subject: The Different Types of Barware [print this page] Unless you're a bartender, you're probably unfamiliar with the pairing of liquors to glasses. Or maybe you didn't even know that certain liquors are best served in different shapes and types of glasses. You probably know that a martini is served in a martini glass, a glass that is an upside down cone shape, and that beers are served in various glasses, pitchers, mugs, etc. Here's the low-down on different glasses and what's best suited to in them:-Beer mug: the traditional 16 oz. beer container, typically with thick glass and a big handle.-Brandy snifter: the shape of this class concentrates the alcoholic odors to the top of the glass as your hands warm the brandy. Although most commonly used for brandy, it's also a popular glass for other liquors.-Champagne flute: this tulip shaped glass is designed to show off the harmonious bubbles of champagne as they brush against the side of the glass and float up to form a sparkling mousse.-Cocktail glass: this glass is a triangle-bowl design with a long stem that's used for many straight-up cocktails (without ice) like martinis, manhattans, metropolitans, and gimlets. This glass is also known as the infamous martini glass, much like the ladies of Sex and the City drink.-Coffee mug: eggnogs, hot toddies, coffee with Kahlua or Bailey's....you get the idea.-Collins glass: much like a highball glass, more about that later, this glass is taller and was originally used for the line of Collins gin drinks and is now used for soft drinks, alcoholic juices like Mai Tai's and Bloody Mary's.-Cordial glass: small and stemmed glasses used for serving small portions of your favorite liquors (bourbons, scotches, whiskeys, etc.) for after meals or nightcaps.-Highball glass: a straight-sided glass serves many types of mixed drinks in an elegant way, like those served on the rocks, shots, and mixer combined liquors.-Hurricane glass: used for exotic/tropical drinks, this tall and elegantly cut glass is named after its hurricane-like shape.-Margarita glass: slightly larger and rounded approach to a cocktail glass, this class has a broad rim for holding salt, perfect for your favorite margarita, daiquiri or other fruit drinks.-Old-fashioned glass: a short, round glass suitable for cocktails or liquor served on the rocks.-Parfait glass: glass that has a similar inwards curve like a hurricane glass with a steeper outwards rim and larger bowl. Often used for drinks containing fruit (sangria) or ice cream.-Pousse-caf glass: Shape is designed to increase the ease of layering ingredients such as dessert drinks.-Red wine glass: a clear and thin-stemmed glass with a round bowl tampering inward at the rim.-White wine class: a clear and thin-stemmed glass with an elongated oval bowl tapering inward at the rim.
