A note from the kitchen
Essential bar equipment
Five useful tools for mixing drinks at home, plus an optional muddler.
When friends began exploring cocktail-making at home, I put together a short list of the tools I find most useful. A few pieces of basic equipment make measuring, shaking, straining, stirring, and juicing much easier.
Five useful tools
- An angled measuring jigger. The 2-ounce OXO jigger measures small amounts accurately. Measure instead of free-pouring.
- An all-stainless Boston shaker. A two-piece metal shaker avoids broken pint glasses and is a practical choice for home use.
- A julep strainer. It strains stirred drinks and is simple to wash. A Hawthorne strainer or fine sieve can be useful additions, too.
- A bar spoon. Its long handle makes it easier to stir a cocktail in a mixing glass.
- A citrus reamer. Fresh juice makes a difference, and a simple reamer is easy to clean and store.
Bonus: a wooden muddler
A muddler is optional for a small bar, but useful for drinks such as mojitos and Old Fashioneds where pressing herbs or citrus releases their oils.
Next from the bar
With a few tools in place, five bottles can make eleven cocktails, including spirit-free alternatives.