Tankards are tall beer mugs with a handle and a hinged lid. The unlidded variety may also be referred to as tankards, or simply ‘mugs’. The phrase ‘getting tanked’ is thought to have originated from these drinking vessels, which seem oversized by modern beer glass standards. For example, the wooden tankard found in the field in South Wales would have held around four pints (rendering a single pour a noble weeknight effort for any Welsh drinker). If glugged at anything like the rate of a modern day serving of ale, drinking from a traditional tankard could make for a very merry evening indeed.


Although it is not known for certain why tankards were lidded, some historians have speculated that it was to prevent debris from falling into one’s beer, especially when drinking in establishments which may not have had roofs designed in accordance with modern day codes. For example, thatched roofs were common in rural areas of the UK until the 18th century, when other building supplies became available in greater quantities and at lower costs thanks to the Industrial Revolution. Thatched roofs might be constructed from materials such as flax, grass, and straw, tied into bundles, laid upon roof beams, and fastened into place using rods. The tankard lids may have been designed to avoid the unwanted addition of dirt and insects which might fall mid-session; surely an experience that would ruin a perfectly pleasant afternoon beer.

Vessels made from leather have been used for drinking since Neolithic times, and were in vogue again during the reign of the Tudors. Yet another common saying, ‘fill your boots’, might well have originated from this tradition, as drinking mugs resembled old and worn shoes. Beeswax or similar alternatives were used to create waterproof membranes on the interior of such vessels to help preserve the life of the leather.
Precious metals such as silver or pewter were also commonly used in the UK, Germany and across Scandinavia. Pewter, an alloy of tin, was sometimes known as ‘poor man’s silver’, as it resembled silver closely when polished. Although pewter was not always the most ubiquitous material for tankard construction, examples of pewter exist as far back as the Roman era. Until the wide availability of ceramics and pottery, pewter was also used for domestic wares. The earliest surviving pewter tankards date to the mid-17th century. They had straight sides and raised lids with flat tops.

The malleability of pewter makes it versatile and easy to care for. Carl explains this is a benefit for items which are heavily used. “Pewter has tended to be used to create objects whose hardness was not so critical, and indeed for drinking vessels and measures, a softer alloy was preferred as it was easier to reshape when dented or deformed, which often happened in pubs!”

Pewter used to be manufactured using lead, which was later found to be poisonous. Modern pewter alloys are lead-free. One such is Britannia metal, comprised of tin, antimony, and copper. Early manufacturing of Britannia metal centred in Sheffield, and this form of pewter was most prolific from the late 18th century until the middle of the Victorian era.