No. 5 vs Idéelle: Holmegaard Shot, Long Drink and Beer Glasses

Holmegaard has two shot glasses by the same glassblower, and they could hardly feel more different in the hand. This piece compares Per Lütken's No. 5 and Idéelle, then follows the No. 5 range up into long drinks and beer, so you can decide which glass belongs at your table for snaps, highballs and a cold lager.

Two glasses from one designer

Per Lütken spent most of his working life at Holmegaard and left more than 3,000 designs behind him, which makes him one of the most prolific glass designers Denmark has produced. No. 5 and Idéelle sit at two ends of that body of work.

No. 5 was launched in 1970. It is a range built for use: a plain, upright profile, a generous wall of glass and enough weight to stand firmly on a crowded lunch table. Holmegaard's own description compares its relaxed shape to something borrowed from a favourite café. The beer glass in particular is well known to many Danes.

Idéelle came later, in 1978. Lütken drew it as his idea of the perfect everyday glass, and the defining detail is a slender foot that lifts the bowl off the table. The glass is mouth blown and thinner, so it reads as lighter and more formal, even in its smallest size.

No. 5 vs Idéelle at a glance

The table sets out what the two shot glasses share and where they part ways, with the larger No. 5 formats included for anyone building a full set.

Serving snaps: the case for each shot glass

The No. 5 Shot Glass 5 cl clear is made for the Danish frokost table, with pickled herring, rye bread and a round of aquavit. Its 5 cl volume suits a proper pour, and the heavy glass holds the cold well. Holmegaard suggests putting it in the freezer for a short while before serving, so the outside frosts over and the snaps stays ice cold through a toast or two. A tall, narrow glass of this weight also survives being set down with some force after a skål, which is part of the ritual.

The Idéelle Shot Glass 3 cl clear asks for a different pace. Three centilitres is a smaller measure, and the foot keeps your fingers away from the bowl, so a chilled spirit stays chilled and a room temperature one is not warmed by the hand. It is the better glass for an aged aquavit, a good calvados or a herbal bitter after dinner: drinks you look at and nose before you taste. The thin rim also makes a real difference to how a spirit feels on the lips.

A practical way to decide: if the glass will appear at big family lunches, at Christmas and on long summer tables, choose No. 5. If it will come out at the end of a dinner for four, choose Idéelle. Plenty of households own both, and the two do not clash, since they share a designer and the same clear glass.

Highballs and long drinks with No. 5

Once you move beyond spirits served neat, the No. 5 range has the more useful sizes. The long drinks glass comes in two volumes. The 24 cl version measures 9 cm high and Ø9 cm and weighs 0.35 kg, a low, wide tumbler with real heft. The No. 5 Long Drinks Glass 33 cl clear holds more and suits drinks built over plenty of ice.

For a gin and tonic, a whisky highball or a Campari soda, the 33 cl glass gives room for large cubes, the spirit and a full measure of mixer without filling to the brim. The 24 cl tumbler works better for a shorter serve, such as spirit with a splash of soda, or simply for water and juice at breakfast. The width of the 24 cl glass also makes it easy to add a slice of citrus or a sprig of mint without fishing for it.

The weight is worth thinking about. A 0.35 kg tumbler feels solid and stays put on an outdoor table, and it does not tip when knocked by a passing elbow. If you prefer a lighter glass for long drinks, that is a point in favour of looking at the wider Idéelle family instead, but for a home bar that sees regular use, No. 5's thicker glass is the more forgiving choice.

Beer, and a second life as a vase

The No. 5 Beer Glass 30 cl clear is probably the best known piece in the series. It stands 16 cm high, measures Ø8 cm and weighs 0.43 kg, so it has the same straight, steady character as the shot glass, scaled up. A 30 cl volume suits a standard bottle of Danish pilsner with room for a head of foam, and the tall, slim shape lets you watch the bubbles rise.

It also works away from the bar. Holmegaard notes that the tall, slim form makes a good vase for a few cut flowers, and on a long table, three or four beer glasses with single stems in each set a relaxed line down the centre. When the meal starts, they can go back to holding beer.

The No. 5 beer and shot glasses share the same care instructions: dishwasher safe at a maximum of 55°C on the glass programme. That makes them easy to live with after a large lunch, when there may be a dozen glasses to clean.

Which to choose

• For a Danish lunch with herring and aquavit: the No. 5 Shot Glass, chilled in the freezer before serving.
• For sipping spirits after dinner: the Idéelle Shot Glass, where the foot and thin rim do the work.
• For highballs and mixed drinks: the No. 5 Long Drinks Glass in 33 cl, or 24 cl for shorter serves.
• For beer and cut flowers: the No. 5 Beer Glass, which covers both.

If everyday glasses are your main concern, our comparison of Flow vs Idéelle looks at the rest of the Idéelle family in more detail. To set No. 5 and Idéelle beside stemware and tumblers from other makers, browse the full Glassware collection.