Requiem for an Imperial Pint Glass

I broke my favorite glass the other night. And we're not talking cracked at lip, or nicked in such a way that it might still be usable. We're talking shattered. Smashed into so many jagged pieces that at first it seemed like it would be impossible to clean up without slicing myself to ribbons. In the middle of a Presidential election, looming terror threats, and the continued existence of America's Got Talent, this may seem like small potatoes, but I was still sorry to see it go. First of all, the Imperial Pint glass is superior to its American cousin because it's bigger. (20 oz vs 16 oz) As a result of this, you don't see them much in bars in the U.S. Some bars, though will serve draught Guinness in them, most likely because Guinness has provided them for promotional purposes. One such bar, Schuba's Tavern in Chicago, is a place I used to go from time to time. (http://www.schubas.com/, if you happen to be in the neighborhood) Schuba's is primarily known as a great place to see up and coming bands these days, but it's a bar that dates back to 1903, as evidenced by the old school Schlitz sign carved out of the building's stone facade. One night, back in the late 20th century when I was living in the Windy City, I was out at Schuba's with some folks, seeing a band and having some Guinness. After a couple of pints had produced a healthy buzz, I made the decision that the Imperial pint glass in my hand was coming home with me. Juvenile, I realize, but I had made my decision, and at the end of the night I succesfully executed the plan. (It helped that Chicago is cold and people tend to wear very large coats.) That imperial pint glass had a long and storied life. It moved with me through 4 Chicago apartments, and survived a 2,000 mile drive to Los Angeles back in the summer of 2005. At some point during that time, the people at Guinness decided to spruce up their logo a bit, making my glass with the old logo (one like it is pictured above) even cooler. Just last year, my friend Bailey and I started brewing beer in my Beachwood apartment, and the Imperial pint glass was perfect for enjoying one of our 22 oz bottles. You could fill that glass all the way to the top and still have a couple of ounces left over. Maybe the next step is for Steverson Brewing to make up some Imperial pints of our own. Slainte, Guinness glass. Last call.

Update:
Sadly it appears that a couple of pieces of this glass found their way into our garbage disposal, which is now clogged.