Are you hosting a party during the festive season? Then, whether you plan to serve alcohol-free cocktails, alcoholic cocktails, or both you really need to know which is the best cocktail glass for each drink.

Using the right type of cocktail glassware for your non-alcoholic cocktails will really make a difference in the drinking experience, and it will make you look like the sophisticated host you want to be! 

What difference do cocktail glass shapes really make?

Why are there different glasses for different drinks? Well, it might initially seem like the shape of the cocktail glassware is only important for presentation. But that is really only part of it. 

The shape of the cocktail glass impacts the temperature of the drink, how much ice can be used in the drink, and where the ice sits. Obviously, the temperature of a drink makes a huge difference to the way we taste the drink.

You taste the drink on different parts of your tongue, depending on which glass you use. This enhances specific flavours in the drink. And finally, the shape of your cocktail glass affects how you garnish the drink - for instance, Margarita glasses have a thicker rim to allow the salt to easily stay on the rim. 

All of these are important factors in our drinking experience. So if you want to enhance the flavours and overall experience of a non-alcoholic cocktail, it's important to use the correct glass. Additionally, this will make it feel more like an alcoholic drink!

Cocktail Glass Types

So which glass should you use for which type of drink? Well, read on to find out about the different types of cocktail glasses your can use for alcoholic or alcohol-free cocktails. 

The Highball Glass

The highball is a tall, cylindrical and narrow glass, that can be tapered slightly at the top. You use this to serve long drinks such as your alcohol-free gin and tonic, tequila sunrise, Long Island iced tea, or something like the Bax Botanics Verbena mixed with seltzer. These drinks almost always use ice to keep the drink long, cool and refreshing.

Many people use the Collins and highball glass interchangeably, and whilst the difference is minimal, these glasses do actually differ. A Collins glass is slightly taller and holds more liquid. You would use this for an alcohol-free mojito or gin fizz drink. However, the difference between the highball and collins glass is minimal!

The Hurricane Glass

The hurricane glass is the glass to use when you want a drink with a tiny umbrella poking out the top. You should use this tiki-style glass for chilled, frozen or iced drinks such as the Piña Colada, smoothies or Blue Lagoon.

The Rocks Glass

The most common use for this glass is when people drink whisky, either on the rocks or without ice. It is a short, squat version of the highball glass, and you use it to make many shorter drinks. Other names for the rocks glass is an old-fashioned glass or even lowball glass.

You should use this to serve drinks such as alcohol-free whisky, No-groni, an alcohol-free old fashioned, White Russian, or similar drinks.

Cocktail Glasses

Cocktail glasses have a long stem and a cone-like structure with a very wide rim at the top. You can use these glasses interchangeably with the Martini glass. However, cocktail glasses do actually hold more liquid than a traditional Martini glass. 

These glasses are not designed to hold ice. In fact, when using a cocktail glass you should shake or stir the drink with ice and then strain the ice out before serving the drink.

You would commonly use a cocktail or Martini glass for drinks like the Expresso Martini, Manhattan, Cosmopolitan and Daiquiri, many of which can easily be transformed into delicious alcohol-free cocktails.

Coupe

A Coupe is a stemmed glass with a shallow, rounded bowl. Before the 1970s you would commonly use this for champagne. But it has since gone out of fashion and we now use a flute instead. But some cocktail recipes such as the Grasshopper still call for Coupe. 

Wine Glass

Wine Glasses are used for more than just your non-alcoholic glass of wine. They can be used to serve other drinks such as the Aperol Spritz or an Amalfi Spritz, or Sangria.

Flute Glasses

The flute is the glass most commonly used for cocktails involving champagne or prosecco. So this is the perfect glass to use when serving No-secco, or an alcohol-free mimosa, bellini or elderflower fizz.

Speciality Glasses

Some drinks have their own, specific glass type and shape, used almost exclusively for that drink, so here are just a few speciality glasses:

• Margarita Glasses

• Glencairn glass for Scottish Whisky

• Irish Coffee Mug (also used for hot toddy)

• Cordial glasses for liquers

• A Sake cup used in Japan for Sake

How Do You Make An Alcohol-Free Cocktail?

So now you know which cocktail glass to use for which drink, but how can you make your favourite cocktails without alcohol? And which other alcohol-free cocktails could you try?

Well, the best way to discover which alcohol-free spirits and non-alcoholic cocktails you want to drink is to sign up for a JOMO subscription box.

Each JOMO subscription box contains one full-sized bottle of an alcohol-free spirit and a few alcohol-free cocktail recipes that can be made from this. Mixers, garnishes and thoughtfully chosen snacks are included - all you need to do is follow the instructions and use the right cocktail glassware!

But there is more. Your box will also contain a selection of ready-to-drink beverages so that you can bring something on the go, or don’t have to bother pouring it yourself!

The products in the JOMO box are mindfully selected and showcase drinks from some of the smaller, less-known alcohol-free brands that are harder to find in the supermarket. With the JOMO box, you will be able to taste test a whole range of alcohol-free drinks made by companies that really care about their product!

So sign up for JOMO, stock your kitchen with cocktail glassware and enter the world of alcohol-free cocktails!