What’s in a glass
I have to admit, I’ve been drinking gin for the past 30 years out of a cut crystal tumbler that was my dads. Then, as a welcome to America present I was gifted a set of eight different glasses, one for every occasion that you might enjoy a gin. It was a bit of a ah-ha moment and I have never looked back.
Chosing the right glass to enjoy your gin in can not only improve the flavor and experience of the gin but also has some practical benefits, for example, stopping the ice melting. It took me a while to work out what works best in which glass but I now have it down. It also makes having friends round fun as we bring them all out and people chose their favorite for the evening.
Highball Glass - a long G&T glass
Don’t skimp on the ice when you serve using this tall straight glass. It holds around 8 to 12 and ounces and the beauty is that it keep the drink really cold without losing any of the bubbles. Use it for cocktails on the rocks. Show off your knowledge when someone asks if its a Collins glass. It’s not, it is slightly shorter and wider than a Collins glass.
Collins Glass - the clue is in the name
Named after the Tom Collins - lemon juice, sugar and club soda - this glass is the highballs big brother - taller, narrower, with a slightly larger capacity at 10 to 14 ounces. Designed to keep cocktails chilled it is best used for diluted drinks which call for a lot of ice and more than one mixer.
Rocks Glass - Perect for a spirited negroni
Also called an old fashioned or lowball glass, the rocks glass is short and wide with a sturdy bottom, it lends itself to drinks that require to be stirred not shaken and built over ice. Try a Negroni, the Italian aperitifo made of a mixture of part gin, part vermouth rosso and one part Campari and watch the orange color sparkle through the rocks.
Coupe Glass - enjoy a sophisticated gimlet
Coupes are making a bit of a comeback along as vintage has a renaissance. A sophisticated glass, it was originally designed for champagne. Unfortunately, bubbles disappeared quickly because of the large surface area making its name with sophisticated cocktails like a Gimlet, that require straining and served “up” with no ice. Enjoy the shape of the glass shows off the color of the cocktail and the long stem prevents your hand from warming the glass.
Martini Glass - Perfect for sipping a Vesper
The most famous cocktail glass, the martini glass looks stylish when held and lends itself to sipping or strained cocktails such as Martinis or Vesper. Today there are variations on the design from short cut-off stems to more curves but the basic sharp sided shape helps extra air open up the spirits, as well as preventing the ingredietns separating.
Hurricane Glass - use it for a singapore sling
This tall glass features a tulip-like shape with a flared rim and short stem. Seen mostly in beach side bars with creamy cocktails it serves up a perfect Singapore Sling allowing its fruity aromatics to shine.
My go-to GIN GLASS
THe “COPA”
Apart from sitting really nicely in the hand, the shape of the glass - large at the bottom and smaller at the top - concentrates the aromas of Two Shores gin with every sip.
This is it. My go to Gin and Tonic glass complete with California sunset. Bigger than a wine glass and with a great steam to hold onto it traps the gin’s aromas but still gives room to swirl the ice and garnish.