Types of glasses for wine, beer, spirits and cocktails. Detailed guide. Long read

Which Glass for Which Drink and What They're Meant For

Every time we drink wine, beer, spirits and cocktails they have been poured in a glass and we rarely think about the shape and form of it. You might know why wine glass looks the way it does or that spirit and cocktail glasses are much different for a good reason, but we want to go even further and share the knowledge of glasses used for different drinks and why it is important.

This is going to be a long read, so take your time and get ready to become an expert in glassware!

Why Use Different Types of Glassware?

You might be wondering whats the big deal with a shape of a glass, but it turns out it does affect the taste of your drink. The glass itself of course does not change anything in your favourite drink, but it helps a lot to release the aromas the way your month and tongue would benefit from. It also helps to keep your drink cool or warm for longer time, thanks to well thought-out design. So the most important thing you need to know about any type of glass it is built with a purpose to enhance aroma and keep correct temperature for the best drinking experience.

Now the tricky part is to know which drink goes with which glass and we are here to help you once and for all to find this out. So before updating your home bar and serving your guests with a professional look on your face, check out our very detailed guide of glassware.

Our guide is split by types of drinks and we have created a content navigation for ease of use, but we encourage you to read it all inside out. There will be things that will surprise you, we were very surprised to find out how many glasses there actually are. So get your favourite drink and lets explore all things in details!

Different Types of Wine Glasses

Every wine is special, would it be sweet or dry, strong or light and has its own way of serving to get the best of flavour potential.

In addition to proper serving temperature each wine type has a specific style of glass for service, it will help to explore the complete taste and enjoy your wine the way it was supposed to be.

Let's see what are the glasses available for red, white, rose, dessert and sparkling wines.  

Anatomy of a Wine Glass

Every wine glass is composed of four parts - the base, the stem, the bowl and the rim. The base as you might have guessed is what gives your glass its stability. The stem elongates the glass and gives your hand a space to hold onto, without making your drink warmer. It also helps to prevent fingerprints on the bowl of the glass, to keep it clean and nice.

The bowl is where the wine is waiting for your sip, arguably the most important part of the glass. The bowl needs to be large enough to comfortably swirl the wine without spilling or splashing it, retain and concentrate the aroma of the wine.

Large bowl is needed to serve full-bodied red wines, because they need the room to breathe and to release their aroma.

Smaller and narrower U-shape bowls are used to serve white wines, this shape still gives enough room for white wine to release the aroma, but more importantly it helps to maintain cooler temperature of the white wine.

For the sparkling wines flutes are used most often, they are narrower and longer to keep the bubbles last longer.

The last but not least important part of wine glass is its rim. It is the uppermost part of the bowl. A thinner rim is less distracting drinkers as they taste the wine, while thicker rounded rim is usually the sign of a cheaply made glass.

To keep it simple, just remember that red wine glasses are typically larger and flatter as they need to allow more air to contact the wine to oxidise it. White and rose wine glasses are more narrow with a taller U-shape bowl to maintain the temperature.

Red Wine Glasses

Burgundy Wine Glass

This is a big wine glass with a wide bowl made specially for complex aromas and delicate red wines. It brings wine more towards the tip of your tongue to feel all the nuances of wine taste and its thin rim makes it easy to drink from.

This glass is a great choice for a lighter delicate red wines such as Pinot Noir, Beaujolais, Burgundy and Dolcetto.

Bordeaux Glass

Tallest wine glass with a broad bowl, splashes the wine to the back of the mouth minimising bitterness and maximising the flavor spectrum. Thanks to the height of the glass it helps ethanol to dissipate on the nose.
It is perfect for full-bodied and heavy red wines such as Sirahs, Malbecs as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc.

Pinot Noir Glass

The unusual form of this wine glass is to make sure it comes in contact with more air to improve flavor and aroma. This glass is easily interchangeable with a Burgundy glass.

If you love Pinot Noir (like we do), here is your perfect glass for it, but it also goes well with other light red wines.

