#none of you could handle a negroni

[bogusfilth]

ipa discourse ignoring the fact that all enjoyment is just consuming something that is awful and you hate until you love it

[deathonyourtongue]

Sanguine Nocturnus | 1

Summary: Even after 2000 years, the world can still surprise you. Pairing: AU!Henry Cavill x OFC Word Count: 2K Warnings: It’s a vampire fic. Death. Blood. Gore. Sex. Horror. Not for the kiddies or the squeamish. I mean it. A/N : I know I said I’d wait. But y’all have been clamoring...

Death has a way of manipulating time. Moments meant to go slowly end in a blink, while junctures that ought to speed past, linger like dew on the vine...

Carla Montanari stared at her mother’s corpse, waiting for her to move. Waiting for the only family she’d ever had to open her eyes and say it was all a joke. Her mother had always had a cutting sense of humor; no topic was off-limits, and as she aged, death was a favored punchline. Now, it seemed, her mother had pulled off the ultimate prank, though Carla failed to see the humor in it.

The mortician had done an excellent job all things considered, but Carla could still pick out the differences between the body that lay at the altar of Saint Vincent’s and the one she had grown up with. A jaw that had been given too much lift, makeup that was a shade or two darker than what her mother normally wore, wrinkles that had disappeared when her face had been sewn back together. She’d been told she was lucky to get an open-casket service at all, given how much trauma her mother had suffered, as if it were some sort of consolation prize.

Looking behind her, Carla did a headcount of those in attendance, smiling softly when she saw that her mother’s bingo group were all in attendance, each woman donning their Sunday best in order to pay their respects. What her mother lacked in family, she’d more than made up for in friends who were all cut from the same cloth. Good, salt-of-the-earth people. Carla had always envied how easily her mother made friends, how she could chat up anyone, no matter how different their background and find something in common. It was a skill she hadn’t passed down, leaving her daughter to carve out a small handful of friends who were more acquaintances than anything else. 

Crossing herself, Carla took a deep breath, looked down at her mother once more, and finally leaned down to kiss the cold, clammy skin of her forehead, doing her best to ignore the faint waft of formaldehyde that filled the casket. A solitary white rose tucked beneath her mother’s hands was Carla’s final act before turning away. 

Time blinked, and she found herself seated across from her mother’s lawyer, a slab of mahogany separating them, the coffee she’d been offered growing cold as the AC hit it from overhead.

“I suppose we can do away with formality, since it’s just you,” the older man said, his smile tight and distant. Carla nodded, feeling as though the man wanted to be done so he could attend to other, more important, matters. 

“Your mother left all her possessions and accounts to you, no surprise there. She gifted her friends each an item from her apparently extensive purse collection, so we’ll facilitate that for you. The accounts are all in order, and what isn’t used to pay off her final bills, will be transferred to your account by the end of the month. Lastly, there’s the matter of the inheritance. This may be news to you, but your grandmother set up an inheritance in your name when you were born. Initially, it was meant to pay for college, but when you got your full ride, your mother decided to keep it going until her passing. Her hope was to give you a nice nest egg for retirement, or your first house...something to that effect.” 

Carla looked down at the document, counting and recounting the total in disbelief. Her mother had always been terrible at keeping secrets, having given away things to her friends that had mortified Carla when she was younger. 

Guess you were better at it than I thought.

Inhaling deeply, Carla sat back in her chair, hoping the meeting was over. The quicker she could get out into the fresh air, the better off she’d be. 

“There’s one more thing,” her mother’s lawyer said, keeping Carla rooted to her seat even as the muscles in her legs twitched in readiness to stand up. “Your mother wanted to ensure you were aware of the fact that you have legal claim to Italian citizenship, if you should ever choose to take it. They call it Jure Sanguinis; Right of Blood. The process can be expedited, given that you’re only second generation American. Sign here and we can get it in motion for you.” 

Carla signed blindly, eyes unblinking as she tried to process the information. Her mother had always been a planner, but had never once mentioned so much as a will to Carla. Now, seeing everything packaged up so neatly, her mind spun wildly.

“Think you know a person…” She muttered mostly to herself, the lawyer giving her another one of his performative smiles, his eyes going to his watch for what must have been the tenth time in as many minutes. 

Leaving the office with a folder and the untouched coffee, Carla couldn’t help but feel time begin to crawl, reinforcing the feelings of numbness and solitude that would haunt her for weeks to come.

Working steps from Wall Street had its perks. Tips were usually far more generous than in other parts of town, fights were rare, and drunk girls crying over their shitty boyfriends were nonexistent. None of that made it any easier, however. Frat boys turned into day traders, socialites grew even more entitled as their brunches turned into botox appointments, and there was never a shortage of patronizing stares for those that had to actually work for a living. For Carla, navigating the catcalls, one-liners, and straight-up sexual misconduct was easy enough; it was the entitlement that never failed to get under her skin. 

“Um, hello? Waitress? This is wrong. I asked for a Negroni.” Looking up, Carla swept her long black hair over her shoulder as she processed the words that were spoken. Having decided to keep living life as though things hadn’t irrevocably changed, Carla was doing her best to ignore the stress that had been slowly creeping higher and higher each day. Busy nights at the bar were proving the worst, with Carla coming through the door at the end of her shift ready to rant about the night to her mother, only to find the place pin-drop silent and utterly empty. 

Looking down at the drink, Carla gazed back up at the woman with the blond, news anchor hair and cocked her head to the side in confusion. 

“That is a Negroni.” 

“Uh,” the woman snorted in disbelief, “no it’s not. Remake it, and do it right this time.” 

“This is a Negroni. One part gin, sweet vermouth, and Campari each, with a peel of lemon.” The woman laughed condescendingly and Carla could feel her patience start to disappear. 

“No, a Negroni, if you knew anything about bartending--which you clearly don’t--is made with Rye and dry vermouth.”

“Lady, I make at least ten of these a night. I work six nights a week. You’re the first, and only, person to ever tell me it’s wrong. You’re thinking of an Old Pal, and I’d be more than happy to make that for you, but this? This is a Negroni, which is what you asked for.”

“Fine, we’ll see about that.” The woman huffed, her manicured hand slicing through the air in a dismissive motion. 

“That’ll be $10.99.”

“Absolutely NOT! I’m not paying for your mistake. Make it again, make it right, and make it now!” The woman crowed, her hair imobile as she shook her head, looking for all the world like Carla had slapped her.

