What's the Right Glass for an Old Fashioned
The Types of Cocktail Glasses You Actually Demand, According to Beverage Experts
Photo-Illustration: The Strategist; Photos: Retailers
And then y'all're trying to set upwards a nice domicile bar (long gone are the days of drinking wine out of mugs), but the procedure is feeling a scrap overwhelming. Is there whatever difference between a highball and a collins glass? Are those V-shaped martini glasses actually a reasonable affair to own? What size coupe exercise y'all need? The practiced news is that buying cocktail spectacles doesn't take to be all that complicated — or expensive. Co-ordinate to Matt Piacentini, owner of the Up & Upwardly, a cocktail bar in the Due west Village, his team uses just five different types of cocktail glasses to make nearly of the drinks on its menu. JoaquÃn Simó, partner at Pouring Ribbons and Tales of the Cocktail'due south American Bartender of the Twelvemonth in 2012, makes information technology even simpler. "You tin make ninety percent of drinks in a rocks, a collins, and a proficient all-purpose cocktail drinking glass."
Regardless of what you lot make in them, the right cocktail spectacles for you are a matter of taste. The first rule of pollex, says David Fudge, co-founder of nonalcoholic-spirit make Aplós, is picking something yous would really relish drinking out of, considering "it's all near elevating the whole experience. For me, when you're drinking out of an antique crystal drinking glass, there's something about the potable that's more special, and it does gustatory modality meliorate."
To help you find your own perfect matches, we took a deep swoop into cocktail glassware, speaking with more than than a dozen professional person bartenders and boozehounds about their become-to pieces of cocktail glassware.
The most-recommended cocktail glass was the coupe glass, especially for someone who likes to get artistic with the drinks they make at home. In nearly modern cocktail bars, the coupe has dethroned the Five-shaped martini glass as the get-to. It holds about six ounces, which means you're drinking what Piacentini calls a "civilized" corporeality of booze. (Though if you want your glassware to be more than forgiving of spills, become for a coupe that'southward vii or eight ounces and so the drink won't come correct upward to the top edge.) Kimberly Hunter, CEO and founder of Potent Pours, appreciates the wider rim because that "means lots of garnish. It's versatile, also — I can sip Champagne without fear of losing my bubbles."
Coupe glasses are adept for cocktails served "upward," meaning they've been shaken or stirred with ice and so served chilled, without ice — like a martini — or fifty-fifty "frozé," equally Supergay Spirits co-founder Aaron Thorp suggests. The stem ways you don't heat upwardly the cocktail with your hand as you sip it. And though yous can spend hundreds of dollars on a prepare of coupe glasses, this probably isn't where you want to exist spending the bulk of your glassware upkeep. "A superexpensive coupe glass is simply going to be really thin and frail," says Piacentini, meaning information technology'south more likely to break.
While these are chosen champagne glasses (and yous can certainly utilize them for that), Landes thinks they're the ultimate vessel for learning how to make proper cocktails served upward at domicile. "If y'all're trying to strop in on your skills, size is important," he says. "Information technology'southward an indicator that yous've portioned out the right corporeality of everything." Correct now, they merely seem to be available in large sets — simply if yous become in with friends, it's a slap-up investment.
Hunter recommends these speakeasy-manner, upkeep-friendly coupe glasses that she says her "clients adore." They're eight ounces, so they'll be great for those wary of spills or who want more room for garnish.
Thorp prefers a classic set up to the fancy or trendy options out there. This one gets the job done, and considering it comes in a six-pack for only $40, y'all're not breaking the banking concern.
Evie Negri-Albert, all-time known on TikTok and Instagram equally Drinks by Evie, prefers something a little more upscale to the traditional coupe drinking glass. These have a frail but slightly dramatic shape, so if you're looking for something Instagram friendly (or to impress guests), these might be the best choice for you.
Negri-Albert besides recommends these textured glasses. They're x ounces, which is iv ounces higher up virtually skilful recommendations, so you'll have plenty of room for garnish — and peace of heed that you probably won't spill easily. (Right now, they're on backorder, just CB2 will ship them to you as soon every bit they get bachelor.)
If you practice, even so, want to splurge, consider these showstoppers. Jessica Manley, the other co-founder of Aplós, is of the listen-set that y'all should be excited past the glassware you lot use, and she'due south fatigued to the spunky, colored glasses Sir/Madam creates. These have a prissy vintage vibe to them, and in unique colors like "moon glow," "menthe," and "salmon," they double as kitchen décor. And not but are they made of a sturdy drinking glass, merely they're fifty-fifty dishwasher condom.
Tiffanie Barriere, founder of the Drinking Motorbus, calls these glasses "some of the all-time cocktail coupes I've seen in my entire life." The six-piece gear up comes in blueish, pink, or dark-green and is handblown in Poland — which explains the cost tag. If yous'd like to spend a trivial less, these colored coupes from W Elm might be a good alternative.
