Pauwel Kwak Coachmen's Glass

• The Kwak-Designed Traveler's Glass

  
  

  This glass, known as a koetsiersglas or "Coachmen's Glass," is steeped in legend. It's said that Pauwel Kwak, a tavern owner, crafted its unique design in the 1790s during the enforcement of the Napoleonic Code in Belgium. One provision of this strict legal code was that coachmen were barred from drinking alongside their passengers, a measure aimed at accentuating the class divide between the affluent and the working class. Consequently, potential patrons were relegated to waiting outside Pauwel's establishment.

  
  

  Being an astute businessman, Kwak found a loophole: while coachmen couldn't enter his tavern, he could serve them beer outside. To facilitate this, he devised a wooden cupholder to affix to their coaches. Then, he fashioned a glass specifically designed to fit snugly in the cupholder or the coachman's hand, even during rough journeys.

  
  

  The challenge lay in creating a glass narrow enough for a coachman's grip, even when wearing thick gloves, with the majority of the beer housed in a bulbous base to minimize spillage on bumpy roads. Additionally, the glass sported a wide lip at the top, ensuring ease of drinking (a precarious proposition while driving!) and containing any potential spills.

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