What is a Gibraltar?

A Gibraltar is a cortado served in a 4.5 oz Libbey Gibraltar glass. Blue Bottle Coffee popularized the name at their San Francisco locations in the early 2000s. The glass has straight sides and a thick bottom, which holds heat well.

The drink is identical to a cortado: equal parts espresso and steamed milk. The name refers to the vessel, not a different recipe.

A Gibraltar outside San Francisco is usually just called a cortado

In San Francisco, where Blue Bottle has significant cultural influence, "Gibraltar" is understood everywhere. In Chicago, New York, or internationally, the same drink is almost universally called a cortado. Both names are correct. They refer to the same thing.

"The Gibraltar is a cortado with a proper name. Blue Bottle named it after the glass. The glass is made by Libbey. The drink is made with espresso and milk."

Why the glass matters

The thick glass retains heat better than a thin ceramic cup. It is also visually transparent, which lets you see the layers of espresso and milk before they combine. Some baristas prefer to serve cortados in Gibraltar glasses specifically because the thick walls hold temperature longer for a 4 oz drink that you are meant to drink quickly.

Try a Gibraltar at Blue Bottle Coffee in San Francisco or at specialty shops in Los Angeles that carry the Libbey glass. Full guide to the cortado in what is a cortado?

Related: What is a cortado?, What is a flat white?, 12 best espresso drinks.