Post #778919 by AceExplorer on Wed, Aug 16, 2017 6:32 AM

On 2017-08-16 05:42, tikitube wrote:
doesn't the old fashioned design offer some benefit for "rocks" drinks that a Collins or highball would not, thereby necessitating the existence of a TOF glass IF it called for that much volume AND rocks? Or would the volume of said drink by its very nature render the rocks ineffectual?

A good question for more discussion! You're right about "rocks" drinks. There is an issue with ice which can be addressed by choice of glassware. Shorter and stubbier glassware can make it more difficult for ice to shift and inflict a sudden cascade of ice onto face and into lap of the drinker. Inserting short skinny cocktail straws is intended to help, but to me, does help but is not entirely effective. The skinny straws are not intended for sucking up the drink, but to help stabilize ice in the glass while it is tilted back toward the drinker. Note that the drinker is expected to manage his ice. Some garnishes can help too, like a huge pineapple wedge. Or using an ice ball versus using smaller cubes. Bartenders know that drinkers do not (mostly) sip some things through straws because it's just not done, like whiskies neat or other cocktails on the rocks, so that's not what the straws are there for. But as we head in the direction of more complex cocktails, and especially those served in taller glassware (like tiki drinks,) straws are quite acceptable, or fully expected by the experienced drinker, and in some cases essential to helping manage the risk of icy disaster. Not many are aware of the role a straw is intended to play in managing your drink. For a pro bartender, a good experience often leads to a good or better tip, so straws are often seen as an essential accessory for some drinks.