How to Properly Hold Each Drink Glass

Clutching a delicate wine glass like a grizzly or pinching the stem of a brandy snifter with a pinky extended could cost you dates, interviews and connections. Keep your cool points and remember the following advice the next time you drink.

Katie Eberts

The way you carry yourself in social situations says a whole lot about your confidence and intelligence—the same can be said about the way you carry a drink. Whether you realize it or not, clutching a delicate wine glass like a grizzly or pinching the stem of a brandy snifter with a pinky extended can cost you second dates, interviews and business connections. Keep your cool points and remember the following advice the next time you roll up to a bar.

How to Correctly Hold Your Drink

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Martini Sure, the large, teetering bowl of a martini glass is tempting to clutch on to, but hands off, people. Holding chilled cocktails by the bowl warms the contents quicker than intended and therefore an etiquette no-no. If you’re having trouble with the balancing act, it’s perfectly acceptable to use your free hand to sturdy the base from beneath.

Wine Like a martini, a wine glass should be pinched at the stem so as not to change the temperature of that classy Cabernet.

Brandy Though most glasses go by the motto “stem always, bowl never,” the brandy snifter is an exception to the rule. This glass is best cupped under the bowl with the steam passing through your middle and ring fingers. Brandy will actually benefit from your hand’s warmth which will help release those iconic aromas.

Whiskey Depending on the glass you are using, whiskey is another drink that you can allow to interact with the palm of your hand. A classic lowball tumbler is thick and doesn’t need to be treated with as much delicacy as a martini glass.

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Champagne We prefer our Champagne served in wine glasses, but regardless of whether you are drinking from a flute or a wine glass – holding it by the stem is the way to go. As the evening goes, you’re likely to grab the glass with your hand (we get it, you’re tipsy!), but try to avoid it if you can, as it transfers the heat of your hand to the wine and makes it so much more dull…

Beer So, beer is a whole science in an of its own – but to make this simple, if you get beer served by the bottle – to impose the least amount of impact on the liquid from your hands, you should try and grab it with just two fingers at the top of the neck. Now, that’s not always practical, fun, or cool looking – so do everything you can to get the proper glass for the beer you’re drinking and pour it respectfully. And if that glass has a stem – work it as a wine glass.

Highball Cocktail Ok, so this is a tricky one – highball glasses often contain an iced cocktail. Ice being important, and cool temperature being a key to good taste. But the highball glass doesn’t have a handle, so you’re inevitably going to grab it like a baseball bat and start sipping away. So here’s what we’re thinking – if it’s early in the evening, try to handle the glass with just your thumb, index finger and ring finger. This way, the ice doesn’t melt too fast, and you won’t be chugging a sloppy, semi-warm concoction. Later in the night? Up to you, just don’t drop the drink.

Katie Eberts