Professional bartenders hone their skills with years of practice. Creating the perfect cocktail that keeps customers coming back requires precision and the right bar tools. Your tools will help you whether you work for:
- Small restaurants
- Pubs
- Upscale cocktail bars
Creating a professional bartender set that allows you to offer efficiency, consistency and quality is your first step to offering the best drinks in town.
We're going to explain the top 10 tools every bartender should have in their set below.
Start With 2 Cocktail Shakers
Cocktails are the heart of every bar. You can't have a bartender mixing set without the ability to combine ingredients thoroughly. Bartenders pursue the perfect balance of flavors, and to achieve this goal, you need one of two items:
- Boston Shaker: Versatile and easy to use, Boston shakers offer a two-piece design that makes it easy to mix multiple drinks at once. Sealing and opening these shakers is a skill you'll have to master, but once you do, you'll make drinks faster than ever before.
- Cobbler Shaker: Add an additional third piece, and you have a cobbler shaker. For beginners, this shaker is easier to learn because you don't have to worry about a strainer like you do with the Boston shaker. But if you add a lot of ice, there is the risk of the shaker freezing shut.
Shakers are one piece of bartender equipment. You'll also need a way to mix ingredients with greater precision, which is where a bar spoon comes in.
Add a Bar Spoon to Your Essential Bar Tools
Stirring your ingredients in a cocktail allows you to mix the ingredients and layer them properly in a tall pitcher or glass. A bar spoon with a long handle allows you the precision to:
- Smooth drinks
- Stir ingredients without splashing
Your bar spoon should offer an ergonomic design and long handle that allows for fast mixing even in the busiest of situations.
But ingredients must also be measured if you plan to offer consistent drinks night after night. A jigger will help you reach this goal.
Up Your Precision Game With a Jigger
Jiggers are an accurate way to measure ingredients for your cocktails. You'll find most jiggers either in a one or two-ounce measuring option. Bartenders work in extremely fast-paced environments where they have to measure liquids fast but with accuracy.
A jigger with easy-to-read measurements allows for accurate pours and flavors even during peak hours when the bar is hectic.
Don't Forget to Add These 2 Strainers to Your Bar Tools Set
Straining solids from your drinks is a necessity, whether they're shaken or stirred. You want clear, smooth drinks without:
- Fruit pulp
- Ice pieces
You have many strainer options, but one of the most versatile is the Hawthrone strainer. These strainers have spring coils that attach to any mixing glass or shaker so that you can strain solids without the risk of particles impacting your flavor profiles.
But there are times when even the Hawthorne fails to meet your goals.
Fine mesh strainers offer the extra filtration necessary to remove particles from egg whites, fruits or herbs that pass through larger strainers.
If you want to offer the smoothest drinks possible to your patrons, you need to use a strainer.
Release Divine Flavors with a Muddler
Speaking of flavors, a muddler is one of the tools in your kit that is designed to extract maximum flavors from both fruits and herbs. You need a muddler if you plan to make:
- Mojitos
- Old Fashioneds
Why?
You need to crush the ingredients to release their flavors and aroma. Stainless steel and wood models work best because they allow you to extract flavors without holding onto them. It's never a bad idea to try two or three muddlers to find one that you prefer.
Oh, and Add the Right Type of Mixing Glasses
It goes without saying that mixing glasses are part of every top bartender's arsenal of tools. You need a glass that offers:
- Thick glass
- Wide opening
You'll find that mixing glasses offer a deep interior that requires your trusty bar spoon to mix ingredients well. The wide mouth makes it easy to stir the ingredients and to mix the perfect drink for every occasion.
Bartenders agree that these mixing glasses work best for drinks, such as Manhattans, but they take a great bit more skill to use than a standard shaker.
Bring Down the Temperature With These 2 Ice Cocktail Tools
Very rarely will you serve warm drinks. Cool drinks are refreshing, but require the right tools in your bartending set to guarantee a cooler temperature. Your tool set should include two main ice cocktail tools:
- Ice molds that allow for balanced drinks and melt slowly. For a long-lasting, chilled drink, you'll need reliable ice molds.
- Ice crushes are also good for drinks, such as Daiquiris, and are something every bartender needs by their side.
Work with a vendor that offers high-quality ice tools that are perfect for your most popular drinks.
Serve Wine? Buy a Wine Key
How many people drink wine? It's estimated that over 221 million hectoliters of wine are consumed each year. You'll find that wine is a top choice in fine dining environments. You still need to serve this drink regardless of where you work, which means pulling out the cork and serving it.
Wine keys are multi-functional and can open:
- Champagne
- Wine
Your wine key should be made of high-quality materials and be easy to use. One or two good wine keys will last you years, or longer, while providing the versatility you need to serve drinks from most any bottle.
Want to increase your drink presentation?
Invest in glassware that allows you to offer drinks of all styles. You can buy dozens of glassware options, but the most common are lowball, highball and martini glasses. The bar that you work at should supply these glasses for you, but if you work on your own, you'll need to buy them.
If you create your own professional bartender kit using the advice above, you'll be ready to serve drinks to any guest list.