A History of Cocktail Glassware
Posted on June 22, 2011
Filed Under Marleigh Riggins | Leave a Comment
A Pre-Tales Q&A with presenter Angus Winchester
Angus Winchester is something of a Tales institution. A founding member of one of the first global bar consulting agencies, Angus is a bartender and Global Ambassador for Tanqueray. His comments on the spirits industry have been in The New York Times, The London Independent, and Toronto Star, and he acts as an “Ambassador at Large” for the Museum of the American Cocktail as well as Chanticleer. Angus has been a judge and presenter at Tales of the Cocktail in 2008–10 and has presented at bar shows around the globe from Copenhagen to Sydney.
This year, Angus has turned his attention to the history of cocktail glassware. When he began researching he was discouraged by the dearth of information about these vessels crucial to the practice of bartending. He was thus inspired to find the sources himself, and will be sharing the results at his seminar at Tales.
Tales Blog: What prompted you to develop a seminar on cocktail glassware?
Angus: I was asked to write an article [for a Frenchwire magazine] on glassware and was shocked and dismayed by how little good info there was currently available.
Tales Blog: Who else is going to be on your panel?
Angus: No one—just me for this one.
[Ed. note: Anyone who has heard Angus speak before will tell you that he’s more than enough on his own.]
Tales Blog: What do you hope attendees in your seminar will come away with?
Angus: A history of glassware and also insight into how we have lost many great glasses, plus some anecdotes to use when using glasses to create a richer customer experience.
Tales Blog: Which cocktails will be featured in your seminar?
Angus: Cocktails that have a specific or named glass.
Tales Blog: What is your favorite part of Tales of the Cocktail?
Angus: The high level of information and the passion of the presenters.
Purchase your Tales passes to participate in “A History of Cocktail Glassware” on Thursday, July 21 from 12:30–2 PM in the La Nouvelle Orleans Ballroom of the Hotel Monteleone, 214 Royal Street, New Orleans.
