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Bar tools make the life of bartenders a lot easier. You’ll need to invest in some cocktail preparation tools if you’re serious about making the best cocktails. The best bar tools can help you mix, squeeze, strain, and pour delicious drinks, whether you’re a rookie bartender or a seasoned pro. Keep reading to discover the bar tools that bartenders use on a regular basis, from jiggers and shakers to juicers and a brûlée torch.
What tools do I need as a bartender?
- Cocktail shaker
- Cocktail strainer
- Muddler
- Ice buckets
- Jigger
- Mixing glass
- Ice crusher
- Bar spoons
- Funnel
- Speed opener
- Bar inventory app
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1. Cocktail Shaker
A cocktail shaker is an essential bar accessory that should never be overlooked. When making drinks like cosmopolitans and martinis, this item comes in handy. It takes the pressure off of needing to create the perfect blend with balanced flavors. It’s also the greatest option if you want something that’s less expensive than a cocktail mixer.
When creating a single cocktail, most bartenders and mixologists use this tool. It’s great because it can be used to prepare both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks. The item allows you to experiment with different drinks and makes it simple to try new concoctions.
You can also choose from a variety of cocktail shakers, such as Parisian, Cobbler, and Boston cocktail shakers. The Cobbler or 3-piece cocktail shaker is the most user-friendly shaker. Because it comes with a cover and a strainer, mixing is a breeze. When choosing a shaker, consider your level of competence as well as how you like your drinks. If you’re an expert, you’ll want to get your hands on a Boston shaker.
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2. Cocktail Strainer
A cocktail strainer is a tool for straining particles out of cocktails and other liquids. This gadget is often used to capture any fruit parts or ice in the beverage before it goes out after being shaken.
Strainers are divided into three categories:
- Julep strainer: Before the drinking straw became popular, the Julep strainer was a scoop-shaped cup with a handle that was used to serve Mint Juleps. Without ice or mint pouring on them, the bartender would position the strainer in front of them.
- Hawthorne strainer: This strainer is great for straining beverages in cups but this solid steel mesh sieve fits into a pint glass much more easily and gives superior results in general.
- Fine-mesh strainer: A disc, handle, two (or more) supporting prongs, and a metal spring make up this bar tool. As you pour cocktails into glasses, the metal bar attachment is utilized to remove ice. When in use, the metal spring will fit within a mixing tin, assisting in the removal of ice from the strainer’s rim.
3. Muddler
A muddler is an essential bartending tool that is both affordable and practical. Muddlers are commonly used by bartenders to make mojitos. However, it isn’t the only drink that a muddler can help you make. Caipirinhas, mint Juleps, caipiroskas, and whiskey smashes are examples of cocktails that require muddling.
The device aids in the crushing or smashing of fruits, herbs, and sugar. This helps you to bring out the cocktail’s individual flavor while still achieving an outstanding blend. To prevent making a mess when mixing a drink, you must know how to properly utilize a muddler.
Muddlers are available in a variety of forms and designs. Metallic or plastic finishes can be seen on some. Others are finished in wood to bring out the true flavor of the beverage. So far, they’re the most popular muddlers. If you have a wooden type, make sure to hand-wash and dry it. That way, it will be more likely to last longer. When it comes to the muddler’s style, you should choose one that is slim.
4. Ice Buckets
Ice buckets serve as portable coolers that keep liquids cold for long periods of time. Ice buckets are useful when a consumer wishes to sip his or her beverage slowly. Bottles of wine, champagne, water, and even multiple cans of Tecate beer can all be stored in ice buckets. Ice buckets can also be used to hold ice directly from the crusher or refrigerator. That’s why most ice buckets come with tongs to help you pick up ice and place it in your customer’s drink.
When choosing an ice bucket, take into account the color and material. The majority of buckets are made of stainless steel with a gleaming surface that makes them more appealing. Others, on the other hand, are made of plastic. These buckets are quite rare because they are prone to breaking and are not as useful as stainless-steel ice buckets. You should also consider the bucket’s form. Are you looking for something cylindrical, rectangular, or conical?
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5. Jigger
A jigger is a sort of device used by bartenders to check that the previous cocktail’s flavor and quantity are equal to the current beverage. It also guarantees that your cocktails aren’t overpoured. Jiggers are available in a variety of sizes, weights, and materials. The smallest jigger has a 0.25 oz capacity. However, you can choose a larger one that holds up to 2 ounces. To be safe, you should choose a variety of jiggers.
6. Mixing Glass
Do you remember how James Bond always had his martinis shaken rather than stirred? You’d leave aside the shaker and use a mixing beaker instead if you disobeyed Mr. Bond’s order and made a stirred martini — or any other stirred drink, such a Negroni or a Manhattan.
A mixing beaker is a large vessel into which you pour your liquors and stir your cocktail. While you can get one in crystal for a hundred dollars, it’s kind of unnecessary for a simple bar set. A cocktail glass should not cost more than $ 25 because it is the most frequently broken item behind the bar.
7. Ice Crusher
In many cases, using an ice crusher is the only method to create great cocktails or refreshing drinks. It’s useful when you need to break or crush ice to a certain size for your signature cocktails. Crushed ice can also be used to adjust the temperature of a drink to meet the needs of a certain person.
You can choose between manual, electric, or blender ice crushers, depending on the size of your bar. Each variety has its own set of benefits, so it’s up to you to decide which one is ideal for your bar. It’s a good idea to get a portable ice crusher so you’re not confined to one spot while using it.
Some individuals prefer store-bought ice, but the biggest downside is that it raises operating costs. You won’t have to worry about paying additional money to get the proper size crushed ice if you use an ice crusher. All you have to do is make your own ice.
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8. Bar Spoons
A stirring spoon, often known as a cocktail stirrer, is ideal for measuring, layering, and stirring cocktails. It has a durable stainless steel construction that can be cleaned with soap and water.
Bar spoons are divided into three categories:
- Japanese: The difference between this bar spoon and others is that it is sleeker and slightly longer. The handle’s end is decorated in a number of ways, including a fork for catching garnishes like olives and a teardrop form.
- European: This spoon is made of a thicker, more durable metal than similar spoons on the market. It has been polished to a high gloss and comes with a hammer for mucking up ingredients.
- American: A simple, twisted handle with the lid on one end and a red plastic cap on the other characterizes this form of bar spoon. Spoons are typically simple to come by, useful, and affordable.
9. Funnel
A funnel is the most commonly used instrument in a bar, with a large mouth and narrow stem for decanting flavored syrups and spirits into bottles. When pouring wine, vodka, or even raspberry juice, a leak at this level of the game can result in an unintentional sticky mess all over the bar area, so make sure you have one on hand.
10. Speed Opener
A speed opener is convenient and can quickly remove bottle caps from beer bottles. It may also be carried in a pocket, making it ideal for bartenders who want to show off their abilities or amuse themselves during downtime. It’s also called a mamba, a bar blade, a church key, a flat, or a popper.
11. Bar Inventory Management App
Your inventory problems can be solved with the RapidBar App. The POS-integrated app enhances your POS inventory system’s capabilities by providing batch recipes for precise stock control and automatic daily sales reports.
Stock counts are also conducted rapidly using scanners and the mobile inventory app through Bluetooth. This allows you to keep track of draft beer, insert new kitchen supplies directly from your database, and provide detailed inventory variance statistics for each commodity.
RapidBar allows bar owners and managers to see underperforming or missing stock in the bar in real time, allowing them to take action before things get out of hand. The software is also completely paperless. RapidBar helps businesses increase their profit margins and optimize inventory every day of the week!
