About AleHorn
Skål Friend! This is about AleHorn!
AleHorn is a drinking horn company that creates exceptional handcrafted items for those who cherish their heritage and enjoy a sense of adventure.
With AleHorn, you'll delight in sipping your favorite beer, mead, or other beverages from elegant horn mugs and curved Viking drinking vessels. These masterfully crafted items not only infuse a touch of Norse tradition into your home but are also ideal for outdoor excursions, family gatherings, and making every drinking experience memorable.
AleHorn's drinking horns are made from the finest quality materials, ensuring they're durable, long-lasting, and perfect for everyday use. Whether you're out camping, connecting with your ancestry, or simply sharing a drink with loved ones, your AleHorn drinking horn will enhance your moment. With an array of sizes and designs available, you're sure to discover the ideal horn mug that reflects your individuality and honors your roots.
So, why opt for a regular beer glass when you can indulge in a drinking horn that's not only functional but also adds an authentic Viking touch to your beverage?
Get your AleHorn today and embrace a sense of adventure and tradition with every sip!
How AleHorn Began Its Journey
At the beginning of AleHorn, drinking horns were mostly seen as costume pieces that you'd find at a Renaissance faire. Though we have a deep appreciation for Renaissance faires, we believed it was time to introduce drinking horns to a broader audience.
The first AleHorns were given as gifts to friends from various backgrounds – homemakers, outdoor enthusiasts, fitness enthusiasts, creatives, history lovers, those with beards, and those without. The one thing they all had in common was the instant smile that lit up their faces as the AleHorn quickly became their favorite way to enjoy a beverage.
While gathering around a fire and drinking from a horn is undeniably enjoyable, many recipients also shared how the horns made them feel more connected to their past. It became evident that the fascination with historical rediscovery went far beyond just the Renaissance faire crowd.
Centuries ago, horns were a staple in almost every household and played a vital role in the joyous rituals of drinking. Over time, they turned into historical relics. Our mission is to revive the rich tradition of drinking horns while offering a delightful and engaging drinking experience that resonates with everyone.
Handcrafted Horn Products
Our horn products are made using 100% ethically sourced bovine horn. Our Viking drinking horns and horn tankards have been carefully designed based on input from our friends and customers, and are a beautiful, authentically crafted pieces that are all 100% unique. Because they come from nature, there is no way any horn will ever be like any other.
We offer a wide variety of products including custom engraved pieces:
The Drinking Horn by AleHorn
AleHorn creates each hand made drinking horn from 100% real horn. Unique by nature, each horn is unlike any other and a perfect pairing with your mead, craft beer, or favorite beverage. Each drinking horn is one of a kind with its own look, feel, and character.
Our designs take on the modern drinking horn take inspiration from a combination of history and fantasy. They typically come in three different styles: tankards in the style of Game of Thrones, the natural horn shape of traditional Viking drinking horns, and the curved tumbler style that hearkens a cozy fireside feast like those you might find in Middle Earth.
Many variations of these have been adapted for the modern style of drinking, including a drinking horn shot glass. We also offer an ever growing selection of accessories and other products.
We make drinking horns, but that’s not all –
Our specialty is the “Game of Thrones” style drinking horn tankard which features an inverted horn capped with an acrylic base, and a handle which is formed by bending the top of the horn over the side to create something more akin to a mug or handled goblet. It is a slight deviation from the natural horn shape, but still 100% natural and will sit flat on your table without a stand. We also specialize in traditional “Viking style” drinking horns in various sizes, as well as shot glasses, cups, sounding horns (Viking blow horns) and other horn related items. All horns are formed, sealed and finished by hand for maximum life and durability. They are perfect for any Game of Thrones, Viking, beer, mead, or beverage enthusiast.
A little Drinking Horn History
Mankind could make alcohol long before we could make glass, so naturally we used what we could come by as vessels for our ancient fermented drinks like mead, ale, and wine. Not being ones to waste any part of an animal we had worked so hard to hunt or rear, we eventually figured out how to use tools to hollow out the horns of bovines to use as drinking horns, and the rest is history.
We know for sure that drinking horns have been around for 2,600 years, but it’s likely they’ve been around for even longer than that. In all that time, drinking horns have gone from practical drinking vessels to meaningful and symbolic reminders of the hallowed past. They’ve been made of horn, metal, and glass by civilizations all over the world.
How Drinking Horns are Made
Learn to create your horn from scratch here.
Once the horns are separated, they are cleaned and polished to specification. Some of our horns demand a high polish and smooth look, while others are less refined and have a more natural look. It is purely a matter of taste how much to polish.
For our Game of Thrones style tankards, the horns are then heated again and then the lower part of the horn (closest to the tip) is partially removed to form a “tail”. This part is then folded down, and when cooled, will create the handle.
After polishing and forming, the horns are then sealed and finished, and (optionally) engraved before being used.
Read more about Drinking Horn History