For his part, Landes thinks the V-shaped classic martini spectacles are due for a improvement. "They roughshod out of vogue, as things do," he says, "merely it's so funny that people merits they're hard to potable out of. If annihilation, they're easier. The beverage pours right into your oral cavity with the smallest of an bending modify."
A single rocks glass is "going to exist for anything neat, any spirit on the rocks," explains Piacentini, though you could as well use information technology for stirred, chilled, spirituous cocktails served "downwards," meaning they're served chilled merely in a glass without a stem. I such example is a Negroni, points out John Sergentakis — the regional sales manager for Nolet's Gin — made with gin, sweetness vermouth, and Campari. Piacentini too prefers these rocks glasses to snifters for brandy, since you're able to more hands smell the aromas.
The ideal single rocks glass is "somewhere between viii and ten ounces," says Simó. "That's enough where you lot could put a decent-size chunk of ice in there if you like making the fancy ice." And if you lot're going to splash out on one part of your glassware setup, make it the rocks spectacles. "Those are the spectacles where you're most probable to take the beverage that'll take y'all the longest to drinkable," says Piacentini. "You lot don't sit back in a comfortable leather chair with an up drinkable and sit at that place for 45 minutes with it, but yous will if it's something squeamish and stirred on a big piece of water ice. It'll last for that long." So information technology's worthwhile to splurge on a heavy-bottomed rocks drinking glass that feels balanced and good in your paw.
Fifty-fifty though our experts call up that rocks spectacles are completely worth spending your money on, it never hurts to explore a budget option. "I'm not afraid to say that Ikea does information technology correct," says Barriere. "They're consistent, and you're not so angry when you break i — you just go get some more than, and it's fine. I love that." This is a 10-ounce drinking glass, and then it's on the larger side for single rocks glasses. And the ridges go far expect a chip more special than just a regular glass. "People will say, 'Oh, I actually similar that glass,'" and I'll say, 'Ikea,' and they'll be very impressed," Barriere adds.
Barriere raved about its coupe spectacles simply notes that the company has other options, like wine glasses with and without stems and these rocks glasses. This sophisticated set is inspired past vintage glassware, and thanks to the loftier-quality glass, they're sure to last.
Negri-Albert agrees that rocks glasses are "extremely important for some of the most classic cocktails," and if she's going to spend the money on new glasses, she heads to Nude Drinking glass. She'south particularly fond of this ridged option, but if you'd like something a niggling more plain (and less expensive), the brand has lovely options for that, also.
A double rocks glass, also sometimes chosen a double old-fashioned, should only be about 2 ounces bigger than a single rocks glass, not twice the size. Jake Republic of ireland, CEO and founder of bourbon brand Off Hours, keeps this fashion of glass on his own bar, noting it works for "any fashion you take your bourbon — keen, on the rocks, or in a cocktail." Because of the larger size, it's a touch more than versatile than the single rocks glass, since information technology can fit more than. "We would do a julep in those — crushed ice all the manner. Only when you need a niggling more room, or y'all've got a drinkable like an former-fashioned or a Manhattan on the rocks," says Piacentini. You could as well put margaritas in these glasses instead of getting a defended margarita drinking glass. That'south why, if you're but going to get one type of rocks glass, the double rocks drinking glass is generally more than versatile.
Ireland calls this CB2 set up "affordable and modernistic still classic at the same time." The glasses come in a set of eight, so you'll have enough for post-pandemic dinner parties. And even though they are on the cheap side, Ireland promises they're nonetheless high quality.
If you lot're tight on space, these CB2 spectacles, which come recommended by Negri-Albert, can be stacked up, so they'll take up less room on your bar or bar cart. And while they're user-friendly, they're still dainty-looking and mature.
Hunter says she'southward "literally drooling over only about all" of the glasses at CB2, only she's particularly drawn to this one, because the wide oral cavity of this glass gives "room for garnishing the top of the drinking glass." If you're feeling fancy, she adds, "you can besides garnish the outside of the drinking glass for an elevated cocktail look."
"I like something super-commonsensical for a double rocks drinking glass with understated style," says Thorp. These Libbey glasses fit the bill for him because they're classic-looking and functional. Plus they're actually a great deal — you get 12 glasses for $50, with each glass coming out to just over $4.
At $fifty a pop, these are a bit of a splurge, only Ireland promises they will "last a lifetime." He notes that they're handblown past Andrew Hughes himself in Brooklyn, then each one is custom.
There is technically a difference between a highball and a collins glass: "A highball is a alpine, skinny glass. A collins is just a taller drinking glass," Piacentini says. Collins glasses are unremarkably a couple ounces larger than a highball, but only due to the boosted height. But there's really no need to go into the weeds on this one — Negri-Albert says the terms are interchangeable in the drink world, so yous don't actually need to become both for your dwelling.
