Glasses are an essential part of the cocktail drinking experience. Not only do they hold the drink, but they can also enhance the flavors and presentation. Knowing the different types of glasses and their uses in cocktails can help improve your drinking experience. Here are some of the main types of cups and their uses.
Old Fashioned Cup
The Old Fashioned tumbler, also known as a rocks tumbler, is a short, sturdy tumbler with a wide base and thick walls. It is used to serve whiskey-based cocktails such as the Old Fashioned, which is named after the glass. The Old Fashioned glass is perfect for cocktails that are served "on the rocks", i.e. with ice.
Highball Cup
The Highball glass is a tall, straight glass that is used to serve cocktails that are diluted with a large amount of soda or tonic water. Examples of cocktails that are commonly served in a Highball glass include the Gin and Tonic and the Mojito. The Highball glass allows the drink to be mixed well and also enhances the effervescence of the soda or tonic water.
Martini glass
The martini glass is perhaps the most iconic cocktail glass. It is a cone-shaped cup with a long stem and a wide base. The Martini glass is used to serve cocktails that are mixed with ice and then strained, such as the Martini and Cosmopolitan. The shape of the Martini glass helps keep the drink cold as it allows you to hold the glass by the stem, thus preventing the heat of your hand from warming the drink.
Glass of Margarita
The Margarita glass is a wide, curved glass with a long stem and wide base. It is used to serve Margaritas and other similar cocktails. The Margarita glass is often rimmed with salt, which enhances the cocktail's flavors. The shape of the glass also helps to enhance the presentation of the drink.
Glass of Champagne
The champagne glass is a tall, narrow glass with a long stem and a wide base. It is used to serve champagne and other sparkling cocktails such as Mimosa and Bellini. The champagne glass is designed to bring out the fizz of the champagne as the narrow shape of the glass helps retain bubbles for longer.
Glass of Beer
While beer is not a cocktail, there are various beer glasses that are used to enhance the beer's flavors and presentation. For example, the Pilsner glass is a tall, narrow glass that is used for serving Pilsner beers, while the Stout glass is a short, wide glass that is used for serving stout beers.
Shot Glass
The shot glass is a small glass that is used to serve alcoholic beverages in small quantities, usually at one time. It is commonly used to serve tequila shots, vodka and other spirits.
Knowing the different types of glasses and their uses in cocktails can help improve your drinking and cocktail making experience. Each glass is designed to enhance certain aspects of the beverage, be it the flavor, effervescence, presentation or temperature. Therefore, it is important to choose the right glass for the right cocktail.
