Glass apart

BENGALURU: Behind every Instagrammable cocktail, is the right glassware! While glassware is an essential part of presentation, it would pay to know that it is in the right glassware that a cocktail finds its best flavour. With an array of glasses in different shapes and sizes behind the bar, how does a bartender pick the right glass for a cocktail? Quite naturally, contents of the cocktail, such as the type of alcohol, non-alcoholic mixer and type of ice, influence the taste of the drink, but the glass plays the role of enhancing its flavours. 

Here are a few time-tested tips to help you select the right glass for you cocktail: 
Cocktail glass: A cocktails glass refers to the typical wide-mouthed stem glass that is traditionally used to serve a martini. This kind of glass is best suited for drinks that are served without ice, and are rich in aroma and flavours, as the shape of the glass allows the nose of the drinker to come close to the surface of the drink every time they take a sip. The stem allows the glass to held in such a way that the drink does not come in contact with the hand of the person holding it, thereby maintaining its cold temperature. Today, this kind of glass, along with its many variants, is used to serve cosmopolitans, gimlets, grasshoppers, and more. 

Highball glass: A highball glass is used for cocktails that contain a large amounts of non-alcoholic mixers, and those which are poured over blocks of ice. Given that the cocktail contains ice and that it has more liquid content as well, this kind of a glass structure makes it convenient for the drinker to hold as well as consume the drink with ease. Highball glasses are usually used to serve cocktails like long island ice tea. The Collins glass, which is a taller and narrow-mouthed version of the highball glass, is used to serve cocktails like cuba libre, wherein the carbonation of the cola has to be maintained.

Lowball glass: A lowball glass is used to served cocktails that require ingredients to be muddled in the glass. Therefore, such glasses are shorter to allow the bartender to muddle the ingredients, like mint, lemon, spices etc., easily. These glasses also have a thicker bottom for the same purpose. Classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned and Negroni are served in lowball glasses.

Irish coffee glass: The Irish coffee glass is built with a small handle on the side to allow the drinker to hold the glass comfortably, especially because the drink is served warm. Such glasses are made with heat-resistant glass, and also used to serve other hot cocktails like hot toddy. 

Wine glass: Although not a cocktail, each kind of wine deserves its own glass type owing to its unique qualities. The sight of a wine glass usually hints at a time for merriment and relaxation. And what makes it better is pairing it with the right glass.  Red wine is usually served a wide-bottomed stem glass, which has enough room to swirl the wine, allowing it to aerate. White wine is served a stem glass that has a smaller mouth so as to contain the wine from getting oxidised too fast, Champagne on the other hand, is popularly served in tall and thin flute glasses, which preserve the bubbles and protect the sparkling wine from going flat.
The author is resident partner and mixologist, The Reservoire – Cocktail Bar