These tall, chimney-shaped spectacles are good for gin-and-tonics, vodka-sodas, and whiskey and gingers merely can be repurposed for tiki drinks made with crushed ice. They're likewise "super-acceptable for nonalcoholic drinks," adds Negri-Albert. As far equally size is concerned, bigger isn't necessarily meliorate. "Yous don't want a 16-ounce collins glass, because you're going to be hammered afterward your 2nd Tom Collins," says Simó. "Become most a 12-ounce highball or a collins drinking glass, and you'll exist fine." If you're even so unsure, go for the highball. "As a bartender, I would say 90 pct of my drinks were poured in a highball glass," estimates Sergentakis.
"My favorite highballs are from Kimura," says Thorp well-nigh this Tokyo-based brand that besides comes recommended past Fudge. "While they're expensive, they're stunning to apply because they feel weightless in your paw." The company has been making glasses for over 100 years, and it actually supplies glass for different bars and restaurants around the globe, so if yous're looking for true bar-quality glasses, these are probably a good choice. The brand also offers hundreds of other glass types — from coupe to wine spectacles — so you can shop for more than just highball-way pieces.
If you like the way of the Kimura Glass options — but not the cost — this Nude Glass ready recommended by Negri-Albert is quite like. Information technology'southward not as thin or delicate, but it is less than half the price.
Negri-Albert likes this unproblematic and elegant highball drinking glass. Information technology's also role of a total collection, so yous tin outfit your whole bar with this cut-line style.
Like most CB2 options, these spectacles are affordable and easy to replace while notwithstanding being overnice-looking. While they have a heavy base of operations, the walls are all the same thin, so they feel a bit college quality.
"The ripple drinking glass was the glass of 2020," says Landes (though that doesn't mean they don't look just equally good in 2021). It seemed like everyone was buying (and companies were knocking off) this style. They look sophisticated, but with a flake of intrigue from the textured sides and different-size bases.
Nick and Nora spectacles are starting to become as common in craft-cocktail bars as coupes. "Nick and Noras are more than bong shaped, in between a coupe glass and a very small wine glass," says Piacentini. "In a perfect world, I love Nick and Nora glasses for stirred-up drinks and coupe glasses for shaken-up drinks," considering the smaller Nick and Nora glasses fit 3 to four ounces of liquid perfectly. Though if you are looking to keep your glassware to a minimum, in that location's cypher you lot would serve in a Nick and Nora glass that yous couldn't also serve in a nice coupe. Nick and Noras are also by and large a little fleck more specialized and therefore harder to source.
Landes notes that Crate & Butt "practice a skilful job of staying on tendency." He's specially fond of the brand'southward Nick and Nora spectacles. They feel more than refined in terms of "density and shape" than a lot of the models you observe in restaurant catalogues — and they exit a bit of room for garnish at the top.
Nosotros also like this set of four glasses from Food52. Yous can purchase a "total bar" set, as well, which is sixteen glasses and comes with coupe, martini, fizz, and Nick and Nora spectacles.
Shelley Kleyn Armistead, a partner at Gjelina Group who is in accuse of the interior design and tableware, recommended the tumbler size of these glasses for a roundup nosotros did on the all-time drinking glasses — but the group actually uses the medium ones for margaritas at its restaurants. If yous desire something versatile that can exist used both for bar and kitchen, these sustainably made beauties are a great pick. They're currently bachelor for preorder.
"Tiki glasses can sometimes lean theatrical," says Landes, "until you meet Viski." These spectacles somehow read equally sophisticated, even with details like carved-out faces, dissimilar-sized bubble ridges, and gold armor. "They're elegant and fun at the same time," Landes says. The Crystal Highball glasses he pointed to in item are currently sold out, though you can become notified when they become available — and store the make'due south other delightful options in the meantime.
Libbey strikes again, this time in the form of a (relatively) understated pineapple-patterned tiki glass, recommended by Chockie Tom, founder of the pop-upward Doom Tiki.
"Information technology's a petty up to personal sense of taste," says Piacentini, who doesn't similar the "traditional shot drinking glass that'south stubby and wide and has the line around it." Sergentakis likes any style as long as it's glass. What both Piacentini and Sergentakis agree on is that a shot drinking glass should never be filled all the way to the tiptop, and it should be big enough then that you don't spill. "If you get an ounce shot glass, it gets messy," notes Sergentakis. "Ounce-and-a-half shot glass, and I'd recommend you lot pour an ounce in it so y'all've got a little room to thanks."
This gear up of eight is from sturdy drinking glass. They say less "college frat party" and more like "adults having a proficient time."
These glasses were mentioned in a holiday-party piece we published last month by upshot planner Lilli Sherman, and they're so gorgeous, they're definitely worth a spot on this list. Each 1 really doubles as a cocktail glass (the bigger size) and a shot glass (the smaller size), and then it'due south a two-for-one bargain wrapped upward in a brandish-worth drinking vessel. Sherman likes to employ hers for sipping amaro and other digestifs, too.
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