I think the Germans had the right idea with their steins. They keep the beverage cool longer, they can be highly decorative or plain as a mud fence, as you prefer. And, with the right glaze, they are quite easy to clean. They are more breakable, but I have seen some well-mangled pewter vessels as well. Unfortunately for me, I no longer drink much beer or ale, as it tends to cling to the midsection. At my age, I don't need the additional avoirdupois.

P.S.: I humbly bow to the metallurgy lesson, above, and the voluminous reference material from which it comes. I had no idea how restrictive the recipe was or how well-controlled the production must have been.