May
17

Hand Painted Glasses – Learn the Beauty of It



Wedding is the most cherished festive occasion in any person’s life. If you are thinking that what you shall custom made toasting glasses in your wedding, you better check the below article, which will help you to a lot of extent in solving your quarries.

You can have the glasses painted desiring to your own choice or matching with the theme which is used in your wedding as the flowers or the color scheme.

You can use endless ideas on glasses such as flowers, wedding cakes, and anything more creative. If your ideas do not only limit to the traditional thought you can select champagne, wine martini, pilsner, and margarita. Instead of the alcoholic drinks you can even drink ice tea or any regular drinks.

These glasses cannot only be used for the weddings, but you can use them at the regular parties also. They look very trendy as well as unique. You can use it as a return gift also for your guests, and it will be a very sweet remembrance for all your guests.

The glasses are painted using a non-toxic and allergy free paint, so you do not need to worry about the quality. They are nicely baked in the oven so that the paint is cured completely. If you are not baking them in the oven let it dry in the open air. To dry and set the paint in an open air it will take around 21days.

These glasses are safe in the dishwasher as well if they are placed in the top most rack. But washing them with hand is always a better idea to preserve their shine as well as the design on it. They are very affordable as it is manually done and the material costing is quite low. They can be painted in a very short time.

Apr
28

The Top 5 Glassware Items Found in Bars



Barware is basically the equipment that one uses to mix and serve alcoholic drinks. Having these equipments makes the jobs of bartenders much easier. Although there are countless numbers of barware that a bar uses, the top 5 glassware items that you WILL find in bars are, shot glasses, martini glasses, beer mugs, wine glasses, and last but not least, the old-fashioned glasses. One may think, why use so many different glasses when at the end of the day, you are just drinking the liquid? That is because there is an art to mixing drinks and drinking it.

Shot glasses are normally really small glasses made of thick glass and it is used to hold around an ounce of concentrated liquor, tequila or vodka. It can also be used for mixing drinks behind the bar. The reason why shot glasses are made of thick glasses is so that it can withstand the slamming of the glass on the table which usually happens after a person consumes the alcohol in a single gulp. If the bartender serves shots in a champagne or wine glass, and the glass is slammed on the table, it is very likely that the glass will shatter into pieces. Champagne or wine glasses are not built to be slammed on bar counters.

Martini glasses, also known as cocktail glasses, have a stem on a flat base and a flat bowl with a wide brim on top. The reason why martini glasses are built that way is so that the glass can be held from the stem. Drinks served in these glasses do not use ice. So, holding the glass from the stem will not allow the drink’s temperature to be affected by the person’s body heat.

A bar should not even call themselves bars if they do not have beer mugs. Beer mugs are just as essential as red wine and white wine glasses. There are numerous types and each type affects the drink. Some beer bugs gives the beer a better foam head, some enhances the aroma, while others enhances the aromatic volatiles of the beer.

To experience the fine art of drinking wine, only wine glasses can be used. There are even different types of wine glasses for white wine and red wine. Wine glasses consists of three parts, the bowl, stem and foot. Just like the martini glass, the stem is designed to ensure the wine’s temperature is not affected by heat from our hands. It is also to avoid finger prints on the bowl, this way wine enthusiasts can see the colour of the wine clearly.

Lastly, every bar is surely to have the most commonly used glass, the old fashioned glass, also known as rocks glass or lowball glass. Lowball glasses are used for drinks like liquor, whiskey or any other drinks which are usually served with ice. The reason why lowball glasses are the most common to be found in bars is because it can also be used for non-alcoholic drink and it holds larger amount of liquid compared to the others.

Apr
22

What is in a Glass?



So, a glass is a glass you say. Why are there so many types of glasses with stems laid on the dinner table? What are they for? It is very common to see various types of goblets or drinking glass vessels on stems during a sit down dinner or at a fine dining restaurant. What is the deal?

Wine is often offered during a sit down dinner or at a fine dining restaurant. To fully appreciate your wine, it has to be served in different type of glasses. The making of wine, maturity and storage method are already quite tedious. The last mile of enjoying that glass of wine is also an art.

You may not bother to collect different types of glasses for your pantry. Maybe you prefer white wine. Therefore it is really not necessary for you to get glasses for red wine. But to the discerning wine lover, the type of glass you serve your wine is paramount.

So, not any goblet will satisfy your friend, the connoisseur of wine. White wine will have to be served in its various types of wine glasses, depending on the variety. For example, sparkling wine, which is better known as champagne, is supposed to be served in a slim, tulip-like glass with long stem they call flute.