Cabernet Sauvignon Glass

Thanks to its shape this glass directs wine to the centre of your tongue, which helps to moderate acidity of heavy wines. It enhances the smell of the wine and gives it plenty of air to breath.

It is perfect for Cabernet Sauvignon and other bold wines and is not as tall as Bordeaux glass. Also some variations of this glass do have a very narrow rim.

Standard Red Wine Glasses

This is a general type of red wine glass, it goes well with medium to full-bodied red wines with or without spicy components.

Due to the small opening your tongue will meet flavor of the wine as a continuous flow, which helps to soften the spicines and rich flavors.

It is perfect for red wines such as Zinfandel, Shiraz, Carignan, Merlot, Chianti, and Malbec.

White Wine Glasses

While red wines are served at a room temperature, white wines are served chilled. This is the key difference in serving white wines, which greatly impacts design of a glass. Even though white wine still needs some air to open up an aroma, it is nowhere near to the needs of a red wine. So the white wine glasses are typically made of thicker glass to help them stay cooler for longer.

Chardonnay Wine Glass

Spicier and nuttier white wines such as Chardonnay and other full-bodied wines, need more surface area to bloom. Larger opening guides wine to the tip and sides of your tongue to help feel the sweetness of it.

The bowl gives just enough air to concentrate the aroma of the wine, while larger opening balances out the sweetness and acidity.

A perfect glass for a Chardonnay as well as full-bodied wines like Semillon and Viognier.

Sauvignon Blanc Glass

This one is our favourite, since we prefer light to medium-bodied fruity white wines. A tall glass with slender bowl helps to catch fruit and floral aromas and guide them straight to your nose and since sides of the mouth detects acidity the most, this glass makes your tongue to take a U-shape form.

Best for white wines such as Sauvignon Blanc, Bordeaux (white), Fume Blanc, Loire, Vinho Verde, Chenin Blanc, Muscadet, Muscat Blanc, and Pinot Grigio.

Riesling Sweet and Standard Sweet Wine Glass

It is a smaller glass with a smaller rim, which guides wine towards the center and the back of the mouth to avoid overwhelm from the sweetness.

Best for Riesling sweet and other sweet wines, such as Zinfandel, Sauvignon Blanc, and Gruner Veltliner.

Montrachet Glass

For the whine wines with a complex notes such as Montrachet you will need a large bowl to allow heavy complexities contact with sufficient air and open up.

Large opening will help to smell complex aromas and enable wine to flow from edges of your tongue to taste sour and acidic flavors.

Best for complex white wines, such as White Burgundy, Corton-Charlemagne, Meursault.

Sparkling Wine and Champagne Glasses

We all know these types of wines of course, the usual glass shape is upright, narrow bowl to preserve the bubbles from running away too fast and keep the flavor, but there are some variations to know as well.

Flute Wine Glass

They can be short to medium length with a long, narrow and upright bowl. Bead at the base makes bubbles to gather and quickly rise.

Flute is perfect for bubbling wines like Astis, Champagne as well as Cava, Franciacorta and Prosecco.

Tulip Wine Glass

Tulip is a bit different glass and is generally preferred for wines that have been fermented in the bottle. Bigger surface area gives more room for oxygen and opens up aromas.

Narrower top prevents excess carbonation from escaping and directing aroma towards your tongue instead of the nose.

Best for mature Champagne, Cava, Franciacorta, Prosecco and Asti.

Coupe Glass

This glass with a short, yet broad and shallow bowl enables the wine with plenty of oxygen, which makes sparkling wine bubbles to run away too quickly. If you are not a fun of bubbles this is a perfect glass for you, otherwise it is also used to serve cocktails.

Best for small amounts of Champagne, Cava, Franciacorta and Prosecco for a themed event and cocktail party.

Rose Wine Glasses

Rose wine glass will have a similar characteristic of a white wine glass, since both need to be server cold. Depending on maturity of rose wine the top of the glass can be more narrow or broad to regulate the level of air for wine to breath.

