Cocktail Glasses
Stemware
Two different jobs share this shelf. The small stems, from 160ml to 300ml, are the ones for wine and short aperitivo serves. The large ones, from 490ml to 740ml, are the balloons for spritz and for gin and tonic served the Spanish way, where you need plenty of ice and room for the botanicals. Picking the wrong size here is the expensive mistake.
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Cocktail GlassesAddHurricane Glass 440ml, Royal Leerdam (Pack of 6)
Original price was: 51,00 €.35,70 €Current price is: 35,70 €. ex VAT -
Cocktail GlassesAddCocktail Glass America 250ml, Stemmed, Blown Glass, 1920s Collection (Pack of 6)
Original price was: 54,00 €.37,80 €Current price is: 37,80 €. ex VAT -
Cocktail GlassesAddGin Balloon Glass America 740ml, Blown Glass (Pack of 6)
Original price was: 59,00 €.47,20 €Current price is: 47,20 €. ex VAT -
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Two families on the same shelf, and they are not interchangeable
The category covers a very wide range, from 160 to 740ml, and anyone who orders from the photo instead of the capacity ends up with a glass that does not do the job. The rule is simple: under 300ml you pour, over 490ml you build. There is almost nothing in between, and that is as it should be.
The small ones, 160 to 300ml
These are the glasses for wine by the glass, vermouth and short aperitivi. Here the bowl gathers the aromas towards the nose, and the stem keeps the hand from warming the contents. A 230ml glass filled halfway gives the wine the air it needs, and that half-empty bowl is not a mean measure: it is the part that lets you smell it.
The large ones, 490 to 740ml
These are the balloon glasses that arrived with the Spritz and became the standard for the Spanish-style gin and tonic. They do two things at once, and neither is about looks. They hold a lot of ice, preferably large cubes or spheres, and more ice means less dilution for the same chill. And they give the botanicals air, which without space stay pressed against the liquid and cannot be smelled.
Below 490ml the balloon does not work: the ice fills it and the tonic overflows. It is the reason the gin and tonic left the tall glass.
| Capacity | Serve |
|---|---|
| 160 and 230ml | Wine by the glass, vermouth, short aperitivi |
| 270 and 300ml | Stemmed cocktail glasses, table service |
| 490 and 530ml | Spritz, the aperitivo-hour size |
| 660 and 740ml | Spanish-style gin and tonic, with plenty of ice and room for the botanicals |
The stem is the part that breaks
Per glass, these cost more than a tumbler and about the same as coupes. The reason is the same: the stem is made separately, and in the dishwasher rack it is the first thing to go if the glasses touch.
A bar that breaks a lot of them is almost always loading them badly, not buying the wrong ones. A compartment rack costs less than a set to replace.
If you need it for the weekend
The stock shown on the product page is the real stock. If the size you need is out of stock, message us on WhatsApp and we will tell you which other line has the same capacity, because in this category a change of capacity changes the drink.
Where it continues
Large ice for balloon glasses is made with the moulds in ice accessories. For long drinks in straight glass there are tumblers, and for drinks served without ice there are coupes.
Frequently asked questions
What capacity do you need for a Spritz?
490 to 530ml, the size that came with that serve. It holds plenty of ice, the orange slice and the olive without the glass overflowing. Below 490ml the ice fills the glass and there is no room left for the liquid.
Why is gin and tonic served in a large balloon glass?
For two technical reasons. The balloon holds more ice, and more ice means less dilution for the same chill. And it gives the botanicals air, which cannot be smelled when pressed against the liquid. From 660ml up is the Spanish-school size.
What is the difference between small stemmed glasses and balloon glasses?
They do two different jobs. Under 300ml you pour a finished liquid, wine or vermouth, and the bowl gathers the aromas. Over 490ml the drink is built inside, with ice and garnishes. Swapping them does not work in either direction.
Do stemmed glasses break more than other glasses?
The stem breaks, and it is almost always a loading problem. If the glasses touch in the rack, the first knock starts there. A compartment rack costs far less than a set to replace, and it is the spend that pays back fastest across all your glassware.
Why is a wine glass filled halfway?
Because the empty half of the bowl is the part that lets you smell the wine. The air above the liquid gathers the aromas and the shape carries them to the nose. Filling it to the rim removes the very reason for buying a wine glass instead of a tumbler.
Which Spritz glasses does a bar need?
The balloon glass from 490 to 530ml: it holds plenty of ice, the orange slice and the olive without overflowing. Below 490ml the ice takes the space meant for the liquid. The same glass, from 660ml up, serves the Spanish-school gin and tonic.
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