I don’t have to travel too far to get some side-eye when I order a sandwich with my native slang. I’m specifically talking about the sandwich type most known in the United States as a “sub” or “submarine.” For me, it’s always been called a “wedge”.

My understanding has been that this term is used in a very small area including parts of Westchester (New York) and Fairfield (Connecticut) counties. These are two suburban counties north of New York City.

I’ve also been told stories about how the term came to be. One of the claims is that an immigrant, or group of immigrants, mispronounced the word “sandwich”, with the “wich” part sounding like “wedge.” Another claim refers to the way the bread is sliced and filled (i.e., the fillings are wedged in the bread.)

I’m not here to tackle the word’s origins, except to say that its use goes back to at least the 1930s, and it has a strong connection to the Italian-American community. What I am here to do is confirm what I’ve been told about the geographic distribution of the word’s use.*

Mapping it Out

Where We Say Wedge

Turns out, the word is used further up the Hudson Valley in New York than I thought. You can find people saying wedge through Putnam County and into Dutchess County, south of Poughkeepsie.

In Connecticut, its use is limited to western Fairfield County. It follows the I-95 corridor to around Norwalk and extends north along the New York State border to New Fairfield, just past Danbury.

The New York City/Bronx boundary to the south of Westchester, as well as the Hudson River to the west, form hard boundaries in those directions. I couldn’t find examples beyond these borders. If you know of any, please let me know. I’m happy to update this map.

Throughout the area, the use of the word is not ubiquitous. You might find places selling “subs” or “heroes” next door to a place where you can get a wedge. This is especially true as you head north and east, away from southern Westchester, where its use is most concentrated.

But I’ve never had a problem ordering a wedge in a place where they don’t use that term on the menu. I guess we’re multilingual when it comes to this.

Another Bite at the Wedge

The Italian-American connection persists today. It’s evident in what seems to be the majority of places using the term are either Italian-American delis or pizzerias. But it’s definitely not exclusive to them. For example, there’s a fried chicken restaurant and a bagel shop near me that both use the word.  

Nonetheless, there’s a good chance this term might fade away as populations come and go. But you never know. There’s a Mexican deli/restaurant in my town that is carrying on the wedge tradition from the location’s prior Italian tenant. You’ll find wedge on their menu, right next to tortas, tostadas, and tamales.

If this place is a sign of anything, it might demonstrate that the wedge has a few more bites left.

*A similar map is available in the book Speaking American: How Y’all, Youse, and You Guys Talk: A Visual Guide by Josh Katz. My map is based on my research. Comparing the two, they’re largely in agreement.

Dean’s, a pub on the fringe of New York’s Soho neighborhood, opened earlier this year boasting a modern British menu, and even British wines. And despite several local breweries making excellent British-style ale and a recent uptick in imports of British beer (e.g., Theakston and Black Sheep), Guinness has been one of the most talked-about things for this British-inspired pub.

That’s Guinness. The iconic beer from Ireland.

The dark, easy-drinking Irish Stout is all over their Instagram account and even makes its way onto the food menu with Guinness bread and a shot of Guinness topped with an oyster (which I love, by the way).

I know. Guinness has been having a moment the last few years. It’s not just places like Dean’s that are riding the wave. But there’s something about British spots doing it that seems particularly jarring, blurring the lines between British and Irish culture.

Sure, even back in England, Guinness is popular at the pub. However, it should go without saying that Guinness is not the best beer to represent British heritage. Further, there’s a unique British beer culture that can be way more rewarding than Guinness. I am, of course, talking about hand-pumped, cask-conditioned beer.

Admittedly, cask beer fell out of fashion in England, which was not immune to the international dominance of bland adjunct lagers in the latter part of the last century. The subsequent craft beer movement didn’t help.

But as hopheads from England’s craft beer boom age into tempered boomers, they’re realizing how unique and special cask beer is. Accordingly, numbers for cask ale are up in its homeland, including a notable bump up with Gen Z, according to the Society of Independent Brewers and Associates (SIBA). In addition to craft brands, legacy brews like Boddington’s and Bass are once again flowing at pubs, offering more versatile pale and amber alternatives to Guinness.

Yet, in New York, there are just two English-style pubs (the Jones Wood Foundry and The Shakespeare) that are capitalizing on the spectacle of a hand-pulled pint, cascading as it settles on a bar. That’s a shame.