And then, there is the wider, shallow ‘bowl’ for another variety of white wine, chardonnay. They all serve to apparently bring out the best out of the taste of the wine. Then come the glasses for red wine. They are rounder and wider ‘bowl’ that is said to promote oxidization in the red wine, which soothes the flavor. The glass is deliberately designed as such to allow the oxygen to interact with red wine for the purpose of enhancing the flavor and aroma. Have you ever noticed how wine lovers would sniff and swirl their wine? That was what they are trying to achieve – to soothe the flavor of the wine.

All traditional glasses have stems and flat round base to avoid the glass from being toppled over. The perception is that our palm might affect the temperature of the wine and thus, change its characteristic. Actually, that is not the case although you have seen wine connoisseurs holding the stems of wine glasses when examining and investigating the wine they are about to drink. The fact is, the stem is only there for aesthetic purpose and nothing to do with warming down the wine.

The truth is, the surrounding temperature where that would very much affect the wine and not the palms of our hands. In fact, today, more and more makers of glasses are producing them without the stems – you guess it, for aesthetic purpose. Now you know that you have to use the right glasses for the various types of wine. And it does not stop there. Time for you to find that what food goes with which wine.

Apr
5

Glassware Trends



Glassware is basically tableware made from clear or colored glass and used for drinking and serving drinks with a meal or for milk, smoothies and other cold/ hot drinks. It is also used for most items that look like glass in the catering industry but are actually made from plastics. With a change in the style and decor, most people go in for different themed glassware that ranges from tumblers, goblet shaped glasses and even wine glasses but the major classifications are mugs, pitchers, crystal glass, carafes, daily use glasses used for beer, iced tea, juice, or water and last but not the least wine glasses.

You can mix different types of glassware or purchase matching sets. That is purely a matter of individual taste. Either way, there is no rule about mixing or not mixing glassware. Depending on the types of drinks and foods you are planning to serve, there is some type of glassware manufactured for every occasion. Being knowledgeable of each type of glassware is paramount when it comes to selecting the specific type of glassware you desire.

Trends in the Glassware Market

Whether you are purchasing glassware for home or commercial use, or if you are avid collector of classic glassware, the following 4 trends are evident in the glassware market:

- Cocktail glasses, whether the classic version or vintage cocktail shakers, are gaining in popularity again at the dinner table and with collectors alike
- Cut crystal manufactured in the 1920′s and 1930′s continues to be a targeted selection for collectors today
- Huge red wine glasses that were prevalent everywhere several years back are no longer as popular as they once were
- Mixing more modern styles the older types is an increasingly popular trend

Advantages of Glassware Today

For the most part, glassware is extremely versatile when you consider its many uses. Today’s glassware is manufactured to be durable and not dangerous to one’s health. It is manufactured in such fashion as to be chemically resistant to the following:

- Acids
- Alkalis
- Organic solvents
- Salted solutions
- Tap water

Additionally, today’s glassware is constructed to resist extremely high temperatures so it is dishwasher safe, unlike most plastic tumblers. It is also safe to use because there are never any acidic emissions, unlike what is evident with some utensils.

Cautions

Naturally, being manufactured out of glass materials, glassware is breakable so some precautions with handling should always be taken into consideration. Some glassware shatters into very small and dangerous shards while other will not. The following are 3 key precautions to take with glassware:

- Never pour scalding liquids into glassware unless the packaging states that you can do so
- Never support heavier objects with your glassware
- Never wash crystal and extremely delicate glassware in the dishwasher as it has the tendency to break or result in damage to the glass

Mar
11

How Much Do You Know About Stemware?



Stemware is defined as a type of glassware typically mounted on a base with a stem leading up to the bowl or the actually liquid holding area of the item. For the most part, stemware is constructed from glass, but is also manufactured from other materials such as ceramic and metal. Additionally, stemware is characteristically fancier and more suited for formal occasions at times, hence the higher price tag that is carries compared to standard glassware and drinking vessels.

The Different types of Stemware

Despite the fact that the array of stemware available on the market today is very diverse, these items are typically classified into one of the following 6 categories:

* Brandy Snifters – used for brandy and cognac
* Chalices or Goblets – used for wine drinking and tasting
* Champagne Flutes – the name implies the obvious usage
* Cocktail Glasses – more specifically Margarita or Martini Glasses
* Cordial Glasses – for aperitifs, cordials, and liqueurs
* Wine Glasses – again the name implies the obvious usage
* Stemless Wine Glasses – shaped the same as the conventional wine glasses and relegated to use with red wines

Additionally, the type of foods or meal that you are serving will determine the type of stemware that you should use with your table setting.

