September 8th, 2025
6 Minute Read

Starquix are experts on all things printed and promotional. Let our team help you select awesome promotional swag today!

How Custom Barware Breathes Life Into Your Brand

“Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.” —Ogden Nash

I was 7 years old when I heard that quote. Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory was on TV, and Gene Wilder said it ;)
So what’s the translation?

Simple…

An alcoholic beverage takes the edge off in a hurry ;)

Here are some facts to back that up —

According to The National Library of Medicine, a study on the effects of alcohol on the brain showed a release of dopamine —the happy hormone —when people were buzzed. This study used an MRI machine to gather results.

Another study by Time Magazine revealed that 50% of people feel more relaxed in a social setting after having a libation.

Last but not least, data collected by CNN Health suggests that moderate amounts of alcohol lowers stress signals in the brain.

What does all that mean?

It means people need an occasional drink to maintain sanity ;)

Statistics gathered by Green Facts found that 2 billion people worldwide consume alcoholic drinks.

Their universal appeal makes advertising on barware a fun and rebellious way to connect with people.

Okay, but what does it mean for your brand?

Non-Alcohol Related Brands

Even if your business doesn’t revolve around alcohol, promo barware is a smart marketing move. They’re a popular choice for trade shows and seasonal giveaway items.

Here’s what promo barware does for your brand —

For Alcohol-Centric Brands

Are you a bar, pub, nightclub or restaurant? If so, customized barware like imprinted beer mugs, shot glasses and wine accessories should absolutely be part of your brand experience and marketing strategy.

Here’s what they can do for your business —

Okay, what else does it do for my brand?

In a nutshell, you get a full-blown case of The Pinocchio Effect.

What in the hell’s that?

Remember how The Blue Fairy turned Pinocchio into a real boy? Personalized barware has the power to do that for your brand.

I’m not implying you’re a puppet made of wood! I’m just saying that it makes your brand part of a real-life experience.
Whether people are enjoying a drink at your establishment or entertaining guests at home, your logo is alive in the moment. It makes your brand as real as the glass itself.

We’ve covered the basics!

Now it’s time to talk about which promotional barware items are the best!

Let’s start with the most robust and obvious category —

Glassware For Alcohol Drinks

Classy & Tipsy For The Win

Blue collars and upper-class crowds alike respect a nice piece of glass or crystal ;) Whether it’s for a Bud Light or a snort of top-shelf whiskey, your logo gets love and respect.
Here are the most popular promo glasses for alcoholic beverages —

Beer Glasses

“Everybody’s got to believe in something. I believe I’ll have another beer.” —W.C. Fields Branded beer glasses should be part of any bar’s advertising arsenal. They do more than just promote your logo —

Pouring beer into a beer glass produces a head without bubbles, and showcases carbonation
Glassware for beer lets people see the color of the lager and smell its aroma
It showcases the beer in a beautiful shape and delivers a fuller flavor

Here’s a good deal on custom beer glasses in bulk, if you’re interested. Let’s take a look at the most popular types of beer glassware —

Pint Glasses

Their tapered shape and versatility make them the simplest way to serve beer and advertise. They can easily be customized with bar logos or company names.

Here’s a customizable pint glass that’s crystal clear with thick walls —perfect for imprinting.
Or, if you’re into beer pint glasses with spiral designs, take a look.

Tulip Glasses

These glasses have a bulbous body and a narrow top. Their design helps beer retain froth, flavor and carbonation. It’s a favorite choice for serving strong beers like ales.

Take a look at this promo tulip beer glass made of crystal, just for your brand.

Beer Goblets

Goblets have a round bowl shape and bait people into taking big sips ;) They also have thicker walls and radiate a nostalgic elegance perfect for hotels, home bars and restaurants.

Check out these personalized beer goblets for advertising.

Pilsner Glasses

People dig these tall, skinny beer glasses because of their striking looks. Each one flaunts a unique curvature that produces a thick, frothy head and full aroma. They’re best suited for serving pale lagers and pilsner beers.

