FOOD & DRINK
Which Glass For Which Drink? How To Choose The Right Glassware
Glassware rules do exist…Always keep that in mind. Are you ready to get the best out of your drink and stay classy doing it? Read on…
It’s Friday evening, you’ve made it through the long hectic week, and it’s time for Happy Hour, you get to the bar with your friends and order a bottle of Remy Martin Cognac Fine Champagne and the bartender serves this classy drink with martini glasses instead of a Snifter.
You sit there with your friends, drinking a classy drink with the wrong glassware, totally ignorant of this fact and worst of it all – you do not get the best drinking experience.
Every true gentleman who loves to drink with class, understands that every drink has its glass for a reason. A drink is best enjoyed in a glass that maximizes its taste, aroma, and flavour. These factors can improve the drinking experience.
Whether you are ordering yourself a drink at a bar or you are hosting a cocktail housewarming party for a few friends, the type of glassware you use really matters.
Wondering which glassware to use for which drink? Which glass is best for cocktails, whisky, wine, champagne, brandy, beer etc? Learn how to select the correct type of glassware with our simple guide.
You should read this: Top 10 Gentleman’s Drinks
COMMON TYPES OF GLASSES FOR A WIDE RANGE OF DRINKS
GLASSWARE FOR WINE
1. Red Wine Glass
Red Wine glasses have a large, round bowl which allows for easy swirling of the wine and more aroma release. It also has a long stem which helps keep the hand away from the drink to prevent it from becoming warm too fast.
For red wines served at room temperature, you may use a stemless wine glass. These are becoming a staple in modern kitchens and you don’t have to worry about shattering the delicate stem or heating up the red wine.
Examples: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah, Syrah, Shiraz, Sangiovese, Malbec, and Grenache.
2. White/Rose Wine Glasses
White/Rose wine glasses are similar to Red Wine glasses only that they have narrower openings. The wider the glass, the quicker it will lose carbonation that’s why it’s advisable not to use a red wine glass for a white/rose wine as it will result in a flat drink. In addition, the smaller the glass, the colder your wine will stay as this glassware helps slow down any rise in temperature. It also has a long stem to keep your hands from touching and heating up the wine.
Examples (White Wine): Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer
Examples (Rose Wine): Zinfandel
3. Champagne Flute
Champagnes and other sparkling wines (e.g. Prosecco) are served in slender, tulip-shaped glassware with narrow opening and less surface area. This glassware is called flute. The glass helps maintain the Champagne’s trademark carbonation, and the stylish shape is also designed to retain the look of the rising bubbles and stop it from going flat too quickly. Once again, it has a long stem so that you don’t affect the temperature of the champagne while you hold the glass.
Examples: Armand de Brignac Champagne (Ace of Spades), Bollinger, Moet & Chandon and Dom Perignon
4. Champagne Coupe
The coupe was used before the introduction of the Champagne flute. This is a shallow, broad-bowled, saucer shaped stemmed glass very common and fashionable from its introduction in the 1700s until the 1980s. Till this time it’s the ideal glass type used for Champagne Towers.
However, it allows the champagne to lose carbonation more quickly than a flute glass which is why it is more often used for cocktails.
Examples: Manhattans and margaritas etc.
GLASSWARE FOR COCKTAILS
(5) Cocktail Glass/ Martini Glass
This is a stemmed glass with an inverted cone bowl and is used to serve cocktails without ice. They will be shaken or stirred with ice first, and then strained into the glass. That’s what ordering a drink “up” means.
They can come in variety of sizes and are often referred to as martini glasses, but they differ slightly from martini glasses in that they have smaller, narrower bowls with rounded or flat bottoms, while martini glasses have larger, wider bowls which are fully conical at the bottom.
The large surface area allows your nose to get close to the surface of the drink so you can fully enjoy its aroma and taste.
Examples: Vodka/Gin Martini, Cosmopolitan, Brandy Alexander
(6) Highball Glass/Collins Glass
The highball glass is perfect for carbonated cocktails and its shape promotes bubble retention. It is generally used to serve tall cocktails (where there’s usually more mixer than the alcohol). They are often referred to as Collins Glass, but they differ slightly from Collins Glass in that they are shorter and wider in shape while Collins glass are narrower and taller (and comes with a straw)
Examples: A gin and tonic, Whiskey and Coke, Dark ‘N’ Stormy, Bloody Mary, Mojito, Scotch and Soda, anything and soda combo.
(7) Lowball Glass/ Old Fashioned Glass/ Rocks Glass
A lowball glass, old-fashioned glass or the rocks glass are all names for a short tumbler with a thick bottom and a wide-mouth for easy release of aroma – so you can smell the aromatics in your cocktail.
It is commonly used for drinks that are densely topped with ice but can also be used for serving a neat pour of liquor.
Examples: Old Fashioned, White Russian, Black Russian, Negroni, Drinking straight booze on the rocks.
GLASSWARE FOR BEER
(8) Pint Glasses
These glasses are typically used to serve beer, and also often for cider. The glasses are usually conical in shape and has a slight ridge towards the top. There are different varieties of pint glasses such as Imperial Pint, American Pint and English Pint Glasses.
(9) Mugs and Beer Steins
In German, the word stein means stone. This glassware is simply a traditional beer mug made out of stoneware. It has a wide, cylindrical mouth and also thick glass walls to help keep your beer cold. The large handle makes it easy to carry your drink.
If you’re one of those who like to have your beers in large quantities, this one is for you.
GLASSWARE FOR BRANDY AND WHISKY
(10). Snifter
The snifter glass (also called Brandy snifter, Cognac glass, or balloon) has a very short stem, wide but round bottom and a narrow mouth. The short stem makes it easy to be cradled in the hand under the bottom so you can keep the drink warm. The wide bottom allows room for the aromas as you swirl and the narrow mouth traps the aromas and allows you to enjoy the intense smell as you sip the drink.
Examples: Mostly used for brandy, whisky and other brown spirits.
(11). The Glencairn Whisky Glass
The Glencairn whisky glass is a style of glass developed by Glencairn Crystal Ltd, Scotland specifically for drinking whisky with the purpose of getting the maximum flavors. It is not the only glass on the market that is designed specifically for drinking whisky, although it was the first to be endorsed by the Scotch Whiskey Association and is used by every whisky company in Scotland and Ireland.
FINAL THOUGHTS
We’ve said it all. Always make use of the proper glass when drinking wine, cocktails or any kind of drink. And in case you didn’t notice, we intentionally left out the famous Red Solo cup from this list. They are such a party staple and given that they are red, they hide what it is you’re drinking. So we couldn’t actually place it in any category.
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Thanks, as always, for reading. Always remember – The Abuse Of Alcohol Is Dangerous For Your Health. Drink Responsibly.
Yours in Style,
Kobi O. Mbagwu (Mr. Kobi)
Founder, MrKoachman.com
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