Martini, coupe, highball, rocks, and Collins glasses are essential for serving cocktails in the right style. Each glass enhances the flavour, aroma, and presentation of your drink, making it an important part of the cocktail experience.
A lowball cocktail glass, also known as an old-fashioned or rocks glass, is a short, wide tumbler typically holding 6 to 10 ounces. It has a thick, sturdy base, which makes it ideal for serving drinks over ice (also called "on the rocks").
Lowball glasses are commonly used for cocktails that are meant to be sipped slowly, such as whiskey-based drinks like the Old Fashioned, Negroni, or Manhattan.
They are perfect for spirits served neat or with minimal mixers, as their size allows for a solid ice cube or sphere that melts slowly without diluting the drink too quickly.
A margarita glass is a wide, shallow bowl on a stem, typically designed for serving Margarita cocktails. Its unique, flared rim and large bowl allow for generous garnishes, such as a lime wedge or salt, which are often used to enhance the drink through presentation and flavor.
The Margarita glass is iconic for frozen or on-the-rocks versions of the Margarita, a cocktail made with tequila, lime juice, and triple sec. The shape of the glass is ideal for sipping and helps to concentrate the aromas from the drink, making it perfect for enjoying this refreshing and tangy cocktail.
A coupe glass is a stemmed cocktail glass with a shallow, wide bowl and a curved shape, often associated with classic cocktails.
Originally popular in the early 20th century, the coupe glass was used for serving Champagne but has since become a go-to for cocktails like the Sidecar, French 75, and Negroni. The wide, open bowl allows for easy sipping and garnishing, while its elegant design makes it perfect for more refined and formal settings.
Though originally designed for sparkling wine, it is now a versatile glass that adds a touch of sophistication to any cocktail.
A flute glass is a tall, narrow stemmed glass with a long, slender bowl, designed specifically for serving sparkling wines like Champagne, Prosecco, and Cava.
The narrow shape of the glass helps preserve the bubbles and concentrate the aromas, making it ideal for enjoying sparkling beverages. The flute is designed to accentuate the drink and its effervescence, allowing the bubbles to rise in a steady stream.
While it is primarily used for sparkling wines, flute glasses are also sometimes used for cocktails like Mimosas or French 75s that include a sparkling element. Its elegant, tall shape makes it a classic choice for celebrations.
The martini glass was popularised in the 19th century and became iconic due to its association with the Martini, a classic cocktail made with gin or vodka and dry vermouth.
Its wide rim allows for easy sipping and garnishing, making it perfect for cocktails that are meant to be enjoyed without ice, such as a Martini, Cosmopolitan, or a Sidecar.
The elegant design and the ability to hold just a small amount of liquid make it a favorite for serving sophisticated, spirit-forward drinks.
A collins glass is a tall, slender tumbler designed for cocktails that require a larger volume of non-alcoholic mixers like soda, tonic, or juice.
It is ideal for long drinks served over ice, allowing enough space for the drink and ice while helping to maintain the drink's fizz. Typically holding 10 to 14 ounces, the Collins glass is often used for cocktails like the Tom Collins, Long Island Iced Tea, and Vodka Collins.
Its shape ensures the drink remains well-mixed and refreshing, making it perfect for cocktails that are meant to be sipped leisurely.
Shakers, strainers, jiggers, muddlers, and bar spoons are essential tools for making professional-quality cocktails at home. Each piece of cocktail equipment plays a key role in mixing, measuring, and serving drinks with precision and style.
A cocktail muddler is a bar tool used to crush or mash ingredients like fruits, herbs, and spices in the bottom of a glass to release their flavors and aromas.
The tool is typically made of wood, stainless steel, or plastic, with a flat or textured end for effective muddling. It’s commonly used in cocktails like the Mojito, where mint leaves need to be gently crushed to release their oils, or in drinks like the Old Fashioned, where sugar and bitters are muddled with citrus peel.
By breaking down these ingredients, a muddler helps to create more complex, flavorful cocktails.
A cocktail shaker is a bar tool used to mix ingredients by shaking them together, often to chill the drink and incorporate air for a frothy texture.
There are two main types of shakers: the Boston shaker and the cobbler shaker. The Boston shaker consists of two separate parts, a metal tin and a mixing glass, while the cobbler shaker has a built-in strainer and cap, making it more convenient for home use.
Shakers are essential for cocktails that include ice, like Margaritas, Daiquiris, and Mojitos, as they help blend spirits, mixers, and other ingredients thoroughly. The shaking process also helps to dilute the drink slightly, balancing the flavors.
A bar spoon is a long-handled spoon used in bartending for stirring and mixing drinks. It typically has a twisted handle, allowing bartenders to easily stir ingredients in tall glasses or pitchers without having to reach into the glass.
The length of the handle also makes it ideal for use in deep containers, like mixing glasses or pitchers, while keeping hands away from ice or drink ingredients.
Bar spoons are often used in cocktails that need to be stirred, like a Martini or Manhattan, and they can also be used for layering drinks due to their precision and control.
A blender is a common kitchen appliance used in cocktail making to blend, crush, and puree ingredients, typically to create smooth, frozen, or blended drinks.
In bartending, it’s especially useful for cocktails that require crushed ice or a smooth consistency, such as Margaritas, Pina Coladas, Daiquiris, and frozen fruit-based drinks.
Blenders help to combine ingredients like fruits, syrups, alcohol, and ice into a uniform texture, creating refreshing and creamy beverages. Some blenders come with different speed settings, allowing for control over the consistency of the drink, from a coarse slush to a fine, smooth mix.
A fine mesh strainer is a bar tool used to strain cocktails, ensuring a smooth and clean finish by filtering out small particles, ice shards, or herbs from the liquid.
It typically features a fine mesh screen and a handle, allowing bartenders to strain a drink into a glass or other container with precision. It’s often used when shaking cocktails with ingredients like citrus pulp or herbs, as it ensures the drink remains clear and free of unwanted debris.
A fine mesh strainer is an essential tool for drinks like the Martini or Daiquiri, where a smooth, well-presented drink is key.
A bottle opener is a simple yet essential bar tool used to open bottled beverages, such as beer, soda, or other drinks with a capped lid.
It typically has a metal or plastic design with a flat or curved end that hooks under the bottle cap, allowing the user to pry it off with ease. Bottle openers come in various forms, including handheld versions, wall-mounted openers, or keychain designs for portability.
They are crucial in bars, restaurants, and homes for serving drinks and are often kept close at hand for quick access when opening bottles.