Visitors to Mount Vernon routinely commented on the abundance of provisions offered at dinner, which included a selection of beverages ranging from fine wines to hard cider, ale, beer, and the Philadelphia porter of which George Washington was fond. Malted liquors and ciders were typically served in glasses with deep bowls. This example is similar to the "enameled" ale glasses Washington acquired from London in the 1760s and 1770s. The term "enameled" refers to the opaque white glass rods embedded in the stem, which glassmakers fashioned into a dazzling variety of spirals, gauzes, and twists.