Modern beer is typically served in glassware, and the reasons for the various styles are addressed in What glasses are meant for which beers and why?
I have some alternative vessels at home, including a pewter tankard. The problem I have with drinking from it is that the pewter has a slight tang which you notice on your lips and the tip of your tongue. Depending on the the style of beer, this can either enhance or detract from the taste. (Personally, I've noticed that hefeweizen benefits from the slight acidic tinge, while some Lagers are really undrinkable from it.)
Are there any styles of beer for which it's actually advantageous to drink from something other than glassware, like pewter? Say, for example, they've been brewed specifically to pair well with the material of the vessel.
Alternatively, should I even be drinking from this kind of vessel at all? While it's documented that pewter and other materials were used historically to make tankards, should I even be bothering today or is it just a gimmick?