“It’s a different drink. You paid for a Negroni, you got a Negroni. You want an Old Pal, you pay for an Old Pal.” Carla replied, crossing her arms over her chest as she waited for the woman to make up her mind. 

The alcohol burned Carla’s eyes and she stumbled back in shock, moving towards the large sink she knew was behind her on pure instinct. Washing her face to get as much of the cocktail off as she could, she knew she’d reached her breaking point. 

Any other time and she’d have brushed it off, had security kick the woman out and gone about her night. Now? She’d had enough. Moving slowly to the back, Carla took off her apron, hung it up next to her coworkers’ and slipped out the back door. 

Nearly sprinting the whole way home, it was only as she stepped through the door of her apartment that the tears came unbidden. Sliding down the wall, Carla cried for the first time since her mother’s passing. 

The next morning, after calling in her notice, Carla allowed herself a day to simply be. To scream, to cry, to let out all the emotions that had befallen her since answering the phone that fateful night and hearing that her mother had died in such a vicious and preventable way. She let rage fill every vein as she thought about how the person who hit her hadn’t even bothered to stay at the scene. She lamented every missed moment, every fight, every what-if. Finally, she curled up in her mother’s robe, and cried herself to sleep.

Knowing she couldn’t handle another day at a bar like the one on Wall Street, catering to bratty adults who’d never been told no a day in their lives, Carla began leaning more and more towards escaping it all. Her now-empty apartment, her routine assortment of familiar faces (none of whom had even bothered to call and offer condolences), and more than anything, the city itself; all of it seemed worthless and foreign without her mother’s smiling face. As she sat and scrolled through picture after picture on her phone, the promise of a new life in Italy seemed more feasible, and more and more necessary.

On day three, after a day spent mostly in bed, dreaming about the possibilities of what life could bring now that she was committed to leaving, Carla put in a call to the lawyer, vaguely remembering the document she’d signed. There was nothing but relief when she was told they were simply waiting for a few more documents to finalize it all. 

With the foundation for her new life in place, Carla began to flesh out the bones, focusing her research on where to live, and who was hiring. Though the inheritance was enough to live comfortably for several years, Carla didn’t want to squander it. Moreover, she still wanted to work and feel useful in some way; early retirement could wait.

While she was spoilt for choice when it came to renting, a job was harder to come by. Carla started her search with the lofty goal of finding something where she could put her history degree to good use; a research assistant, a curator, hell, a tour guide. When it became clear that her lack of experience was a hurdle she wouldn’t be able to cross so easily, Carla reluctantly turned to what she knew. 

Weeks went by like thick molasses as she looked at bar after bar, finding that they either weren’t hiring, or looked like the kind of place people went into and never came out of. Her options were narrow to start with, since Carla had her heart set on Rome, the need to entrench herself in one of the world’s oldest cities, one she couldn’t possibly ignore. With each day that passed, she felt her dream beginning to slip away. Carla was nothing if not tenacious, one of the few traits she’d shared with her mother, and despite feeling discouraged at her prospects, she kept looking.

Finally, as the clock nearly ran out on her deadline to provide proof of employment, Carla found the perfect spot. Though the bar catered to a higher-end clientele, gone were the stockbrokers and lawyers, and in their place, a younger, cooler set. Attracted to the dark, almost feral, atmosphere the bar promised in its advertising, Carla applied, crossing her fingers in the hopes that they’d call. 

She was still browsing the site when her phone rang and the owner greeted her in a thick, Italian accent. Breezing through the interview questions, Carla’s eyes roved over the pictures of all the beautiful people that frequented the night spot, pulled in by how effortlessly cool each of them looked. With the promise to call her by the end of the week to confirm the position, the owner ended the call, and it was all Carla could do not to jump for joy. 

Flopping back on the bed, she couldn’t help but let herself feel true happiness, happiness which she’d unconsciously been denying herself while she mourned her mother’s death. Though she’d been dealt a life-changing blow, Carla felt as though, slowly but surely, time was going back to its usual pace, and her life was taking a turn for the better. 

With a smile from ear to ear, she sat back up and emailed the lawyer, confirming she’d gotten a job, an apartment, and a plane ticket to Rome. As the message zipped away and the window closed, Carla found her eyes drawn back to the website, and her new place of employment. 

Romulus

[xxcxcs-blog]

Everything You Need to Stock an at-Home Bar

So you finally found the bar cart of your dreams, and you’ve loaded it up with your favorite liquor. While those are two very important steps to curating an at-home bar, to really make your setup recall that of your favorite watering hole, you’re going to want to add some barware and cocktail equipment. But that can be an intimidating task, especially if you’ve had more experience drinking cocktails than making them. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money. “Most people in their home bar really don’t need that many tools,” advises Joaquín Simó, a partner at New York City’s Pouring Ribbons who was named Tales of the Cocktail’s American Bartender of the Year in 2012. “I say you start with the absolute basics and concentrate on the things that you like to use.”

If you’re in a pinch, Martin Hudak, a bartender at Maybe Sammy, says you can always use bartender tools you may already have on hand: “For your shaken cocktails, you can use empty jam jars or a thermos flask. For measuring, spoons and cups, and for stirring, any spoon or back of a wooden ladle.” But Stacey Swenson, the head bartender at Dante (which currently holds the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list), notes that if you’re going to put stuff on display, you might want gear that’s both practical and stylish. “You want something that’s functional and also something that’s pretty,” she says. “If you’re putting it on your bar cart, you kind of put on a show for your guests.” With the help of Simó, Hudak, Swenson, and 28 other experts, we’ve put together the below list of essential gear for any cocktail-lover’s home bar.

Editor’s note: If you want to support service industry workers who have been impacted by the coronavirus closures, you can donate to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, which has set up a COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund, or One Fair Wage, which has set up an Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund. We’ve also linked to any initiatives the businesses mentioned in this story have set up to support themselves amid the coronavirus pandemic.

According to Simó, all shakers “technically do the same thing, and there are very cheap and very nice versions,” so there’s really no superior option when it comes to function. That said, many professional bartenders use Boston-style shakers, which are basically two cups that fit into each other and form a tight seal to keep liquid from splashing all over you. “If you want to look like a bartender at Death & Co. or PDT, and you want the same kit, then you’re probably going to go metal-on-metal,” or “tin-on-tin,” Simó notes. Six of our experts recommend these weighted tin-on-tin shakers — which come in a range of finishes, including copper and silver — from Cocktail Kingdom, a brand that nearly every bartender we spoke to praised for its durable, well-designed barware. Grand Army’s beverage director, Brendan Biggins, and head bartender, Robby Dow, call this “the gold standard” of shaking tins. “Behind the bar, there’s almost nothing worse than shaker tins that don’t seal well or don’t separate easily,” explains Krissy Harris, the beverage director and owner of Jungle Bird in Chelsea. “The Koriko Weighted Shaking tins seal perfectly every time and easily release,” she says. And because they’re weighted, they’re less likely to fall over and spill.

