While we all love going out to the bar, there is definitely a satisfaction that you can only get from making cocktails for yourself (or friends) at home. Where else can you get the chance to really experiment with new drinks freely?
Whether you’re a seasoned mixologist or a complete beginner, there are some essential bar tools that every home bar needs. While you can get by without all the fancy bar tools, there are definitely some things that make preparing your own cocktails easier and more fun.
Here, we’ll break down some of the top essential bar tools that will help you make cocktails at home that you and your friends will love.
A Cocktail Shaker
One of the first bar tools you probably picture when you imagine the perfect home bar is a cocktail shaker. Shaking a cocktail is a technique that’s used when a drink contains cloudy ingredients. An all-metal cocktail shaker will also help chill your drink efficiently when shaken with ice.
There are several different types of cocktail shakers that you can buy. At The Cocktail Shop, our favourites are the cobbler shaker or the French shaker.
The cobbler cocktail shaker has a traditional all-in-one design with a mixing tin, inbuilt strainer, and cap. On the other hand, the French shaker has a sleeker design with just two parts: a deep metal tin and a shallower metal tin that also acts as a lid.
If you’re just starting your home bartending journey, our recipe cocktail shaker makes it even easier to mix classic cocktails. From vodka cocktails to whisky cocktails, this shaker is all you need to make some classic drinks at home. All you have to do is add the ingredients and ice!
A Jigger
If you’ve ever had a cocktail that tasted a bit off before, likely, the ingredients were not quite measured properly. Precision is absolutely key when making a good cocktail, and a jigger is just the tool that will help you measure your ingredients precisely.
You might think that you know how to free pour, but a jigger is an absolute essential when you’re learning how to make cocktails. Jiggers usually come in an ergonomic hourglass shape that helps you measure varying amounts of liquid.
The Cocktail Shop carries a Japanese Jigger that will help you measure 25 ml, 30 ml, and 50 ml for any drink you’d feel like making.
A Strainer
If your cocktail shaker doesn’t already come with a strainer, a strainer is definitely a worthy investment for your home bar. The best choice is probably the Hawthorne strainer that can slide right over the top of your glass to strain your drink.
A Hawthorne strainer also has a spring that makes sure that all fruit and herbs stay behind in your glass. However, sometimes it’s important to keep fine particles out of your drink. In this case, you can also optionally use an additional fine strainer to double strain your cocktail.
There are also tons of other kinds of strainers out there. We find that a Hawthorne strainer does the best job straining your drink straight from the mixer into a drinking glass.
A Bar Spoon
You might think that a bar spoon is a bit of an unnecessary addition to a home bar. After all, can’t you use a normal spoon to stir your cocktails?
Well, you could, but no spoon does the job as good as a good bar spoon. A bar spoon has a long spiral handle that works great for stirring cocktails. The spiral handle can even help you create layered drinks by pouring your drink along the spiral.
However, a bar spoon can do even more than that. At The Cocktail Shop, our Muddler Bar Spoon has a muddler at the base of the handle as well. This can be great for cocktails like a Mojito that requires muddled herbs.
Glassware
Of course, once you’ve got the perfectly crafted cocktail, you’re going to want a great piece of glassware to show it off in. There are a nearly infinite variety of glasses you can choose from for your drinks. Maybe it’s just a placebo, but a good glass not only makes your drink look better, but it actually makes it taste better too.
Glassware is often up to personal taste and preference, but there are a couple of essential glasses that you should have. You’ll probably want to have a good Martini glass and a Coupe, but some nice Old Fashioned and Highball glasses always steal the show.
Also, if you really want to start up your home bartending game, there is nothing classier than a crystal mixing glass with diamond etching. With your bar spoon, you can use a great mixing glass to create the perfect stirred cocktails.
Essential Bar Tools You Need Today
With these essential bar tools, you will be well on your way to making any cocktails you’re craving from home. While you can play around with some alternatives depending on your personal tastes, these tools will get you pretty much anywhere.
If you want to impress a crowd of friends or you’re looking to enjoy a cocktail at home, a professional-quality cocktail is a luxury that you deserve. Setting up your own home bar is the first step to achieving that.
Check out our full range of bar tools, glassware and other great products for making and enjoying cocktails at home!
