Necessary Gadgets for Mixing Cocktails for Novice Bartenders: A Comprehensive List of 10 Indispensable Tools
Feeling clueless about the jumble of bar tools sitting in front of you? You're not alone! With a passion for cocktails or a desire to up your home bartending game, familiarizing yourself with the essential cocktail tools is the first step towards becoming a pro mixologist. Let's demystify these bad boys and empower you to mix drinks with confidence!
From the enigmatic double-sided jigger to the iconic trusty shaker, each tool plays a crucial role in the art of cocktail crafting. So, prepare to say goodbye to confusion and step up your cocktail game!
Are you ready to stop guessing and start shaking, stirring, and straining? Let's dive into the world of professional bartending tools and level up your cocktail game:
Key Highlights
- Necessary bar tools include the jigger for precise measurements, various shakers, and multiple strainers, guaranteeing a flawless cocktail.
- The diverse types of shakers—Parisian, Boston, and Cobbler—each have unique advantages, from the built-in strainer of the Cobbler to the larger capacity of the Boston shaker for multiple drinks.
- A well-equipped bar setup requires not only primary tools (shakers, jiggers) but also auxiliary equipment (muddlers, mixing spoons, pourers) to create professional-quality cocktails at home.
Table of Contents
Jigger
First up in our list of bartending tools for beginners: the jigger, a measured shot container. It commonly comes in a double-sided design, perfectly calibrated to specific proportions, which you'll fill with your preferred spirit and then pour into your shaker. You'll usually see a jigger with one side liquid-filled to 2.5 oz and the other side filled to 1 oz.
There's quite a variety of jiggers out there:
Trivia: There are many theories regarding the origin of the word "Jigger," but none have been proven.
Shaker
The birthplace of alchemy: the shaker! It's where magic happens, and you'll spend most of your time there as you mix spirits, fruits, herbs, ice, and accouterments, shake like hell, and voilà, a delicious cocktail appears. There are three types of shakers: the Parisian cocktail shaker, the Boston cocktail shaker, and the Cobbler cocktail shaker.
The Parisian cocktail shaker
The Parisian, also known as the French shaker, is a two-piece shaker that doesn't come with a built-in strainer, meaning you'll need to have it handy. It offers the tightest seal of the three types, but you might find it challenging to separate the top and bottom after an intense shake.
The Boston cocktail shaker
The Boston cocktail shaker is also comprised of two parts: the bottom is a metal tin, while the top is either another symmetrical tin or a glass cup. The shaker tin holds about 28 oz, and the top tin fits neatly on top to provide a tight grip. This allows for making more cocktails at once, leaving more room and easier cleanup. However, you'll still require a separate strainer for this one.
The Cobbler cocktail shaker
The third type, the Cobbler cocktail shaker, is a 3-piece shaker. Like the Parisian, it has a tight top lid, but the top lid also features a built-in strainer with small holes at the top and a lid to cover it when you've finished crafting your cocktail. Unfortunately, its smaller size means less capacity for cocktail-making in one shake, and it's not ideal for incorporating egg whites in the mix.
Strainer
When concocting a cocktail, your primary goal should be to filter out all ice shards and unwanted ingredients while keeping the cocktail behind.
Hawthorn Strainer
The Hawthorn strainer—the one with the metal slinky thing—is perfect for both straining out unwanted bits and stabilizing the pour. The spring compresses into the edges of the shaker, creating a snug fit that prevents ice shards and unwanted mixing ingredients from entering the cocktail. The rim of the strainer doesn't need to touch the rim of the shaker. Instead, the two tiny metal prongs simply assist stabilization. And those holes on the strainer—you know what they're for.
Julep Strainer
The Julep strainer is an old-timer, dating back to the dawn of cocktails. Its straightforward design includes a metal bowl with a handle. You'll recognize it as the spoon with holes in it. Although many Julep strainers are too large, most are designed to fit cozily inside your shaker, thus filtering out unwanted debris while liquids pass through. Of course, if you want it to fit inside your shaker, it'll be on an angle, but it's quite self-explanatory.
Fine Strainer
You might not expect a fine mesh strainer to be among the bartending tools for beginners, but trust us; you'll want one. The fine strainer acts as a metal sieve, catching unwanted yuckies, allowing only juices to pass through. It catches things like mint leaves, although you may have to tweeze out residue when cleaning. But hey, to each their own!
