Essential Home Bar tool

There are some basic tools needed to make cocktails that should be top priority when outfitting your home bar. Some of these items are already in the kitchen and the rest can be purchased at prices that fit any budget. With these basic essentials you can be mixing cocktails with ease that are sure to please.

 Cocktail & Boston Shakers

There are two basic types of shakers available on the market.

  • Cocktail or Traditional Shaker- A metal shaker with a tight-fitting top covering a strainer which fits onto a bar tin. Cocktail shakers are available in many stylish designs and are perfect for use in the home bar.
  • Boston Shaker- This shaker serves a dual purpose because it is comprised of a 16 ounce mixing glass and a larger, flat-bottomed bar tin. The glass can be used alone for stirring drinks over ice and the two pieces are used together for shaking ingredients with the tin fitting over the glass. The Boston Shaker is typically used by professional bartenders and requires the use of a strainer.

Hawthorne Strainer

For drinks that are shaken or stirred with ice and served neat or over new ice, a strainer is needed to separate not only the ice, but any fruits, herbs or other solid ingredients from the liquid. A strainer is necessary if you are using a Boston shaker because there is not one built in and this Hawthorne strainer is the most common style.

The Hawthorne Strainer is a flat-topped, perforated metal device with a continuous coil of wire around its perimeter, which helps keep the strainer in place. The short handle and either 2 or 4 “thumbs” that extend from the top and sides are designed to keep it in place and allow the bartender to use only one hand.

 Julep Strainer

A julep strainer is perforated, made of stainless steel and in the shape of an over-sized soup spoon with holes. It is placed at an angle inside a mixing glass or bar tin while straining cocktails into the glass.

 Jigger

Jiggers are metal measuring devices that usually have two cones, one on either end. The larger cone typically holds 1 1/2 ounces while the smaller cone holds 3/4 or 1 ounce. The jigger is an essential, aesthetic piece of the bar set up that helps ensure precise measuring of liquids and creating consistent cocktails.

Many bartenders you’ll see do not use jiggers for every drink and instead measure using memory, technique, and years of experience pouring a lot of drinks.

 Bar Spoon

Different from the average spoon, a bar spoon typically has a long shaft (for reaching the bottom of tall glasses), a spiral handle (for easy twisting of the shaft) and a petite spoon bowl with holes (for floating liquors). This type of spoon is essential for stirring and layering drinks as well as tedious tasks like fishing cherries out of a jar. The first time you use a bar spoon you will never be without one in the bar, they’re that essential.

Tips from the Professionals: Make your bar spoon a little easier to use and versatile by bending slightly it right before the neck so that there’s a little extra curve than the manufacturer intended.

 Muddler

A muddler is thick stick, made of either wood, stainless steel, or plastic, that is used to mash ingredients in the bottom of a glass. Often used to mix sugars, bitters, and to extract juices and oils from fruit and mint. Muddling is an essential step in making Old-fashioneds, Mojitos and Caipirinhas.

When buying a muddler choose a thicker one that has a diameter of about 1 1/2-2 inches at the widest point. These will give you more crushing and mixing power than the thinner muddlers.

 Speed Pourer

 

The speed pourer, or bottle pourer, is more of a luxury item for most home bartenders, but can be handy when hosting parties and offer the ability to pour liquor for the bottles very quickly and easily. Commercial bars and restaurants place these in the majority of their liquor bottles, especially they’re well and most popular spirits.

In order to prolong the shelf life of your distilled spirits, it’s best to replace the speed pourer with the original cap if you will not be using it for some time.

 Ice Accessories

Ice is key to the bar and items like ice buckets, crushers, scoops and tongs are essential. Electric ice crushers work well, but to eliminate one more appliance you can get an insulated ice crushing bag, sometimes called a Lewis bag and whack it with your muddler to the consistency you desire. Talk about getting some frustration out!

 Electric Blender

The blender is essential for preparing frozen drinks like frozen daiquiris and margaritas, and they are also used to crush ice and puree fruit. While most people use large blenders in the kitchen, smaller models are available for the home bar where space can be tight.

 Juicer

Most juicers will produce nearly the same results and range from the simple reamers to electric juicers.

If you buy a juicer, use it and don’t leave it sitting in the back of the cupboard. Fresh fruit or vegetable juice can make the best cocktails and is recommended over bottled juices whenever possible. Your cocktails will thank you for your effort.

 Soda Siphon

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When it comes to adding soda water to your mixed drinks you have two options; bottled sodas which can go flat if not used right away or a soda siphon. The siphons transform regular water into an effervescent, carbonated beverage by using CO2 cartridges inserted into the handle. With a quick squirt into your Gin Fizz or John Collins your drink is topped off nicely with a perfect amount of freshly carbonated water.

Cutting Board

Use a cutting board for preparing garnishes. Designate a small board for bar use only so that you don’t end up cutting fish or chicken on it and give it a nice cleaning after every use in order to have the freshest tasting fruits, vegetable and herbs.

Paring Knives

Keep a set of pairing knives sharp and in the bar for cutting slices, twists and all your garnishes.

A good knife is one of your most valuable tools and a personal favorite are those from Zyliss. I have one of these for all of my food and beverage needs and they are a great, reliable knife that gives you clean cuts.

Canelle Knife or Zester
Zesters are useful for grating items like nutmeg or chocolate onto the top of cocktails or for fine lemon zests. Choose a small, handheld one that has a fine-toothed, sharp grating surface and a sturdy handle.

Another option is the canelle knife, which can serve a dual purpose. A good canelle knife will include both a zester and a channel that makes cutting citrus spirals easy.

Corkscrew

There are many different styles of corkscrews to choose from, the most popular being the Winged and Waiter’s corkscrews.

Most liquor bottles don’t need a special bottle opener or cork screw but there’s nothing worse than a guest showing up with a bottle of merlot and you don’t have a way to open it. Besides, you may want to mix some wine cocktails. I like to keep at least two around because it seems like they are one of the first tools to be misplaced.

Bottle Opener

Frustration sets in if there’s no bottle opener around and you need one. It’s handy tool for opening various bottles you may be opening in the bar such as beers and sodas and they can be compact, even fitting on a keychain, built into another tool or you can simply install one permanently into the wall or cabinet.

Measuring Spoons

A complete set of metal or plastic measuring spoons is sometimes necessary for dry ingredients and small amounts of liquids.

Sip Sticks, Stir Sticks or Cocktail Straws

These short, thin straws or stirrers are used when serving many mixed drinksand, occasionally neat cocktails, to guests, allowing them to keep their drinks mixed to the end.

You can get all these cocktail tools from cheflink sri lanka at the lowest price.

until next time your man.

luky

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