Barware
B&J – Barware
Barware encompasses everything you need to prepare and serve alcoholic beverages. This includes glasses, shakers, mixers, utensils, and tools, all of the accessories necessary for mixing a good cocktail. When it comes to supplying your home bar with the right barware set, you may not need as many glasses and accessories as your local pub. But you still want to be ready to entertain on a moment's notice.
So let's take a look at all of the essential glassware and accessories you should have to complete a luxury barware collection beyond cocktail making equipment to mix the drinks.. If you have a preference for a certain type of drink, then you can focus on purchasing the glassware needed for that type of cocktail.
Cocktail Glasses
This glassware has that instantly recognizable cone shape atop a short stem, ideal for drink recipes that call for three to six ounces of beverage volume.
Although these are often called “martini glasses”, they are used for martinis, cosmos, Manhattans, and sidecars all of which are typically served without ice. The wide mouth of the top allows for a slow enjoyment of your preferred cocktail. But it's that broad profile that makes storage of these glasses a bit of a challenge. You need a lot of space to accommodate even just a few of them.
No luxurious barware set is complete without cocktail glasses and you can find them in a variety of styles and stem colors and shapes. As for the stem, it does a play a crucial role in keeping your drink cold.. You are supposed to hold the glass at the stem to prevent the natural heat of your fingers from warming the beverage.
Tall Glasses
There are a number of cocktail recipes that are supposed to be served in a tall glass. Everything from a gin and tonic to a Long Island iced tea to high-balls and Collins cocktails. Tall glasses are intended for drinks that require around eight to sixteen ounces of beverage volume.
With that being said, there are two common types of tall glasses – the high-ball glass and the Collins glass. They are nearly identical to one another in appearance with subtle differences found in the height and width of the glass. The taller and more narrow of the two glasses is the Collins. The high-ball glass will usually top out at about ten ounces, while you can fit just a little more in a Collins glass.
Unlike cocktail glasses which receive the drink after it's been mixed and shaken in a shaker, tall glass cocktails are usually created inside the glass itself. You add a little ice, pour in your chosen alcohol and mixer ingredients, stir and enjoy. These are much slimmer than cocktail glasses and you will have an easier time storing more of them in a limited space. They're also great for everyday use when consuming non-alcoholic beverages like juice, soda, or lemonade.
Tumbler Glasses
These are the shorter counterparts intended for use with drinks that call for up to eight ounces of beverage volume. Tumblers or lowball glasses are used for mixed drinks like Old-Fashoned's or to pour some whiskey or scotch with a few “rocks”. You can find Tumblers in two sizes, a six to eight ounce or ten to twelve ounce version. The larger size versions are good for drinks that are served with ice while the smaller sizes are better for drinks served “neat”. You can use ice in both, but the larger size affords more room to make it a double.
Much the same as tall glasses, these shorter alternatives are also relatively easy to store without taking up too much space in your bar cabinet.
Wine Glasses
The oenophiles out there are well aware of the many different types of wine glasses that exist to complement any elegant barware collection. But if you're one of those folks who just enjoys a nice pour of wine without worrying about serving the Pinot in a Cabernet glass, wine glasses can be broken down into two categories just like the wine itself – red and white.
Red wine glasses are typically tapered at the rim with a rounder profile. White wine glasses are taller and more narrow with a wider rim. There's nothing wrong with purchasing a set of standard red or white wine glasses even if you are a connoisseur of the grape. You can enjoy any type of red or white in the appropriate glass and use them to serve up wine cocktails as well. There are even stemmed and stemless options from which to select for your bar. The stemmed glasses are more traditional while the stemless alternative is a more modern and easily portable option for taking your wine on the go.
Beer Glasses
While they may not be considered the common components of a fancy barware set, no home bar is complete without at least a few beer glasses at the ready. Similar to wine glasses, beer glasses come in different shapes and sizes for serving certain styles of beer. Each one designed for showcasing the foamy head and aroma of the beer.
The most popular is the pint glass, and for good reason, because this type of glass can also be an extremely valuable bar accessory for use in mixing drinks before they're served. Many bartenders will build a mixed drink in a pint glass because it holds sixteen ounces worth of liquid. Slap a shaker on top and give the drink a good shake before pouring into a cocktail or high-ball glass. As a beer glass, the pint glass is the ideal all-purpose option that can accommodate any style of beer.
If you're a beer aficionado who knows an India Pale Ale from an Imperial Pale Ale, then you may want to stock your barware collection with glasses specially designed for serving pilsners, ales, and lagers.
Pilsner Glass
Pilsner glasses typically hold between 10 and 14 ounces. The fluted shape (which can be more or less exaggerated) is used most often for lagers, and almost exclusively when pouring a pilsner, and the wider rim allows for a good head.
Beer Mug
Mugs are nice because you can hold onto your beer without warming it with your hands. The thick base also means they can handle a good hit on the bar top. Perfect for the average lager, frosted beer mugs are commonly used in bars.
The volume of a beer mug will vary greatly. Many will hold between 10 and 14 ounces; those with a thicker base barely holding 10 ounces. You may see these deceptively smaller ones at bars because they allow for a shorter pour. If you don't care if it's draught, you may get more beer by ordering a bottle.
Ale Glasses
If you enjoy ales, there are two glasses worth considering. Both styles are designed to show off the beer's head and color, while the bulbous shape traps its complex aroma. These beers are often best served at cellar temperatures (around 50 degrees Fahrenheit).
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