For some people, a two-piece setup like the above shakers might be tricky to use comfortably. “Say you’re a petite female — if you have very small hands, then maybe using a Boston-style shaker may be a little harder,” explains Simó. In that case, a cobbler shaker may be the better choice, because it’s smaller than a Boston-style shaker and thus easier to hold. The other convenient part of a cobbler-style shaker is that the strainer is already built into the lid, so you don’t necessarily have to spring for an additional wine tools. Karen Lin, a certified sommelier, sake expert, and the executive general manager of Tsukimi, suggests this shaker from Japanese barware brand Yukiwa. “The steel is very sturdy, and the shape fits perfectly in my hands,” she says. “It is also designed well so you can take it apart easily to clean.”

You know how James Bond always ordered his martinis shaken, not stirred? Well, if you were to ignore Mr. Bond’s order and make 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. Harris agrees, saying that since they are the most broken item behind the bar, you should stick to a well-priced option like this mixing glass from Hiware that “doesn’t have a seam, so it’s stronger and very attractive.”

One of Simó’s hacks to getting a glass mixing beaker for not that much money is to use the glass piece from a French press, which is something else you might already own. If you want a dedicated one for your bar cart (that could serve as a backup for your French press), he says you can buy a replacement glass like this one, which has a capacity that is particularly useful if you’re making drinks for a lot of people. “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,” Simó explains.

According to Paul McGee, a co-owner of Lost Lake in Chicago, “finding vintage martini pitchers is very easy, and they are perfect for making large batches of cocktails.” Plus, they’ll look more visually striking on your bar cart. This one is even pretty enough to use as a vase when it’s not filled with punch. The photo shows the pitcher next to a strainer, but you’re only getting the pitcher for the price shown.

If you’re making a stirred drink, a mixing or bar set spoon is also necessary. “Three basic styles exist: the American bar spoon has a twisted handle and, usually, a plastic cap on the end, the European bar spoon has a flat muddler/crusher, and the Japanese bar spoon is heavier, with a weighted teardrop shape opposite the bowl,” explains Joe Palminteri, the director of food and beverage at Hamilton Hotel’s Via Sophia and Society. None of our experts recommended specific American-style bar spoons, but Simó told us that one of his favorite Japanese-style spoons is this one 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, according to him. Simó 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.

Should your at-home bartending require a lot of muddling, Swenson recommends getting a European-style spoon like this, which he says will still allow you to stir while eliminating the need to buy a dedicated muddler. “You can actually use the top of the 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, 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. Three experts recommend this one, including Lynnette Marrero, the beverage director of Llama Inn and Llama-San and the co-founder of Speed Rack, who says it’s her absolute favorite because “it is light and easy to clutch and close correctly.” If you choose to buy this Hawthorne strainer, Simó also recommends getting “the replacement springs that Cocktail Kingdom sells,” telling us they’re a good way to give a worn-out strainer a face-lift. “They’re really, really nice and tight, and you can generally slip them into any Hawthorne strainer that you have.”A jigger is what you use to measure the liquor into the shaker or mixing glass. A hyperfunctional, albeit nontraditional-looking, option is the mini measuring wine decante 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.” Part-time bartender Jillian Norwick and Ward both love it too and keep the stainless steel version on hand (which looks a little nicer when left out). Noriwck adds that she’s in good company: “The peeps at Bon Appétit love it.”This fancy-looking jigger combines the functional appeal of the OXO measuring wine glass (it’s basically a cup that grows wider to accommodate different amounts of liquid) with the aesthetic appeal of a classic bar tool. It also makes measuring a snap: “This handy measuring bar table and stools is super-easy to use and enables the imbiber to essentially build all the ingredients of a drink in one go,” says Confrey.If you’re going for a more classic look but still want something practical, Simó recommends this double-sided metal jigger that has a one-ounce cup on one side and a two-ounce cup on the other. The one-ounce side on this strainer also has a half- and three-quarter-ounce lines etched into it to make it even more precise. “That gives you a lot of wiggle room” and will allow you to measure for most basic cocktails, Simó says. “From there, you really just have to learn what a quarter-ounce looks like in there, and you’re pretty much good to go.”

Biggens, Dowe, and Swenson prefer a Leopold jigger, which has a unique bell shape (with one bell holding an ounce, and the other two ounces) 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,” Swenson adds. “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 cool.”

Though it’s easy to want to get a different type of glass for every type of drink you make, that’s really unnecessary when you’re first starting out. According to Simó, “You can make 90 percent of drinks into a good, all-purpose cocktail glass like a rocks or a collins glass.” (While this section contains our bartenders’ favorite glasses, if you want to shop around, you can find most of these styles at various price points in our list of the best drinking glasses.) A collins — or highball — glass is the one that looks like a chimney, and generally you’re looking for something that’s about 12 ounces, like these collins glasses from bartender-favorite brand Cocktail Kingdom. “You don’t want a 16-ounce Collins glass because you’re going to be hammered after your second Tom Collins,” advises Simó.

[easyfoodnetwork]

From the Strategist: Everything You Need to Stock an at-Home Bar (Minus Booze), According to Bartenders

H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images

The best shakers, strainers, bar spoons, jiggers, and more, from the Strategist

So you finally found the bar cart of your dreams, and you’ve loaded it up with your favorite liquor. While those are two very important steps to curating an at-home bar, to really make your setup recall that of your favorite watering hole, you’re going to want to add some barware and cocktail equipment. But that can be an intimidating task, especially if you’ve had more experience drinking cocktails than making them. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money. “Most people in their home bar really don’t need that many tools,” advises Joaquín Simó, a partner at New York City’s Pouring Ribbons who was named Tales of the Cocktail’s American Bartender of the Year in 2012. “I say you start with the absolute basics and concentrate on the things that you like to use.”