Here are some affordable pilsner glasses for imprint you might like.

Beer Sampling Glasses

Looking to promote your brand at beer-tasting events, or hook people up with small beer glasses? These customizable sampler glasses are perfect for bars, hotels, breweries and outdoor promo events

Here are some customizable beer-tasting glasses at a great price in bulk.

Okay, now it’s time to move on to the stuff that gets people in trouble ;) Like I said at the start of this article —liquor is quicker!

Promotional Whiskey Glasses

Ever seen “Cocktail” with Tom Cruise? It’s a movie about the booming bar scene in 1988. That was eons ago, and the bar industry is even bigger now.

What’s the current outlook?

Glassware for whiskey and cocktails is not only still in demand —it’s more in demand.

According to Precedence Research, the current 18 billion dollar glass market is expected to nearly double by the year 2032.
And it’s not just bars wanting custom liquor drink glasses —

Home Wet Bars Are On the Rise

People are passionate when it comes to entertaining guests…
And when I say passionate I mean eccentric and competitive ;)

Here are some examples —

Bachelors who want to create a pimped-out abode! A wet bar gives them official Mack Daddy status ;)

Married couples trying to impress other married couples! Lots of couples install a wet bar to attract guests and earn cool points.

Adults in the family with a wet bar to lighten the mood. When their personal space gets cluster-f*cked by friends and family around Christmas and New Year’s, it’s a lifesaver ;)

If you’re looking for some cool ways to organize your home bar, take a look at that link!

Or, if you just want some inspiration for wet bar ideas, try that! Maybe you’re just curious and want to learn why wet bars are so popular —go ahead ;)

Okay, moving on…

Liquor & whiskey glasses are the most popular pieces to any killer bar, nightclub or badass home wet bar.

Let’s zero in on the most popular ones —

Rocks Glass

Some people call it by its many nicknames: the old fashioned, the whiskey tumbler, a lowball glass, plain ole’ whiskey glass...

They’re perfect for serving whiskey neat, on the rocks and classic whiskey cocktails. These short, wide-rimmed glasses are a staple in every custom barware collection —home or establishment.

Take a look at this customizable rocks glass —perfect for bars & trade shows. And here’s a custom whiskey tumbler with a unique shape and aerating ability

Shot Glasses

They say good things come in small doses!

That’s why shot glasses are at the top of everyone’s promo glassware list. New Year’s Eve, birthdays, weddings —they’re always there, with bells on.

There are several styles of shot glasses, such as: standard, tall, pony, cheaters, fluted

If you’re looking to order some for your business or promotional events, here are some nice choices:
c` Check out these 2 OZ fluted shot glasses —they’re affordable on a small budget.
If you need a tall promo shot glass try that one —it’s perfect for branding and serving whiskey shots.

Glencairn Glass

When it’s time to imprint your logo on a glass for serving fine whiskey, this one is your huckleberry. They have a tapered mouth, perfect for releasing the full flavor of single malt and Irish whiskeys.

Here’s a promo Glencairn whiskey glass made of crystal, with your logo beautifully sandblast-etched.

Highball Glass

This taller whiskey glass is named after the famous cocktail drink —the highball. It has lots of room to add ice, scotch and soda for a tall, relaxing drink. They’re perfect additions to home wet bars and make awesome giveaway products for alcohol-related brands.

PS — Here are some delicious cocktails served in highball glasses: Mojito, Tequila sunrise, Long Island Iced Tea.

Take a look at my favorite highball glasses for advertising. They’re 15 ounces, with a heavy base.

Snifter Glass

These glasses are shaped to bring out the full aroma and flavor of bourbon and cocktails. They’re also known as brandy bowls or balloon glasses. Imprinting your logo on them gives your bar or brand an upscale appeal.

If you’d like to make customized snifter glasses part of your promotional arsenal, check out the link! They come in bulk, etched with your logo.

