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.