How to Stock a Bar Cart, Essential Home-Bar Tools

June 05,2024

The essential home-bar tools you need to stock your bar cart, according to New York City bartenders. Including the best shaker, the best mixing glasses and beakers, and the essential glassware you need for a home bar..
You know how James Bond always ordered his Martinis shaken, not stirred? Well, if you were to ignore Mr. Bond’s order and made a stirred Martini — or any other stirred cocktail, like a Negroni or a Manhattan — you’d set aside the shaker to use a mixing beaker instead. A mixing beaker is essentially a large vessel in which you dump your liquors and mix your drink. And though you can purchase handsome crystal ones for hundreds of dollars, both Simó and Swenson agree that they’re kind of superfluous for a basic bar kit. “I don’t think you should spend any more than $25 on a mixing glass,” says Swenson, adding that there are nice Japanese-style ones readily available on , like this one from Kotai. .
One of Simó’s hacks to getting a glass mixing beaker for not that much money is to use replacement glass for French presses. They’re particularly useful if you’re making a lot of drinks for a lot of people, and Simó adds, “I generally will take one or two of the big guys with me when I’m doing events, because then I can stir up five drinks in one, and it’s really convenient.” .
A mixing or bar spoon is also necessary if you’re making a stirred drink. One of Simó’s favorites is made by bartender Tony Abou-Ganim’s Modern Mixologist brand. “It’s got a really nice, deep bowl to it, which means you’re able to measure a nice, level teaspoon,” without searching through your drawers. He continues, “The little top part of it has a nice little weight to it, but it’s not too bulky. So it gives you a really nice balance as you’re moving the mixing spoon around,” making your job a little easier. .
Swenson recommends getting a multipurpose bar spoon. “You can get one with a muddler top, so instead of buying another muddler, you can actually use the top of your spoon to crush a sugar cube if you wanted to for your Old Fashioned. I have one of those, so I don’t have to have two tools; I’ve got both of them right there.” .
You don’t necessarily need a strainer if you’re using a cobbler shaker, since it’s already got a strainer built into the lid. But if you’re using a Boston-style shaker or making drinks in a mixing beaker, you should get what’s called a Hawthorne strainer, to make sure the ice you used to chill your drink doesn’t end up in your glass and dilute the cocktail. And since there are so many different types that all basically do the same thing, Simó recommends picking the one that’s most aesthetically pleasing to you. .
A jigger is what you use to measure the liquor into the shaker or mixing glass. A hyperfunctional option is the mini-measuring cup from OXO. “I know some bartenders, including the ones at Drink in Boston, one of the best bars in the country, swear by those graduated OXO ones … because they love the ability to read them from both the sides and the top,” explains Simó. “You can measure in tablespoons or ounces or milliliters, and it’s all on the same jigger.” .
If you’re going for a more classic look, but still want something that’s practical, Simó recommends that you get a double-sided metal jigger with one ounce on one side and two ounces on the other. The one-ounce side should also have half- and three-quarter-ounce lines etched into it. “That gives you a lot of wiggle room,” and will allow you to measure for most basic cocktails. “From there, you really just have to learn what a quarter-ounce looks like in there, and you’re pretty much good to go.” .
Swenson prefers a Leopold jigger, which has a unique bell shape as well as lines etched on the inside marking both quarter- and half-ounces. “They’re really easy to hold and they have some weight to them,” she adds, “so somebody who’s not really experienced using a jigger is going to be fine with something with a little bit more weight to it. And they look really cool.” .
Though there are some tools that are specifically designed to make garnishes, most home bartenders will be set with a vegetable peeler. Rösle peelers, though expensive, are “insanely sharp. They are built like tanks,” says Simó, “and they will last for a long time. So if aesthetics matter, those are really, really spectacular, and I would highly advise those.” .
A highly rated lemon squeezer just in time for lemonade season.
~~Original Price: $25~~