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Building a Bar: What Bar Glasses to Buy First - Simply Jocelyn
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May 4, 2025
When you are building your bar, the glasses you have in your bar collection can be as important as the liquor you have. Here Jocelyn and Sandra go through the typical bar glasses that you will see and most likely need to fill out your bar. They also give recommenations on which bar glasses to buy first to get your bar started. Follow Jocelyn on Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/jocelynwoltersworld Follow Simply Jocelyn on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Simply-Jocelyn-A-Globally-Inspired-Life-100312851709273/ Grab Some of Jocelyn's Favorite Kitchen Gear Ninja Blender/Food Processor - https://amzn.to/30F4vXZ Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware - https://amzn.to/30sZ91O GreenPan Lima Ceramic Non-Stick Griddle - https://amzn.to/2BNCa77 PriorityChef Mortar and Pestle - https://amzn.to/3ff4rCd Silicone Stretch Lids for Keeping Things Fresh - https://amzn.to/2UvX6pL Le Creuset Stoneware Butter Crock - https://amzn.to/2UwIxSV
View Video Transcript
0:00
Hey, I'm Jocelyn and this is my friend Sandra
0:03
And you know on Fridays we usually put out a cocktail video of some sort, right
0:09
But we kind of decided that maybe we should give y'all like some information on glassware
0:14
because in all of those videos we are using what feels like a hundred different glasses
0:20
So we thought we would talk about different glasses, what they're good for
0:24
maybe great ways to buy them, like interesting places to find them now and then
0:28
And then maybe, like we've kind of talked about what glasses you should buy first
0:34
As you're building a bar, if that's something you care to do, what ones you should buy first
0:41
And then like maybe your second and third tiers, right? Absolutely. So as you see, and this is just a small selection of what is available for glassware out there
0:51
Yeah, you can buy a lot. You can buy a lot. So, but if you're building your bar and just getting started, you don't need to spend a ton of money
0:58
And so we thought we'd talk about what you really need in your arsenal at first and then where you can sort of build towards
1:06
So I think first and foremost, if you drink wine, get wine glasses
1:10
Yep. They do make red and white. A red wine glass typically is more bowl-shaped, whereas a white is a tulip-shaped like this
1:20
there's also a glass called a white hawk which really can do either um don't be overly particular
1:28
i would say unless you really want to be particular and there are even like pinot noir glasses too
1:33
right and you can get when you get into wine glasses we're saying there's red and white but
1:37
really there's like 16 000 of each there are many kinds of wine glasses you can get down a rabbit
1:43
hole with some wine glasses right so just just to get you started make sure you have some nice wine
1:48
glasses on hand um i would say truly you can go to several kind of big box stores and get a dozen
1:57
or eight of red and white or get some kind of basic cock so get started with a good wine glass
2:05
if you're going to be drinking one that one in particular i that was the first set of wine glasses
2:10
i bought and i have probably four dozen of these i just would buy them now and then for different
2:16
parties because I would use them not only for wine, but sort of as a cocktail glass
2:21
like as an everyday glass, partially because it feels really nice and elegant when everyone's
2:28
carrying around their glass. But also, I think it's better for the environment, right
2:32
I'm not buying a bunch of solo cups that everybody's putting in, maybe the recycle, but probably
2:37
the trash. You're good for solo cups. I don't think I got a solo cup. So solo cups have their place, just not in my kitchen very often
2:44
So that one, that's kind of my workhorse glass. And my other one is this
2:52
This is a double old-fashioned. Some people call them rocks glass. They go by several names
2:57
Different names. But it's a double old-fashioned. This is an old-fashioned. Look, one is twice as big as the other
3:04
So you could start with old-fashions, but this will limit you a little bit more
3:11
Cocktail recipes these days tend to be bigger. Yeah, they tend to be built for a double fashion
3:17
You can always put less in. You can even, I'll drink a finger of straight bourbon out of one of these
3:24
and it's just, you know, you're going to lie on the bottom, and it's fine. It gives up plenty of room to breathe, and it's a really nice glass to work with
3:32
So I would say for your cocktails, this is your second item that you really need to have
3:38
You're going to make all kinds of things. Definitely, and you can see the W on that one. That's, Mark and I got that when we got married
3:45
So it's a minute old. Okay, so that's our first tier, right? Well, I would add one other
3:51
The cocktail. The classic cocktail glass. And so these are a little harder to find in this shape anymore
3:58
This is an older one. This is vintage. But you can see the shape somewhat close to a martini, somewhat close to a champagne coupe
4:08
Right. So this is a, it can do double duty. You can put champagne, champagne cocktails
4:15
Martinis. Yeah, martinis. You can put some regular iced cocktails in there too if you wanted to
4:21
You can. I use these glasses so, so much. I know because I'm at her house and I'm drinking out of that glass a lot
4:29
So if you can find a good true cocktail glass, this is a great third choice for you because it'll do a lot
4:37
