About Barware

Pictured above is a cork coaster with a image printed on it. You often see these coasters in use. They are inexpensive and durable, with the cork doing a very respectble job of soaking up droplets from the sides or bottom of a glass. Cork itself comes from the cork oak tree which grows mostly in the Mediterranean area of the world. Cork is harvested from the bark of the tree. One unique and environmentally friendly tidbit about cork is that this product comes from live trees and will regrow back to be harvested again.

The honey-comb like molecular structure of cork is easy to compress, shape and mold. Giving it a large variety of uses in our every day lives an home. Of course all you have to do is glue a piece of heavy carboard paper to it. Print an image on the paper, and springing onto your home bar is a great looking coaster for your friends to use under their favorite beverage.  

There are numerous varieties of coasters that can be used at your next party or just to have sitting on your coffee table. I have seen coasters made from plastic, polycarbonate, rope, pewter and paper, just to name a few. The main function of a coaster is to prevent water or liquid damage to your furniture. When a drink glass with ice is at room temperature, condensate from the cold glass mixed with warm air on the exterior, forms liquid droplets. And as we have all observed the droplets of water run down the glass onto your furniture surface. Causing unsightly water streaks on your furniture at the least, and a permanent water ring if not wiped off immediately.

On the opposite side of your favorite iced drink is the hot drink, which also leaves the same condensate water mark from a hot liquid inside the cup, to the cooler exterior room air. And now that I have explained the function of why a coaster should be used, it is up to the reader to decide which coaster fits the look of the party theme. Or goes with the everyday surroundings of your particular room decor.

Champagne, France is a region in north eastern France.  The claim to fame of Champagne is, of course, their production of sparkling white wine.  Its location 180km or about 100 miles from Paris, the French capital fueled this regions economic success.  The production of Champagne itself is very closely tied to this regions history.  Because it was so close to Paris and en route to neighboring territories, Champagne was responsible for creating trade, and villages that subsisted from wine making throughout the military road.  Champagne flutes were created to e njoy the delicious brew at the best possible angle and they are still in common use today.

A tankard is a cylindrical shaped mug with a wide handle.  It is used the exact same way that beer steins are.  The first tankards were made from various metals, clay and leather.  A common material used to make a tankard is pewter.  The original pewter glasses at times contained enough lead to cause gout and dementia.  Cider actually exacerbated this problem because the acids in the cider leeched the pewter faster than the beer would.  In these areas, a clay pewter glass was a common sight. Now tankards are available as a common barware that adds old world charm to just about any collection.

The right utensil for the right occasion is so important, especially when having guests over to our home.  There is something about doing an event to the nines that creates the right atmosphere for the best of times.  Champagne Flutes for those elegant occasions and New Year’s parties where you are bound to pop open a bottle of bubbly are key to the production of a grand night.  Get them in advance so you don’t have to worry when the event arrives.

The perfect house structurally still needs those finishing touches to call it a home.  A house is just the walls and beams that hold it up but there is so much more to a home that is well lived in as anyone buying a new house can attest to.  A home has those hidden touches that we accumulate throughout the years.  Dents in the door frame, foot prints in the attic, wine stains on the counter tops.

 There are also those accents that create a strong sense of community that is found in the details.  Unique glassware can be of those things that creates the feel of a lived in comfortable home.  Champagne glasses that aren’t just generic and mass produced add that hint of old world charm that is so missing from modern houses.  Think about the glassware that you place in your home before buying the wrong set.

Red Wine Glass                                                    White Wine Glass

Whenever I go shopping at a retail or online store that serves quality glassware I often see wine glasses classified as red or white wine glass set. Ok, I certainly know the difference between red and white wine, but do I really need to drink that particular type from a particular type of glass. If you want to be a true wine connoisseur, and stock your home bar with the correct glassware, then the answer is yes. There really is a difference between wine glasses and the type of wine you drink from them.

A red wine glass is taller and wider than a white wine glass. The wide mouth of the red wine glass allows the wine to breathe and release the rich aromas associated with a good red wine. White wine glasses are smaller to help keep the wine cool. Now you can say to yourself that you will stock you bar with a red and a white wine glass. End of discussion. Not quite so fast my bar friend. Are you going to purchase a Bordeaux or Burgundy wine glass to serve your red wine in? And along with the white wine glass to compliment your red wine set, maybe a champagne flute might also be necessary to complete you home bar.

Barware can be anything in a bar that is used to prepare or serve alcoholic drinks. Many common items found in a home bar are;  glasses, stirrers, pitchers, corkscrews and coasters, just to name a few.  And lets not forget one of the most important items any good bartender should have handy, the mixology book. Drink recipe book for you novices out there.

What kind and quality of barware you have in your home is a matter of personal taste. Which can range from a few simple beer mugs and coasters, to the popular martini pitcher and shaker. Ask yourself how much you want your home bar to say about you in regards to the cheap $1.00 beer glass to the upper range of high end wine glasses, which may cost upwards of $100 for a set of 4.