Moscow Mule Mugs

Okay, so these aren’t made of glass. But that’s okay they still kick ass! These cool and creative barware options are made of copper just to keep liquor drinks like cocktails cold and refreshing.

Copper may seem odd, but it has excellent temperature transfer ability. So when these mugs are frozen they keep drinks colder longer and also enhance the individual tastes of each drink ingredient.

Here are some trustworthy options to order moscow mule mugs for marketing. And here are some moscow mule mugs as a gift set, perfect for customer and employee appreciation.

Okay, now it’s time to ease into a barware category that has a huge following…

Custom Wine Glasses

“I drink to make other people more interesting.” —Ernest Hemingway

Wine is more than an alcoholic drink. It’s the perfect complement to food and social events like dinners and parties. It carries an aura of classiness and relaxation.

Personalized wine glasses have the power to make your brand feel important. They infuse your logo into memorable experiences.

That’s why they’re loved by a wide range of people.

A study by SurveyMonkey showed that 75% of people drink wine!

Let’s look at some different types of custom wine glasses, and pinpoint

a few worthy of your brand —

Traditional Red Wine Glasses

Bordeaux and sauvignon glasses

These classic wine glasses are known for enhancing the taste of Merlot, Chianti and Zinfandel. But they work for serving all types of red wine. If you’re buying in bulk for a bar or to promote your brand, they’re one of the most affordable options.

Here are some of our favorite red wine glasses for branding.

Champagne Flute Glasses

With a slim and towering design, they’re great for serving sparkling wine or champagne. Their long stems and upright bowl retain carbonation extremely well, for full flavor. Add them to your promotional effort and add an upper-echelon feel to your brand.

Here’s a quality flute glass for wine you can customize.

Stemless Wine Glasses

If you want a casual, quality vibe for your bar or brand stemless glassware is a smart choice. They’re formal and informal at the same time —perfect for promo events where wine is served. Another upside is that they’re less likely to break than glasses with stems.

Here’s a killer stemless wine glass poised and ready for imprint.

White Wine Glasses

With white wines, it’s more about preserving the aroma —aka bouquet— and less about letting it breathe. That’s why the bowls for these glasses are smaller and slightly U-shaped. They’re perfect for chardonnay and sauvignon blanc.

Here’s a set of stemmed promotional white wine glasses perfect for advertising giveaways. Or if you want just one with this awesome shape, here’s another branded white wine glass option. PS — These are also ideal for serving daiquiris!

Well, that takes care of the most popular types of wine glasses for imprint.
Now it’s time to move off glassware. Let’s talk about beverage holders that lock in the temperature of cold alcoholic drinks and won’t break.

That’s right, I’m talking about mighty wine tumblers ;)

Promotional Wine Tumblers

They’re not actually in the bar, so I’ll keep this section brief. But we gotta talk about them because people love them!

These babies are used all over creation to carry and drink alcohol. They’re an awesome promotional product for pretty much any brand because they’re such a popular item. Perfect for at home and on the go, tumblers are a killer way to advertise your brand at gatherings like concerts & festivals.

Let’s take a quick look at some of the best customizable wine and liquor tumblers —

Best vacuum-tight tumbler

If you’re looking to impress people, here’s a solid wine tumbler with vacuum-sealed technology. They make great branded expo and trade show swag.

Top plastic insulated wine tumblers

Here’s a set of two tumblers with double wall construction, plus spill—resistant lids. They’re perfect for promo giveaways.

Favorite tumbler for gifting

These Yeti brand tumblers are a solid choice for employee and client gifting. They’re great corporate appreciation options for all types of industries.

Now it’s time to shine a spotlight on the little things that make big things happen! I’m talking about custom barware accessories, of course :)

I’ll start with the simplest little barware gadgets known to man —

Custom Bottle Openers

Pttttsshhhh!

Yep, that’s the sound of a beer or soda bottle being cracked open. There’s nothing quite like it.