The more important part for rose wine glass is a longer stem to prevent warming your drink. The top of the glass below will help to enhance sweetness and minimise any acidic aftertaste.

Dessert Wine Glasses

The glass for the dessert wine is usually a bit smaller due to the high alcohol level of dessert wines. The purpose of a dessert wine glass is to direct the wine to the back of the tip and back of the mouth to help you detect its sweetness.

Sherry Wine Glass

This glass is best for the portion of cold sherry. Its size is ideal for the dessert wines and its form will enhance the sweetness without overwhelming you.

Best for sherry, cordial and other dessert wines.

Port Wine Glass

One may say this glass is a perfect one for a dessert wine tasting thanks to sloped lip that brings the sweetness to the front of the tongue. Narrow mouth rim reduces evaporation and concentrates the aromas, while taller bowl form allows for sufficient swirling.

Best for Port and other dessert wines.

Sauternes

This unusual glass shape is specifically designed for a barrel-aged sweet wines. It is perfect for dessert wines such as Ausbruch, Sauternes, and  Monbazillac.

Types of Beer Glasses

There are many different kinds of beer out there and its no wonder there are different types of glasses to serve this amazing drink.

Fans of beer would say it is best to own your personal glass or two to enjoy this drink. We could not agree more with this, since every beer glass is designed to please your nose first before the vey first sip.

Apart from enhancing your tasting experience of every beer kind, the purpose of each beer glass is to showcase its glory. After all we all enjoy looking at the beer foam its bubbles and color as much as we enjoy every sip isn't it?

Traditional pint glass

The one we all know and love, the common pint glass, which is a preferred choice of many pubs and restaurants for serving beer. Thanks to its shape this versatile glass complements most types of beer and can be used to serve pretty much anything from ales and stouts to IPA's and lagers.

Also the pint size and shape can vary slightly from country to country, the most popular pint glasses are American and English.

Whatever the version you prefer this pint glass is a good choice to enjoy your beer and is easy to clean and store.

Pilsner glass

As you might have guessed this glass was originally designed for the Pilsner beers, but in time it got used with lighter beers like lagers and blonde ales.

Pilsner glass is made of a thinner glass and has distinct elongated shape, which can have some curves to it or be simply straight.

The reason for it to be that long is to showcase the golden hue and clarity of the drink. Thanks to the narrow base it will make all the bubbles to rise to the top and more wider mouth rim will present beer's amazing flavor and aroma at its best.

Tulip beer glass

Tulip or a Belgian glass features a rounded bowl on a small stem, this glass helps to capture beer's aroma. The outward rim gives a space for a foamy head.

This glass is best suited for strong beers with ample hop, so it is your choice for stouts, saisons, Belgian beers and other ales.

Thistle beer glass

This glass is a stretched-out version of tulip with less curves. It helps to easily swirl the contents to release the aroma and is best for Scottish ales and double IPA's.

Beer mug

For keeping your beer as cold as it should be you need a beer mug, which was evolved from traditional German beer stain and is a great choice for a wide range of beer types.

It wont transfer the warmth of your hand thanks to its handle and thick glass and gives a convenient way for toasting and cheering. You can also keep this beer mug in a freezer to get a frosted effect for that extra tasting crisp.

Rye or stange glass

This tall and slender beer glass is named after German word for "pole". Despite its simple form, it functions similar to the champagne flute glass intensifying flavors and preserving bubbles and foam.

This glass capacity is usually of 6.5 ounces (192 ml), but can be found in larger sizes as well. A rye glass is recommended for delicate beers, such as kolsh or bock.

Ale glass

This glass is also known as a nonic pint glass and is so much alike to American pint glass. The bulge about 2 inches (5 cm) below the mouth rim serves a purpose to protect the rim from being chipped and gives a firmer grip for easy cleaning.

It is best suited for ales, IPA's and stouts.

Snifter

A large bowl with a footed stem of this glass makes it easy to swirl the contents to release the aromas. It is recommended to avoid filling this all the way up to the rim to give some space for the foamy head.

