This American Chain Restaurant Invented A One-Of-A-Kind Beer Glass

Often, the enduring success of a restaurant chain can be attributed to it quite literally bringing something unique to the table. In the case of Applebee's, that exclusive feature — more so than Applebee's popular food items, such as the Triple Chocolate Meltdown or Riblet Platter — is arguably the Brewtus, the American restaurant's signature beer glass.

Introduced in 1992, the 20-ounce Brewtus, made with a wide-mouthed, tapering down to a narrow base with a thick bottom, its provenance guaranteed by the Applebee's logo, is not just an example of brand aesthetics. Applebee's boasts that the Brewtus "keeps beer colder and more flavorful", and there is actually scientific backing for this claim.

According to research conducted by Claudio Pellegrini, a professor of thermal and fluid sciences at the Federal University of São João del-Rei in Brazil, glasses with wide mouths and narrow bases are best for keeping beer cold. He even went so far as to figure out a formula for the ideal beer glass. The design of the Brewtus can therefore be said to have some mathematical justification.

Beer fans who wish to drink from a scientifically optimal vessel outside of Applebee's could go for a similarly shaped glass, like the tulip or Pilsner. A Pilsner is, as the name suggests, usually intended for Pilsner lager, while the tulip is commonly used to serve Indian Pale Ales (IPAs) and Belgian-style ales. Unsurprisingly, serious beer connoisseurs have strong opinions about beer glassware — the almost ubiquitous shaker pint glass, for example, has inspired a truly astonishing amount of opprobrium from its haters — so you may want to experiment with different types of beer and glass and find out what tastes best to you.

If you are a glass collector or just particularly enamored with the Brewtus, however, your best bet is to search online, where they can often be purchased second-hand on websites like eBay. Alternatively, of course, you could just discreetly walk out of the restaurant with one and take it home (which, while we are aware this is something people do, is obviously not something we endorse).