Today in 1979, German Patent DE 202014002381 U1 was issued, an invention of Vetreria Di Borgonovo S.P.A., for his “New Type of Beer-Tasting Glass.” Here’s the Abstract, translated from German:

Glass (10), namely thought to try out of beer (B) comprising:
– A receiving body (11) for receiving the consumer to cast into the glass beer (B), and
– A lower handle (18) for supporting and for manual handling of the glass,
wherein the receiving body (11) in turn comprises:
– An upper edge (12) having a rounded shape;
– An upper part (13), adjacent to the upper edge (12) and having an outwardly divergent flared shape;
– A central part (14), adjacent to the upper part (13) and having a bottom up to inwardly converging flared shape, and
– A circular lower part (16), which adjoins the central part (14) and with this at the bottom of the receiving body (11) of the glass (10) has a bulge (17);
wherein the glass (10) is adapted to allow a consumer who used to drink beer (B) the glass (10) both fully perceive the flavor characteristics and flavors of the drink and its visual characteristics, namely foam, to improve.

I think this is the Italian-designed glass that’s called a TeKu, and it certainly resembles the commemerative glass that the BA gave out at the Craft Brewers Conference in Portland last year.