Usually this type of glass is used with stronger beers, such as double/imperial IPA's as well as Belgian IPA's.

IPA

This glass became popular around 2013 and is perfect for aerating hoppy varieties. The series of ridges toward the base are there to help beer to release aroma and flavor and lock it in the rounded mouth rim.

Some versions of IPA glass feature etching on bottom to release carbonation and push bubbles to the top of the glass.

It is a big capacity glass of 19 ounces (561 ml), so it will take a good time to enjoy your drink.

Goblet beer glass

Goblet (or chalice) is an unusual beer glass with a long and thick stem with a wide bowl. Wide mouth rim directs beer to the back of the tongue to help taste it bitterness.

It is best suited for consuming heavy malt beers, including Belgian ales and German bocks.

Lager

Since lagers can vary widely it is not that simple to pick one specific glass that will fit it perfectly. What we can say for sure this drink needs a glass that locks in carbonation, which makes bubbles to rise up and helps to release lager aroma.

Keeping your foamy head as long as possible is another important factor to enjoy your lager. So to sum up it is best to use a tall and slender glass for lager.

Dimple beer mug

This dimpled glass is called Krug (jug) seidel (mug) in German. It is very durable and quite comfortable to hold. A massive handle makes it easy to grab and hold.

It is the strongest beer glass and is great to serve a strong malty flavors such as lagers, stouts and porters.

Beer stein

This is an iconic German mug with intricate designs referencing Germany and Bavaria. It is mostly a decorative piece for beer fans since it is usually made from porcelain, stoneware and silver.

The key element of this mug is its hinged pewter lid that covers the top and includes a thumb lever for ease of opening with one hand. Even though you can serve beer in this mug we would advice against it and keep it as a great decoration.

Tasting

A tasting glass as you might have guessed is best for tasting the beer thanks its compact size. You are more likely to see these at a local brewery tour.

They come in different shapes to promote specific characteristics of each beer and their purpose is to help you decide on which beer you like most.

It only holds a fraction of the pint usually anywhere from 2.5 to 6 ounces (73 to 177 ml). Beer connoisseurs also use tasting glasses as a way to enjoy more expensive brews.

Beer boot

This beer glass is well known to anybody who have been to Oktoberfest before. It is called "Das Boot" and there are plenty of theories why it has such form.

Back to the days of leather footwear, soldiers had an initiation ritual, where one would need to drink the beer from a leather boot as a sign of loyalty. Whatever the history, this glass simply looks cool and would make a great souvenir.

Types of whiskey glasses

When it comes to spirits, whiskey is a widely known one without a doubt. Thanks to different production technologies and types of oaks used for maturing this drink there are plenty of features to showcase.

The best whiskey or scotch glass is a matter of personal preference, but we would like to show what are your options and highlight important parameters to pay attention to.

1. Whisky Glass Structure

Quality whiskey needs a room to breathe and remain accessible to your nose. It needs a space for easy swirl around. The shape and texture of a glass can greatly impact your tasting experience of this drink.

2. Glass Feel & Characteristics

A great whisky glass needs to feel good in your hand, every details is important including its weight and grip. If the glass feels uncomfortable you need to pick the one that fits you best.

3. Whisky Glass Appearance

When it comes to ascetics of the whisky glass some would say it needs to look as good as it feels. Again it is down to your personal preference, but a good looking whisky glass only makes serving better.

Let's explore various whiskey glasses and their features to better understand where they fit in your home bar.

The Old Fashioned (or Rocks) Glass

Whatever is your style of drinking whisky either neat (no ice), on the rocks (with ice) or in cocktails, this glass is a standard choice of serving it.

This glass is usually 7 to 12 oz (200 to 350 ml) in capacity and has a wide brim for ease of adding ice cubes.

Glencairn Whiskey Glass

This glass was the first to be endorsed by Scotch Whisky Association and its elegant shape is derived from traditional nosing copitas used in Scotch and Irish whiskey distilleries.

It is designed to maximise the aroma and is very comfortable to hold in your hand.

