all about Wine

Article Navigation

Click Here for more articles

Essential Glassware You Must Know As A Bartender!

by: Jeremy B. Sherk

As a bartender, it's essential to serve drinks in the correct glassware. The whole essence and experience of a drink is in the quality and style of the glass it's served in.

Would a nice cognac really be the same in a highball glass as opposed to a snifter?

Would a glass of wine really be the same in a rocks glass?

Would that sexy cocktail really be the same in a pint glass as opposed to a frosty, chilled cocktail glass?

Glassware isn't just designed for the look and feel of a drink either. There's often a beneficial purpose behind the design. For example, the slim, tapered neck of a champagne flute is designed to prevent the bubbles in the champagne from escaping. Also, the wider bowl of a red wine glass is designed to let the wine breathe.

Now I'm not going to list every shape and style of glassware in the universe. I'm going to focus on basic, ESSENTIAL glassware you'll be expected to use and be familiar with as a bartender. I want to help you succeed, not intimidate you with dozens of different glasses out there.

Remember also that good-quality, sparkling clean glasses make a huge difference to the customer. Drinking is a ritual and all aspects of the ritual should be perfect, so glassware is something you should take very seriously.

Ready? Let's go...

=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Shot Glass
1 � 2 oz.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=

You'll have more of these break on any given night than any other glass. The kind of people pounding shots back will naturally slam them down on the bar, which often chips and even shatters them.

The most common are 1 oz. or 2 oz. shot glasses. Shot glasses are used for any shot or shooter. From a flaming shot of Bacardi 151 to a layered B-52 shooter.

Shooters with juice in them, like a Broken Down Golf Cart, should go into a 2 oz. shot glass so that the customer gets their 1 oz. of booze in the shot.

Used as a measuring tool as well, shot glasses are a must have in every bar.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Rocks Glass (Old Fashioned)
4 - 9 oz.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Known as a rocks glass because it's used to serve many drinks with ice in them. The rocks glass is used for serving any built, single cocktail on-the-rocks.

When you'd use this glass:

- if a customer asks for their drink "short", this is what you'd use.

- for a "scotch on the rocks".

- for a "vodka martini on the rocks".

- for a Black Russian

- for a Gin & Tonic

You get the idea. J

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Highball Glass
8 - 12 oz.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

A "highball" is any drink that mixes alcohol and a mixer. i.e. vodka cranberry, rum & coke, gin & tonic, whiskey seven etc. Thus, the highball glass was developed to accommodate these types of drinks.

While "highballs" can just as easily be mixed into a rocks glass, it all depends on what the policy is where you work, as well as the volume of the glass. I will use highballs for �doubles' and rocks glasses for "singles". I'd rather give the customer a little less mixer on the "single" which is why I use a rocks glass in that situation.

Highballs are by far your most versatile glass.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Cocktail/Martini Glass
4 - 6 oz.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

This glass has true presence. You can take a simple cocktail, like a screwdriver, and shake it with ice, pour it into a frosty cocktail glass, add a nice garnish and voila! You've got a very sexy cocktail!

Any martini must go into this glass unless requested otherwise. Only shaken drinks will go into this glass as well, you'll never build a cocktail into this glass, that would be very low-class.

Also, because of its 'V' shape, having ice in this glass is very awkward because it will keep hitting your teeth when trying to drink the concoction. Never add ice to a cocktail in this glass, unless a customer requests it, which does happen occasionally.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Brandy Snifter
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Despite the often large size of the brandy snifter, don't pour more than a couple of ounces of brandy into one. The short stemmed bowl design is meant to be cupped to allow you to use your hand to warm the brandy.

Also, the size of the snifter will greatly influence the strength of the aroma, and unless you warm your brandy you will likely prefer to have a snifter smaller than 16 ounces.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Beer Mug/Glass
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

For some, there's nothing better than a frothy, big headed mug of beer to satisfy one's craving. Not every bar has mugs but your bar should have some type of glass designated for beer.

There are so many types and styles out there. In Belgium for example, each beer has it's own signature glass!

