It is not clear why the beer shops in Hanoi and in many provinces in the north only use the tumblers made from recycled glass. This kind of glass appeared in the 1960s. 

In the photo: broken glasses pile up in the yard of Mr. Pham Ngoc Han’s house, who owns a glass blowing furnace at Xoi Tri Village.

Draught beer was first produced in Vietnam by the French. In the mid-1960s, the Hanoi brewery factory was restored with technical assistance from Czechoslovakia. 

Along with this production was the appearance of the special tumblers, used only for draught beer, and made of recycled glass.

Several years ago, the Hanoi Beverage Factory (HABECO) stopped using this kind of tumbler in order to ensure hygiene. But private beer shops in Hanoi still use recycled glasses that have existed for half a century.

Ms. Van Anh, owner of a famous beer shop on Truong Chinh Road, said customers love to drink draught beer in this kind of rough tumbler, not other types of glasses.

In the photo: Pieces of broken glass are heated in the oven for about six hours.

Molten glass is taken in through a hollow pipe, which is used to blow liquid glass.

Blowing the glass is the most difficult stage.

Molten glass is poured into a steel mold.

Pham Van Linh, the owner of another glass oven, said this job requires good health because the workers have to work in a high-temperature, harmful environment.

Cutting the edge of the tumbler.

The tumbler is maintained at a certain temperature.

The special gas stove is used to maintain a suitable temperature.

After cutting the edge of the tumbler, it is taken out and the tumbler is shaped like a bottle.

Hot glasses are lined up in a row under a layer of ash to prevent them from cooling too fast, which could cause cracks.

Previously, beer shops only ordered 500ml glasses but now they use smaller ones (right).

The recycled glasses are used in almost all beer shops in Hanoi.