What To Serve Your Drinks In

Although the blog is dedicated mostly to cognac doesn’t mean we always have to focus on cognac. As you already know we are cognac drinkers but we often enjoy wine, martini, whisky and sometimes beer. We thought for a change we would cover other drinks as well.

A lot of times when I am invited to parties or social gathering I find myself in an awkward spot. I see the host serving a drink in a rather inappropriate glass which for me is a major pet peeve. If a red wine isn’t served in a glass it belongs to, I find it quite uncomfortable. Please note that this might be just me, I just happen to be a little too picky when it comes to my drink and what they are contained in.

Now that I have made the reason clear for the post, lets go ahead and talk about what kind of drinks should be served in what kind of glassware. I drink moderately and have included glassware for some of the drinks that I regularly tend to drink.

Cognac

Cognac is best served in a tulip shaped glass or a snifter. A snifter is a glass that has a wide bottom and a narrow top which is mostly used to serve brandy. Snifter is ideal for serving cognac because the narrow top will help trap the aroma of cognac inside the glass so you can enjoy each sip.

Pinot Noir

If you are serving Pinot Noir choose a long stem generously sized glass that will let the wine breath and the bouquet bloom. The design of the glass should be such that it helps the wine linger on the front of your palate which is achieved by a narrow top.

If you would like to take a more “trendy” take on serving on Pinot Noir you can also choose a stemless glass. These glasses also have similar characteristics to allow you to get the most out of your pinot noir,

Beer

Personally, I am not a big beer fan but that is definitely one thing we cannot miss when we are talking about serving drinks. I mean beer is one of the most popular drinks that is available anywhere no matter what. First thing first, never drink beer in a frosted glass. The reason is because as soon as beer is poured into a frosted glass, condensation dilutes the beer and the temperature plunges and the flavor is lost. There are many different glasswares that you can serve beer in. Although I don’t like beer as much, if I have to I will drink ales.

Ales are best served in pint glasses because the head is easy to see and well, they look good. There are many kind of pint glasses, straight sides, handled mugs and others.

Beer Mug – if you want to drink beer like a man as they say it, this beer mug might be an ideal choice

Red Wine

If you are going to drink red wine you should definitely choose a proper glass to drink or serve it in. Red wine should be served in a glass that has a large bowl and plenty of breathing room for the wine. The rim should be flared so the front of the palate gets all the fun, while the fruit flavors and acidity is balanced.

Bourbon

Bourbon is recognized as the “distinctive product of the United States” and a drink that is distinct should be drank in a distinct glass. If you truly want to enjoy Bourbon choose a slightly tulip shaped glass with a slightly belled bowl. This will allow you to enjoy the aroma and the balloon makes it easier to warm the bourbon. Although most people say snifters are good for bourbon as well, we disagree.

Martini

Martini is one of the most popular drinks as you already know it. We all know the kind of glass a martini should be served in but we still had to include it in this post. The tip of a martini glass should form a 90 degree angle in the cross section. The long stem allows you to hold the glass without affecting the temperature of the martini.

Keep in mind that although martini, cognac, bourbon glasses all have stems there is a different approach to holding them. If you are drinking a martini you should hold the glass at the stem so as to not warm the drink with your body heat. If you are drinking cognac hold it in a way so your palm allows the drink to warm up (keep the stem in between your fingers so the vessel sits on your palm).

Although there are many more that we would like to discuss, these are the drinks that we drink the most and ended up discussing here for that reason.

Earlier this week we gave $100 for a free cognac. Once again we would like to get started with another contest. Here are the details,

If we get more than 20 comments, we will choose one winner who will receive a  free set (4 piece) of cognac glasses (worth $50). Thats all we ask, just comment and share your thoughts, participate (please relate your comment to the post) . We will announce the winner on Monday.

Related posts:

1. Seven Drinks That Will Trend in 2010
2. 5 Reasons To Try Cognac
3. 6 Drinks That Are Just a Bit Too Weird
4. 10 Goofy Looking Alcohol Halloween Costumes
5. Beginner’s Guide To Drinking Cognac

28 Responses to “What To Serve Your Drinks In”

1. Far says:

   January 16, 2009 at 5:43 pm

   Very important things to know…nice article! Now please serve me a up a glass of everything…
2. Michael Schechter says:

   January 16, 2009 at 6:41 pm

   I am definitely going to have to review my glassware at home tonight. What about scotch? Same as Bourbon? I’d be interested to know and am likely far to lazy to type it into google! Great piece!
3. admin says:

   January 16, 2009 at 6:54 pm

   @Far : sure!

   @Michael : Can’t believe I forgot Scotch. Personally, I prefer tulip shaped glasses for scotch as well since it focuses on aroma. I would say snifters are ideal as well.
4. Tiare says:

   January 16, 2009 at 7:08 pm

   I like those stemless glasses, they are also good for cocktails.
5. Taylor says:

   January 16, 2009 at 8:38 pm

   Stemless glasses are nice. Are there any other specific grapes that require specific types of glasses? Why was pinot noir singled out of red wines for the article?
6. Jeff F. says:

   January 16, 2009 at 9:01 pm

   I have a nice set of pint glasses at the house. I use those to drink everything out of… beer, wine, water… it’s all the same.
7. Mark says:

   January 16, 2009 at 11:41 pm

   White wine glasses are generally different than a red, right?
8. admin says:

   January 17, 2009 at 1:56 am

   @Taylor : I didn’t intentionally single out red wines from pinot noir, I just happened to create the article as the drinks came to my mind that I often drink. And at this point I am myself wondering why I didn’t include white wine

   @Mark : Yup! White wine glasses are different than red wines. A white wine glass should have a small opening so it allows the wine to cool as white wine is meant to be served chill.
9. Fred says:

   January 17, 2009 at 5:08 am

   If you were on a budget and could not afford the complete set, would you be better off serving red wine in a glass better suited for white wine or vice versa?
10. TheJoker says:

    January 17, 2009 at 8:26 am

    I do have to say that beer in Australia (as we prefer it colder than European countries) is best served in a schooner… a 360ml glass that is thin at the bottom, and wider at the top. Good list though.
11. John Carey says:

    January 17, 2009 at 4:11 pm

    Some comments & recs:

    Riedel wine glasses come in all varietals and budgets and are available at your fancy-shmancy wine shop to Target. I’ve done taste tests with people serving the same wine in a nondescript wine glass and a Riedel and they’ll all say they’re completely different wines. It’s not due to the type of glass but more about the shape.

    And this leads to the comment about delivering wine to your palate. While you do taste with your tongue, most of your “taste” comes from your nose – scientists estimate in the 70-80% range – so it’s more important to be able to smell your wine than taste it.

    That’s where I think the Riedels excel – they allow the bouquet to develop and deliver to your nose. Many glasses’ mouths are too open allowing the bouquet to escape.

    As for serving red in white wine glasses or vice versa, sure you can get away with it and I’ve done it in a pinch but don’t if I have the option.
12. Torrey says:

    January 17, 2009 at 5:23 pm

    I often drink all my drinks out a set of Crown Royal glasses I got for free 10 years ago. I can’t really tell a difference.
13. Terry says:

    January 17, 2009 at 7:10 pm

    I was wondering about why Pinot Noir was singled out of the red too. I’ve been serving all my reds in the glasses you show for the Pinot, and my whites in the glasses you showed for the general reds. Gotta make room in the bar cabinet and get the right ones!
14. cocoancream says:

    January 17, 2009 at 9:34 pm

    im thinking the right glass for the right drink would vastly inprove my experience!!
    Sign me up!!!

    cocoancream
15. Paulo says:

    January 18, 2009 at 1:00 am

    There are some meals that would not be considered officially over until the cognac is served in the snifters. I think any meal would be enhanced by a generous serving of cognac.
16. Jordan says:

    January 18, 2009 at 1:07 am

    Although I’m a little disappointed that there wasn’t more in-depth information on beer glasses, I am nonetheless pleased that it was at least brought up. In America, there exists an attitude of “Why should I dirty a glass for a beer when it comes in a container which is already easy to drink out of?” This attitude is fine for the less-flavored, more watered-down American beers of old. However, American palates are desiring more flavor in beer, and with the introduction of these more flavorful beers, this tenet doesn’t hold true anymore. If you want to maximize the flavor of your beer, it needs to be let out of the bottle. Only by letting the beer mingle with the air can you achieve the intended flavor….

    and now, I’m thirsty.

    Cheers.
17. JiMpiSh says:

    January 18, 2009 at 10:59 pm

    I’m a pint glass kindof guy for most things. Make it a double! Although we do get out a wine glass every now and then, and I DO have some martini glasses around here somewhere.

    I just looked up at the end of the comment above this, and now I’M thirsty too!

    PS. Remind me to take a snap of that bottle for ya when twitpic is up and running again.

    Chris
18. Carolyn G says:

    January 18, 2009 at 11:51 pm

    Thanks for the giveaway. I am a firm believer of having different glasses for different types of liquor!
19. Musings of a Housewife says:

    January 19, 2009 at 12:08 am

    What a fun and informative post!! Thanks for the helpful tips. I’m dying to try the stemless wine glasses. Especially after I broke a stem last night at a friend’s house. D’oh! Party foul! LOL
20. datter says:

    January 19, 2009 at 12:18 am

    What about whiskey? I suppose that would be a boring old shot glass, or straight out of the bottle depending on how much you’ve had to drink.

    You must *really* hate seeing beer served in styrofoam cups.
21. Craig says:

    January 19, 2009 at 12:29 am

    What about a simple tumbler glass like this: http://www.instawares.com/products/2/2238UAH.jpg? For some reason I associate that with scotch. Am I crazy? What is the benefit of this type of glass?
22. Jeff Bishop says:

    January 19, 2009 at 12:38 am

    Always kinda wonder about a bar when they serve in the wrong glass. Seems odd.
23. josh says:

    January 19, 2009 at 1:55 am

    you forgot to to post a scotch and rocks glass!
24. jaber says:

    January 29, 2009 at 2:23 am

    This was mentioned on another board but, you also have to appreciate the bottle that is pouring into the glass like the Landy one with the female figure.
25. Oscidgide says:

    February 6, 2009 at 12:27 am

    Hi. Your site displays incorrectly in Opera, but content excellent! Thank you for your wise words.
26. Thomas says:

    February 17, 2009 at 7:37 am

    Great post. Though you left out the all important beer stein!
27. Michael says:

    February 19, 2009 at 3:08 am

    Just a note (kind of a peeve of mine)… it is not a martini glass, it is a cocktail glass. Martini’s are a cocktail served in a cocktail glass.
28. Chris says:

    February 22, 2009 at 5:16 am

    How can you forget the beer stein??? A personal favorite.
    And while mentioning the bourbon as an American staple, what about whiskey?