The Shot Glass

Although whiskey is usually a long drink, small amounts of it can be consumed from a shot glass. There is no space for ice and no time to wait, so your favourite bar is most likely to use this glass to avoid over-pouring.

Neat whiskey glasses

It is surprising to know that this glass was a result of a mistake in a glass blowing factory. During the testing it was revealed that NEAT glass shape is perfect to direct harsh alcohol vapours away from your nose.

So here it is NEAT or Naturally Engineered Aroma Technology glass, that squeezes the lighter molecules of ethanol out and keeping heavier more enticing molecules within whisky.

It is a perfect glass for those only starting their journey with whiskey, because it is easy on your nose and will help to appreciate the aroma. Drinking from it might take a bit time to get used to due to unusual shape, but it will showcase the best of the whiskey for sure.

Snifter Glasses

This glass is designed for a seasoned whiskey drinkers who want to better taste their drink. It is a short glass with a wide bottom and narrow top best suited for slow tasting top-shelf whiskey.

Norlan Whiskey Glass

This innovative glass is designed to capture the complex flavors of whiskey, a protrusion inside the glass creates a wave when whisky is swirled enriching it with oxygen and making ethanol to evaporate faster. This results in a much smoother and softer aroma.

Thanks to its design and Pyrex glass it will also help to keep your whiskey cooler for longer and maintain a steady temperature. It is perfect for both drinking and tasting.

The Highball Glass

If drinking whiskey in a cocktail is your thing, then look no further as this glass, which is named after the cocktail is a perfect match.

Thanks to its height, the highball glass is ideal for cocktails with higher portion of non-alcohol mixer.

BrüMate NOS'R Stainless Steel Whiskey Nosing Glass

This sleek, stylish and sophisticated glass is 20 times better at managing steady temperature than a glass tumbler. Designed specifically to accentuate the spirit's aroma.

This is your choice for the perfectly cool whiskey and is well suited for outdoor drinking thanks to being shatterproof and rust-resistant.

Diamond glass

As the name implies this glass is inspired by the shape of a diamond. This unique shape allows for more air access as the drink is poured into the glass. It is perfect for whiskey as well as bourbon and scotch.

Twisted Whiskey Tumblers

This stylish 10 ounce (295 ml) glass is very versatile and durable. It will be your perfect companion during cozy evenings or poker parties. By the way it comes with a lifetime warranty.

Different Types of Cocktail Glasses

Cocktails are the best party friends and since there are so many of them no wonder that there are plenty of cocktail glass options out there.

Each cocktail glass is designed to present the complexities of aroma mix, control the temperature and showcase the flavor and color of beverage. The presentation is probably the most important part and you don't want to take the wrong glass to ruin taste experience.

Highball Glass

The highball glass is a standard choice of every bartender when it comes to making a cocktail. Tall and narrow with plenty of space it allows to prepare the cocktail inside the glass by pouring over different ingredients.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Seven and Seven, Scotch and soda, Gin and Tonic, Dark and Stormy, Bloody Mary and Rum and Coke

Lowball Glass

Lowball is also known as an old-fashioned or rock glass, is a shorter version of the highball glass and can be often used to serve spirits on the rocks such as whiskey.

Thanks to its base this glass is ideal for non-liquid ingredients such as mint and other herbs making it perfect for muddled drinks.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Old Fashioned, Negroni, Sazerac, White Russian, Rusty Nail

Collins Glass

Collins is also known as a cooler glass it is also much taller and narrower compared to a similar highball glass. It is often used for mixed drinks and helps to keep your cocktail chilled thanks for plenty of space for ice cubes.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Tom Collins, John Collins, Mojito, Harvey Wallbanger, Long Island Iced Tea, Paloma. But can be used for a large number of cocktails.

Zombie glass

This cocktail glass was used exclusively for the traditional zombie drink recipe (a blend of juices, rum and liqueur), but today it is used for may other popular cocktails.