So let talk about that We going to put these up front so you can see these are our primaries A great place to find these kinds of glasses is vintage stores antique malls they don have to
4:52
be. Yeah, the Goodwill, Grandma's Attic. Estate sales actually could be a fantastic place to find
5:00
some great glassware for very very little money. And that's the thing is you can get something that
5:06
is really unique and adds like a little bit of flair and conversation too, right
5:11
And they come in different colors and, you know, just a myriad of things
5:15
But you might be able to get six of these for less than you can get six of those at Big Lots, you know
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So there's that to consider when you're looking at all these glasses and you're thinking
5:26
I don't have the money to spend on all this. But you might not have to spend very much money at all
5:31
Right. Exactly. So I think next. Second tier. We have the champagne flute
5:36
flute everyone's familiar with this you can put champagne in one of these or one of these
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there's some drinks it's just nice to have that really nice vertical bubble um I just prefer it
5:50
for certain things but there's no real reason you need a flute other than over a coupe your
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your champagne or bubbly wine is going to go flat a little faster in a coupe because there's
6:02
It's so much more open to the air. It has lots more space to escape
6:07
Whereas, Flute will hold the bottles a little longer. And they're just lovely and elegant and fun to drink
6:13
Yeah, they are. And what I like about them is, though they're tall, they're actually pretty stable usually
6:19
They are. There are certain glasses on this island right now that I have issues with because I get the spills
6:26
Every now and then, I knock things over. but this one I always feel like um champagne glasses are usually heavy bottomed enough to
6:34
support that and they don't tip quite as easily as as you feel so like I like that right and this
6:39
is a fancy glass but you can go get a dozen in a box for $15 or less seriously I actually was
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looking at them but in preparation for this video um at Target and I think they were like
6:55
it was like 17 or no that's not even right it was less than that maybe it was just 12 for four
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um but i have seen them in thrift stores for significantly less than that um i've actually
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bought some in thrift stores for significantly less than that so um yeah like again don't be
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don't be held back by that right i have i literally have boxes full of a dozen of
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wine a dozen of you know and i think i have four dozen of the same uh simple same type not not
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these but the simple plain glass that's what yeah yeah and then i have probably three dozen whites
7:33
three dozen reds so when i'm having a party i haven't invested in if somebody even breaks a
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glass at your house they don't feel so terrible but i you know you just if you're going to spend
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a few a buck on the glass you don't care so that's that's a thing i can't tell you how many
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of these have been broken. Like I said, I have like 48. That's not true because some get broken
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and I, I don't really mind that much because one, I've had these since, well, since college is when
8:00
I bought my first dozen and I've just kind of added to it over the years. And so it's not like
8:05
a huge deal, right? Exactly. Exactly. Cause you know what? It's not a party if a glass doesn't
8:10
get broken. By the way, that'd be a great tip. When somebody breaks a glass at your party
8:17
immediately yell OPA and be celebratory and it will diffuse the situation
8:22
It makes people feel so much better because they're immediately so nervous
8:27
Yeah. All right. So next course. Now we're getting a little more specialized
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So this is a shot glass. It holds an ounce of whatever
8:39
Right. I use them to measure. I don't drink shots of anything
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I don't. Me either. Because I believe liquor is to be enjoyed and not to rinse the back of your throat
8:52
I haven't done a shot since, well, since college probably. So, but having said that, they're nice sometimes if you have something like a boiler maker where you have your beer and you're going to throw your shot or whatever
9:06
They can be good to have. Drop shots into things. Good to measure with
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And you know, there are some things like if you love tequila, it's not a bad thing to just sit and drink your tequila out of that
9:19
You can sip out of a shot glass. It doesn have to be shot But anyway we have to cover that And getting more specialized we talked about the cocktail glass This is the evolution of the cocktail glass known as a martini glass And
9:36
so cosmopolitans, martinis, ginsons, a whole variety of drinks, people enjoying these. I actually
9:45
find that you have to be a little more careful drinking because it's so wide and round. It's
9:49
easy to like throw you know how i said i have problems with the spilling um that's the one i
9:56
spill all the time when i waited tables and bartended every time somebody ordered a manhattan
10:02
