Must-Have Glasses For Your Home Bar

Having a bar at home requires you to be well-prepared to make drinks anytime. For this, you will need alcohol, other necessary ingredients, cocktail making equipment and the perfect glass to serve it. If you are setting up a bar at home, then you need to have the right glasses for every drink you’ll be serving. Moreover, your bar won’t be complete without glasses. However, there are so many different glasses available that trying to find the right set might get a little difficult.

This article will help you with all your questions about glassware for your bar at home. We have tried to put together a list of the essential glassware for your home bar.

What glasses do I need for a home bar?

 

 

Firstly, it is always useful to have a set of old-fashioned or “rocks” glasses and highball glasses as they are perfect for serving many different kinds of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Secondly, you need to sort out the kind of drinks you like and the ones you will be serving often. If you like drinking beer but also enjoy the occasional wine, it is best to have a set of beer glasses and both red and wine glasses. Lastly, it is best to have a set of cocktail glasses even if you don’t drink cocktails that often.

Ideally, we would suggest that you have a set of all your basic glasses (beer, wine, cocktail and rocks) if you have a big bar at home with a big collection of alcohol.

Beer Glasses

There are different types of beer glasses that are used to serve different types of beer. While most of them are interchangeable if you like you can have a set of all the different beer glasses.

 

 

Pint

 

 

When it comes to basic beer glasses, this is the one you are looking for. It is a tapered glass with straight sides, no stylish design just a simple glass. They are big enough to hold a pint of beer, hence the name. The glass can also be used as the other glass for a Boston shaker.

 

 

Beer Mug

 

These are the glasses you often come across in German bars. There is something very satisfying about consuming beer in a huge mug. The handle also serves the purpose of keeping your beer cold when you hold the glass. Since you don’t directly touch the glass the beer remains cold as it’s away from your body heat. They come in various designs and sizes.

Furthermore, beer mugs are perfect for parties. The thick bottom of the beer mug can take quite a hit. So, if a guest bangs the glass a little too hard on the tabletop, you won’t have to worry (unless it is way too hard).

 

 Stemmed Glass

 

 

Unlike cocktail, stemmed glasses, the ones meant for beer usually have a large bowl and a small stem. This is mostly for the look of the drink. Stemmed glasses are often used for ales and the design is meant to show off the colour.

 

 

 

Pilsner

 

 

The long flute shaped glasses are referred to as pilsners. They hold approximately 300 ml of liquid at once. Pilsners are almost always used for lagers but there is no hard and fast rule to what you can pour into a pilsner glass.

Wine Glasses

 

It can get a little difficult when choosing wine glasses since there are so many different shapes and styles available. Many wine glasses have been developed keeping in mind the kind of wine that should be served in them. It’s true that each type of wine has a specific style of glass for it. However, you don’t have to have each type of wine glass to serve wine to your guests.

All you need to know about wine glasses is that white wine should be served in a glass with a tall and narrow bowl and red wine is to be served in a glass with a small and rounder bowl. That is the basic difference between white and red wine glasses. However, if you are not particular about your wine then you can just have one type of wine glass set to serve the drink.

You can also go for stemless wine glasses. They are a popular option as they are good for any kind of wine and can also be used to serve punch and cocktails.

Cocktail glass

The classic conical shape of the glass followed by a long stem at the bottom is what these glasses look like. Cocktail glasses come in various different styles and you also have stemless options. Since martinis are always served in these glasses they came to be known as martini glasses. Additionally, cocktail glasses are mostly used for drinks that are served without ice. This is the reason why the stem is considered an important part of the cocktail glass as it prevents your body heat from warming down the cool drink.

Cocktail glasses are useful since you can serve different kinds of drinks in them. Cosmopolitan, different types of martinis, manhattan and sometimes even margaritas can be served in these glasses.

Old Fashioned

 

Rocks or old fashioned glasses are probably the most important glasses you will need for your bar at home. Their name comes from the fact that almost every drink that is served over ice or in other words drinks served “on the rocks”, can be served in these glasses. The short tumbler glasses are also well-known for being the perfect vessel for the drink, old-fashioned.

Moreover, these glasses are perfect for non-alcoholic drinks and even water. They are available in various designs, so you can buy a few different sets of glasses for different drinks. You can also find these glasses in different sizes. The smaller sizes are perfect for serving a straight or neat pour of liquor.

Shot glasses

 

There is nothing complicated about shot glasses. They are small and stout glasses that are meant for a shot of liquor. While they are available in different styles, the basic ones are all you need. The longer shot glasses are meant for layered shots. You can use your shot glasses as jiggers as well.

Highball

If you want versatile glasses then these should be your go-to. Highball glasses are tall glasses that can be used to serve many different types of drinks. From gin and tonic to lemonades and soft drinks, these glasses are perfect for any drink. So, if nothing else, you should at least have a set of these in your cabinets.

Champagne glasses

Flutes, tulips and coupe-style glasses are what you are looking it if you are planning to buy champagne glasses.

 

 

Flute glasses

 

They are tall, thin and have a tapered rim. These are the glasses that you usually see people drinking out of at just about any big celebration. The design allows the bubbles to last in the glass a little longer.

It is also the perfect glass for showing off your garnishing skills. Whether you want it to be just a berry in the glass full of champagne or have a swivel of lemon sitting in it elegantly, the flute allows you to see the beauty of these garnishes.

 

 

Tulip Glasses

 

 

Just like the shape of a tulip, this glass widens at the rim. Except for the rim, the glass is very similar to the flute design. It doesn’t hold the bubbles unlike the flute champagne glass but is great for mixed drinks like mimosas.

 

 

Coupe-Style Glasses

 

If you want your guests to feel like they have stepped back in time and are enjoying a nice glass of champagne next to the champagne tower, then these are the glasses for you. Coupe style glasses have a wide and flat bowl and are considered the more traditional glass for serving sparkling wines.

 

 

 

There is no end in sight…

 

If you want to have a collection of just about every glass for your bar at home, then you will need a bigger space. The list of different kinds of glasses goes on. There are specialty glasses and glasses meant for very specific drinks out there. But the ones mentioned above are good enough for a bar setup at home. Even if you don’t have all the types of glasses mentioned above, you can still have the perfect bar set up at home with the right kind of products.