If you’re in a pinch, Martin Hudak, a bartender at Maybe Sammy, says you can always use tools you may already have on hand: “For your shaken cocktails, you can use empty jam jars or a thermos flask. For measuring, spoons and cups, and for stirring, any spoon or back of a wooden ladle.” But Stacey Swenson, the head bartender at Dante (which currently holds the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list), notes that if you’re going to put stuff on display, you might want gear that’s both practical and stylish. “You want something that’s functional and also something that’s pretty,” she says. “If you’re putting it on your bar cart, you kind of put on a show for your guests.” With the help of Simó, Hudak, Swenson, and 28 other experts, we’ve put together the below list of essential gear for any cocktail-lover’s home bar.

Editor’s note: If you want to support service industry workers who have been impacted by the coronavirus closures, you can donate to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, which has set up a COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund, or One Fair Wage, which has set up an Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund. We’ve also linked to any initiatives the businesses mentioned in this story have set up to support themselves amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Shakers

Best Overall Shaker

Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tin Set

According to Simó, all shakers “technically do the same thing, and there are very cheap and very nice versions,” so there’s really no superior option when it comes to function. That said, many professional bartenders use Boston-style shakers, which are basically two cups that fit into each other and form a tight seal to keep liquid from splashing all over you. “If you want to look like a bartender at Death & Co. or PDT, and you want the same kit, then you’re probably going to go metal-on-metal,” or “tin-on-tin,” Simó notes. Six of our experts recommend these weighted tin-on-tin shakers — which come in a range of finishes, including copper and silver — from Cocktail Kingdom, a brand that nearly every bartender we spoke to praised for its durable, well-designed barware. Grand Army’s beverage director, Brendan Biggins, and head bartender, Robby Dow, call this “the gold standard” of shaking tins. “Behind the bar, there’s almost nothing worse than shaker tins that don’t seal well or don’t separate easily,” explains Krissy Harris, the beverage director and owner of Jungle Bird in Chelsea. “The Koriko Weighted Shaking tins seal perfectly every time and easily release,” she says. And because they’re weighted, they’re less likely to fall over and spill.

Best shaker for beginners

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tins Set

While most bartenders use Cocktail Kingdom’s Koriko tins, bartender Tim Cooper, who is also the head of brand advocacy for Fords Gin, says that the Leopold shaker is his favorite. “In my experience, the tins are easier to separate than the Koriko’s and feel a touch lighter, as well,” he says. “They’re simply more efficient,” adds Cooper, which is why he says this is a great option for the at-home bartender who’s not well versed on using shaker tins.

Best shaker with a built-in strainer

Yukiwa Stainless Steel Cobbler Cocktail Shaker

For some people, a two-piece setup like the above shakers might be tricky to use comfortably. “Say you’re a petite female — if you have very small hands, then maybe using a Boston-style shaker may be a little harder,” explains Simó. In that case, a cobbler shaker may be the better choice, because it’s smaller than a Boston-style shaker and thus easier to hold. The other convenient part of a cobbler-style shaker is that the strainer is already built into the lid, so you don’t necessarily have to spring for an additional tool. Karen Lin, a certified sommelier, sake expert, and the executive general manager of Tsukimi, suggests this shaker from Japanese barware brand Yukiwa. “The steel is very sturdy, and the shape fits perfectly in my hands,” she says. “It is also designed well so you can take it apart easily to clean.”

Mixing glasses

Best overall mixing glass

Hiware Professional Cocktail Mixing Glass

You know how James Bond always ordered his martinis shaken, not stirred? Well, if you were to ignore Mr. Bond’s order and make 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. Harris agrees, saying that since they are the most broken item behind the bar, you should stick to a well-priced option like this mixing glass from Hiware that “doesn’t have a seam, so it’s stronger and very attractive.”

Best nontraditional mixing glass

Bodum Replacement Beaker French Press, Replacement 12 Oz Clear Glass

One of Simó’s hacks to getting a glass mixing beaker for not that much money is to use the glass piece from a French press, which is something else you might already own. If you want a dedicated one for your bar cart (that could serve as a backup for your French press), he says you can buy a replacement glass like this one, which has a capacity that is particularly useful if you’re making drinks for a lot of people. “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,” Simó explains.

Best Pitcher

My Vintage Antique Shop Retro Martini Pitcher

According to Paul McGee, a co-owner of Lost Lake in Chicago, “finding vintage martini pitchers is very easy, and they are perfect for making large batches of cocktails.” Plus, they’ll look more visually striking on your bar cart. This one is even pretty enough to use as a vase when it’s not filled with punch. The photo shows the pitcher next to a strainer, but you’re only getting the pitcher for the price shown.

Bar Spoons

Best Japanese-style bar spoon

Twisted Bar Spoon by Modern Mixologist

If you’re making a stirred drink, a mixing or bar spoon is also necessary. “Three basic styles exist: the American bar spoon has a twisted handle and, usually, a plastic cap on the end, the European bar spoon has a flat muddler/crusher, and the Japanese bar spoon is heavier, with a weighted teardrop shape opposite the bowl,” explains Joe Palminteri, the director of food and beverage at Hamilton Hotel’s Via Sophia and Society. None of our experts recommended specific American-style bar spoons, but Simó told us that one of his favorite Japanese-style spoons is this one 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, according to him. Simó 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.

Best European-style bar spoon

Cocktail Kingdom Muddler Barspoon, Silver-Plated

Should your at-home bartending require a lot of muddling, Swenson recommends getting a European-style spoon like this, which he says will still allow you to stir while eliminating the need to buy a dedicated muddler. “You can actually use the top of the 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.”

Strainers

Best overall strainer

Cocktail Kingdom Buswell 4-Prong Hawthorne Strainer

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, 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. Three experts recommend this one, including Lynnette Marrero, the beverage director of Llama Inn and Llama-San and the co-founder of Speed Rack, who says it’s her absolute favorite because “it is light and easy to clutch and close correctly.” If you choose to buy this Hawthorne strainer, Simó also recommends getting “the replacement springs that Cocktail Kingdom sells,” telling us they’re a good way to give a worn-out strainer a face-lift. “They’re really, really nice and tight, and you can generally slip them into any Hawthorne strainer that you have.”

Best less expensive strainer

Cocktail Kingdom Julep Strainer

A slightly less expensive strainer is this Cocktail Kingdom julep strainer that three of our experts — bartender Random Ward; Padraig Confrey, the beverage director at Grupo Gitano; and Harris — also recommend. Generally, julep strainers will offer a better fit than Hawthorne strainers if you’re using a mixing glass to make your drinks. According to Cohen, a julep strainer can work equally well in the kitchen, because it “doubles as an ice scoop if needed, too.”

