

5) Rub your pewter tankard in circular motions with a soft cloth and your polish gently to shine up your pewter. By doing this, you are actually taking off a very fine layer of pewter and dirt. You can also take out very fine scratches by doing this.

6) Rotate the cloth and continue cleaning the pewter tankard. As the cloth slowly turns black, rotate the cloth to insure that you are always cleaning with a clean part. This blackness that appears as the pewter tankard is cleaned is the pewter and dirt coming off the pewter tankard. As you do this more, you will notice your pewter becoming shinier and shinier.

7) Rinse and dry the pewter tankard. The last step in the cleaning process of a pewter tankard is to rinse the tankard carefully. Once all soap or cleaning mixture has been removed from the pewter the tankard can be buffed dry.

Warning: I would steer well clear of cleaning pewter in a dishwasher. Detergent for dishwashing machines is too harsh for this metal. In addition, if a pewter tankard is used for juice, soft drinks or other acidic beverages, wash it immediately after use to prevent corrosion.

And there you go, a great and simple technique for getting those Pewter Tankards looking fantastic again. If you have any further questions about the cleaning process please don't hesitate to send them over, Tankard Blog is here to help.

PS. Nearly forgot to mention our Pewter Tankard twitter account is now live at TankardTweet. Follow us to keep to date with all things Tankard!

Vintage Tankard Time #1

Our last post discussed a little bit of the humble beginnings behind the tankard. Nowadays the pewter tankard reins supreme as the tankard of choice for many, but over at Tankard Blog we like to look to the past for inspiration in the present. Therefore we welcome you to our first edition of 'Vintage Tankard Time', a series in which we explore some of the more interesting items from the history of tankards. First up is the wonderful Langstone Tankard, perhaps one of the more significant archaelogical finds in the world of ye olde tankards...

This great wooden Langstone Tankard was discovered in 2007 in Newport, Wales. Believed to be over a staggering 2000 years old, this tankard's massive 4 pint capacity proves folk of old certainly knew how to handle their ale. As Museum Wales describe:

'When full, the tankard would have held nearly four pints of beer or cider. It was held in two hands and was probably passed around a group as a communal drinking vessel. This vessel was made of six wood staves, slotted around a circular base-piece. Surrounding the outer face of the body are two bands of bronze sheet. The vessel has a cast copper-alloy handle, attached to the tankard wall by two pairs of rivets.

The Langstone tankard is difficult to date accurately. The surviving handle, is very similar to a tankard handle discovered at the Roman fort at Loughor (Swansea). It was buried in a well, which was filled up during the second century AD. However, close examination of the Langstone tankard, suggests that this poorly fitted handle was a late replacement to an original, now missing. A localised tapering of the rim and delicate bronze pins remaining in the middle tankard wall are the surviving evidence for this early handle. This suggests that this tankard was made in the first or early second century AD'

Well I don't know about you but I love this historical tankard. It really gives a sense of the rich cultural history that can be traced to todays contemporary pewter tankards. The Langstone Tankard is will be exhibited sometime during 2010 at the Origins - In Search of Early Wales exhibition at the National Museum Cardiff

Hello! welcome to the very first post at Tankard Blog, where we share with you some of our favourite things from the weird and wonderful world of Pewter Tankards. Don't forget to check out our sister blog David-Louis Product Design.

I suppose it would be pertinent to start our maiden tankard blog post off with a brief history of the tankard.

Perhaps AC Silver describe it most succintly with their explanation of the Tankard's origins:

'A tankard may be described as a large one-handled drinking vessel, commonly made of pewter, silver or glass; the earliest models being fitted with lids. Mugs may also be described as one-handled, cylindrical drinking vessels, primarily made of pewter or silver, but latterly ceramic. Mugs are not fitted with lids. Originally, in Neolithic times, mugs would have been crafted in leather. By the 1400’s, mugs were made of wood or pewter. Silver pieces however remained the prerogative of the nobility. By the early 1500’s laws were passed in Europe stating that mugs (and containers used for food) should be covered to protect the contents from contamination from flies.

Lidded tankards also offered protection in inns and taverns where spitting was a frequent occurrence! In Germany, a form of lidded tankard known as a ‘stein’ (steinzeugkrug) made of decorated stoneware was produced in the 1400’s. With the passing of time, steins were subsequently crafted in pewter, silver, glass and by the 1600’s faience – the European equivalent to China’s porcelain.

Silver tankards existed in the middle of the 16^th century. They commonly had a tapering cylindrical form, scroll handles and hinged covers. By the 18^th century, little changed, although a slight variation in shape included the baluster form.'

Wow, who knew tankards had such continental origins! Something I hope to be exploring in future posts is some of these wonderful old designs that come from all over, even as far back as the middle east (though wether or not the engaged in the same ale habits is a different matter altogether!)

Back to the present however, and you can buy NEW Pewter Tankards from Tankardstore.com, where they have a fantastic range of over 100, with engraving available.