About Barware

I moved into a new house last month, and some of my friends suggested that I have a housewarming party. It seems a little odd to me that after I sink thousands of dollars into a home that I should be the one obligated to throw a party; shouldn’t my friends be the ones throwing one for me?-but I digress. Since it was my first soiree in my new abode, I wanted to make sure that it was spectacular.

Not only did I hire a DJ, have professional lighting and bring out my best acrylic glassware, but I also splurged and decided to buy caviar. When the guests arrived, they were visibly impressed, especially by the caviar and smorgasbord of delectable cuisine. Although I am not cheap, I informed my friends that after my extravagance, they would be the ones hosting the holiday parties this year.

Pint glasses come in a wide array of shapes and designs, but two shapes  of beer glassware are most common. Nonic-shaped pint glasses are found everywhere. Also referred to as conical glasses, they slightly taper out at the bottom, and then bulge more widely near the top. Tulip glasses are also popular. They have a similar shape to the nonic glass, except that they are curvier with a more exaggerated flare — almost like an hourglass — and often taper in slightly at the very top.

Pint glasses may also be found in a number of stylized shapes and designs. The most common of these is a boot shape — hearkening back to some cultural practices of drinking from a wooden shoe. Some pint glasses also contain a metal lid of some sort that can be flipped up, like a traditional beer stein. Etchings, dimpled glass, and coloration are all variations that may also be found on pint glasses, though modern pint glasses tend to be fairly Spartan in their appearance.

Pint glasses are a type of glassware usually used to hold beers, ales, and lagers. They are so-named because they usually hold a British pint of liquid. Pint glasses come in many shapes, textures, and designs, and they are a staple of the modern pub or bar.

A British or Imperial pint is equal to 1/8 of a gallon, or 568 mL of liquid. In the United States, a pint is equivalent to 16 ounces, or roughly 473 mL. Most pint glasses follow the British measure of a pint, though oversized glasses are also available, and in the United States, many pubs use glasses that hold a US pint — which is just over 80% of the liquid found in an Imperial pint glass.

Since the head that forms on a beer necessarily takes up some space, and since many people wish to retain the head, oversized pint glasses are sold so that a full pint of liquid can be poured with a head. These glasses are also known as lined glasses, because they usually bear some sort of marking at the pint line to let the pourer know when he or she has poured a pint of liquid into the glass.

A Tom and Jerry is a variation of egg nog. This is the recipe from the famous Trader Vics in California. Also check your local grocery store or liquor store as they will usually have some of this batter already premade. Serve in a glass barware mug.

Tom and Jerry Single Serving - Home made batter
Makes: 1 serving

I N G R E D I E N T S:
1 egg, separated
1 teaspoon bar sugar
1 ounce dark Jamaica rum
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 ounce brandy
Hot water

I N S T R U C T I O N S:
Beat egg yolk with sugar, rum and allspice until smooth and thick. Separately beat egg white until stiff.  Fold white into yolk mixture.  Put mixture into a preheated mug.  Add hot water to fill mug 3/4 full.  Stir gently.  Add brandy. Dust with grated nutmeg.

Drink Mix From Prepared Batter -
1 heaping teaspoon prepared Tom and Jerry batter
1/2 ounce Jamaican rum
1/2 ounce brandy
Boiling water, hot coffee or hot milk

Preheat a 6 ounce Tom and Jerry mug with hot water.  Add batter, rum, brandy, and stir.  Fill mug with boiling water, hot coffee or hot milk. Stir.

Bitter Basics:
Use Angostura for Manhattens and Old-Fashions.

The classic Sazerac calls for Peychaud’s Bitters.

Although sometimes hard to find, Bitter Truth Old Time Aromatic Bitters have cinnamon and cardamom that creates magic in a Rob Roy and other whiskey/whiskey based classics.

Gary Regan’s Orange Bitters No. 6 is essential in the original martini.

Most whiskey type of drinks are served in old fashion glass barware.

Bitters are distilled alcoholic beverages strongly infused with the essences of aromatic herbs and roots. Common ingredients in bitters include gentian, quinine, orange peels and Angostura bark. Although the alcohol content of bitters can reach 45% or higher, most consumers only use a few drops at a time to enhance their appetites, flavor other distilled spirits such as gin, or to settle their stomachs after a heavy dinner.

Bitters were first developed in the 1820s as a digestive aid, but it also became popular as a flavoring agent for various alcoholic beverages, most notably Pink Gin. Bartenders would first rinse a few drops of aromatic bitters around a glass before adding the beverage of choice. This tradition of using bitters as a flavor enhancer is still practiced by mixologists today. Classic martini recipes often call for a swirling of orange-based bitters. Use a martini glass stemware or glass tumbler for serving.