Jiggers

Best overall jigger

OXO Good Grips Angled Measuring Cup, Mini, Clear

A jigger is what you use to measure the liquor into the shaker or mixing glass. A hyperfunctional, albeit nontraditional-looking, 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.” Part-time bartender Jillian Norwick and Ward both love it too and keep the stainless steel version on hand (which looks a little nicer when left out). Noriwck adds that she’s in good company: “The peeps at Bon Appétit love it.”

Best stepped jigger

Cocktail Kingdom Stepped Copper Jigger

This fancy-looking jigger combines the functional appeal of the OXO measuring cup (it’s basically a cup that grows wider to accommodate different amounts of liquid) with the aesthetic appeal of a classic bar tool. It also makes measuring a snap: “This handy measuring tool is super-easy to use and enables the imbiber to essentially build all the ingredients of a drink in one go,” says Confrey.

Best traditional jigger

Viking Japanese-Style Jigger

If you’re going for a more classic look but still want something practical, Simó recommends this double-sided metal jigger that has a one-ounce cup on one side and a two-ounce cup on the other. The one-ounce side on this strainer also has a half- and three-quarter-ounce lines etched into it to make it even more precise. “That gives you a lot of wiggle room” and will allow you to measure for most basic cocktails, Simó says. “From there, you really just have to learn what a quarter-ounce looks like in there, and you’re pretty much good to go.”

Best Leopold jigger

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Jigger

Biggens, Dowe, and Swenson prefer a Leopold jigger, which has a unique bell shape (with one bell holding an ounce, and the other two ounces) 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,” Swenson adds. “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 cool.”

Glassware

Best collins/highball glasses

Cocktail Kingdom Buswell Collins Glass, 12-Ounces

Though it’s easy to want to get a different type of glass for every type of drink you make, that’s really unnecessary when you’re first starting out. According to Simó, “You can make 90 percent of drinks into a good, all-purpose cocktail glass like a rocks or a collins glass.” (While this section contains our bartenders’ favorite glasses, if you want to shop around, you can find most of these styles at various price points in our list of the best drinking glasses.) A collins — or highball — glass is the one that looks like a chimney, and generally you’re looking for something that’s about 12 ounces, like these collins glasses from bartender-favorite brand Cocktail Kingdom. “You don’t want a 16-ounce Collins glass because you’re going to be hammered after your second Tom Collins,” advises Simó.

Best rocks glasses

Marquis by Waterford Markham Double Old Fashioned Glasses

For a rocks glass, Simó says the ideal size is between eight and ten ounces. “That’s enough where you could put a decent-size chunk of ice in there if you like making the fancy ice,” he explains. This set of four rocks glasses recommended by Theo Lieberman, the beverage director of 232 Bleecker, is slightly larger at 11 ounces each (more room for fancy ice), and he says they’re durable, machine-washable, and look good to boot. “No one likes taking all the time to make a cocktail and then just putting in a boring glass,” he says.

Best coupe glasses

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Coupe Glass

If you’re looking for glassware beyond the basic collins and rocks glasses, Swenson suggests adding some coupe, or bell-shaped, glasses to your setup, because they’re more forgiving than a V-shaped martini glass (which, she adds, are “super out of style” these days). “The curve on a coupe holds the liquid in a little bit more, so if you get jostled, the liquid is more likely to slosh within the glass but stay in the glass,” Swenson explains. “They’re sleek, they’re smaller, and they look a lot classier than a martini glass.” A coupe glass should be somewhere between six and eight-and-a-half ounces, advises Simó. Nate Fishman, the brand ambassador for Santera Tequila and a bartender at Liquor Lab, likes these six-ounce coupe glasses, telling us that, in his opinion, “everything tastes better out of a coupe glass.”

Bar-tool sets

Best overall bar-tool set

Cocktail Kingdom Essential Cocktail Set

Instead of shopping à la carte, Johnny Swet, the owner of Brooklyn’s Grand Republic Cocktail Club and a bar consultant for Jimmy at the James and The Skylark, says that Cocktail Kingdom sells many of the above tools as part of this set. It includes a spouted mixing glass, weighted metal shaker tins, Japanese jiggers, bar spoons, and a Hawthorne strainer (or everything you need to make a drink at home). If you want to be really fancy, you can even get it in copper or gold.

Best less expensive bar-tool set

Crafthouse by Fortessa Professional Barware by Charles Joly Gift Set

For a more affordable set, Marrero suggests this really “nice at-home barware set that includes a shaker, muddler, strainer, and jigger.”

More expert-approved gear for your at-home bar

Hella Cocktail Co. Cocktail Bitters Variety Pack

“The world of bitters is massive, and there is so much variety available on the market now,” says Four Seasons Hotel New York beverage director Cara Maldonado. To stock up on several profiles of bitters without breaking the bank on larger individual bottles, Cooper says to try this variety pack, which includes aromatic, citrus, orange, smoked chili, and ginger bitters. “It’s great for the budding home bartender that they can use to experiment with.” Linden Pride, a co-owner of Dante, is also a fan of stocking a bar cart with several types of bitters like those found in this set.

Top Shelf Bar Supply Extra Long Cocktail Muddler

If you do want a proper muddler (not just a muddling spoon) to make drinks that require sugar cubes, herbs, or fruit (like old fashioneds, mojitos, or Brambles), Harris prefers an old-school, wood style. “As long as it’s rinsed and left to dry, it shouldn’t crack,” she says.

Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife

According to cocktail expert and global brand ambassador for Absolut Elyx Gareth Evans, “When you’re making drinks for friends, remember that the first sip is with the eye, and this is where a good, sharp knife comes in to make sure your garnishes look fresh.” He suggests this non-serrated paring knife from Victorinox, which he says “is the bartender staple around the world.”

Rösle Stainless Steel Crosswise Swivel Peeler

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 more 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 one.” If aesthetics don’t matter, Biggins says a regular vegetable peeler works just as well, naming the simple, Strategist-approved vegetable peelers from Swiss kitchenware company Kuhn Rikon as a favorite (Norwick and Dowe are both fans too).

GBO Amber Boston Round with Black Glass Dropper

Kris Peterson of Chicago’s Mordecai and Hush Money calls these glass droppers “indispensable to cocktails,” because they allow you to make drinks with more precision. “Dasher bottles can sometimes be clumsy and inconsistent,” he explains, adding that droppers are especially useful with ingredients like crème de violette or maraschino or Chartreuse that can take over a drink without a light touch.