Several schools of thought exist where the materials that stemware is most commonly manufactured from. Typically, these materials include one of the following in ascending order of least to most desirable:

* Cut or fused glass – not a desirable material to use since it is apt to interfere with the wine’s flavor and oftentimes have a rough and/or thick lip that makes drinking the liquid uncomfortable for some individuals.

* Blown glass – the most common yet second best choice of material to use. It is also considered acceptable or desirable for the casual wine drinker due to having a thinner lip compared to cut or fused glass.

* Lead crystal – the material of choice where the more serious wine drinking circles are concerned. The advantages of lead crystal are purely aesthetic due to the fact this is a heavier material, has a higher refraction index for clarity, and results in an ease of workability during the manufacturing process.

How to Choose the Ideal Stemware for Your Table Setting

Based on the vast diversity of designs and styles, shopping for stemware is not always any easy proposition. In fact, it can get confusing and extremely frustrating as a result. Here are a few suggestions to assist you in your search for the ideal stemware for your table:

Sticking to the basics eliminates a lot of grief. The first decision involves the material that the stemware is made from. So you need to decide if you want crystal or glass. Most likely, this will be determined based on how casual or formal the stemware is that you are searching for.
Shape is the next consideration. If capturing the aroma of the liquid is the key issue, then you need to be searching for the proper shape that will enhance that element.

Design and style of the stemware depends on your personal taste. Regardless, this is what to consider next. This relates to not only the size of the bowl and rim but to how comfortable the lip of the bowl feels.

You know your budget the best. Once you have completed the three prior steps, you need to consider what your budget will bear. Stemware carries with it a wide pricing range from the very inexpensive to the extremely costly. Only you can know this part of the search and purchasing equation. Just make this a serious consideration and you should be safe regardless of your choice.

Jan
15

Wine Glasses – A Brief Introduction



Wine glasses are something that you should have in a dinner that has wine or champagne included in the menu. Why you may ask and the reason is that wine glasses do add an extra sense on how you taste and enjoy your wine. You will indulge into your wine like never before with the perfect wine glass. Taking that into view below are some facts on wine glasses that you should know in order to pick the right one for your intended use.

Wine glasses are divided into three different parts that has its own purpose where they are the base, stem and bowl. The base of a wine glass is the part that allows it to stand up straight and allows you to place the wine glass on flat surfaces. The base might be curved or at times flat and they are usually circular in shape. Next would be the stem where it is the part connecting the base to the bowl. The stem is where you should hold your wine glass and allows you to hold it without transferring body heat to your wine. Body heat does influence the taste of your wine especially if you place your whole palm on the bowl.

Holding the stem would also allow you to stay away from leaving smudges on the bowl of the wine glasses that might distract the visual enjoyment or the beauty of the glass while you’re sipping onto your wine. The bowl is the most important part of a wine glass as this is where the wine is placed and where the taste and aroma of the wine is influenced. Different types of bowl suit different types of wines and champagne. Therefore you should take special consideration on the type you choose.

Different wine glasses have different shape and size that will directly influence how you’ll taste and enjoy your wine experience. Good wine glass that are designed specifically to give you an unforgettable experience will direct the wine to your mouth to a part where the flavor will be most tasted and enjoyed. The bowls of wine glasses are usually smaller at the rim and larger at the bottom. If you think this was just for design purposes, you’re wrong, as this design is done to help distribute the wine’s aroma throughout the glass and thus help you smell and feel its aroma when drinking. This is usually why individuals who have been drinking wine for quite some time usually swirl their glasses before they sip on their wine, the reason being the aroma.

The aroma of the wine is highly important and by doing this it would be filled inside the glass and you’ll eventually be having a great experience tasting it. Always take into view that you should never fill your wine glass full, as you won’t get the true taste and splendor each wine has. Take it slowly and fill up to 1/3 of your wine glass; you’ll eventually have an enjoyable and fulfilling time with your loved one or friends.

Dec
25

Fun Things to Do With Wine Glasses



Remember Sandra Bullock in the movie Miss Congeniality where she acted as a detective that had to go under cover to solve a criminal problem? The tomboyish character that of Gracie Hard played by in the movie likes to dip her finger into a water of goblet and then traced her moist finger around the rim of the goblet, making some shrieking noise. And then while going under cover as a beauty pageant contestant; Bullock used her “talent” in making “music” using wine glasses as her musical instrument to put up a short performance.