That sound is associated with drinks, good times and relaxation.

Personalized bottle openers are a part of any public or home wet bar.

They’re the coolest drink accessory available!

Why?

Beer drinkers everywhere rely on them to get their drink on ;) And they’re dirt cheap —perfect for bars or brands with a small advertising budget.

Promotional bottle openers come in all sorts of shapes, sizes and materials —even bamboo. They can come on keychains or attached to cool stuff like keylights, gadget toys and corkscrews.

Personalized beverage openers can also be classy and stylish —branded just for bars. Or, they can be perfect drinking accessories for events like concerts, picnics and festivals.

They can also be coupled with clips, keychains, magnets and more —perfect for giveaways and fundraisers.

Check out the best selection of customizable keychains in bulk.

Wine Bottle Openers

Thwaaaaaapop! ;)

When a cork is popped it unleashes an intoxicating sound no onomatopoeia could accurately capture ;) But, still I tried!

These wine and champagne accessories make excellent promo products for bars, hotels, wineries, restaurants and more.

Some wield a single corkscrew. Others come with extras like a built-in knife and foil cutter. You can get them customized individually or as part of a wine gift set.

If you’re ready to make custom wine bottle openers part of your promo force, give that link a look

It’s only fair to close out this article talking about the most overlooked & under-appreciated drink accessory. Yep, it’s the red-headed stepchild of the promo barware category. You guessed it —

Promotional Drink Coasters

I want to clear up a silly misconception right away…

Imprinted coasters aren’t just some cheap giveaway item. They’re a cool promo idea that serves your brand on many levels! They have several superpowers people overlook.

Here’s what they can do:

Add a layer of class to bar areas

Protect tabletops and bar tops from water damage

Preserve car interiors and consoles

Promote your brand in a fun and creative way

Keep in mind that not all bar coasters are made the same. They come in different sizes, shapes and materials. Here’s a list of the most popular kinds of coasters: Cork, Stone, Silicone, Felt, Marble, Wood, Pulpboard.

If you want to see an array of promotional coasters for brand advertising, check out the link and see what you think.

Okay, now I’ve rambled on too long! It’s time to wrap things up…

But, I would be a hasty jackwagon if I left you without a little FAQ!
So there’s just one thing left to do —

FAQ About Advertising Barware

What Are The Top Uses For Promotional Whiskey Glasses?
They’re used in special occasion celebrations like birthdays, weddings and even bar mitzvahs. These are some of the most popular glassware for cocktails and liquor drinks.

How Are Custom Barware Glasses Imprinted?
Here are the most popular ways glassware for alcoholic drinks are branded —

Custom etched

Silkscreen

Engraved

Pad printing

Digital printing

What Are The Most Popular Barware Giveaways For Events?
For brands with a moderate budget, rocks glasses are one of the favorites. If you’re trying to get by with the cheapest drinkware items for advertising, look at coasters and bottle openers.

What is the Best Customizable Glassware for Weddings?
Crystal is a favorite choice for weddings, although technically it’s not glass. However, if you want to save money, look into disposable glassware for weddings.

What’s The Best Way To Order Personalized Barware?
Do your due diligence, and make sure you go through a reputable promo business that specializes in quality barware and glassware. Do your homework, read reviews and listen to experts like me ;)

FINAL
THOUGHTS

SHARE:

I bluffed earlier about being at the end of the article. But this time, I'm as serious as a shot of Blind Dog Bourbon ;) Seriously though, I hope you absorbed some fun and useful knowledge about custom barware.

Maybe now you’ll feel better about making it part of your promotional strategy.

One thing is for sure, the world is a crazy place…

People like to escape the insanity with a nice drink. That universal truth gives branded barware cool points beyond measure. Don’t run from it, use it to connect with people, customers and humankind.

Starquix are experts on all things printed and promotional. Let our team help you select awesome promotional swag today!

September 8th, 2025
6 Minute Read

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