Cocktail Kingdom Stainless Steel Cocktail Picks

For garnishes, Paula November, the event vice president of Reed Exhibitions and Bar Convent Brooklyn, loves these sleek-looking, reusable picks for topping off a cocktail.

Love and Victory Snake Cocktail Picks

If you’re looking for a pick with personality (that isn’t an umbrella), Katipai Richardson-Wilson, the owner of Gowanus bar Dirty Precious, “uses these stylish snake cocktail picks if I’m showing off.” She promises that they’re “guaranteed to kick even the most delicious cocktail up a notch.”

PERLII Ice Cube Trays Large Silicone

“At home, I just have the two-by-two ice-cube trays,” says Swenson. “I don’t stress with making them perfectly clear, but if you want to take the time to do that, that’s totally fine.” According to Simó, basically any style of ice-cube tray you have at home will likely yield better ice than you’d get at an actual bar. “For the most part, you will make better ice in your home freezer using even standard ice molds,” he says. That’s because most commercial ice machines produce ice that “is designed to stack on each other and take up a lot of room, but has so much surface area that it melts really quickly” and dilutes your drink. If you’re looking to add a bartender-approved ice tray to your freezer, Lieberman says that these molds are “easy to use and clean,” and make 2.5x2.5-inch cubes that are great for any cocktail or just whiskey on the rocks.

Secret Warehouse Skull Ice Cubes

Those who want ice with a bit of flair should consider these skull-shaped ice cubes that Rob Dietrich, the master distiller at Blackened American Whiskey, uses at home. “The large surface melts slow, offering a less diluted beverage,” he says. His other tip: Use filtered water when making your ice to get the best taste.

Pulltex Corkscrew, Black

“A good wine key is invaluable,” says Simó, though you don’t necessarily need to spend much money on one. He recommends getting one with a serrated blade (to take the foil off of the bottle) and coated coil, because it’ll go into the cork more smoothly. “The kind that have the hinged little portion that you can get halfway through the pull and then re-lock it to get the other half in, those are very forgiving because it gives you two different angles at which to get the cork out perfectly vertically,” he adds.

Repour Wine Saver

Should you be eyeing an expensive Coravin to preserve any wine bottles you uncork at home, Matt Crafton, a winemaker at Chateau Montelena, says this RePour wine saver does good a job at keeping your unfinished bottles fresh for a fraction of the cost. “They’re inexpensive, dead simple, and effective.”

Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer

“The only way to get good lemon and lime juice is to take a small, round, fresh green or yellow thing, cut it through the equator, and then put it into a juicer and ream it and use it that day,” says Simó. “You can’t use it the next day. It gets really bitter and oxidized and gross.” That’s why he says having a handheld juicer is so important if you’re trying to up your home-cocktail game. Ivy Mix — the owner of Leyenda in Brooklyn, a co-founder of the all-female bartending competition Speed Rack, and the author of the forthcoming book Spirits of Latin America — agrees: “Having a fantastic juicer on hand is a must.” Biggins and Dowe say this handheld juicer is the “best of the best,” because it’s efficient, sturdy, and gets the most juice out of your citrus. If you want something more powerful, Brian Evans, the director of bars at Sunday Hospitality, says an “easy-to-operate beast” like the Breville electric juicer will up your mixology game a notch by allowing you to juice vegetables and fruits, instead of just simple citrus.

August Morgan Lightweight Cocktail Napkins

“For useful décor, I love to serve drinks on vintage cocktail napkins,” says Allen Katz, a co-founder of New York Distilling Company. “They are a great escape and a conversation piece at the same time.” Vintage linens (or anything) are typically one-of, and Katz did not name a favorite style or seller, so if you’re looking for a napkin that doubles as a conversation starter, might we suggest these embroidered ones from August Morgan, which contributor Chloe Malle says should appeal to “shameless pun-thusiasts.”

Cocktail Codex

Just like you keep a coffee table book in the living room and a cookbook in the kitchen, you can display a cocktail book on your bar cart. Evans calls this “one of the most invaluable cocktail books ever released,” as well as a “treasure trove like no other.” Cocktail Codex is a James Beard Award–winning book that “lays out a wide spectrum of techniques, flavor pairings, and spirits knowledge that really speak to the professional mixologist as effectively as the casual home bartender,” he explains.

“There are endless books on the subject of cocktails, and I want them all,” says Maldonado. She has a rotation of “informative and beautiful” tomes that she keeps on her own home bar, including Death & Co and The Drunken Botanist as well as Cocktail Codex. “Friends love thumbing through them” while she entertains, she adds.

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The best shakers, strainers, bar spoons, jiggers, and more, from the Strategist

So you finally found the bar cart of your dreams, and you’ve loaded it up with your favorite liquor. While those are two very important steps to curating an at-home bar, to really make your setup recall that of your favorite watering hole, you’re going to want to add some barware and cocktail equipment. But that can be an intimidating task, especially if you’ve had more experience drinking cocktails than making them. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money. “Most people in their home bar really don’t need that many tools,” advises Joaquín Simó, a partner at New York City’s Pouring Ribbons who was named Tales of the Cocktail’s American Bartender of the Year in 2012. “I say you start with the absolute basics and concentrate on the things that you like to use.”

If you’re in a pinch, Martin Hudak, a bartender at Maybe Sammy, says you can always use tools you may already have on hand: “For your shaken cocktails, you can use empty jam jars or a thermos flask. For measuring, spoons and cups, and for stirring, any spoon or back of a wooden ladle.” But Stacey Swenson, the head bartender at Dante (which currently holds the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list), notes that if you’re going to put stuff on display, you might want gear that’s both practical and stylish. “You want something that’s functional and also something that’s pretty,” she says. “If you’re putting it on your bar cart, you kind of put on a show for your guests.” With the help of Simó, Hudak, Swenson, and 28 other experts, we’ve put together the below list of essential gear for any cocktail-lover’s home bar.

