Martini glasses

The biggest mistake is usually with the capacity. A shaken or stirred cocktail is eight to twelve centiliters. In a 15.5 to 21 cl coupe, it sits just right, below the rim, and you can pick it up without spilling. Pour the same amount into a 35 cl glass, and it gets lost. Those larger coupes are for cocktails with more volume. Think of an espresso martini with a layer of foam, or a drink topped up with bubbles.

Next, look at the angle of the bowl. A straight V, like Bormioli Rocco’s America'20S, is the classic silhouette. Carry it around, and liquid can easily slosh over the rim. A coupe with a slightly curved bowl, or a 15.5 cl Nick & Nora, keeps the cocktail inside better. That’s why you see them more and more in bars. And then there’s the stem. Thin and long looks more elegant; short and thick holds up better on a busy night. In the hospitality industry, six-piece sets from Onis and RCR are a popular choice.

Chill the glass before pouring. Five minutes in the freezer, or a minute filled with ice and water, makes a big difference for anything served without ice. Pour out the ice water, shake the glass dry, and only then pour. A frosted glass keeps the cocktail cold much longer than a room-temperature glass.

The ingredients determine how you should prepare it. If the drink contains only spirits, stir it in a mixing glass and strain it. This keeps it clear and smooth, and it’s also how you make a dry martini. If it contains juice, liqueur, egg, or coffee, shake it vigorously. Otherwise, you won’t get that airy texture. For example, that’s how you make an espresso martini or a cosmopolitan. Always strain it, even if you’ve stirred it. Squeeze a peel over the glass, then drop it in.

A martini glass rarely breaks while drinking. It happens in the dishwasher and during cleaning. Place the glasses separately in a compartmentalized rack, because stems knocking against each other are the biggest cause of breakage. Choose a short glass cycle at a low temperature. Use rinse aid sparingly, because a film on the glass is immediately visible in backlight.

Never hold the stem while twisting the bowl as you clean. That can actually twist the stem right off. Hold the bowl itself and move the cloth around inside it. Store the glasses upright on a shelf, with the rim not touching anything and some space between them. Remove limescale stains with a splash of vinegar in the rinse water.

The smaller version with the curved wall has its own page, at the Nick and Nora glasses. For the shallow bowl shape, go to the champagne coupe glasses. Goblets made for a coffee cocktail are listed under espresso martini glasses. If you want to see all the shapes side by side first, start with cocktail glasses. Of course, you can’t get anything into the glass without tools. So take a look at the cocktail shakers, where you’ll find mixing glasses and strainers. Still unsure about the capacity? Read the questions below.