Bartenders and cocktail lovers follow the traditional method of mixing drinks and they usually have a few different types of glasses at their disposal to serve these drinks. In most cases, the choice of glasses depends on the ingredients that they are mixing to make the cocktail. However, two of the most popular types of glassware used by both bartenders and cocktail lovers are highball and lowball glasses.
Sadly, most of the self-proclaimed cocktail lovers are not aware of the difference between these two glasses. As a result, they often end up using the wrong type of glassware for cocktails, which is a bad move. This is because using the wrong type of glassware will negatively affect the taste of your drink. Therefore, it is crucial to use the right type of glassware.
Below are a few key differences between lowball and highball glass that will help you decide the right glassware for your cocktails.
Highball Glasses
In the late 19th century, trains that head to railway stations used to look for a colored highball attached to a pole in order to signal the engineers that the route was clear. The bartenders who served railroad workers gradually named their popular drinks after the highball signal. The highball drink, which was made with 1.5 oz. of whiskey, was served in a tall glass filled with ice.
Eventually, the smooth tall glass used for serving highball came to known as highball glass among cocktail aficionados. Most of the highball glasses hold 10 to 14 oz. of liquid and they are an ideal choice for serving drinks that are made with plenty of soda, mixer, or juice.
Lowball Glasses
Also known as old-fashioned whiskey glasses, lowballs glasses are classy and sophisticated and the go-to for high-end spirits due to the wide openings that permeate pleasant smell from the contents of the glass.
Most of the modern lowball glasses available in the market can hold of 4 to 10 ounces of fluid and they are usually used by bartenders for serving simple drinks that are made with a limited number of ingredients. For instance, classic drinks like Bourbon and water or Scotch and soda are served in these types of glassware.
In addition to that, most of the primary alcoholic drinks that use bitters, liqueurs, and sugar are also served in lowball glasses. It is also used for serving the famous Godmother cocktail, a mix of vodka and amaretto.