Places like Dean’s, with glowing reviews and social media attention, have a real opportunity to celebrate true British pub culture with cask ale. Maybe they’ll give it a thought as they settle in.

Image source: Bitburger.

Though I would’ve been open to any invite to crush some beers and watch a World Cup match, when the invite was from Bitburger, I was particularly excited. Their Pilsner is a classic, but their stemmed glass is iconic. It made it into my first drinkware post in 2020.

The event took place at the German House of Soccer, which is a pop-up space in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood, created by the German Football Association (DFB) for the World Cup.

Though there was no indication on the invite that they would be using the glass, I was happy just to take part in an event hosted by a company with impeccable taste in drinkware. Nonetheless, I did wonder if they would be using them, and if it was at all possible for me to get my hands on one to bring home. But before we get to that, I have to give a little background on the brewery and their drinkware.

Bitburger advertisements from the early 20th century, each including different types of glassware. Source of images: Bitburger.

Bitburger’s origins are in 1817 in the town of Bitburg in what is now the western German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. By the 1880s, the brewery was making Pilsner-style beer and was advertising it in stemmed glassware shortly after.

Advertising from the earlier part of the 20th century shows the beer being served in a stemmed glass. It has a long stem and is in a style that is more akin to a wine glass. Another advertisement depicts a different type of stemmed glass that more closely resembles a beer glass.

The iconic Bitburger pokal. Image source: Bitburger.

Fast-forward to 1964, which was when the renowned stemmed glass (sometimes call a “pokal”) was created for the brewery by Rastal. It reflects the Mid-Century Modern design aesthetic from when it was created, but it has endured for decades without feeling dated.

The shape helps concentrate aromas and retain its rocky head of foam. It’s more angular than tulip-shaped glasses, but it’s not extreme like the Teku. It also has a short stem, which helps it avoid being too top-heavy.

Beyond the glass itself, service of the beer includes two other notable elements. First is the three minute pour. The brewery makes a specific point to note that the seven minute pour that is advocated by others is too long, and leads to beer being served too warm and too flat.

The idea is that the three-minute pour creates the perfect amount and type of foam and leads to the ideal sensory experience.

Once the pour is over, a Pilsdecken (also referred to as a drip catcher or drip collar) is placed around the hexagonal stem of the glass. This traditional practice is found in a few places around Germany, but despite all the love of lager in the US in recent years, you will find these being used in very few places domestically. Bierstadt Lagerhaus is one notable example.

Other drinkware options from Bitburger. Source of images: Bitburger.

Bitburger is not a one-trick pony with their drinkware though. They offer a variety of other vessels, including workhorses like the Willi Becher and the Keferloher stein. Those are two of my absolute favorites styles, in part, because of their subtlety. However, next to the pokal, the other standout vessel is the handled glass mug.

Alas, for the big watch party at the House of Soccer, plastic cups were the practical choice. And I totally got that and had no problem with it at all. It was a great time and despite being behind most of the match, Germany ultimately defeated the Ivory Coast with a final score of 2-1.

The icing on the cake came in the bag I was handed on my way out the door. Inside was a commemorative 0.3L Rastal Willi Becher. It’s the precise style and size of glass I typically use when having a lager at home. It didn’t take me long to do just that, with a Bitburger, of course. Bitte ein Bit!

The Bitburger event at the German House of Soccer in New York, NY.

Image sources: Wikipedia and Sahm.

World Cup fever has spread so deeply across the US that even the niche beer glass community is not immune to the excitement. At least three of the country’s top lager brewing specialists (Human Robot, Notch and Cohesion) are currently serving beer in a playful soccer ball mug and I’m all for it.

I’ve seen this mug in the Sahm drinkware catalog for years, but never actually seen it used by anyone. It’s a fun way for beer nerds to celebrate the World Cup and it’s a reminder that proper drinkware plays a part in elevating customers’ experiences.

Though there’s no guide dictating what styles of beer go with this glass, it feels especially suited to lager, in part due to its likeness to the Tübinger mug, albeit in an exaggerated form.

Image sources: Human, Robot, Notch, and Cohesion.

Sahm puts the glass with other lager mugs in their catalog. So, it seems that’s where their head is at too.