Yes, wine glasses can be more than just vessels to serve your favourite wine. They can be used for other purposes although “playing” wine glasses as a musical instrument have never made it to the philharmonic performance.

With the delicate make of wine glasses with the long thin stems and “bowls” that come in various shapes and sizes, they do stand out to be slightly more elegant in appearance, befitting the status of the expensive vintage wine that you want to savour.

But of course, using fine wine glasses as musical instrument will be frown upon by wine connoisseurs. Noticed how when you toast with your wine glasses and you feel the “bouncy” effect? And how about the tap on the wine glass with a utensil when the best man of a wedding wants to attract the guests’ attention?

That just shows that wine glasses are indeed very well crafted just to give pleasure to wine drinking. They are so delightful that wine drinking exudes certain style. That is why wine glasses are so nice to be “meddled” with. Pour some of water in the glass at various levels and you got yourself a “xylophone” made of wine glassware.

Just as in the art of making the wine glasses, to be able to play some tunes on the wine glass “xylophone” you must have the ears for tones. You have to have a lot of wine glasses to make a set that could do the “do re mi” in low to high pitches. Pour some water in the glass. But the water level should not be the same. This is to give each glass different tones when you hit them. The lesser the water is in the glass, the more hollow sound you will get.

Yes, I said, hit the glass; as in hit them with a utensil gently. Or you can always do the Gracie Hart way by wetting your fingers and trace the mouth of the glass with some pressure and you get that shrieking sound. That is pretty neat, too.

Where did they get all the idea? Well, apparently, some say that to test if the wine glass is made of crystal or glass, you trace your wet finger on the mouth of the wine glass with some pressure to see if it emit any sound. If it does, then it is really made of crystal. Actually, if you do the same “test” on a fine wine glass, it will still give the same effect. It is the thinness of the glass that gives the sound. Go try it and enjoy.

Nov
12

Customizable Wine Glasses for Your Whole Wedding Party



Do you have a wedding planned? Here is a way to thank your whole wedding party for all of their help during the planning process as well as for taking part in your wedding! Try considering some type of gift that can be given to your wedding party as a small but genuine thank you. A great gift that will work well for both the bridesmaids and groomsmen are customizable wine glasses. These wine glasses can be customized to match the wedding day with a wedding-related design and a name of both the bride and groom.

Types of customizable wine glasses

When it comes time to decide on buying customizable wine glasses, you may find that there are all different types of wine glasses available for you to purchase. Most of the time wine glasses will vary when looking at the size of the glass, the stem, and the overall width of the cup. Wine glassware with thinner cups are usually best suited for drinking white and pink wines. Wider-cupped glasses allow for the perfect red wine.

This means that it may be ideal to purchase the right type of printed glasses that match the wine that will be served at your wedding. This way your wedding party will be able to completely enjoy the wine you provide. There is nothing better than being able to drink wine that is perfectly matched with a unique customizable glass.

Where to buy custom glasses

If you’re going to purchase custom glasses you’ll of course want to know where to buy them from! Stores sell all sorts of wine glasses; even your everyday store may offer a set of glasses on the shelf. However, those who are looking to buy printed glasses that will be given out to a wedding party as a gift and wedding favor are best purchased online. This is because online stores usually offer a large variety of glasses that can be customized on the spot. You don’t want to have to buy plain wine glasses and then have to find a company that will be able to personalize them in time for your wedding. It’s a lot easier, less time-consuming, and less hassle to find a company that can complete the entire process opposed to needing to consult two separate companies.

Online you may also find that you can purchase custom glasses at discount prices, especially if you are buying a larger quality. Usually companies offer discounts when you buy 5 or more glasses. This of course varies so shop around!

Personalized glasses are perfect for your wedding party

Thanking your wedding party is easy with the use of customizable wine glasses. These glasses can be used during the wedding reception for the toast. They can then be taken home, reused, or displayed. Be sure that your custom glasses are everything you want them to be, from the overall design, look, and of course the quality.

Nov
2

Accessorizing Your Home Bar



Bar accessories help to elevate the drinking experience. When hosting parties, sophistication is key. By having a wide range of accessories, all guests are satisfied. For the wine drinker in your life to the hard liquor lover, the variety of wine and bar accessories available will satisfy any drinker.

Wine accessories

Wine accessories include racks, cabinets, glasses and corkscrew. To class up your drinking experience, wine charms are also available. Also, a wide range of bar furniture is offered for wine drinkers. From hanging wine racks to pine wine racks and wrought iron styles – There are wine racks to fit any taste or decor.