Editor’s note: If you want to support service industry workers who have been impacted by the coronavirus closures, you can donate to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, which has set up a COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund, or One Fair Wage, which has set up an Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund. We’ve also linked to any initiatives the businesses mentioned in this story have set up to support themselves amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Shakers

Best Overall Shaker

Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tin Set

According to Simó, all shakers “technically do the same thing, and there are very cheap and very nice versions,” so there’s really no superior option when it comes to function. That said, many professional bartenders use Boston-style shakers, which are basically two cups that fit into each other and form a tight seal to keep liquid from splashing all over you. “If you want to look like a bartender at Death & Co. or PDT, and you want the same kit, then you’re probably going to go metal-on-metal,” or “tin-on-tin,” Simó notes. Six of our experts recommend these weighted tin-on-tin shakers — which come in a range of finishes, including copper and silver — from Cocktail Kingdom, a brand that nearly every bartender we spoke to praised for its durable, well-designed barware. Grand Army’s beverage director, Brendan Biggins, and head bartender, Robby Dow, call this “the gold standard” of shaking tins. “Behind the bar, there’s almost nothing worse than shaker tins that don’t seal well or don’t separate easily,” explains Krissy Harris, the beverage director and owner of Jungle Bird in Chelsea. “The Koriko Weighted Shaking tins seal perfectly every time and easily release,” she says. And because they’re weighted, they’re less likely to fall over and spill.

Best shaker for beginners

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tins Set

While most bartenders use Cocktail Kingdom’s Koriko tins, bartender Tim Cooper, who is also the head of brand advocacy for Fords Gin, says that the Leopold shaker is his favorite. “In my experience, the tins are easier to separate than the Koriko’s and feel a touch lighter, as well,” he says. “They’re simply more efficient,” adds Cooper, which is why he says this is a great option for the at-home bartender who’s not well versed on using shaker tins.

Best shaker with a built-in strainer

Yukiwa Stainless Steel Cobbler Cocktail Shaker

For some people, a two-piece setup like the above shakers might be tricky to use comfortably. “Say you’re a petite female — if you have very small hands, then maybe using a Boston-style shaker may be a little harder,” explains Simó. In that case, a cobbler shaker may be the better choice, because it’s smaller than a Boston-style shaker and thus easier to hold. The other convenient part of a cobbler-style shaker is that the strainer is already built into the lid, so you don’t necessarily have to spring for an additional tool. Karen Lin, a certified sommelier, sake expert, and the executive general manager of Tsukimi, suggests this shaker from Japanese barware brand Yukiwa. “The steel is very sturdy, and the shape fits perfectly in my hands,” she says. “It is also designed well so you can take it apart easily to clean.”

Mixing glasses

Best overall mixing glass

Hiware Professional Cocktail Mixing Glass

You know how James Bond always ordered his martinis shaken, not stirred? Well, if you were to ignore Mr. Bond’s order and make 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. Harris agrees, saying that since they are the most broken item behind the bar, you should stick to a well-priced option like this mixing glass from Hiware that “doesn’t have a seam, so it’s stronger and very attractive.”

Best nontraditional mixing glass

Bodum Replacement Beaker French Press, Replacement 12 Oz Clear Glass

One of Simó’s hacks to getting a glass mixing beaker for not that much money is to use the glass piece from a French press, which is something else you might already own. If you want a dedicated one for your bar cart (that could serve as a backup for your French press), he says you can buy a replacement glass like this one, which has a capacity that is particularly useful if you’re making drinks for a lot of people. “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,” Simó explains.

Best Pitcher

My Vintage Antique Shop Retro Martini Pitcher

According to Paul McGee, a co-owner of Lost Lake in Chicago, “finding vintage martini pitchers is very easy, and they are perfect for making large batches of cocktails.” Plus, they’ll look more visually striking on your bar cart. This one is even pretty enough to use as a vase when it’s not filled with punch. The photo shows the pitcher next to a strainer, but you’re only getting the pitcher for the price shown.

Bar Spoons

Best Japanese-style bar spoon

Twisted Bar Spoon by Modern Mixologist

If you’re making a stirred drink, a mixing or bar spoon is also necessary. “Three basic styles exist: the American bar spoon has a twisted handle and, usually, a plastic cap on the end, the European bar spoon has a flat muddler/crusher, and the Japanese bar spoon is heavier, with a weighted teardrop shape opposite the bowl,” explains Joe Palminteri, the director of food and beverage at Hamilton Hotel’s Via Sophia and Society. None of our experts recommended specific American-style bar spoons, but Simó told us that one of his favorite Japanese-style spoons is this one 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, according to him. Simó 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.

Best European-style bar spoon

Cocktail Kingdom Muddler Barspoon, Silver-Plated

Should your at-home bartending require a lot of muddling, Swenson recommends getting a European-style spoon like this, which he says will still allow you to stir while eliminating the need to buy a dedicated muddler. “You can actually use the top of the 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.”

Strainers

Best overall strainer

Cocktail Kingdom Buswell 4-Prong Hawthorne Strainer

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, 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. Three experts recommend this one, including Lynnette Marrero, the beverage director of Llama Inn and Llama-San and the co-founder of Speed Rack, who says it’s her absolute favorite because “it is light and easy to clutch and close correctly.” If you choose to buy this Hawthorne strainer, Simó also recommends getting “the replacement springs that Cocktail Kingdom sells,” telling us they’re a good way to give a worn-out strainer a face-lift. “They’re really, really nice and tight, and you can generally slip them into any Hawthorne strainer that you have.”

Best less expensive strainer

Cocktail Kingdom Julep Strainer

A slightly less expensive strainer is this Cocktail Kingdom julep strainer that three of our experts — bartender Random Ward; Padraig Confrey, the beverage director at Grupo Gitano; and Harris — also recommend. Generally, julep strainers will offer a better fit than Hawthorne strainers if you’re using a mixing glass to make your drinks. According to Cohen, a julep strainer can work equally well in the kitchen, because it “doubles as an ice scoop if needed, too.”

Jiggers

Best overall jigger

OXO Good Grips Angled Measuring Cup, Mini, Clear

A jigger is what you use to measure the liquor into the shaker or mixing glass. A hyperfunctional, albeit nontraditional-looking, 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.” Part-time bartender Jillian Norwick and Ward both love it too and keep the stainless steel version on hand (which looks a little nicer when left out). Noriwck adds that she’s in good company: “The peeps at Bon Appétit love it.”

Best stepped jigger

Cocktail Kingdom Stepped Copper Jigger

This fancy-looking jigger combines the functional appeal of the OXO measuring cup (it’s basically a cup that grows wider to accommodate different amounts of liquid) with the aesthetic appeal of a classic bar tool. It also makes measuring a snap: “This handy measuring tool is super-easy to use and enables the imbiber to essentially build all the ingredients of a drink in one go,” says Confrey.

