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Tools of the trade
Great tools make a great bartender
You'll not likely need all these tools, but its good to know what they are. Although your budget and dedication to bartending may vary we have starred the tools we consider essential. To find out what else you may need, check out Setting up a home bar.
* Essential tool
Barspoon:*
Barspoons and teaspoons are primarily used for the stirring and measurement of ingredients. Another great use of a barsponn is to crush flavoring ingredients. Most barspoons are 10 inches long and are made of stainless steal. The spoon itself typically holds 1/6 ounce of liquid (a teaspoon).
At the top of the handle (on most quality barspoons) is a disc called a "muddler," used to muddle or crush pieces of fruit, herbs or sugar cubes.
For more information on bar measures click here.
Blender:
Although not an essential item to have, an electric blender sure would make the creation of frozen drinks, such as daiquiris --and other drinks where the ingredients are difficult to combine -- a much easier job.
Blenders come in all shapes, sizes and price ranges. We suggest you purchase a good quality blender with "ice crushing" capabilities.
Can/Bottle Opener:
When opening bottled beers and juices, a can opener becomes very handy.
Champagne Stopper:
Champagne stoppers are special types as they keep the pressure of the natural effervescence of the wine in the bottle and keep the champagne from going flat. Other stoppers do not secure around the bottle's lip and would not work with champagne.
Citrus Reamer/Juicer:
The citrus reamer or juicer helps create fresh cocktails with fresh citrus fruit juice. There are many kinds of citrus reamers on the market.
Corkscrew:*
There are literally thousands of styles and sizes and price ranges to choose from. Corkscrews are used to open any bottle with a cork.
Our favorite corkscrew (the somelier's tool) will include a knife for foil cutting, a bottle opener and a winged corkscrew. A winged corkscrew screws into the cork, at which point the user pulls the handles down to pop the cork.
Ice Bucket and Tongs:
An ice bucket is useful if you don't have a large kitchen where you can store the ice. Use tongs to pick ice cubes from a bucket. If you use a very large ice bucket, never dip glasses directly into the ice to fill. Use tongs or a small ice shovel.
Bar Measure or Jigger:*
A truly indispensable item for your home bar. The bar measure or jigger is one of the standard bar measurement tools and is used to ACCURATELY measure ingredients, particularly the alcohol. One of the most common mistakes is to think more alcohol makes for a better drink. Like any recipe, too much of any ingredient, even a great one, will ruin the final product.
Most steel jiggers allow you to measure by 1-1/2 oz. (50ml), called a "jigger", on one end and 3/4 oz. (25ml), called a "pony", on the other end. Glass jiggers usually have only one size. 1 oz = 2 tbsp.
For more information on measurements, go to our Bar Measurements page.
Knife:*
You'll need a knife to cut your ingredients and garnishes. Even if you use a blender to make a drink, you may also need a knife to cut ingredients before putting them into the blender.
We recommend a paring knife approximately 4 inches (10 cm) long and an ordinary, sharp kitchen knife of about twice that length with a spear-like tip.
Tablespoon:
A tablespoon is used to measure small quantities, sometimes of the most essential ingredients. Again, guessing will ruin a potentially great drink. Remember 1 oz. = 2 tbsp.
For more information about measurements, visit our Bar Measurements page.
Mixing Glass:
A mixing glass is useful for stirring cocktails that are served with ice. The glass part of a Boston shaker could do the same task for stirring cocktails with ice.
Muddler/Mortar:
Some cocktails require muddling, crushing or grinding pieces of fruit, herbs, sugar cubes or other ingredients by using a muddler. Use this to crush fruit in a glass. Most quality barspoons will have a small muddler at the top of the spoon.
Shaker:*
An absolute must for any bartender. A shaker is used to mix drinks with ingredients that are difficult to combine otherwise. They come in two styles: the two-piece Boston and the three-piece Cobbler shaker.
The Boston shaker is made of two tumblers, one glass and the other usually stainless steel. The glass tumbler typically holds up to 500ml, and the the metal tumbler can hold up to 900ml. When the metal is placed over the glass, they form a seal and make a container for the shaking the ingredients.
To use the Boston shaker measure out the ingredients into the glass tumbler, spirits and liqueurs first, followed by juicers, mixers and any other flavorings. Then add the ice.
Then place the metal tumbler over the glass tumbler. Give the metal a firm tap with the heel of your hand to seal the two together. Test the seal by picking the two-part container up by the metal part and, gripping firmly with two hands, shake it well until the chill felt through the metal tumbler begins to become too cold to hold. Now, holding just the metal tumbler firmly, tap the metal tumbler just below the rim, right about the point where the glass comes in contact with it.
Never bang the shaker against the edge of the bar or other solid object in order to open it as this will often result in a cracking of the glass.
The Cobbler Shaker, made of three pieces, is the most classic and is typically the one you will see in the kitchen supplies stores. Professionals tend to use the Boston shaker only because it is easier to clean when making cocktails all night.
This shaker is usually made up of a stainless steel metal tumbler, a snug fitting lid, and a small cap that fits over the lid. The strainer is built into the lid. It is far easier to use than the Boston shaker.
To use it, remove the top two sections of the shaker, add the ingredients and then the ice. Then, replacing the top sections, shake the contents well. You then remove just the cap that is on the very top of the shaker, revealing the built-in strainer, and then simply strain the contents into a glass.
Strainer:*
If you have a Cobbler shaker you most likely will not need these additional physical strainers, but read on to find out if it is something you need.
The Hawthorn strainer is by far the most common type of cocktail strainer. It has a very unique look, with a wire "spring" that encircles the rim. The rolled spring around the edge of the strainer does a fine job of keeping the ice in the shaker while still allowing some of the fruit pulp, and even some small shards of ice, into the glass. Hawthorn strainers typically have two or four prongs which stabilize it on the top of the shaker.
The Julep strainer is a single piece of metal, with a round, bowled surface that has numerous small holes punched into it.
Both of these styles of strainers have a specific purpose. When you are using a Boston style of cocktail shaker, you will find that the Hawthorn strainer fits very well in the metal half of the shaker, but it is usually a tight fit on the glass part. On the other hand, the Julep strainer is too small for the metal part of the shaker, but fits nicely inside the glass part. Unlike the Hawthorn strainer, the Julep strainer doesn't fit across the top of the container, but instead fits gently within the glass at an angle, it takes a little bit of practice, but works quite well.
