Why The Glass Is Important When Making Cocktails Topped With Egg Whites

Cocktails finished with vigorously shaken egg whites tend to have mixed reviews. Some support the addition, whereas others question their place in a boozy tipple. The truth, however, is that egg whites serve a purpose in a range of delicious cocktails from fizzes to flips to sours. Along with adding a visually pleasing cloud-like tier, they impart a richness that can help balance and enhance a cocktail. Naturally, to best showcase all the splendor of these frothy and foamy cocktails, the right glassware makes a difference. 

Glasses affect how we taste a cocktail. Despite that certain styles amp up aesthetics and encourage the first sip, it's really the size and shape of a glass that play a role in how we perceive flavor. Essentially, these elements affect the degree of air exposure and even control where a cocktail ends up on the palate, meaning that a glass can seriously alter the drinking experience. However, depending on a cocktail's list of ingredients — we're looking at you, egg whites — the ideal glass will vary.

The best glasses for egg white (and even aquafaba) topped cocktails is stemmed with a reasonably wide bowl. The reason being that a lengthy stem allows the tipple to stay cold, while the broad bowl best shows off the pearly foam. Likewise, a bowl with a larger diameter also lets the cocktail's most delicate and nuanced aromas to be expressed, which is important in cocktails where strong-smelling egg whites could overpower other ingredients.

Since style directly impacts the sipping experience, choosing the proper cocktail glass is essential. Yet, while it might be common to see drinks like a gin fizz served in a Collins glass or an amaretto sour served in a rocks glass, the reality is that these options don't always work well for egg white-laden cocktails, especially those served up, a.k.a without ice. Instead, we suggest investigating other styles.

When it comes to pouring out a silky pink lady or a frothy whiskey sour, nothing beats a coupe glass. In fact, most (read: all) cocktails bearing a wispy blanket of egg whites benefit from this style. The glass's thick stem supports and draws attention to its large and shallow bowl, which not only showcases a cocktail's layers, but its curved edges even limit the potential for spills. 

Beyond the coupe, the tulip-shaped Nick & Nora glass is another option. It's stemmed as well, but has a smaller and more conical bowl that makes it great for ice-free drinks. Similarly, a V-shaped glass could also work in a pinch. Just keep in mind that it can be a messier option, suited instead for stirred drinks as opposed to shaken tipples. Ultimately, the best glass boils down to preference, and whatever you happen to have on hand. That said, if you're a fiend for egg white-topped tipples, then we definitely recommend investing in coupe glasses — it'll be well worth it, we promise.