The right glass for the drink
The glass changes the drink: how cold it stays, how the bubbles hold, how much ice fits and how it smells. Here is every glass in the book and what we pour in it.
Rocks glass
Short, wide and heavy-bottomed. The rocks glass (also called an old fashioned glass or lowball) holds spirit-forward drinks over ice, and it has room for one big cube that melts slowly so the drink stays strong and cold.
Highball
Tall and straight-sided, built for a spirit topped with a lot of mixer. The narrow shape keeps bubbles alive longer, which is why sodas, tonics and ginger beers go here.
Collins glass
Taller and slimmer than a highball. It is made for fizzy sours like the Tom Collins, with room for ice, citrus, soda and a straw.
Coupe
A shallow, stemmed bowl for drinks served "up," meaning shaken or stirred with ice and then strained with no ice in the glass. The stem keeps your warm hand off the drink, and the wide rim is harder to spill than a martini glass.
Martini glass
The classic V-shaped cocktail glass. It is great for stirred, ice-cold drinks like the Martini and Cosmopolitan. Chill it in the freezer first, and hold it by the stem.
Margarita glass
The wide, stepped bowl gives you a big rim for salt or sugar. Any rocks glass works just as well if you would rather not own one.
Hurricane glass
A curvy tall glass named for the New Orleans drink. It is the home of tiki and tropical drinks served over crushed ice with a lot of garnish.
Champagne flute
Tall and narrow, so the bubbles rise in a long stream and stay lively. Use it for sparkling wine cocktails like the French 75, Mimosa and Kir Royale.
Wine glass
A large stemmed wine glass is the standard for spritzes and sangria. The big bowl holds ice, bubbles and a slice of fruit, and lets the aromas build.
Shot glass
A small, thick glass, usually 1.5 to 2 ounces. It is for quick shots and for layered drinks like the B-52 that are meant to be seen.
Irish coffee glass
A heat-safe footed glass with a handle for hot drinks. You can watch the layers of a proper Irish Coffee, and your fingers stay cool.
Copper mug
The copper mug is the trademark of the Moscow Mule and its cousins. Copper feels icy cold to the touch, and it looks great on the table.
Julep cup
A metal cup that frosts over when packed with crushed ice and stirred. It is the traditional serve for the Mint Julep.