A cocktail glass is a stemmed glass with an inverted cone bowl, mainly used to serve straight-up cocktails. The term cocktail glass is often used interchangeably with martini glass, despite their differing slightly. Today, the glass is used to serve a variety of cocktails, such as the martini and its variations (Gibson, French martini, vodka martini, espresso martini, appletini), Manhattan, Brandy Alexander, pisco sour, Negroni, cosmopolitan, gimlet, and the grasshopper. [1]
Invented in the late 19th century, its form derives from the fact that all cocktails are traditionally served chilled and contain an aromatic element. Thus, the stem allows the drinker to hold the glass without affecting the temperature of the drink, an important aspect due to the lack of added ice which in other drinks serves to cool the drink, [2] and the wide bowl places the surface of the drink directly under the drinker's nose, ensuring the aromatic element has the desired effect. In the modern day, cocktail glasses without stems are common; however, these glasses warm very quickly, a phenomenon the original stem addressed. [3]
Although the terms cocktail glass and martini glass are often used interchangeably, [4] [5] a martini glass is slightly larger, with a more conical rather than rounded shape, features a longer stem, and has a wider rim.
Despite a popular story that says the martini glass was invented during Prohibition so that in the case of a raid on a speakeasy, the large rim allowed the drink to be easily disposed of, [2] the martini glass was formally introduced in the 1925 Paris Exhibition as a modernist take on the Champagne coupe, [6] and wasn't originally used as it is today: in films of the 1920s it is shown to be used to hold champagne, like the coupe. However, despite the design taking influence from the geometric aesthetics of the era's architecture, interiors and furnishings, [7] it was designed less for aesthetics and more for functionality – with the longer stem reducing the warming effect of body heat upon the contents of the glass, and the widened brim increasing surface area, supposedly allowing the gin, the main ingredient in martinis, to release its bouquet. Steeply sloping sides prevent ingredients separating, and also serve to support a toothpick or olives on a cocktail skewer. [2]
The martini glass has somewhat fallen out of favour in modern times due to its tendency to spill drinks, and the coupe is sometimes used instead. [7] [8]
A standard cocktail glass contains 90 to 300 millilitres (3 to 10 US fl oz), [9] though originally they were around 120 millilitres (4 US fl oz) in size. [4] Oversized cocktail glasses, ranging in capacity from 180 ml (6 US fl oz) to large glasses of 350 ml (12 US fl oz) or more are available.
A margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Some margarita recipes include simple syrup as well and are often served with salt on the rim of the glass. Margaritas can be served either shaken with ice, without ice, or blended with ice. Most bars serve margaritas in a stepped-diameter variant of a cocktail glass or champagne coupe called a margarita glass. The margarita is one of the world's most popular cocktails and the most popular tequila-based cocktail.
A collins glass is a glass tumbler which typically contains 300 to 410 millilitres. It is commonly used to serve sparkling cocktails, especially long drinks like the Tom Collins or John Collins. Its cylindrical shape, narrower and taller than a highball glass, keeps the drink carbonated longer by reducing the surface area of the drink. It is a recommended glass for serving an espresso and tonic in.
The martini is a cocktail made with gin and vermouth, and garnished with an olive and/or a lemon twist. Over the years, the martini has become one of the best-known mixed alcoholic beverages. A common variation, the vodka martini, uses vodka instead of gin for the cocktail's base spirit.
A cosmopolitan, or, informally, a cosmo, is a cocktail made with vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed or sweetened lime juice.
A shot glass is a glass originally designed to hold or measure spirits or liquor, which is either imbibed straight from the glass or poured into a cocktail. An alcoholic beverage served in a shot glass and typically consumed quickly, in one gulp, may also be known as a "shooter" or “shot”.
