As you can see I am an enthusiast when it comes to glassware. I’m constantly looking for different glasses to add to my collection. Glassware, in my opinion, can make or break your cocktail. It can even inspire a cocktail. Now I don’t know everything extensively but I know which cocktails are best in which glass. I know which glass would be best for what cocktail I’m creating.
**Also most cocktail recipes will dictate which glass the cocktail should be presented in.
Back to basics
There are plenty of charts out there to study glassware. Here are a few examples
Now I don’t have every glass in these charts but I have more than just the basics. I’m not going to go through every glass but I will go through some of my favorites and give you examples of cocktails for those glasses.
Coupe
This is my favorite. I have several styles of coupe. A coupe glass is used for “straight up”, shaken or stirred drinks. I used them for most of my egg white drinks because they display the foam so elegantly.
Collins
This is my husband’s favorite specifically because he is a huge fan of Tom collins. I started using them for mojitos, Palomas and Gin Fizz drinks. Needless to say, we used these glass alot during the summer.
These tall glasses keep your cocktails chilled and is best used for drinks that are diluted with a lot of ice and contain more than one mixer. The Collins glass is named for the Tom Collins cocktail, but can be used for any cocktail over ice.
Snifter
Now this glass I came across by an accident. I found a set of these glasses at a second hand store. I thought it would display some of my drinks beautiful, enhance the aroma factors plus I just thought I’d look cool drinking out of one.
Now I’m going to be clear I am not using this glass for what it is actually intended for. It is not usually for cocktails. But rules are made to be broken in my book. I still do want to give you the right information. So do with is what you like.
A brandy snifter is a short, wide, stemmed glass used to serve (you guessed it) brandy. It resembles an extraordinarily squat wine glass, with a voluminous bowl and low center of gravity. A snifter can be used for any spirit, really (and a number of cocktails), but it’s most commonly associated with cognac, other brandies, whiskey, and port or other fortified wines
Old Fashioned /Rocks/lowball
Now my husband was the one who told me I had to buy these from the get go. These are 3 different types of glasses but they come from the same family and are pretty interchangeable for the most part.
These glasses are used for serving spirits with ice. They are also used for serving cocktails such as the old fashioned (hence the name). Because of their strong base they are great for drinks that require muddling.
Where did you get yours?
Now there are plenty of options to find decent classware like amazon, seasonal stores, department stores and such. For unique styles you have to look around. I also ask people where they get theirs when I see something online I like. Just by asking I have found some great companies. I’m going to talk about some of those finds.
Viski
So I bought from this company because they make the most beautiful Spritz glasses. No one else had this specific design (that I could find).
I have also used this glass to experiment with presentations for other cocktails such this watermelon mojito because of its wide shape I can use my larger ice cubes with it.
It’s also great for a frozen daiquiri or margarita. I made a delicious creamy frozen lemonade, seen below which was a big hit!
Now Viski has their own website but if you Google search they are sold through different departments stores and Macy’s had them on a killer sale at the time so I couldn’t resist.
Both links are below:
- Macy’s:
https://www.macys.com/shop/product/viski-raye-amaro-spritz-glasses?ID=10094223
- Viski:
Raye Angled Crystal Amaro Spritz Glasses Set of 2
CB2
Now I was introduced to this company by Join_joules who I follow on Instagram. I have mentioned her in the past and probably will in the future. She is a wonderful resource with good taste in style and an amazing pallet and that’s all I have to say about that.
This website is perfect for starting a bar. They have so many choices and the prices are ridiculously cheap.
https://www.cb2.com/dining/drinking-glasses/1
Crate and Barrel
Now I just came across this website fairly recently when I was looking for a specific styled glass. It is very similar to the CB2 store. Similar, even cheaper prices than CB2. I just recently ordered a set of glasses and I can’t wait to try them out. Here’s what I ordered.
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/can-glass/s430391
You’re garbage, My treasure
So I have always loved thrift stores since I was little. I even worked at one for 3 years during college. I love seeing other bartenders/mixologist venture out for glassware and pieces at their local second hand shops. There’s just something about finding the “perfect piece” for a fraction of the price. Not to mention you can find some pretty unique designs. I see this section in such a different light since I started making cocktails. I can see so much more potential when I really look. I recently ventured out with friend to one of my local Amvets and found a few “perfect pieces”.
Here’s what I got
So these are some of the items I’ve found recently and over the last 2 years from thrift stores and some examples of how I use them.
They’ve got even nicer ones
So when I’m looking for more sets or pairs of glasses I go to another thrift store called Savers and I’ve found some pretty nice sets. Everything is more organized. Sometimes it ends up being cheaper because you pay for the set instead of individually. Here is one of my favorite finds!
And that’s not all folks!
So I don’t just look for cocktail glasses on these excursions. There are so many different types of glassware to find and add to your practice. Jars, platters, glass bottles, punch bowls etc are also great finds. Here are some of my finds put into use!
My most recent find is this beautiful punch bowl and 8 glass set. It was priced at $9.98 with 50% off! Not bad for a piece like this. I can’t wait to use it to entertain the holidays!
What can I do with this. I’m not going to actually make a punch because I have no one to drink it. So I took one of my cocktail recipes and adapted according to the standard measurements I found in my research. Here it is!
Autumn Punch
- 2 cups of white rum
- 1 cup Evan Williams Spiced Apple Cidar
- 1 cup pear juice
- 2 cups apple cidar
- 1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 cup pear syrup
- Top with whole bottle(in my case 1 liter) of Sparkling limon soda
- Apple slices,pear slices, orange wheels, cinnamon sticks
You basically pour everything in the punch bowl and add large ice cubes.
** You can always put out Prosecco or some other desired sparkling wine for people to add to the glass.
So Let’s make some cocktails
So I chose 2 of my glasses from my thrift store collection. Here we go.
Cloudy Sunshine
- 1 1/2 Italicus Rosalio Bergamotto Liqueur
- 1 oz Or-g liquor
- 1/2 oz blue curacao
- 1/2 oz blueberry simple syrup
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 4-5 blueberries
- Edible flower and lime peel garnish
Add blueberries, syrup and lime juice and Muddle. Add Italicus, curacao, Or-g liquor and add ice. Shake and then double strain. Now it’s time to garnish.
Side Note:
I decided to try a new garnish that I came across while researching. Here it is:
Now on the the next
Afternoon Delight
This was inspired by
- 2 oz Homemade butterfly pea tea gin (1/4 butterfly pea tea and 3/4 gin)
- 1 oz Chambord
- 3/4 oz Sirop Co. Earl Grey syrup
- 1/2 oz fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1 egg white
- Top with Sanpellegrino limonata sparkling soda
- Dehydrated lemon and edible flower for garnish
Add strawberries, syrup and lemon juice and Muddle. Add Chambord, gin and egg white. Dry shake. Add ice and shake vigorously. Double strain and tope with soda. Then garnish with lemon wheel and flower.
Now go out and build you glassware collection!
The Amateur Mixologist 