Kiss Cocktails - Introduction to Kiss Cocktails - Back to Basics

Glassware

Glassware is one of the most important parts of a cocktail. Displaying the drink is what people expect to see, and the glassware frames the drink perfectly. A lot of people drink with their eyes, so to see a perfectly mixed cocktail in the correct glass is a winner every time.

Martini Glass

Often called a cocktail glass, the Martini glass is designed to keep your mixed drink blended. The shape prevents the ingredients from separating.

When held by the stem, the drink stays chilled.

Hurricane Glass

The hurricane glass is a stylish glass used for daiquiris, piña- coladas, and tropical rum drinks.

A multi-purpose glass, and you can be forgiven for pouring most drinks into one.

So called a Hurricane Glass, named after the shape of a Hurricane lamp.

Collins Glass

A 12oz, tall thin glass used to serve a drink called a Tom Collins, from which it is named.

The Collins glass is somewhat narrower, and holds less than the similar highball glass.

Highball Glass

Highball, or Hi Ball glasses vary in size and height. Most commonly it's a tall glass holding about 12oz. It is the basis of most drinks.

Again a multi-purpose glass, and you can be forgiven for pouring most drinks into one.

Old Fashioned Glass

This type of glass is used for many different kinds of drinks.

It is a shorter version of a highball glass, sometimes known as a lowball glass or even a rock glass.

Brandy Snifter Glass

A snifter is a short-stemmed glass whose main vessel has a wide bottom that narrows at the top. It is often used to serve brandy. The large surface area helps evaporate the brandy into aroma, while the narrow opening helps to trap the aroma of the drink in the glass.

Sour Glass

A cross between a champagne flute and a wine glass. This glass looks like an egg sitting on a stem. Mostly used for sour drinks, such as whiskey sour, rum sour etc.

Champagne Flute

The champagne flute is a stem glass with a tall, narrow bowl. The bowl is designed to retain the champagne's carbonation, by reducing the surface area at the opening of the bowl.

The flute has largely replaced the champagne coupe or saucer, the shape of which allowed carbonation to dissipate even more rapidly than from a standard wine glass.

Red Wine Glass

Glasses for red wine are characterized by their rounder, wider bowl, which gives the wine a chance to breathe. Since most reds are meant to be consumed at room temperature, the wider bowl also allows the wine to cool more quickly after hand contact has warmed it. Red wine glasses can have particular styles of their own.

White Wine Glass

White wine glasses are generally narrower, although not as narrow as champagne flutes. The narrowness of the white wine glass allows the chilled wine to retain its temperature for two reasons;

1. The reduced surface area of the glass means less air circulating around the glass and warming the wine.

2.The smaller bowl of the glass means less contact between the hand and the glass, and so body heat does not transfer as easily to the wine.

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