From beer bottle to glass

(Credit: Makers Market)

Collections of glasses available for purchase from Windy City Glass bear some very familiar names: Heineken, Stella Artois, and even IBC Root Beer. That's because those glasses used to be beer and soda bottles. The glass-blower behind the project, Nick Paul, takes empty bottles, cleans them, and then reshapes the necks of the bottles into a tumbler even with the rest of the bottle.

Paul notes that the glasses vary slightly in size and shape, due to the glass-blowing process. However, they're supposedly safe to drink from as well as to run through the dishwasher.

The glasses sold by Windy City Glass are available in six-packs, as well as singly or in sets of two or four. If you choose a six-pack, though, the glasses come packaged in the cardboard carrier that came with them when they were still bottles. These glasses can make for an unusual gift for a beer fan, especially since many of the brands Windy City Glass offers are not necessarily big-name beers: with names like Fat Tire and Arrogant Bastard in the lineup, you'll probably be able to find even some obscure beer selections. The price for a six-pack of Windy City Glasses is $60.