It’s no coincidence that the breweries releasing these mugs are already known for their attention to detail when it comes to how they brew and serve their beer. These breweries have committed themselves to getting glassware right. While some might see the soccer mugs as kitschy, Human Robot, Notch and Cohesion have certainly earned the right to have a little fun.

If a mug isn’t quite your jam though, or if you’re looking to dive even deeper into glassware obsession, Sahm sells two other soccer-related glasses that might be of interest. One is an elegant tumbler that incorporates a soccer ball. The other goes in the opposite direction of elegance with a soccer version of the Bierstiefel (the boot, though it’s a modest 0.5-liter in size).  

Two alternatives to Sahm soccer ball mug. Image sources: tumbler, cleat.

At a time when some are saying it’s clear that lager has made a return, the release of these mugs certainly indicates beer culture has changed in the US since the last World Cup. But during a recent taping of the Drink Beer, Think Beer podcast at Notch Brewing’s Forever Lager fest, Notch owner Chris Lohring asked, “now that lager is cool, how long until it’s not?” Time will tell, but I won’t be surprised if even more breweries are selling these for the next World Cup in 2030.

A toast with Tørst’s 13th anniversary mug. Image courtesy of Sam Casner/Tørst.

Tørst, the revered Brooklyn beer bar, is once again celebrating its anniversary with the release of a limited-edition ceramic mug. They’ve offered different types of drinkware in the past, but for the second year in a row, they will be partnering with Whim Wares to produce the mugs. And this time around, the mugs will also celebrate Suarez Family Brewery.

Since opening in 2013, drinkware has been an important part of elevating the experience at Tørst. The overwhelming majority of the beers are served in a stemmed wine glass bearing the same design, but in varying colors.

It was a bold move that made Tørst stand out at the time, when many judged a beer bar based on the diversity of its drinkware. The glasses instantly became one of the most iconic features of the bar that puts an emphasis on the sensory element of drinking beer.

Though most beers at Tørst are served in the glass in the middle, they occassionally will use the glasses depicted on the left and right as well. Images courtesy of Sam Casner/Tørst.

Tørst works with Laura Ernst of Whim Wares to create the limited-edition, handmade mugs. Graphic designer Molly Baker created the artwork, which includes a brewer holding a mash tun paddle (that was an old tool brewers used to stir grain and hot water).

Choosing a ceramic mug is an excellent move toward something that is the polar opposite of a stemmed wine glass. Tørst’s Beer and Wine Buyer, Sam Casner, notes that this is by design.

Sam describes it as “sort of a break from the more serious analysis of beer sipping, but that need not be a less meaningful experience.” He adds that it makes it “especially celebratory.”

For this year’s mug, Tørst chose to highlight Suarez Family Brewery with the release. Sam wants to celebrate Suarez’s English-style ales, which he rightfully notes are “quaffable” and “deliciously nuanced.” You’ll find the Suarez logo, in addition to the Tørst logo, on the bottom of the mug.

Image courtesy of Sam Casner/Tørst.

I find that these beer styles, especially from nitro or cask, have similarities to the Keller and Zwickel beers of Franconia. And there’s something about those beer styles being served in a stein (often a keferloher) that works really well.

I can’t put my finger on why, but despite not being able to see the beer, and despite the steins often lacking curvature, the beers taste better when served in them. It makes sense that these British beer styles would also taste great in a ceramic mug.  

Though British beer drinkware hasn’t been terribly exciting for the last century or so, there was a deep and rich tradition of stoneware mugs in its history. They were more subdued in design than the ornate steins you might’ve found in Bavaria. This modesty makes it even more fitting for subtle ales (just like a simple keferloher is more appropriate for a Kellerbier.) So, I really love this pairing at Tørst, and I’d love to see more easy-going British ales being served in gorgeous mugs like the ones made by Whim Wares.

Tørst will be pouring a few of Suarez’s British-style beers over the month, including Saunter, their Dark Mild, as well as Be Golden and Amenable, which are two different types of Bitter. There will also be a bunch of the brewery’s other beers, including other ales, lagers, and mixed-fermentation beers.

There are just forty mugs up for grabs on a first-come, first-served basis, starting at noon on Sunday, May 17th. There’s a limit of two per person.

Tørst is located at 615 Manhattan Avenue in Brooklyn. Find them online here and on Instagram at @torst_nyc.