Recommend me a great glass for my nightly drink!
September 9, 2024 11:45 PM Subscribe
I'm a long time red wine drinker, but last year I switched to herbal tea, brewed cold & lightly carbonated, with a splash of fruit juice and a little apple cider vinegar (less than a teaspoon). I've been drinking it in white wine glasses, partly to make it still feel like an adult beverage. It's time to find a better glass!
I have no idea what I'm looking for. Stemless? Or maybe with a thicker stem than a typical wine glass? Something else? Something a bit heavier than a wine glass? Stylish enough to serve others, but durable enough for daily use. Shamncy but not pricey? Dishwasher safe would be great, but not necessary. Nothing fragile.
Amount-wise, I do a typical wine glass pour. 5 or 6 oz.
I have no idea what I'm looking for. Stemless? Or maybe with a thicker stem than a typical wine glass? Something else? Something a bit heavier than a wine glass? Stylish enough to serve others, but durable enough for daily use. Shamncy but not pricey? Dishwasher safe would be great, but not necessary. Nothing fragile.
Amount-wise, I do a typical wine glass pour. 5 or 6 oz.
These classic Duralex coffee tumblers are the best drinking glasses in the world, a position against which there are no valid counter-arguments.
posted by flabdablet at 1:24 AM on September 10, 2024 [5 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 1:24 AM on September 10, 2024 [5 favorites]
For that kind of drink I would serve it in a rocks glass - the ones we have are from Riedel
posted by spikysimon at 1:32 AM on September 10, 2024
posted by spikysimon at 1:32 AM on September 10, 2024
Response by poster: tardigrade, can you link to some specifics? I'm clueless when it comes to this stuff.
posted by 2oh1 at 2:15 AM on September 10, 2024
posted by 2oh1 at 2:15 AM on September 10, 2024
I have 4 hand-blown glasses in different sizes and shapes. They are unique, colourful and have interesting shapes. I hand wash them but wouldn't describe them as delicate. Two were made by a friend of mine and two were gifts. I love them and using them feels special. You could find something like this at a craft fair or farmers' market or local glass blowing studio.
posted by lulu68 at 2:19 AM on September 10, 2024
posted by lulu68 at 2:19 AM on September 10, 2024
I’d go with a rocks glass aka a lowball glass too. Since you are used to wine, a stemless wine glass might feel more comfortable for you. There aren’t any rules for this sort of thing! Since rocks glasses are used for whiskey, there’s plenty of faff around which glasses are the best of the year and which ones provide the best “nose” and which ones fit your artisinal spherical mountain spring ice or whatever, but since you are not actually drinking whiskey out of them none of that matters! (Not that it actually heavily matters with whiskey, either.)
Crate and barrel usually has a nice selection of glassware that is usable but a bit fancy. If you are more about aesthetic and want to pay a bit less, World Market is a step down in price and has a lot more colorful and funky options. A restaurant supply store near you will probably have the most absolutely durable glasses. But no matter what, shop for them in person. You want a glass that feels good in your specific hand, with the right weight to the base, that you don’t find too fragile or clunky. You also might have memories associated with certain types of glasses that make some feel special or desirable; my grandma was a whiskey drinker and the type of rocks glass she drank from is a particular kind of cut crystal that is very out of vogue but I subconsciously thought of as the most aspirational, it took me looking at some old photos to figure out why when I usually don’t like cut crystal anything. Go shopping!
posted by Mizu at 2:35 AM on September 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
Crate and barrel usually has a nice selection of glassware that is usable but a bit fancy. If you are more about aesthetic and want to pay a bit less, World Market is a step down in price and has a lot more colorful and funky options. A restaurant supply store near you will probably have the most absolutely durable glasses. But no matter what, shop for them in person. You want a glass that feels good in your specific hand, with the right weight to the base, that you don’t find too fragile or clunky. You also might have memories associated with certain types of glasses that make some feel special or desirable; my grandma was a whiskey drinker and the type of rocks glass she drank from is a particular kind of cut crystal that is very out of vogue but I subconsciously thought of as the most aspirational, it took me looking at some old photos to figure out why when I usually don’t like cut crystal anything. Go shopping!
posted by Mizu at 2:35 AM on September 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
Best answer: My very first thought was the Belgian beer style stemmed goblet but when I poked around for a link I found this mixed 4 pack (second photo from left is the Belgian beer glass I was thinking of) and this would be my choice! I would switch up the glass depending on your mood, as I personally love all of those forms and they’re all specifically developed for carbonated drinks.
posted by seemoorglass at 3:42 AM on September 10, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by seemoorglass at 3:42 AM on September 10, 2024 [2 favorites]
One of my best life hacks was the discovery of buying my glassware from restaurant/catering supply. All my tumblers and wine glasses are from https://www.drinkstuff.com/ and they feel like fine glassware while being nearly indestructible and reasonably priced. I have literally banged them against countertops and sink edges in clumsy moments without damaging them. Dishwasher is no problem.
posted by Rhedyn at 5:25 AM on September 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
posted by Rhedyn at 5:25 AM on September 10, 2024 [4 favorites]
I drink everything in my life from these bodega glasses. I have all the sizes (other than the tall ones) and they absolutely strike the right balance for me of elegance with practicality.
posted by mosst at 5:56 AM on September 10, 2024
posted by mosst at 5:56 AM on September 10, 2024
We have a set of hand thrown stemless ceramic wine glasses (and a set of tea mugs) that were a wedding gift from a family friend who is a professional potter. They are beautiful, make the drinks feel special, and are also very durable (can go in a dishwasher).
