The what’s-what in glassware .........................................................

Lockdown brought the home bar into its own and ever since we have been entertaining friends and family in lieu of hitting the town.

So, what’s involved in setting up a home bar? Let’s start with the basics that you will need to have your personal speak easy prepped and ready to shake and stir. Equipment: cocktail shaker, nip pourer, strainer, ice, muddlers and stirrers, openers for beer bottles.

Supplies: your favourite drinks of course!

Glasses: now here’s where things can get a little complicated…

WINE GLASS

According to premium wine glass maker, Riedel, stemware consists of three parts: the bowl, stem and base. The height and width of the base are part of the glass design. Grape varietal specific stemware features finely-tuned glass bowls consisting of three variables – shape, size and rim diameter to translate the “message” of the wine to the human sense. The wide base is in place for stability, and the stem allows for the temperature to not be altered by the heat from your hand. But, Riedel’s stemless red wine glasses are designed to be warmed up by your hand to release the aroma and flavour; we told you it would get complicated. Lastly the bowl which hosts the wine is designed for proper swirl – picking the shape of the bowl also depends on the grape variety. Swirling your wine releases aromas and with a bit of science enhances the flavour, so the wider the glass the better the swirl.

A pinot noir glass should have the widest bowl, needing lots of oxygen; it also needs a slightly turned out rim for aroma direction and really intensify the and understand the taste. Whereas the Bordeaux glass is best for full bodied, heavy wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlots. Being one of tallest glasses, this help direct the wine to the back of the mouth.

HIGHBALL AND HURRICANE GLASS

The highball also has a thickened base perfect for mixing cocktails in the glass, but with the added height helps to add more mixers and ice for drinks like the Tom Collins. The highball is debatably a step down from a sling glass, which itself is a simplified hurricane glass.

The hurricane glass has a similar shape, although with more of a curvy silhouette. Originally invented in New Orleans to push through leftover rum supplies in a sweet cocktail actually called a Hurricane, it has since developed into a beautiful vase for fun and fancy cocktails like the Gin Sling, Vodka Soda, Bloody Mary.

LOWBALL/TUMBLER/ON THE ROCKS GLASS

Short glass which old about 6 to 8 ounces of liquid. Its thick sturdy base helps when muddling ingredients like lemon and lime at the bottom. This glass is commonly used for spirits both on ice, or neat such as whiskey. A few ‘gentlemen’ cocktails are also preferred in this vessel such as a Black Russian and a Negroni.

MARTINI GLASS

Stemmed to keep the beverage cold, martini glasses have a wide opening for sipping only and allowing maximum aroma. Modern versions of the glass include the rounder Coupe glass making the martini shape a bit unfashionable; but a Martini is not a Martini unless it’s in a martini glass. The size of the martini glass is important too and shouldn’t be much bigger than 7 ounces, any larger and it’ll warm up too quickly, it’s even suggested you keep martini glasses in a freezer, so they are really chilled when it comes to happy hour. Gin and Vodka Martinis, the Margarita, Manhattan and Cosmopolitan are regulars of the martini glass. Coupes can also be used for Martinis and Margaritas, but it’s never the same.

BRANDY SNIFTER OR BALLOON

This glass is very much ‘bigger is better’ looks wise, as the larger it seems the more luxurious it appears. Great for aged spirits like the cognac and cocktails and obviously Brandys. The Snifter has a history of being known to serve liquors that are ever so slightly warmed; the lack of stem does this automatically by making the drinker hold the bowl thereby warming the brandy and releasing aromas.