Generally beer glasses are very thick and sturdy compared to other glasses.

-----------------
Now you're a little more familiar with the necessary glassware that every bar should have.

About the author:
Remember, you can get all this information and tons more by getting started with the Internet�s only complete, no-holds-barred bartender�s training program -- Bartending Secrets Exposed, �How To Double Your Tips and Land Your Dream Job, 100% Guaranteed!'... at

Jeremy Sherk has already helped thousands of bartenders worldwide land their dream job and skyrocket their cash tips.

In this revolutionary training program, Jeremy reveals all the unconventional tips, tricks and techniques that you need to attain your ideal job and start making serious money as a professional bartender.

Are you sick and tired of pounding the pavement and getting no results?

Rather than hitting your head against a brick wall trying desperately to succeed on your own... why not let a world-class bartender take you by the hand and show you exactly, step-by-step how to make it in this brutally competitive industry?

Click here now for all the details! ====>

Circulated by Article Emporium

Read Articles:

How to Store Wine

Guide To Buying Wine Glasses

One Chef, or a Bevy of Chefs?

Culinary Traditions Of France

How Wine is Made

Cantonese Regional Cuisine

The Art Of Coffee Roasting

Merlot: A Quick Guide

HOW TO LAY DINNERWARE

Kitchen Pantry - A Cook's Secret Weapon

Coffee: Is It Getting Too Complicated?

8 Important Facts About the Mediterranean Diet

What puts the sparkle in sparkling wine?

Experience The Joy Of Eating At A Restaurant

Satisfy Your Wine Desires - Join a Wine Club

Tools For Your Gourmet Kitchen

A guide to gourmet coffee

THREE RULES FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT DINNER WINE

How to Begin Wine Collecting

Are you in search of the best sourced help pert...

Raise A Glass To The Best Wine Of The Month Gifts!

History of the Coffee and Espresso machines

Gift of the month clubs: The lazy man's guide t...

Italian Cuisine: In The Heart Of Tuscany

Regional Cuisine � New England Clam Chowder

Champagne Wine

American Fast Food Restaurants

What Should You Serve If Some Of Your Dinner Pa...

What wine really is (just in case you thought y...

Is Acai the world's most powerful superfood?

Foods To Avoid That Cause Bad Breath

More Article Pages 1 - 2

Choosing Wine on a First Date
by: Neil Best

First dates are nerve wracking enough without having to worry about what wine to choose to impress your new friend!

One of the great things about wine on a date is that one bottle is a defined amount, normally about five glasses. If shared equally it is unlikely that you will fall off your chair drunk after half a bottle of wine!

However, there are some other social sins that can be committed whilst choosing wine on a date.

Getting Started

First, you need to decide whether you want white, red, ros� or sparkling wine. This is perhaps the most important decision. As a general rule, red wine is more of an acquired taste and it can be harder to select a good red. Therefore, when you do not know your companion's tastes it may be wise to steer clear of the red wine section.

Sparkling wine can make you appear a little pretentious or if you go for a cheaper version, a tightwad; so this is usually best avoided. If you are not sure whether your companion likes wine at all, ros� wine is often a safe option as it often lacks the sharpness that people commonly dislike in wines.

How Much to Spend?

Remember more money doesn't always mean more quality. If you are very new to wine, go for a house white. A house white is unlikely to be extremely imaginative or unusual, but is almost always perfectly drinkable. For this reason it is a safe, middle of the road option.

If you want to impress, look for something other than the house white. Keep away from extremes until you know your companion a little better, so don't go for bone dry whites. Instead, opt for a fruity dry wine that appeals to those who like both dry and medium whites.

Whilst neutral wines may seem like a bit of a cop-out, bear in mind that you simply want a drinkable wine that does not offend.

If you are really not sure what to choose, why not offer your companion a choice of glasses as an aperitif while you have a beer or spirit. This way you can judge your companion's taste. Even if they select a spirit, you can still get a measure of whether they prefer sweet or dry wines.

Of course, you could always give your companion the choice�

This Static Spot is open for sponsor

This Static Spot is open for sponsor