Cocktail 101: A Guide to Glassware
Have you ever looked at the vast array of glassware available on the shelves of your favorite store? The amount of variety can be totally overwhelming even to a veteran gin-drinker. Have no fear, though. There are a few staple pieces that can work for nearly any gin cocktail you want to create.
We are going to be focusing on three must-have gin vessels in this blog:
Stemmed glasses
Rocks glasses
Chimney style glasses
This set of basics should suffice for any cocktail you may encounter. To supplement the basics you may want to add a copper mug or a set of champagne flutes (just incase you’re in the mood for some bubbly, right?).
Martini Glass, Coupe, and Balloon Glass
The martini glass is one of the most iconic bar symbols around. They are seen on countless neon signs and are probably one of the first things that comes to mind when people think of a cocktail glass. The elegant V-shape has its drawbacks at times, and that’s when the coupe glass comes in. Martini glasses can be easily tipped over if you’ve had a little too much celebration. However, the coupe glass is adapted to hold cocktails perfectly. We like to have both on hand. Reserving the V-shaped cocktail glass for what its most famous for: the martini. Anything else, goes into the coupe! The wide brim on both of these glasses creates an easy way for the aromas to waft your way while drinking.
The balloon glass, also known as Copa de Balon style is a lovely vessel best paired with a G+T. Originally from Northern Spain, the Copa can be filled to the brim with ice and hold garnishes of your choice. The shape of the glass seems to contain all of the amazing botanical scents of the gin and its garnishes.
Gin cocktails that are best served in a martini or coupe glass:
Martini
Aviation
Gimlet
Gibson
Gin Sour
Cocktails that are best served in a balloon glass or Copa:
Gin and Tonic
When selecting glassware for a cocktail there is a simple rule of thumb. When you’re serving a stirred or shaken drink, without ice, use a stem glass. There is an exception for the ice rule when it comes to serving up your G+T’s in a Copa. The stem lifts the bowl of the glass up and away from your hands, keeping the drink cold, which could otherwise be warmed up by your hands.
Rocks Glass, Low Ball, or Tumbler
A well-crafted rocks glass has a thick bottom, to allow you to craft your gin cocktail in the glass, perfect for muddling any ingredients. What that means is, you're not using a cocktail shaker to build the cocktail; you're mixing it in the same glass in which you're serving it, usually directly over ice.
Cocktails that are best served in a rocks glass:
Negroni
Gin and Tonic
Bramble
Gin Fizz
Most folks use a rocks glass for spirits that are “on the rocks” or served neat. We like to utilize rocks glasses for drinks that are sweet, served over ice, or stronger cocktails that can be overwhelming in large doses. The only complaints about the rocks glass, aside from its many aliases, is its size. Why? Because we want more room for gin, of course!
Collins Glass, High Ball, or Delmonico Glass
The chimney-style glass goes by a few different names: the Collins, Delmonico, and the high ball. Each type of glass has a slightly different shape and capacity, while retaining the same basic form. The Delmonico is the smallest, at 5-8 ounces; the highball at about 8-12 ounces, and the Collins at 12-16 ounces. Historically, they were each used for a different type of cocktail, but we’ve recently seen bartenders mix it up and use them for all kinds of different gin drinks! These glasses are suitable for cocktails with lots of mixers and plenty of ice. Gin and tonics are often also served in a highball or Collins glass, but once you try the balloon glass for your G+T its unlikely you’ll ever go back.
Cocktails that are best served in a chimney-style glass:
Tom Collins
Gin Fizz
Gin Rickey
Gin and Tonic
Highball glasses are easy to find and can hold all types of simple or complex cocktails. They hold a larger volume of mixers, fruit, and ice which makes them a staple in our collection.
That’s it! Those are our most basic must-haves when it comes to selecting the best gin vessels for your cocktail needs. If you’ve stocked up on the basics, make sure you check out some of the amazingly crafted specialty glasses to spice up your collection.