A standard drink or unit of alcohol is a measure of alcohol consumption representing a fixed amount of pure alcohol. The notion is used in relation to recommendations about alcohol consumption and its relative risks to health. It helps to educate alcohol users. A hypothetical alcoholic beverage sized to one standard drink varies in volume depending on the alcohol concentration of the beverage, but it always contains the same amount of alcohol and therefore produces the same amount of drunkenness. Many government health guidelines specify low to high risk amounts in units of grams of pure alcohol per day, week, or single occasion. These government guidelines often illustrate these amounts as standard drinks of various beverages, with their serving sizes indicated. Although used for the same purpose, the definition of a standard drink varies from country to country.
A highball glass is a glass tumbler that can contain 240 to 350 millilitres. It is used to serve highball cocktails and other mixed drinks. An example size is 7 cm (3 in) diameter by 15 cm (6 in) in height. A highball glass is taller than an Old Fashioned glass (lowball), and shorter and wider than a Collins glass.
Stemware is drinkware that stands on stems above a base. It is usually made from glass, but may be made from ceramics or metals. The stem allows the drinker to hold the glass without affecting the temperature of the drink.
Various unique terminology is used in bartending.
A wine glass is a type of glass that is used for drinking or tasting wine. Most wine glasses are stemware (goblets), i.e., they are composed of three parts: the bowl, stem, and foot.
Beer glassware comprise vessels made of glass, designed or commonly used for serving and drinking beer. Styles of glassware vary in accord with national or regional traditions; legal or customary requirements regarding serving measures and fill lines; such practicalities as breakage avoidance in washing, stacking or storage; commercial promotion by breweries; artistic or cultural expression in folk art or as novelty items or usage in drinking games; or to complement, to enhance, or to otherwise affect a particular type of beer's temperature, appearance and aroma, as in the case of its head. Drinking vessels intended for beer are made from a variety of materials other than glass, including pottery, pewter, and wood.
The old fashioned glass, otherwise known as the rocks glass, whiskey glass, and lowball glass, is a short tumbler used for serving spirits, such as whisky, neat or with ice cubes. It is also normally used to serve certain cocktails, such as the old fashioned. The true old fashioned glass is decorated in the cut glass style, although most modern examples are pressed glass, made using a mold. The design is essentially English, from the late 18th or 19th century. Plain glass versions are lowball glasses.
The Vesper is a cocktail that was originally made of gin, vodka, and Kina Lillet. Since that form of Lillet is no longer produced, modern bartenders need to modify the recipe to mimic the original taste, with Lillet Blanc or Cocchi Americano as a typical substitute.
A champagne glass is stemware designed for champagne and other sparkling wines. The two most common forms are the flute and coupe, both stemmed; holding the glass by the stem prevents warming the drink. Champagne can also be drunk from a normal wine glass, which allows better appreciation of the flavor, at the expense of accentuating the bubbles less.
The Glencairn whisky glass is a style of glass intended for drinking whisky, developed and produced by Glencairn Crystal Ltd, in East Kilbride, a town near Glasgow, Scotland since 1981; originally designed by Raymond Davidson, managing director of the company. The shape of the glass is derived from the traditional nosing copitas used in whisky labs around Scotland. The glass design was concluded with the aid of master blenders from five of the largest whisky companies in Scotland. The glass first came into production in 2001. Since then, additional mini-Glencairns and Canadian Glencairns were introduced. The Glencairn glass is made in Poland.
A schooner is a type of glass for serving drinks. In the United Kingdom it is the name for a large sherry glass. In Australia it is the name for a particular glass size, used for any type of beer.
A hurricane glass is a form of drinking glass which typically will contain 20 US fluid ounces. It is used to serve mixed drinks, particularly the hurricane cocktail from which it is named, originating at Pat O'Brien's Bar in New Orleans. Other drinks served in this glass include the Singapore Sling, June bug, piña colada and Blue Hawaii. It is shaped similarly to a vase or a hurricane lamp and is typically taller and wider than a highball glass.
A tumbler is a flat-floored beverage container usually made of plastic, glass or stainless steel.
A Nick & Nora glass is a stemmed glass with an inverted bowl, mainly used to serve straight-up cocktails. The glass is similar to a cocktail glass or martini glass.
