At the height of the pandemic two years ago, bars were forced to close—unless they served food. So, party-goers got smart and brought the bar to their homes.
However, it didn’t take that long for them to realize that while it’s easy to curate an at-home bar, it’s a different story when you’re trying to recreate that drink you’ve had in your go-to watering hole. Making drinks takes more than just the right liquor, mixes, and other ingredients. Bartenders also use the right tools to mix and serve drinks that are consistent in quality and taste.
Don’t make the same mistake as these people did. If you want to make a great cocktail, you have to have the essential tools at hand. The good news: you don’t have to spend a lot of money with them. From a shaker to a cocktail smoker, there are absolute basics that you would like to have in your at-home bar.
The History of Cocktails: When Did People Learn to Mix Drinks?
The history of cocktails is one filled with many interesting stories, theories, and legends from different parts of the world. Alcoholic drinks have been enjoyed as far back as ancient times, and the first cocktails were thought to be made by British sailors and pirates during the 1500s. The drinks used rum mixed with citrus fruits, sugar, tea, and other spices to enhance or dull the flavor.
The earliest documented uses of the word cocktail were in publications from 1798 to 1803. In 1806, the New York newspaper, The Balance, and Columbian Repository described the cocktail as a ‘stimulating liquor composed of spirits, of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.
Other theories say that it was between the 1860s and Prohibition when some of the best cocktails we know today were introduced—the martini, daiquiri, and Manhattan. Meanwhile, the first known recipe for the mojito, called Mojo Criollo, appeared in the 1927 Spanish book El Arte De Hacer un Cocktail y Algo Más.
While we may never know the true origin of cocktails, what is established is that mixology was already a skillful art several centuries ago. The level of precision and skills involved has evolved dramatically, thanks largely to the variety of bar tools and equipment made available to create the wide repertoire of drinks we know today.
9 Essential Tools for Making the Best Cocktails
1. Shaker
Shakers are perhaps the most essential cocktail-making tool used for mixing, diluting, and chilling your cocktails. A traditional shaker is made of metal or glass, with a built-in strainer and a fitted top, but they’re not necessarily a must when buying one. Shakers made up of a large and small tin should work just as fine.
2. Strainer
If you’re going to use a shaker without a strainer, you’re going to need a separate one. This will separate your cocktail from any ice cubes and other solid ingredients such as fruits and herbs. Use one that fits on the rim of your mixing glass.
3. Jiggers
A fancy name for a tool for measuring liquors, a jigger comes in handy to ensure that you’re getting the right quantities of spirits for your cocktails. Each can hold 1-2 ounces of liquid, and you’re going to need at least two to create great-tasting cocktails.
4. Bar Spoon
A bar spoon is not any regular spoon. It is a metal spoon with a long, spiral handle that allows you to reach the bottom of tall tumblers and stir your drinks. But, wait—its twisted handle has a purpose, too! Pour the liquor along the spiral to create a layered drink.
5. Muddler
A muddler is used like a pestle to muddle or mash fruits, herbs, and spices in the bottom of a glass. The process gently releases their flavor without bruising them.
Helps you gently release their flavor without bruising them.
6. Juicer
When you get into cocktail making, you will eventually come across a recipe that calls for fresh juices such as lemon and lime—and they just make your drinks taste better. A juicer comes in handy for squeezing the juice out of any fruit.
7. Channel Knife
A channel knife looks like a small, spoon-shaped knife used for peeling long, thin spirals from citrus fruits. These peels are used to garnish your cocktails and make them look as fancy as the ones you get in a bar. An alternative to this is a y-peeler, and it’s also a great tool to have on hand.
8. Glassware
A fancy glass makes your cocktail look more attractive, and when it comes to glassware, your options ate just never-ending—with one fancier than the other. But, while that’s the case, you’d want to have the three essentials: a rock glass, Collins glass, and coupe glass.
9. Cocktail Smoker
While not entirely essential, a cocktail smoker is a nice tool to have. It adds visual smoke and a subtle flavor to drinks. Many types of cocktail smokers are available but are equally effective in introducing alluring notes, aromas, and new flavor profiles for a complete experience.
Conclusion
If you’re in a pinch, you can get away with tools you may already have on hand: an empty jar for a shaker, spoons and cups for measuring, and the back of a ladle for stirring. But, if you’re going to want to put your bar on display, these tools are both practical and stylish.
Which of these at-home bar tools is your favorite? Let us know by leaving a comment.