Bitters are still sold today in many grocery stores, either with other condiments as Worcestershire sauce or with beverage mixers such as grenadine. A few drops of bitters can be added to recipes to enhance the sweetness of other ingredients, in the same sense that salt can bring out the inherent sweetness of melons or other fruits. Bitters are usually added in dashes, and a little does indeed go a long way.

Bitters are primarily used in the preparation of cocktails, so it helps to keep a bottle of Angostura bitters in a well-stocked wet bar. Beverages which could become too sweet, such as lemonade, can be tempered by swirling a few drops of bitters in the shaker before preparation. Bitters can also be added to tonic or soda water as a homemade cure for indigestion and other stomach ailments.

How to Be Creative With Ice Cubes

Ice cubes are a great way to chill any of your favorite beverages. Making your own ice cubes can be tricky and creative. Here are a few great ways to have fun making creative ice cubes.

Step 1 - FRUITY CUBES. If you are hosting a party and using ice to chill beverages, consider freezing ice cubes with cherries, limes, lemons, or other decorative items that compliment their drink.

Step 2 - ADDED FLAVORS. Consider making ice cubes with flavor. You can dilute juices or flavors like vanilla by added water and freezing. For stronger flavor, use pure juice. As the ice cube melts it will add additional flavor to their drink for a fruity twist.

Step 3 - FLOWERS. Edible flowers can be used in ice to create a decorative touch. Simply place these flowers in ice cube compartments and freeze.

Step 4 - FOOD COLOR. Adding gel color or food color to ice can be a decorative way to create interesting ice cubes. Try not to mix the color in completely so the ice will have a dramatically swirled effect.

Serve ice in the proper glass barware or glass pitchers.

How to Make Crystal-Clear Ice Cubes

Add a bit of class to your next party by serving drinks with crystal-clear ice cubes, just like they do in fancy restaurants.

What you will need:  Distilled water
Step 1 - Pour the distilled water into a pan. Boil the water.

Step 2 - Let the water cool.

Step 3 - Boil it again.

Step 4 - Fill your ice tray(s) and put into the freezer.
Tips:
You can use plain old tap water for this, but the results just won’t be the same. Distilled water has no minerals; minerals are one of the things that cause cloudy ice cubes.

Don’t omit the second boil. Boiling gets rid of excess air in the water; air is the other thing that causes cloudy ice cubes.

Serve drinks in the proper glass barware or glass pitchers.

What is the origin of the name ‘whiskey’?
The term ‘whiskey’ derives originally from the Gaelic ‘uisge beatha,’ or ‘usquebaugh,’ meaning ‘water of life.’ Gaelic is the branch of Celtic spoken in the Scottish Highlands.

What does the age label on the blended whiskey refer to?
The law dictates that the declared age on the label must refer to the youngest whiskey in the blend. For instance, if a blend is described as being 12 years old, the youngest whiskey in that blend must have been matured for at least 12 years.

What causes the smoky flavour in Scotch whiskey?
The smoky flavour of certain Scotch whiskies originates from the peat fire over which the green malt is dried prior to grinding and mashing.

Is it possible to tell the difference between one brand of Scotch whiskey and another by smell alone?
Yes, it is possible to differentiate between different brands by nose alone if you have the necessary expertise.

Scoth is usually served in old fashion glass barware.

Elegant glass is glassware made during the Depression Era, and well through the 1970s. It is typically differentiated from Depression glass by quality; elegant glass, as the name suggests, was a much more high-quality form of glassware, making it valuable for the time and even more valuable today. Antique stores sometimes carry elegant glass, as do firms which specialize in glassware, and it can be purchased at auction and through collectors’ organizations as well.

Defining elegant glass can be a bit challenging. As a general rule, people use the term “elegant glass” to describe glass which was made by hand, by artisans, separating it from mass-produced Depression glass, which was designed to be as cheap as possible. Elegant glass would have been costly, but like Depression glass, it came in a range of colors and was often heavily faceted. Elegant glass was sometimes also acid-etched to create patterns and designs.

This form of glassware was most commonly found in upscale department stores and shops which supplied goods for private homes. It was designed as an alternative to crystal and china, which would have been extremely expensive; elegant glass was in a sense a middle-ground between goods of very high quality and expense, and more mundane housewares. As a result, it appealed primarily to people in the middle and upper classes, as people in the lower classes could not afford elegant glass.