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Glass shapes
Which glass goes with which drink?
The development of drinking glasses - art, culture and enjoyment
There is no denying that knowledge of how to make glass is one of the great cultural achievements of mankind. People discovered the benefits of glass, a material that is thousands of years old, long before they were able to produce it themselves. Today, we encounter glass in its many forms in all areas of life and it has become an integral part of our everyday lives. Especially when it comes to enjoyment. The range of drinking glasses starts with those made of simple pressed glass for everyday use and extends to exquisitely cut crystal glasses for special occasions. It is not only an expression of appearance and dining culture, but above all of enjoyment that the use of glass as a drinking vessel has become more and more refined since its discovery several thousand years ago.

What is glass and what is it made of?
Chemically speaking, glass is an amorphous material. It is as old as the earth itself, as it forms naturally at extremely high temperatures such as a meteorite impact (tektite), a lightning strike (fulgurite) or a volcanic eruption (obsidian) due to the immense heat caused by such an event. Natural glass has even been found during expeditions to the moon.
The first use of obsidian as a tool is documented by finds from the Stone Age. As early as 7000 BC, people were using volcanic glass to cut up hunting spoils, scrape hides or as spearheads. The origin of the conscious production of glass is thought to date back to the 3rd millennium BC in Mesopotamia, but the first surviving recipe is found much later in a cuneiform script from around 650 BC. An Assyrian king recorded the first known glass recipe as follows: “Take 60 parts sand, 180 parts ash from sea plants, 5 parts chalk - and you get glass.” This recipe produced a very soft glass. Only by experimenting with the ingredients was it possible to produce harder glass over time.

The production of glass and glass vessels
The heat development of a fire depends on the fuel. The problem of melting sand, soda or potash and lime into glass therefore lay in generating a uniformly high heat of approx. 1400°C to 1600°C. This was hardly possible with a bonfire. This was hardly possible with a campfire, but it was possible with kilns, in which clay was also previously fired to produce vessels. However, the oldest fired glass objects were not yet containers, but simple decorative objects such as beads or small amulets.
Large-volume vessels were created in the last century BC with the invention of the glassmaker's pipe, a tube that could be used to blow liquid glass into molds. Prior to this, there was another, much more complex method of producing glass containers. This involved pulverizing existing glass and rolling a moist clay-sand core in it, which was then fired. This process had to be repeated several times in order to obtain stable glass that did not break again when the clay core was removed. This procedure was both complicated and too time-consuming to prevail over glassblowing. As a result, the craft of glass blowing spread rapidly around the Mediterranean and as far as China.
Glass vessels increasingly became part of the households of all wealthier people. From the Middle Ages onwards, Venice in particular became the center of the highest quality glass production.
Glass shapes through the ages
With the specialization of manufacturing processes, the shapes of drinking vessels also became increasingly diverse. As only those who had the financial means could afford glass, the color and shape of the drinking glasses also served as a sign of prosperity. Early shapes were based on nature, such as the lotus goblet. This was followed by goblets and drinking bowls, drinking horns and small glass tumblers. Initially very colorful in design, glass manufacturers increasingly began to demonstrate their craftsmanship through a wealth of ornamentation.
Heavy goblets with lavish decorations, often depicting the coat of arms of the respective house, were very popular at the royal courts. From the late Middle Ages, the greatest masters of their trade came together on the island of Murano off the coast of Venice. Their particular specialty was winged goblets, which stood out due to their thin walls. From the 16th century onwards, this type of Venetian-style drinking glass was also produced north of the Alps. A market also developed for simply shaped drinking vessels, which were usually greenish in color due to a high proportion of iron oxide in sand and potash. They were known as “forest glass”.
The so-called “Roman”, with its spherical bowl (usually with a large capacity) on a cylindrical stem, can be regarded as the predecessor of our modern wine glasses. The play of colors, ornaments and cuts was also highly valued by the bourgeoisie for centuries. However, not only the artistic shape of the glass, but also the influence on the taste of the drink played an increasingly important role in the design. However, it was not until the Art Nouveau period that a turning point was reached in the design of drinking glasses. The thin-walled and high-stemmed glasses that are popular today came into fashion at that time.
What glass shapes are available today?
There is now a suitable glass for every drink. The reason for this is that the shape of the glass determines whether the taste and aroma can develop properly. Anyone can easily determine this for themselves with a little test. A fine red wine does not come into its own as fully in a normal drinking glass as it does in a suitable red wine glass.
Unfortunately, the reverse is not true: not even the finest red wine glass can improve the taste of an inferior wine. In addition to the taste, the right glass also enhances the freshness of a drink. Cocktails need air to develop their aroma, which is why cocktail glasses are open at the top.
The aperitif depends very much on what is served: from the long drink glass to the sherry glass to the champagne flute, each glass emphasizes the aroma of the respective appetite-stimulating drink. The digestif is known to close the stomach, as it is intended to aid digestion. There is also a wide range of glasses to choose from, from the grappa glass to the fruit schnapps glass and the snifter (for cognac). Sparkling wine flutes and champagne flutes have a tall, narrow goblet and a long stem to prevent the sparkling wine/champagne from warming up too quickly in the hand. A champagne bowl, on the other hand, is less recommended, as the perlage of the carbon dioxide evaporates too quickly in the wide goblet.
Finding the perfect wine glass seems to be a science in itself. In general, it can be said that fruity white wine requires a smaller goblet and a long stem for its delicate aroma, while red wine is generally served in more bulbous, but also long-stemmed glasses. As red wine should breathe before being enjoyed, the tannin content of the respective red wine determines the size of the vessel and the glass opening. There is a different beer glass for almost every type of beer, the only thing that everyone agrees on is that a pilsner tastes best in a tulip.
A shot glass is used for high-proof spirits, while a nosing glass is primarily used for tasting whiskey and other spirits. Water, but also juices and lemonades, are usually served in a simple water glass or tumbler. The variety of glasses looks beautiful, accentuates the drink in question and enhances the enjoyment.