up or a martini or something i was like oh god please please the whole way because i had to carry
10:06
it on a tray i couldn't i wasn't allowed to carry it in my hand so i'm like oh please let me make it
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there and it's like slosh and all over the i just i mean i feel like a lot of them because the top is
10:18
so wide. Some are ridiculously wider than the base. They're just ill-designed, right
10:26
They do. They fall over. They're easy to knock over. So, though it's a beautiful
10:30
glass to look at, for me, it's not the most practical. I would rather have the cocktail glass
10:36
that tends to be a little less weighty. I prefer these as well
10:42
but partly because I'm old school. But, you know, a Gibson or beautiful martini
10:47
It is a beautiful, it makes a beautiful cocktail. I love an aviation in that
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Yes. Nothing else looks that good. So the Coop. The Coop. So we've talked about it a little bit
10:57
Which is making resurgence these days. It really is. And I'm so happy about it
11:02
So as I said, it's a descendant of our cocktail glass. And so you can put all kinds of cocktails in this
11:08
I put my Manhattans in these just because I like the way they look. You can drink champagne
11:13
all kinds of things. So it's a nice one. I would probably buy this before I would buy this if I was choosing between champagne glasses
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because you really can do a lot more. You cannot put a cocktail in this glass
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It's made for pretty much one thing and one thing only. But this will give you more mileage
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And with the champagne bit between the two, I don't always love super bubbly champagne
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so I actually kind of like it in a coupe better because that fizzes down and it's not quite like
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I know I can't be the only person that does this but you get a new glass of champagne and you go
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to drink it and it hasn't stopped fizzing enough it tickles your nose straight up your nose and
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you're like um I didn't need a neti pot today I just wanted a cocktail so for me I personally
12:05
would rather do a coupe for champagne just in general anyway. So when something is more of a
12:12
workhorse, it's able to be used in more ways. I'm kind of always leaning toward that. So yeah
12:19
that's, it's a good one. Then we have a Collins glass. So this, you can do, you can put a Collins
12:26
a Tom Collins, or various Collins. That's where the name came from. Cocktails out there, but also
12:33
mojitos. Any long drink. Any long drink, yeah, you can put in those. It's quite
12:39
narrow as you can see. And they're nice and tall. Nice tall ice glass. My favorite
12:45
thing in a Collins glass is sweet tea. I don't know why in my mind that's
12:50
that's what goes in my Collins glasses. I just I like drinking my tea out of that
12:55
It feels elegant. I do too. There are a lot of, you know, the four pack, eight pack
13:00
glass sets and you can get it even target or wherever um that are maybe not quite this tall
13:07
and narrow but they'll still work for a collins don't feel like you need to go buy a collins
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glass if you have something that's pretty close but yeah that's what it is and it does it is a
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multi-purpose once you've started once you've started going and you're buying and you're buying
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these are these last ones you know were kind of things that they're pretty specialized and you
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don't have to have them and shoot you don't have to have any of these we just wanted to give you
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an idea of what's out there and what they're for. Right. And there's, as we said, so many more than
13:35
this. So yeah, we don't even have a snifter out here. We don't have a snifter. So there's a glass
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just for brandy, for example. Although I put my Benedictine warm in my snifters and I have a
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snifter around here. Oh, well, we'll just, we'll deal with that later. So these are both liqueur
13:51
glasses. Um, a liqueur is going to tend to be a lot of flavor, sweet, so you don't want a little
13:58
a lot, yeah it's a really heavily bodied beverage. And so it just a little sip a little something something Can you so this one this particular one was my grandmother um and it nothing fancy it just plain glass but I mean it means a lot to me simply because it was my grandmother and I
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promise you I never once saw her drink anything out of it um but port glasses and sherry glasses
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like we were talking about how wine glasses are like there's umpteen of them and I feel like this
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is one of those good glasses that you can kind of use for several things you can you can and
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And I would drink Madeira from this. There's a specific Madeira glass. There's four glass
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I mean, all of these little things. So any sweet wine you're going to drink, this is a nice choice for that
