Glassware Behind the Bar

Glassware is the last addition to any drink you serve.  As such, it should be clean and pleasing to the eye.  Steins, Pilsners, sour glasses, ponies, tumblers, etc.  represent examples of the many different styles of glassware on offer.  The subject of glass in how it is manufactured or styled represents a formidable subject.  We’ll only be focusing on the most common glassware found behind most any bar.  Here is your basic primer on bar glassware.

Heavy-bottomed and stackable, these glasses are durable and hold up to heavy machine washing.  Many can be combined with the short tin from a stainless steel Boston Shaker to mix up a cocktail.  You’ll build and serve any two-step drink such as a Cuba Libre, Screwdriver, or  Cape Cod in these.  Often cocktails commonly served in an Old Fashioned glass may be augmented and served instead in a highball.  Cocktails found in a highball include the Mojito, Ramos Fizz, Harvey Wallbanger, Pimm’s Cup, Greyhound, Bay Breeze, Madras, and Moscow Mule to name a few.

**Avoid putting cold glasses in scalding water as the temperature contrast may cause cracking.

A standard all-purpose wine glass is shaped to capture the fragrance of the wine and allow guests to nose its aroma. Whether serving white or red wine, it should never be more than halfway full.  Many hold up to heavy machine washing, but watch the stems when drying afterwards.  Commonly used to serve specialty drinks such as Sangria or a frozen daiquiri.

**If two stacked glasses become stuck place the bottom glass in warm water and fill the top with cold water.  The expansion and contraction of the two should safely separate them.

The ubiquitous pint glass is used for beer and cocktail building behind most bars.  When paired up with the large tin from a stainless steel Boston Shaker, it can shake up several cocktails.  They are stackable, durable, and able to handle heavy machine washing.  It is most commonly used to serve  the Black and Tan, Boilermaker, Shandy, and Margarita.

These will be the throne for your most cherished drink creations.  They can be pre-chilled in a freezer or refrigerator; just take care because when frozen they are much more prone to breaking.  Many are fine being heavily machine washed.  These are used to serve up the Cosmopolitan, Martini, Manhattan, Sidecar, and many others.

The narrow-shouldered cousin of the wine glass, a champagne flute’s shape is designed to showcase the effervescence of the champagne it holds.  Some can be durable and take regular machine washing, but take care as their stems are easy to break.  These are commonly used to serve cocktails such as the Belllini, Kir Royale, Mimosa, and French 75.

Some spots offer up Double Old-Fashioned glasses which hold 15 ounces and are aesthetically pleasing for serving spirits on the rocks.  Most are durable and can hold up to heavy machine washing.  These tumblers can be used to serve spirits straight, aka neat, or fully built cocktails.  Among the cocktails you’ll build and serve in these glasses are the Old Fashioned, Mai Tai, Rusty Nail, Negroni, White Russian, and Caipirinha.

Some places refer to these as Jiggers, and they can be used for measuring ingredients in building drinks.  Short and stout, they can handle heavy machine washing and many spills and drops. They are commonly used in cocktails such as Boilermakers, Irish Car Bombs, and Jägerbombs.

The wide bottom and narrow lip of this glass allow for the capturing of a spirit’s fragrance.   Designed for refined enjoyment by connoisseurs who often hold and nose their brandy like wine enthusiasts at a tasting.  The short stem and rounded bottom allow the guest to warm the drink with their hand.  These aren’t normally designed for heavy machine washing and are better off being hand washed.  It can also be used to serve  anise-flavored liqueurs such as Ouzo or Sambuca.

Some notable omissions to this list include an Irish Coffee mug, Margarita cocktail glass, and a large beer mug.  The drinks they serve are often set in varied glassware depending on the establishment’s taste.

When a Glass Breaks

If ever a glass should break any where near an ice chest, immediately cover the ice in Grenadine and tell your coworkers.  Quickly fetch jugs of hot water to burn the ice off and with a thick cloth wipe the chest clear of any glass debris.  This is one of the 3 commandments of bartending we covered in another post.  You can find them here.

Now take what we’ve covered in this article and go make a million!