Bar furniture

The overall look and feel of a bar is very important. The drinking atmosphere is very important to the overall success of the event. Bar furniture such as tables, chairs and bar stools are offered for every drinker’s style to match any themed decor.

From bar stools to tables that collapse and include cabinets within them, a wide range of bar furniture is offered to accommodate every drinker’s needs. Retailers offer different varieties such as wood and wrought iron styles to ensure that the customer’s needs are met, and the style accommodate one’s décor.

Shot glasses

Shot glasses are a necessary part of the home bar experience. Shot glasses are usually fairly cheap and are available in many different colors, sizes and printed designs. This wide range something to accommodate any personality. Shot glass gift sets are also a great idea for Christmas or other holidays.

Oct
26

How to Choose the Right Beer Glass



Fine beers should not be drunk straight from the bottle. They should always be enjoyed only after being poured into a glass. Glassware choice, as well as appropriate use and care, are important to the overall enjoyment of a fine beer, so here are a few tips:

Cleaning – First of all, make sure your glass is “beer clean”. If it isn’t, you may find that the carbonation dissipates quickly which will cause the beer lose its head prematurely, or even go flat. Worse yet, a glass that has not been appropriately cleaned can alter the taste of your fine brew. Contaminates that can ruin your beer drinking experience are fat or grease based residues such as lipstick residue, fingerprints, and soap or milk residue. At home, the best way to insure your glassware is “beer clean” is to only use them for serving beer, and to wash and dry them in the dishwasher.

Dishwasher detergents tend to leave little to no residue. (Be sure you buy a brand designed to leave dishes free of residue, and doesn’t have any added scents, such as lemon. Also, do not over fill the soap container.) Plus, the heated dry setting sterilizes your glasses. If you do choose to hand wash your glassware, use a mild detergent, and allow the glasses to air dry. Never dry or wipe off your beer glasses with a dishtowel because that can leave behind lint, residue, or odors that are held in the towel fibers.

Glass Styles – There are several different glassware choices for enjoying your beer. They each have advantages and disadvantages that make them more suitable for certain types of beers than others. However, ultimately your choice of glassware comes down to personal preference. Here are the most popular glass choices for beer:

Pilsner Glass – A 12 ounce tapered glass that is tall and slender. Pilsner glasses are good for showing a beer’s color, carbonation level, and for head retention. Pilsner glasses are typically used for lighter beers (such as a Pilsner).

Pint – Probably the most popular of beer glasses because they are cheap to make, easy to store, and easy to drink out of. As the name indicates, most are 16oz. glasses, but there are 20-ounce versions available. This is a great all around beer glass that works well for almost any beer. If you’re only going to use one type of glass, a pint should be the one.

Mug or Stein – Mugs come in many sizes and shapes. Steins are just mugs (often fancier mugs) with lids. Mugs are sturdy pieces of glassware with handles. Their benefits are they hold a lot of beer, and they’re easy to drink out of.

Weizen Glass – Like a Pilsner glass, a Weizen glass describes what it was intended to be used for. A Weizen glass is for Weizenbier, or wheat beer. A Weizen glass is similar in look to a Pilsner glass without a stem. They come in many sizes, but the half-liter is most common.

Tulip – A tulip glass is a tulip shaped, stemmed piece of glassware. The tulip shape creates big, foamy heads and brings out the aromas of your beer. This glass is a good choice for heavier ales and IPAs.

Goblet – A long stemmed round, bowl-like piece of glassware, which at times can be quite ornate. A goblet with a shorted stem and thicker walls is a chalice. Both offer the ability to take big drinks.

Other Glasssware – There are some choices that aren’t typically considered beer glasses, but are useful nonetheless. Champagne flutes and Tom Collins glasses both work well for lighter brews, and a large wine glass or a brandy snifter can be a great choice for a heavier beer. Many connoisseurs believe is you are doing a beer tasting, the brandy snifter is the best choice.

Pouring Your Beer – Now that you have chosen a clean beer glass of the appropriate style, you need to insure a proper pour. Never serve beer in chilled, or worse yet, frosted glassware. Beer glasses should always be at room temperature prior to use. Start pouring with your glass held at a 45° angle and target the pour to the middle of the glass. As the glass fills, allow the glass to gradually become upright. You want to allow for a nice head of one to one and a half inches, so don’t worry about pouring too fast, or allowing for some space between the bottle and the glass. This will help release the beer’s aromatic qualities, as well as add to visual presentation.