If you'd like to learn more about these strainers, check out this video from Liquor.com. Liquor.com is an excellent resource for discovering other bartending tools for beginners, so be sure to explore their site as well!
Cocktail Muddler
The muddler is another essential tool for newbie bartenders. Think of it as essential to your cocktail creations as a hammer is to your toolbox.
Some might refer to it as a "crimson cocktail." 😉
So, what's the deal with the muddler? Put your desired ingredients in the shaker, such as mint leaves, a sugar cube, or lemons, then attack it with the muddler. Start smashing, turning, and working those ingredients together until they're mixed to perfection. Muddlers can be made of wood, stainless steel, or plastic.
Mixing Spoon
Everyone knows what a mixing spoon is used for, but stay with us for a minute. You may have observed that all cocktail mixing spoons have a twist on them. What's the point of that, you ask? Think about it: you need to spin the spoon around the edges of your glass, usually around one cylindrical ice cube.
If the spoon had any sharp edges, spinning it with your fingers would be a pain. Furthermore, if it were just smooth on all sides, you'd probably drop it. Mixing spoons are twisted to allow for comfortable spinning, making it less likely to drop your trusty tool while you're busy crafting your masterpiece.
Mixing spoons are also used to "layer" drinks. To do this, you'll pour the liquor through the nozzle against the twists, and the liquid will travel down the shaft and reach the bottom of the glass without spilling. The spoon holds about 5 ml of liquid, but can vary from spoon to spoon.
There are a few different spoon designs, such as the European bar spoon, the Japanese bar spoon, and the American bar spoon.
Ice Tongs
Next up on the list: ice tongs! Used to pick up your chilly refrigerator buddies.
Pourers
Pourers are a given for any serious home bartender (or any bar, for that matter) and come in a variety of types: speed pourers, wine and kitchen pourers, plastic pourers, and screened pourers, among others.
The speed pourer
The speed pourer can be found in nightclubs, bars, and restaurants.
The plastic pourer: Why does it exist? Well, if you're working in a fast-paced bar, you might see more plastic pourers because bartenders can get busy and tend to throw out pourers in the heat of the moment, or they're simply too busy to clean them at the end of the night. So, the plastic pourer is the more disposable, cheaper option.
The wine and kitchen pourer
The wine and kitchen pourer comes in handy because you can pour the liquid out of it and plug the pourer to keep oxygen, dust, or anything else from getting in or out of it. Pretty much all other pourers do it just a little differently.
Bar Tool Holder
To wrap up our shortlist of essential bartending tools for beginners, we have the thing that ties it all together: a bar tool holder. Most cocktail holders are made of wood but can also be found in stainless steel, with either a bottom section or a bottom section with a third section serving as the roof. The prices usually range from around $40 to $50.
If style is a factor, you'll find no shortage of holders on the market, so you shouldn't have trouble finding one that matches your bar and home decor. Here are three awesome holders chosen specifically for beginners:
Remember, you can order your bartending kit in various materials, such as stainless steel or other color options. Personally, I opted for a rose gold finish because it adds a little personality to the room.
Final Thoughts
Now that you're equipped with the knowledge of these essential bartending tools for beginners, it's time to fill your bar with the right alcohol.
So, are you missing any of these crucial bartending tools? Let us know in the comments below. Head to our blog for more helpful tips and tricks! Cheers!
- To properly mix a cocktail, acquire a jigger for precise measurements, ensuring a flawless outcome with each drink.
- Change the way you shake, stir, and strain cocktails with various shakers like the Parisian, Boston, and Cobbler, each offering unique benefits for your home bar setup.
- Master the art of straining out ice shards and unwanted ingredients with essential tools such as the Hawthorn, Julep, and Fine Strainers.
- Experience the alchemy of muddling cocktail components to perfection using the Muddler, an essential tool for newbie bartenders.
- Don't overlook the Mixing Spoon, which provides comfort and functionality with its twisted design, helping you spin, layer drinks, and stir without dropping your essential tool in the process.
- Ice Tongs make handling your icy ingredients a breeze during high-pressure situations.
- Pourers are a must-have for any serious home bartender, with a variety of options available, such as Speed Pourers, Wine and Kitchen Pourers, and Plastic Pourers, ensuring smooth and precise pouring for your cocktail creations as you discover your inner mixologist, while incorporating fashionable bar tools and decor into your home and lifestyle.
