At-Home Guide to Bar Glassware

So, you've officially graduated to putting together an official set of glassware for your home bar. This is exciting news.

That means that it's time to retire those Hard Rock Las Vegas pint glasses to kitchen cabinets and start stocking your bar like a pro. So let's get right into the types of cocktail glasses and when to use them:

"Tumbler" or "Rocks" Glass

This little guy is an absolute must for any home bar cart. Rocks glasses are essential for cocktails served on the rocks, or for simple, high proof cocktails. Think Old Fashioned, Sazerac, or a spicy margarita with a zesty little rim. A gin and tonic can be seriously classed up just by switching our your Solo cup for one of these babies. Add some cute copper garnish sticks for your limes and *chef's kiss*.

Martini Glass

It's Bond. James Bond. And now it's you! While you probably don't need an arsenal of these glasses, it is a great idea to stock 2-4 in your cart for cocktails with a little femme fatale flair. Don't let the stems fool you, these can hold upwards of 3-4 oz or more of alcohol and lemon drops go down like candy after 8 PM. If you're more a Queen of the Cosmo, you 100% need this glass in your cabinet, and don't be afraid to experiment with other cocktails served "up" or chilled without the rocks.

*Pro Tip* You could serve all Alpenglow cocktail mixers in a martini style to get a brightly colored and fruity cocktail that frankly, *slaps*. Just add alcohol, shake over ice, and pour!

Coupe Glass

The smaller, dainty version of the martini glass. The historical look of this glass lends an ode to the classic cocktails that were built for it. Coupe glasses are perfect for traditional daquiris, Sidecar cocktails, or even just simple champagne based cocktails. Egg white cocktails looks amazing in these glasses and we 100% recommend learning this skill to wow your guests. Coupe glasses are gorgeous, but if you have a limited budget, we recommend purchasing rocks, martini, and wine glasses first.

Wine Glasses

100% necessary! You'll need at least two of red, two of white, and two champagne flutes to get started. Pinot noir glasses could also be collected for those looking to build out their wine cabinet, and they work really well for Aperol Spritz cocktails. Buy them in pairs and frankly, we've learned that you can never have enough wine glasses as they break and chip easily.

Collins Glass

We LOVE a mojito in a Collins glass as we get to see the way the mint decorates the cocktail while also feeling like a Kardashian lunching in LA. These glasses are tall, narrow, and they are similar in shape to a highball glass, but with a slightly larger capacity. It is typically used for serving cocktails that are built in the glass, such as the Collins and the John Collins. Think, just a tall and skinny rocks glass that is entirely versatile and harbors major summer vibes.

Highball Glass

A tall, skinny glass with straight sides that is used for serving cocktails with a high proportion of non-alcoholic mixer. This includes drinks like the Tom Collins, Gin and Tonic, and the Cuba Libre. As we mentioned above, this is just the shorter, wider, lower capacity Collins glass. Unless you are starting a craft cocktail bar, it's not likely that you would need both highballs and Collins glasses (and frankly nobody can really tell the difference without previous knowledge).

There are tons more styles of glassware out there that are beautiful and gorgeous, but if you start looking at these basic styles, you'll be set for any occasion. We LOVE Viski Brand glassware, based out of Seattle for completely one-of-a-kind, crafted glassware. Think, Gatsby meets rooftop bar above the clouds in Dubai. Yeah. They are that cool.

We wish you the best of luck in stocking your bar, and remember that you can always find discount glassware in bulk that looks pretty, but won't break the bank. Do what's best for you, and always buy in pairs!

Thanks for reading!