Royal Leerdam Intermezzo

The choice comes down to shape and the measurement mark. The traditional Dutch 5 cl roemer has a rounded bowl on a short stem and is the classic jenever glass: you can fill it to the rim without making it top-heavy. The 3.5 cl tube glass is narrower and straighter, and suits a short, strong drink or a liqueur after dinner. A measurement mark is mandatory if you run a hospitality business and serve measured drinks, but it is also useful at home if you do not want to guess. Without a mark, the glass looks more understated on the table. Compare the shapes among the shot glasses and among the shot glasses.

Serve jenever chilled and filled to the brim, then leave the glass on the table and take the first sip while bending over it. That may sound like folklore, but it prevents spills with a full 5 cl glass. Serve liqueur at room temperature in the tuba, about half a centimeter below the rim, so the aroma lingers above the glass. If you want to try the classic combination of beer and jenever, the kopstoot section explains how to place them side by side.

These glasses are machine-pressed soda-lime glass and therefore a good deal sturdier than handmade bowls. They can go in the dishwasher without reservation and cope with the temperature swings of a commercial machine. Just watch the transition from bowl to foot: do not wedge them against each other in the rack, because that is where the hairline cracks start. Store them upright and the rim stays smooth, which keeps the glass pleasant to drink from.

You can find the rest of this brand at Royal Leerdam. If you want to taste and compare systematically, there are tasting glasses for that. Are you looking for something more spacious for a sweet liqueur after dinner? Then take a look at the liqueur glasses. If you pour precise measures and want to do so without a measuring line, jiggers and bar measures can help. And for inspiration for a round at the bar, there are recipes for the shots.