Brief Summary
Anders Erickson discusses essential glassware for home bars, categorizing them into lowball, highball, and stemmed glasses. He shares his preferences for specific cocktails and offers advice on selecting versatile glassware. He also touches on his preferred bottles for citrus and syrups. For those starting a bar, he recommends a lowball glass, a highball glass, and a Nick and Nora glass as the foundation.
- Lowball glasses are versatile for cocktails served with ice and neat pours.
- Highball glasses are suitable for summery drinks and cocktails with carbonation.
- Stemmed glasses, like coupes and Nick and Nora glasses, keep cocktails chilled and add elegance.
Intro
Anders introduces the topic of glassware, prompted by numerous questions from viewers. He outlines the video's structure, which includes discussing various types of glasses, his preferred glassware for citrus and syrups, his most-used glasses, and his top three recommendations for starting a bar. He also mentions his intention to link the glasses in the description, while acknowledging that some may not be available.
Lowball Glasses
Lowball glasses, also known as rocks glasses or old-fashioned glasses, are versatile for simple cocktails served with ice and neat pours of spirits. Anders appreciates their sturdiness and thick bottoms, which make them suitable for muddling without the risk of cracking. These glasses come in various shapes and sizes, including tiki-themed options. He favors a smaller Gibraltar glass for neat spirits and a ten and a half ounce lowball glass for cocktails with large ice chunks.
Highball Glasses
Highball glasses are taller and skinnier than lowball glasses, both of which fall under the tumbler category. While a Collins glass is technically taller and skinnier than a highball glass, the distinction is often blurred. These glasses are ideal for summery drinks like a Pimm's Cup or Tom Collins, as well as any cocktail with carbonation, due to the ample space for bubbles. They are also suitable for showcasing layered cocktails like a Queen's Park Swizzle. Highball glasses typically range from eight to 14 ounces, with Anders using a ten and a half ounce glass for most drinks and a larger one for tiki cocktails with numerous ingredients.
Stemmed Glasses
Stemmed glassware is a broad category that includes various cocktail, wine, and beer glasses. The primary purpose of stemmed glasses is to keep the cocktail chilled by holding the stem, preventing heat transfer from the hand. Anders highlights several stemmed glasses he frequently uses, starting with the classic martini glass. While iconic, he prefers smaller martini glasses for stirred, spirit-forward cocktails due to their tendency to spill. He favors the coupe glass for its classy appearance and versatility, despite its original use for champagne. His personal favorite is the Nick and Nora glass, which combines the best features of the coupe and martini glass in a simple yet elegant design. He also mentions non-conventional options like the footed rocks glass, which he uses interchangeably with the coupe depending on his mood. Additionally, he uses a cordial glass as a shot glass, adding a touch of class to the experience. The key consideration for stemmed glassware is knowing the volume of the glass to match the typical four to six ounce cocktail size after dilution.
Citrus and Syrup Bottles
Anders discusses his citrus bottle and syrup carafe, which have garnered attention in previous videos. The citrus bottle is a repurposed bottle of unknown origin, chosen for its size and compatibility with speed pours. He advises viewers to find a bottle they like, regardless of its original contents. The syrup carafe is a cocktail decanter, available in various sizes, which he uses for storing syrup. He suggests using any bottle or jar that suits one's preferences.
Most Used Glasses and Top 3
Anders lists the glassware he uses most frequently: a cordial glass (or shot glass), lowball, Nick and Nora, footed rocks glass, Chicago highball (or Collins), Gibraltar rocks glass, martini glass, and champagne coupe. If limited to only three glasses for a starting bar, he recommends a ten and a half ounce lowball glass, a ten and a half ounce Chicago highball glass, and a Nick and Nora glass. These three glasses can accommodate almost any cocktail, and additional glassware can be added over time. He suggests thrift stores as a fun and affordable place to find glassware.
Outro
Anders announces that next week's video will feature a cocktail served in one of the glasses discussed. He clarifies the pronunciation and spelling of "coupe," noting that the glassware term does not have the accent aigu found in the French word "coupé." He encourages viewers to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell.
