Drinking has been an old age tradition. In fact, the word ‘symposium’, which evokes images of a large academic conference, has its roots in drinking. Symposium comes from the ancient Greek word symposion, which means an occasion for drinking together.
Just like with food, drinking is about the experience. It even has its own set of protocol and etiquette that distinguishes the cultured from the uncultured. For starters, did you know that sipping your alcoholic beverage before clinking your glass in a toast is considered rude?
The origin of glass clinking also has various roots. By far, the most popular is the belief that evil spirits lived in alcohol. The consumption of alcohol would transfer the evil spirit into the body of the drinker and cause him or her to do things that they wouldn’t normally do. The noise created by the clinking of glasses was thought to drive the spirits away and make the drink safe to consume. This is another reason why alcoholic drinks are known as spirits!
An old pub legend has it that if you are on a date and really like the person you are with, you would let them know by clinking glasses and moving your glass up and down against the other person’s glass. This is a sign that you would like to know the other person on a more personal level. But beware! Some people use this gesture as a sign that you would like to bed the other person!
It is also considered good manners to buy a round of drinks. In a group, each person would buy at least one drink for the rest. Even better is to buy a round before the glasses are empty. This means that people don’t have to wait for their refills to arrive.
Having said that, you should never force anyone to have a drink and neither should you make them drink something they don’t want to. The only exception to this rule is at a Bachelor (or Bachelorette) party where, of course, the sole purpose is to get the prospective groom/bride drunk. In this case, there is a firm rule that states that the groom/bride-to-be has to consume everything that is put before them. It is true! If you don’t believe me, check paragraph 3 in chapter 5 of the universal pub handbook!
If you are serving drinks at home, always make sure that you fill your guests’ glasses before filling yours. As a host, you also need to keep an eye on your guests’ glasses to make sure they never run dry.
Serving drinks in the proper glasses is also very important and you should, at the very least, have the following glasses:
- Beer Mugs
- Some people prefer to drink their beer out of mugs while others are perfectly happy to take swigs from the can. True beer lovers insist that beer tastes better out of a glass so always check with your guests’ preference. Pouring beer is a skill in itself. Tilt the glass slightly and slowly pour the beer in it. Gradually straighten the glass as the beer fills it up, then pour out the last bit of beer into the straightened glass to create about ¾ inch of foam, which is known as the head. A well-poured beer has a good head of foam on it - not too high and not too low.
- Brandy Snifter
- This glass looks like a compressed red wine glass with a large bowl that tapers upward to a narrower mouth. It is used for all brandy and brandy-based drinks. The shape of the glass concentrates the ‘nose’ (the fragrance) of the brandy to the top of the glass. The wide bowl sits comfortably in your hand and allows the heat from your hands to warm the brandy. Hold the bowl cupped in your hands and lightly swirl the brandy before you sip it. Be careful not to inhale through your nose while sipping it as the fumes can be quite strong!
- Old Fahioned or Rocks Glass
- A short, rounded glass typically used to serve drinks, like whiskey, rum, cointreau, Baileys and Kahlua, ‘on the rocks’ or with mixers. If you are using mixers, the glass should only be filled halfway or a third to the brim – never full.
- Collins Glass or Tall Glass
- This is a tall glass used for serving gin and vodka-based drinks, and also for cocktails such as a Bloody Mary or a Screwdriver. Some people like their scotch and soda or rum and coke served in a tall glass as well. These glasses are also especially good for serving soft drinks.
- Sherry and Port Glass
- Looks very much like a miniature wine glass. Sherry, port and liqueurs should be served in this glass.
- Shot Glass
- As the name suggests, shot glasses are used to serve shots of liquor – especially tequila or vodka. You can also use shot glasses to serve sherry and port if you don’t have designated sherry glasses.
The above assortment of glasses should cover most drinks unless you are in the habit of serving a martini or margarita. Then you would need to get special glasses for these drinks, but the good thing is that these glasses can also be used for daiquiris or desserts, like mousses or pudding.
So there you have it. Serving the right drink in the right glass can certainly highlight your savoir-faire, not to mention elevate your host/ess status within your social circle. And that’s something to drink to!
All glassware used for this feature story was generously provided by Dharm from his personal collection.