The zombie glass is the tallest and most narrow among all cocktail glasses and thanks to its large capacity it can hold cocktails made with several mixers.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Zombie, Tequila Sunrise, Fuzzy Navel

Martini Glass

Thanks to a lot of marketing effort this glass is probably the most recognisable and stylish one. The V-shape bowl implies that a drink need to sipped so it is perfect for cocktails with little to no mixers.

Martini glass is not a cocktail glass per se, because its form is much different, but it is still very popular shape and great way to look like a James Bond, which indeed promoted this glass type to be used for many types of cold and shaken drinks.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Martini, Cosmopolitan, Sidecar

Margarita Glass

The iconic margarita glass with its round bowl and a broad rim as probably as popular as Martini glass if not more. Thanks its form there is plenty of room for garnishes to help enjoy the aroma and taste salt or sugar-coated rim with every sip.

A tall stem makes it easy to hold this glass even if it has a bigger capacity and is filled with ice. Whatever this size it is the best form to enjoy your margarita or daiquiri.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Frozen Margarita, Margarita on the Rocks, Daiquiri, Disarita

Copper Mug or Moscow Mule Mug

The copper mug is getting more popular in recent years because it is believed that copper is supposed to enhance the unique flavor of the drink. Most importantly these mugs are known for their instant ability to turn and remain cold.

Usually there is a handle to minimise the heat transfer from you hand and in order to avoid potential copper leaching into beverages these mugs are wrapped with another material such as stainless steel.

These mugs can also be used to enjoy non-alcoholic drinks such as ice tea and other chilled beverages.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Moscow Mule, Mint Julep, Greyhound

Julep Cup

These cups are similar to copper mugs and can quickly insulate cold beverages. Made popular by the Kentucky Derby, Julep cups are usually made of silver or pewter and are great souvenirs.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Kentucky Derby

Nick and Nora Glass

This glass is named after Nick and Nora Charles, characters from 1934 comedy-mystery movie "The Thin Man", which was based on the novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett.

It has a bell-shaped bowl sitting on a long stem and looks pretty similar to the white wine glass and is commonly used to serve shaken and stirred drinks. The capacity of this glass is not big at all only 5 ounces (147 ml).

Common cocktails for this glass include: Manhattan, Brooklyn

Coupe Glass

The coupe glass was originally designed to serve a champagne, but has become quite popular in recent years as a replacement for martini glass. It is very versatile and is commonly used to serve shaken cocktails and bubbly wines.

The shape of coupe glass helps to showcase the color of cocktail and its long stem prevents your hand from warming it.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Manhattan, Boulevardier, Gimlet

Hurricane Glass

This tall glass with a tulip-like shape, short stem and flared rim is perfect container for the hurricane cocktails with rum and several types of juice.

A standard hurricane glass has a capacity of 20 ounces (591 ml), which is ideal for serving so called tropical cocktails. Thanks to its flared lip the fruity aromas will hit your nose and there is enough space for garnishes to spice up the presentation.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Pina Colada, Singapore Sling, Hurricane, DonQ Mai Tai

Cosmopolitan glass

The "cosmo" cocktail can be easily served in a martini glass, but this short and stylish version suites it perfectly.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Cosmopolitan

Fizzio glasses

This elegant retro style cocktail glass with a wide, flat-base bowl on a straight stem is typically used for champagne and vintage cocktails.

Whether serving champagne, or cocktails, this shallow glass offers a unique presentation space.

Sling glass

The sling cocktail glass is an elegant highball and thanks to its size it is perfect to serve long drinks with ice. It is usually associated with a Singapore Sling cocktail.

Common cocktails for this glass include:  Long Island iced tea, Singapore Sling, Apple smash

Irish Coffee Mug

Not all cocktails need to be cold and there is no better container for your hot cocktail than Irish Coffee mug.

The rim of this glass ensures toppings like foam or whipped cream will stay in place and its comfortable handle will make sure you don't burn your fingers.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Irish coffee, Doublemint, Cozy PAMA Cider, Hot Apple Pie

Tiki Glass

A large ceramic cocktail container used be popular after the World War II, but has recently experienced its renaissance. A term "tiki mug" represents sculptural drinkware, it can vary in size and usually have no handles.

