Mixology 101: How to use 10 essential bar tools for better cocktails
Most of these tools I use regularly. Some I do not. Lets work together to figure out how we can all make great drinks at the crib.
My wife suggested to me that I write about the importance of bar tools and educate us on tools we must have in our home bar. I love it when she asks me to do things that I’m capable of and don’t require an absurd amount of effort. God bless that woman.
So, here are 10 bar tools for your consideration. I’ll explain how to use them and how essential they actually are for at home.
1. Shaker
If you plan on making Margaritas or Martinis, this will be your go-to bar tool. Add all the ingredients for your cocktail into the shaker, and get to shaking…vigorously. If you have a cobbler shaker, the cap is also a good measurement tool. Moreover, I use my shaker to stir drinks when my mixing glass is in the dishwasher.
Priority: High
2. Jigger
Making cocktails is more like baking instead of general cooking. When you cook, you can freelance a bit more on quantity levels with ingredients in a recipe. Not so much in cocktail making. Measurements matter and a jigger is your bestie.
Priority: Very High
3. Strainer
In the kitchen, you might use a colander to strain pasta and water or a sieve to help smooth out a sauce. In cocktail making, you need a strainer. After you shake or stir your ingredients, you’ll pour the drink through a strainer into your drinking glass. Why? To make sure no ice or other cocktail bits get into the drink.
Priority: High
4. Muddler
Think pestle and mortar but for cocktails. You mash and press fresh ingredients with a muddler to release flavors into your drink. If you love Caipirinhas, Mojitos or Mint Juleps, the muddler will be your future friend.
Priority: Medium
5. Bar Spoon
For any drink that needs to be stirred, you need this tool. Technically, yes, in a pinch you could use a spoon or a knife to stir — but you opened an email/read a link that said “Mixology 101” in it. You want better. Pro-tip: Hold the spoon between your fingers and stir the ingredients in a mixing glass or shaker. You basically want to twirl the spoon by the long handle, which is designed to reach the bottom of the mixing glass, and the twisted design aids in efficient stirring.
Priority: High
6. Citrus Juicer or Press
This is divisive for me. In the time it takes for me to pull out the juicer or press, I could’ve just halved and hand-squeezed a lemon to get the juice I need for a Margarita or Whiskey Sour. I have thought about getting a fancy juicer for making drinks for groups or batches, but just having the awareness to have fresh lemons, limes or oranges is plenty good enough.
Priority: Low
7. Peeler/Zester
If you want your drinks to look and smell like a $20 cocktail, this is the tool you need. My suggestion would be to get something called a channel knife, which will help you with spiraling your garnishes. Your compliment game will increase exponentially.
Priority: Medium-High
8. Ice Molds
Ice molds have importance beyond giving you a cool looking block or sphere of ice. Freezing ice into a larger shape helps prevent melt. Smaller cubs melt faster, larger ones less so. Now, you COULD splurge and spend a few hundred bucks on an ice block maker that gets you clearer ice (less impurities in your cocktail) but save that purchase for when you feel like a mixology maestro.
Priority: High
9. Cutting Board and Knife
This was not something I had anticipated initially, but the more I made drinks at home, the more a large cutting board kept getting pulled out. It helps with cutting fruit, herbs, making garnishes, making drinks and containing your mess. You probably already have cutting boards, if not…your UberEats game must be elite.
Priority: Medium
10. Glassware
The more you make fancy drinks, the more your glassware will matter. I hit on this a while back on How to perfectly set up your home bar. That guide will be super helpful, so I’ll recommend two glasses that you should prioritize — Old fashioneds (or rocks) and coupes. These drinks will get you 80% of the way home.
Priority: Medium-High
I imagine there are a few tools that I failed to mention, but that’s for Mixology 201. What did I forget? What tools are your favorite to use? Let us know in the comments or reply to this email so we can discuss this personally. Cheers to good drink-making at the house.