Raise a Glass

Tumblers, flutes, coupes and stems – glasses are functional objects with a fascinating history. Here are ten facts to liven up your next session at the pub. 1. Glass making dates back to the ancient civilizations of Syria, Egypt, and Mesopotamia.

Glass wine vessels first appeared in Egypt sometime around 1500 BC, but it wasn’t until the

Romans discovered the technique of glass blowing that glass became both functional and highly sought after. 2. In early seventeenth century England, the Royal

Navy needed oak trees for shipbuilding, so glassmakers turned to using coal in their furnaces.

This burned to much higher temperatures and produced stronger glass. This was also a major turning point for the champagne producers of

France, as they now had a bottle much better suited to the high pressure of their brewing method. 3. According to a study published in the British

Medical Journal, the size of the average wine glass increased by 700% between 1700 and 2017, with the greatest increase in size coming in the last few decades. 4. The stem on a wine glass has a practical purpose.

By keeping your warm hand away from the bowl, wine maintains the correct temperature and

furthermore ensures that you only smell the wine when drinking, not your skin. 5. Conversely, the short stem on a brandy bowl is designed to make it easy to hold the glass in the palm of your hand, so warming the spirit. 6. Sparkling wine doesn’t need the bowl-shaped glass used for still whites and reds, as the bubbles release the aroma without any swirling. 7. Glass is 100% recyclable and can be recycled again and again without losing any quality. But if it’s not recycled it can take up to a million years to decompose. 8. Drinking glasses containing crystal are stronger and therefore can be made thinner, making for an aesthetically more pleasing drinking experience. 9. The most popular type of glass in which beer is served in a pub is the straight glass, with a bulge about an inch from the top. The bulge is there to stop the glasses chipping near the rim when being washed together. 10. The custom of clinking glasses may have originated from fears of poisoning. If a host wanted to prove that the wine wasn’t poisoned, he would pour part of the guest’s wine into his glass and drink it first. If the guest trusted his host, he would just ‘clink’ when the host offered his glass for a sample.

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Keeping MUSIC live!

Current Covid rules apply - In the event of a forced closure all ticket event money will be refunded asap. Please see www.potton.club for all updates. NOVEMBER

Saturday 6th November - JOYRIDER rock & pop covers - 5 piece band Friday 12th November - Bingo time! @ 8.30pm Saturday 13th November - WHAMTASTIC (Wham & George Michael) & 80’s tunes (Ticket event) Saturday 20th November - SOUL CHAIN 4 Piece Band (Soul & Funk feel good band) Saturday 27th November - THE REFORMERS Rock/Ska/Punk 4 piece band DECEMBER - Christmas Party Season!

Friday 3rd December - Charity COMEDY NIGHT & Old Skool! Disco all profits will go to MND Charities (TICKET EVENT) from £12 in advance, limited availability! Saturday 4th December - WOO & THE FUEL (4 piece fantastic party band) Friday 10th December - Bingo time! @ 8.30pm Saturday 11th December - ESCAPE PARTY BAND popular Christmas Party band (Ticket Event) Saturday 18th December - DONUT popular Christmas Party band Friday 24th December - Open from 4pm. 8pm Christmas Eve DISCO - Party night family Disco Saturday 25th December - Christmas Day open 12-2pm NEW YEAR’S EVE - Ticket Event All info is provided in good faith, always check www.potton.club for changes. Potton CIU Club, Charities Hall, Station Road, Potton Tel: 01767 261465 (Evenings) Website: www.potton.club

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