Setting up a home bar can be quite the task, considering how important it is to cover all kinds of tastes and preferences when it comes to drinking. Having a well-stocked bar, with all the fix-ins, garnishes, shaker and the works is necessary and what’s most necessary along with all of this is to have a limited but basic collection of cocktail glasses to serve up all kinds of drinks, when you’re hosting at home. Here are some of the usual suspects that could sit pretty on the shelves of your bar, without having you run around in circles and be confused.
Martini Glasses/Coupes
Image Credits: Wine Enthusiast Magazine
The martini glass is the ultimate cocktail glass and is used as a bar symbol across the world. Perfect to serve up drinks like martinis, daiquiri or just about any cocktail that is shaken/stirred and strained in without extra ice, the long stem of these types of glasses keeps the hand of the holder at a safe distance from the vessel of the drink, to prevent it from getting warm. On the other hand, the coupe glass started off as the champagne glass during the 70s and 80s, and later transitioned to being well-suited for holding cocktails instead. Serving drinks like the Sidecar or Manhattan in a coupe glass not only add to the aesthetics but also encourage the drinker to take their own time relishing the cocktail.
Rocks Glass
Image Credits: Tasting Table
Named after one of the most iconic cocktails of all time – the old-fashioned – the rocks glass holds an average of 180 ml of drink, with ice. Typically, it is perfect for drinks that are poured-over or built in a glass where you can mix it simultaneously before serving. Cocktails like the Negroni or mint julep are ideal to serve in this type of glassware, where muddling together of ingredients is also possible, thanks to its thicker base and outer walls.
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Highball Glass
Image Credits: Thrillist
Also known as chimney-style glasses, the highball glass might differ in shape and capacity from one another, depending on the size. Historically, it is said that depending on the volume of liquid each size of the highball could hold, the kind of cocktails served in them would change drastically. If you plan on sipping something cold, with plenty of ice and using a straw, the highball glass is an ideal choice to serve up a solid G&T, gimlet and even a vodka fizz.
Champagne Flutes
Image Credits: The Mixer
The fizziness of a drink like champagne means that the chances of it losing its effervescence in a smaller glass with more surface area is high. A flute, which is a tall, slim, stemmed glass made for the purpose of holding fizzy drinks like champagne allows for a greater texture to be experienced if the drink has bubbles. The deep walls of this glass lets the drinker visualise the rise of these bubbles to the top, which creates a foam-like layer at the mouth of the glass. It is also perfect to serve drinks like a Bellini or Mimosa at brunch.