Arcoroc Bock

The range comes in three sizes. The 28 cl is the small mug for a short pour or a half, the 29 cl with handle is the standard model, and the 56 cl is the full pint that takes half a litre of beer plus a proper head. The small and the large size each come in two versions: the Brit with a straight faceted wall and the Haworth with a classic diamond pattern.

Check the pack quantities when you order. The 56 cl comes in boxes of twenty-four and the 28 cl in boxes of thirty-six, which tells you exactly what kind of venue these glasses were designed for.

Rinse the mug in cold water before you pour, because a dry glass makes the foam stick to the wall and the head settles unevenly. Hold the glass at an angle under the tap until it is half full, then straighten it and keep pouring until two fingers of foam sit on top. A kopstoot calls for the small size next to a shot, while a long summer evening asks for the 56 cl instead. Serve lager at around five degrees and specialty beer slightly warmer, because too cold flattens the flavour. The same mug is just as good for chilled sangria.

Bock glass is tempered, and that counts most at the rim: mugs knock against each other in the wash rack and that is exactly where breakage starts. Wash on a short glassware programme and avoid a rinse aid heavy on soap, because grease residue kills the head. A mug that no longer holds a decent head is usually not worn out, it simply is not grease-free. Space the mugs apart in the rack, because handles tapping against each other are what damages the rim.

If you want to compare shapes, the beer mugs with handles are grouped together, and among the beer glasses you will also find the flutes, tulips and specialty beer glasses. The lager glasses are sorted separately by capacity. The brand's other ranges are listed under Arcoroc, and anyone buying for a bar starts with the catering glassware. If the glassware has to go outdoors or to a festival, the plastic unbreakable glasses are the smarter choice.