Question 1

What are coupe glasses used for?

Accepted Answer

Coupe glasses hold cocktails served up, meaning shaken or stirred with ice and then strained so no ice reaches the glass. Daiquiris, martinis, manhattans, sidecars and sours all suit them. They also work for sparkling wine, which is what the champagne coupe was designed for, though a flute keeps the bubbles going for longer.

Question 2

How much does a coupe glass hold?

Accepted Answer

Most coupes hold between 150ml and 250ml filled to the brim. The drink itself is smaller, usually 90 to 120ml after straining, so the rest is headroom that stops the glass slopping when you carry it. Larger coupes above 250ml exist but a drink with no ice in it warms noticeably before you reach the bottom.

Question 3

Is a champagne coupe the same as a cocktail coupe?

Accepted Answer

They are the same shape and the terms are used interchangeably. Historically the champagne coupe came first and tends to be wider and shallower, while glasses sold specifically for cocktails often have a slightly deeper bowl and a sturdier stem. Either will serve both jobs perfectly well in a home bar.

Question 4

Why did coupes stop being used for champagne?

Accepted Answer

The wide, open bowl lets carbonation and aroma disperse quickly, so flutes and later tulip-shaped glasses took over during the twentieth century for anyone drinking sparkling wine slowly. The often-repeated story that the coupe was moulded on a royal figure's anatomy has no historical basis. Its return has been as a cocktail glass rather than a wine one.

Question 5

Are coupe glasses dishwasher safe?

Accepted Answer

Sturdier pressed-glass coupes generally are, but thin blown or crystal ones are better hand-washed. The rim is the vulnerable part, and coupes are wide enough that they knock against other items in a crowded basket. Repeated hot cycles also cloud glass over time. Wash in warm soapy water, rinse and dry with a soft cloth.

Coupe glasses

Lucent Coupe 7oz (21cl), set of 6

Melodia Coupette 15.88cm H 16cl, set of 12

Minners Coupe Champagne 13.02cm H 23.6cl, set of 24

Moda Fully Toughened Coupe 7.5oz (21cl), set of 12

Monastrell Coupe Cocktail Glass 17cl/6oz

Murray Coupe 13oz (37cl), set of 6

Optic Champagne Coupe 13.02cm H 23.6cl, set of 24

Paradise Coupe 10.5 (30cl), set of 12

Petit Coupe 4.5oz (13cl), set of 36

Praline Coupe 7.5oz (21cl), set of 4

Praline Coupetini 6.75oz (19.5cl), set of 4

Primeur Coupe 8.5oz (24cl), set of 12

Raffles Coupe 5.5oz (16cl), set of 6

Raffles Lines Coupe 5.5oz (16cl), set of 6

Raffles Vintage Coupe 5.5oz (16cl), set of 6

Savage Coupe 7.5oz (22cl), set of 6

Savage Coupetini 6oz (17cl), set of 6

Speakeasy Cocktail Champagne Coupe Glass 23.5cl

Stainless Steel Coupe 7oz (20cl), set of 6

Timeless Champagne Coupe 16.83cm H 26cl, set of 12

Timeless Vintage Coupe Gold 9.5oz (27cl) *Handwash, set of 24

Twisted Hayworth Coupe 10.25oz (29cl), set of 6

Xtra Coupe 10.5oz (30cl), set of 6