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So if you're going to be into those sorts of things, then that's a nice one to get
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And then you can get to the super specialized. So one drink only glass
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This is a julep cup, and it is made for a mint julep or a julep
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There are other kinds of juleps, but we are not mint julep. but it's for a julep
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And that's what it's called. And it's, so here's the thing with, with the julep cup is that, um, one, it's the size
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and shape, but it's also that it has to be made out of pewter and it can be silver too
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But generally speaking, most of the ones you find out now, I mean, you can find silver
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ones at estate sales and, and, you know, antique malls and things like that
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They're going to be metal. Yeah. They have to be metal. This is just an example of how specialized it can get
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This is made. It's metal. It keeps the ice really cold because it's basically a bourbon slurpee
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And that's just one example. And if you love juleps, buy these
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You should get some. And if you have one on occasion, it's not really worth your time
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you can put your julep in one of these. The cocktail police are not going to show up and arrest you for that
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So don't overthink. Yeah, don't go too far. It doesn't really, I mean, like we said, this is more just about learning what's out there
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And this is a very, these are very basic. I mean, there are so many
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We could fill all of this space up with probably just the different types of wine glasses, to be honest
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But there's just tons and tons of really specialized things. But we wanted to give you guys sort of like an idea of as you work your way through learning about cocktails and different things
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and the history of drinks in different types of glasses and whatnot
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this kind of gives you a basic idea of where you want to start
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and maybe where, you know, your end goal would be to have X number of however many different types of glasses
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So, um... But don't feel like you need to start with those. You don't, you don't
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You don't really, I mean, shoot, you can use the tumbler that's in your cabinet next to your fridge or whatever
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Those are fine too. But sometimes just having a pretty glass makes you feel like so sophisticated, very posh
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And like we said, you really don't have to spend a ton of money doing this
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Most of my glasses have come from, well, my grandmother. I got some from her, you know, but a lot of them have come from the antique mall down the road
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that, you know, sometimes I find one or two, they're just really beautiful and it's like
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$2 for a set of two. And I'm like, well, I can't really even go to big lots and get two glasses, you know
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and they're never nearly as pretty. So yeah, I just think it's a great way to, to learn about different cocktails and the
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glasses they go in and whatnot. So this will get you started and good luck
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If you have questions, can they ask you questions? Absolutely. Ask questions
17:49
Feel free to put comments on the video down below. That's fine
17:55
You can always direct message me on the Simply Jocelyn Facebook page
18:02
or you can direct message me on Instagram at Jocelyn Walters World
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and I'm happy to help if I'm able. But remember, I've got two kids and a Mark
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and so I'm not always really fast at getting back, but I will do my very best to do it
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So anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this. I know it's just a little tiny education
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but I hope that it helps you kind of understand glassware and where you want to go with it
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So thank you for doing this with me. Of course. Being part of all this. All right
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We will see you again. Bye. Cheers. Well, and we didn't even get into, like, Moscow mules and things like that and the copper
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Right. So it goes on and on. We could do a whole series on
18:48
Should we do a whole series on Glassware? No. That means I have to buy a million more glasses
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