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| TIPS FROM THE PROS |

A Touch of Glass

COUPE GLASS
As more people made cocktails at home during the past year and a half due to the pandemic , many started to give their bar tools and glassware some thought . It does help to have the right gear when you ’ re mixing drinks , and
the proper glass can enhance the experience . BY MELISSA But the array of cocktail glasses available can be overwhelming . Which drinks should be served in which glasses ? What are DOWLING the different kinds of glasses called ? Do you really need them all ?
No , you don ’ t need them all , especially some of the more novelty items such as Margarita , Hurricane , Tiki and Irish Coffee glasses . But it helps to have a few different types of glassware , such as those for tall drinks , short drinks and certain cocktails . Here ’ s an overview of some basic bar glasses and what cocktails they ’ re typically used for .
BRANDY SNIFTER
HIGHBALL / COLLINS
NICK AND NORA
FLUTE
MOSCOW MULE MUG
MARTINI
ROCKS GLASS
Highball / Collins glass . These tall , skinny glasses work well for spirits mixed with tonic or soda , such as the namesake Collins , among other drinks served with ice .
Lowball / rocks glass . Use these short , wide vessels — sometimes referred to as Old Fashioned glasses after the classic cocktail — for drinks or straight spirits served on the rocks ( over ice ). There ’ s also a double rocks ( or double Old Fashioned ) glass that ’ s not really double in size but is a few ounces larger .
Martini glass . The instantly recognizable V-shaped standard is made for , well , Martinis , and most any drink served up ( without ice ). Martini glasses provide a dose of retro cocktail cool , but the wide rim can cause contents to spill .
Coupe glass . These used to be known as Champagne
glasses until a few decades ago when people started using flute glasses for Champagne . Now they ’ re more like all-purpose cocktail glasses and often stand in for Martini glasses .
Flute . Also called a Champagne flute . These replaced the classic coupe as the preferred vessel for sparkling wines , as the smaller mouth means less surface area , which protects the bubbles . ( Note : Many wine experts say that the best glass for drinking sparkling wine is a white wine glass , which is somewhere between a flute and a coupe .) Flutes are typically used for sparkling wine cocktails such as the Mimosa and the Bellini .
Nick and Nora . These look a bit like miniature wine glasses , with a wider rim like a coupe . They can be used for any cocktail you ’ d serve in a coupe or Martini glass . Where does
the name come from ? Nick and Nora Charles , the main characters in The Thin Man movies , who enjoyed their capers with cocktails in the petite glasses .
Brandy snifter . These are for , naturally , brandy and Cognac . The rounded shape enhances the aroma while the short stems enables you to cup the bottom of the glass and warm the liquid . Several brandy-based beverages , such as the Brandy Alexander , Brandy Milk Punch and B & B ( brandy and Benedictine ) are generally served in snifters , as well as some dessert cocktails and Tiki-style drinks served over crushed or pebble ice .
Moscow Mule mug . You absolutely don ’ t need this specialty cup — a rocks glass , or really any glass , will work fine . But if you happen to make a lot of Mules , the copper mugs are fun , unbreakable and they keep the drinks ice cold .
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