Our friend’s shop is not online, but if you search “hand thrown” stemless ceramic wine glasses, etc. lots of options come up.
posted by subwaytiles at 6:00 AM on September 10, 2024
Our friend’s shop is not online, but if you search “hand thrown” stemless ceramic wine glasses, etc. lots of options come up.
posted by subwaytiles at 6:00 AM on September 10, 2024
Agreed that generally, any distinctive glass will do the trick. I have a smallish highball glass that used to be my grandparents, that I really enjoy using for the occasional special trick.
Also, you know what's really been doin' it for me? I've only seen them in a few places, but glasses shaped like beer cans - with a little lip - are really pleasant.
posted by entropone at 6:33 AM on September 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
Also, you know what's really been doin' it for me? I've only seen them in a few places, but glasses shaped like beer cans - with a little lip - are really pleasant.
posted by entropone at 6:33 AM on September 10, 2024 [1 favorite]
I agree with entropone, "can glasses" are really enjoyable to drink out of.
I was also recently charmed by the these Kinto glasses at a friend's house and they have one made for green tea and another for iced tea. They are much thinner than most glassware.
posted by mcgsa at 7:15 AM on September 10, 2024
I was also recently charmed by the these Kinto glasses at a friend's house and they have one made for green tea and another for iced tea. They are much thinner than most glassware.
posted by mcgsa at 7:15 AM on September 10, 2024
Given that I claimed the nonexistence of valid arguments against the Duralex tumblers I linked to being the world's best, it was of course inevitable that I'd actually linked to the wrong ones, as finding the nice clear picture of the right ones at Rhedyn's suggested supplier has now clearly demonstrated.
posted by flabdablet at 7:29 AM on September 10, 2024 [2 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 7:29 AM on September 10, 2024 [2 favorites]
I'm a fan of Simon Pearce glassware. It is expensive. I've been lucky enough to go to their Quechee, VT store and buy seconds there. Seconds can be a bit imperfect, which I actually kind of like better in some ways than the more perfect ones. They also sell their goods and some seconds online.
(They have a few physical retail stores around the Eastern side of the U.S., and the Quechee, VT flagship store, Windsor, VT location and Oakland, MD one are factory stores.)
posted by gudrun at 7:59 AM on September 10, 2024
(They have a few physical retail stores around the Eastern side of the U.S., and the Quechee, VT flagship store, Windsor, VT location and Oakland, MD one are factory stores.)
posted by gudrun at 7:59 AM on September 10, 2024
Crate & Barrel might be a good place to look. The "double old fashioned" size (link below) is the one that I use for this type of drink. But, they have a pretty good selection of nice glassware that could be worth browsing.
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/otis-15-oz.-double-old-fashioned-glass/s122394
posted by bruinfan at 9:04 AM on September 10, 2024
https://www.crateandbarrel.com/otis-15-oz.-double-old-fashioned-glass/s122394
posted by bruinfan at 9:04 AM on September 10, 2024
If any mountains are important to you, the glasses from North Drinkware are special and lovely. They’re not wine glass shaped though! (Don’t work for them, do love them and own a few of their products.)
posted by centrifugal at 9:32 AM on September 10, 2024
posted by centrifugal at 9:32 AM on September 10, 2024
No specific product recommendation here, but when I was looking for a new special glass, the local Salvation Army/Goodwill/St. Vincent/etc... type thrift stores in my area often had lots and lots of different glassware to try out, say, how it feels in the hand and almost everything was dirt cheap. Maybe worth swinging by your local thrift stores to get some ideas.
posted by mhum at 9:46 AM on September 10, 2024
posted by mhum at 9:46 AM on September 10, 2024
For clear beverages, I love transparent double-walled glasses or mugs. It looks like your drink is floating in the air.
And they come in many shapes and sizes.
posted by jb at 12:00 PM on September 10, 2024
And they come in many shapes and sizes.
posted by jb at 12:00 PM on September 10, 2024
Response by poster: seemoorglass: "My very first thought was the Belgian beer style stemmed goblet"
Oh! Oh! Oh! I think we may have a winner!
posted by 2oh1 at 1:07 PM on September 10, 2024
Oh! Oh! Oh! I think we may have a winner!
posted by 2oh1 at 1:07 PM on September 10, 2024
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posted by tardigrade at 1:02 AM on September 10, 2024 [1 favorite]