It is common to garnish your drink with a fruit, decorative drink umbrella and swizzle stick. Some people are simply collecting them, because outside of tiki bars and restaurants you wont see them much around.

Common cocktails for this glass include: The Royal Orchid, Passion Fruit Zombie, Voodoo, Kapalua Sunrise

Fountain Glass

This versatile glass is perfect for boozy ice cream floats or malts and can be used for a variety of creative appetizer and beverage serving ideas. A must have for every home bar.

Punch Cup

Smaller than other cocktail glasses punch cups are used to serve smaller portions of stronger drinks. You wont find them often in bars if it all, but your holiday party would benefit from it.

Some punch cups can come without a handle and can be made of glass, ceramic or silver. Before pouring a drink in a punch cup it is usually mixed in a bowl.

Common cocktails for this glass include: Fruit Punch, Blushing Tease, American Honey Lemonade

Glasses for spirits

There are a lot of different spirits out there and each one of them is special in their own way. We have found the glasses used for different spirits so you can present your favorite drink to showcase all the glory of it.

Cordial glasses

Cordial glasses are generally used to serve expensive after-dinner liqueurs. The use of cordial glass adds a touch of elegance to any event.

They are often made with thinner and more delicate glass and are also known as pony glasses. Cordial and liqueur are interchangeable terms.

Shot Glass

You sure know shot glass and have used it before for quick consumption of straight liquor. Small and narrow they are perfect to be used on their own or dropped into a cocktail to spice it up.

The taller version of this glass called "shooter" is often used for layered liquors to showcase their color and ingredients.

Shooter

Perfect for layered shots like B-52, kamikaze, lemon drop and many others. Usually contains the double portion of a shot glass.

Snifter

Snifter or brandy bowl is among the best drinking glasses for cognacs and brandies. Sometime it can be used to drink IPA's as well. It is a very versatile glass for spirits and if you would have only one choice for your home bar look no further.

Short stem and round bowl is a perfect combination for tasting and warming up your drink in a hand to open up all the aromas of cognacs and brandies.

Cognac glasses

It is a a version of a snifter glass also known as balloon glass with a short stem (or even without it) and a round bowl that is meant to be hold in a palm of your hand.

Wobble Glass

This unique drinking unspillable glass features convex bottom that rolls (wobbles) your drink around inside of the glass.

Absinthe Glass

Absinthe is a strongly flavored and highly alcoholic distilled spirit you will need to dilute with water by pouring it over a sugar cube.

Absinthe glass has a special design that helps you to prepare this amazing drink. You would need an original Absinthe glass and a spoon to prepare the drink according to traditional Absinthe ritual.

Original glass has just the right dimensions to place a sugar cube on top and a reservoir in the stem to measure the correct amount for serving a portion of a drink. This reservoir also helps to create a nice and thick louche. The louche is a moment when Absinthe changes its color from green to milky white as soon as it blends with water.

Grappa Glass

Grappa is made from pomace aka the skins, seeds and stems left over from winemaking and while some people think of pomace as a waste of winemaking the skin of a grape is actually the best part of it.

It should be served in proper stemmed glass, which is tall and narrow with a slightly wider opening at the top. Take your glass and swirl the contents around slightly to enjoy the aroma before the sip.

Ochoko cup

Ochoko cups are a small traditional cups for a sake. There is also a larger version of this cup called janome choko, which is used in professional sake evaluations.

These cups are usually a part of a set made from a glass or a ceramic, their design style can vary slightly so there are plenty of options for you to choose from.

We hope you did enjoy this guide and it helped to shed the light at different glasses and their purpose for each drink. As much as we have tried to cover everything here, there are more glasses than we can possibly describe. Hopefully it did show you a thing or two and will help to build your home bar the way you want it.

And if you managed to read this till the end, thank you for your dedication and interest!

Important disclaimer

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