Best traditional jigger

Viking Japanese-Style Jigger

If you’re going for a more classic look but still want something practical, Simó recommends this double-sided metal jigger that has a one-ounce cup on one side and a two-ounce cup on the other. The one-ounce side on this strainer also has a half- and three-quarter-ounce lines etched into it to make it even more precise. “That gives you a lot of wiggle room” and will allow you to measure for most basic cocktails, Simó says. “From there, you really just have to learn what a quarter-ounce looks like in there, and you’re pretty much good to go.”

Best Leopold jigger

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Jigger

Biggens, Dowe, and Swenson prefer a Leopold jigger, which has a unique bell shape (with one bell holding an ounce, and the other two ounces) 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,” Swenson adds. “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 cool.”

Glassware

Best collins/highball glasses

Cocktail Kingdom Buswell Collins Glass, 12-Ounces

Though it’s easy to want to get a different type of glass for every type of drink you make, that’s really unnecessary when you’re first starting out. According to Simó, “You can make 90 percent of drinks into a good, all-purpose cocktail glass like a rocks or a collins glass.” (While this section contains our bartenders’ favorite glasses, if you want to shop around, you can find most of these styles at various price points in our list of the best drinking glasses.) A collins — or highball — glass is the one that looks like a chimney, and generally you’re looking for something that’s about 12 ounces, like these collins glasses from bartender-favorite brand Cocktail Kingdom. “You don’t want a 16-ounce Collins glass because you’re going to be hammered after your second Tom Collins,” advises Simó.

Best rocks glasses

Marquis by Waterford Markham Double Old Fashioned Glasses

For a rocks glass, Simó says the ideal size is between eight and ten ounces. “That’s enough where you could put a decent-size chunk of ice in there if you like making the fancy ice,” he explains. This set of four rocks glasses recommended by Theo Lieberman, the beverage director of 232 Bleecker, is slightly larger at 11 ounces each (more room for fancy ice), and he says they’re durable, machine-washable, and look good to boot. “No one likes taking all the time to make a cocktail and then just putting in a boring glass,” he says.

Best coupe glasses

Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Coupe Glass

If you’re looking for glassware beyond the basic collins and rocks glasses, Swenson suggests adding some coupe, or bell-shaped, glasses to your setup, because they’re more forgiving than a V-shaped martini glass (which, she adds, are “super out of style” these days). “The curve on a coupe holds the liquid in a little bit more, so if you get jostled, the liquid is more likely to slosh within the glass but stay in the glass,” Swenson explains. “They’re sleek, they’re smaller, and they look a lot classier than a martini glass.” A coupe glass should be somewhere between six and eight-and-a-half ounces, advises Simó. Nate Fishman, the brand ambassador for Santera Tequila and a bartender at Liquor Lab, likes these six-ounce coupe glasses, telling us that, in his opinion, “everything tastes better out of a coupe glass.”

Bar-tool sets

Best overall bar-tool set

Cocktail Kingdom Essential Cocktail Set

Instead of shopping à la carte, Johnny Swet, the owner of Brooklyn’s Grand Republic Cocktail Club and a bar consultant for Jimmy at the James and The Skylark, says that Cocktail Kingdom sells many of the above tools as part of this set. It includes a spouted mixing glass, weighted metal shaker tins, Japanese jiggers, bar spoons, and a Hawthorne strainer (or everything you need to make a drink at home). If you want to be really fancy, you can even get it in copper or gold.

Best less expensive bar-tool set

Crafthouse by Fortessa Professional Barware by Charles Joly Gift Set

For a more affordable set, Marrero suggests this really “nice at-home barware set that includes a shaker, muddler, strainer, and jigger.”

More expert-approved gear for your at-home bar

Hella Cocktail Co. Cocktail Bitters Variety Pack

“The world of bitters is massive, and there is so much variety available on the market now,” says Four Seasons Hotel New York beverage director Cara Maldonado. To stock up on several profiles of bitters without breaking the bank on larger individual bottles, Cooper says to try this variety pack, which includes aromatic, citrus, orange, smoked chili, and ginger bitters. “It’s great for the budding home bartender that they can use to experiment with.” Linden Pride, a co-owner of Dante, is also a fan of stocking a bar cart with several types of bitters like those found in this set.

Top Shelf Bar Supply Extra Long Cocktail Muddler

If you do want a proper muddler (not just a muddling spoon) to make drinks that require sugar cubes, herbs, or fruit (like old fashioneds, mojitos, or Brambles), Harris prefers an old-school, wood style. “As long as it’s rinsed and left to dry, it shouldn’t crack,” she says.

Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife

According to cocktail expert and global brand ambassador for Absolut Elyx Gareth Evans, “When you’re making drinks for friends, remember that the first sip is with the eye, and this is where a good, sharp knife comes in to make sure your garnishes look fresh.” He suggests this non-serrated paring knife from Victorinox, which he says “is the bartender staple around the world.”

Rösle Stainless Steel Crosswise Swivel Peeler

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 more 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 one.” If aesthetics don’t matter, Biggins says a regular vegetable peeler works just as well, naming the simple, Strategist-approved vegetable peelers from Swiss kitchenware company Kuhn Rikon as a favorite (Norwick and Dowe are both fans too).

GBO Amber Boston Round with Black Glass Dropper

Kris Peterson of Chicago’s Mordecai and Hush Money calls these glass droppers “indispensable to cocktails,” because they allow you to make drinks with more precision. “Dasher bottles can sometimes be clumsy and inconsistent,” he explains, adding that droppers are especially useful with ingredients like crème de violette or maraschino or Chartreuse that can take over a drink without a light touch.

Cocktail Kingdom Stainless Steel Cocktail Picks

For garnishes, Paula November, the event vice president of Reed Exhibitions and Bar Convent Brooklyn, loves these sleek-looking, reusable picks for topping off a cocktail.

Love and Victory Snake Cocktail Picks

If you’re looking for a pick with personality (that isn’t an umbrella), Katipai Richardson-Wilson, the owner of Gowanus bar Dirty Precious, “uses these stylish snake cocktail picks if I’m showing off.” She promises that they’re “guaranteed to kick even the most delicious cocktail up a notch.”

PERLII Ice Cube Trays Large Silicone

“At home, I just have the two-by-two ice-cube trays,” says Swenson. “I don’t stress with making them perfectly clear, but if you want to take the time to do that, that’s totally fine.” According to Simó, basically any style of ice-cube tray you have at home will likely yield better ice than you’d get at an actual bar. “For the most part, you will make better ice in your home freezer using even standard ice molds,” he says. That’s because most commercial ice machines produce ice that “is designed to stack on each other and take up a lot of room, but has so much surface area that it melts really quickly” and dilutes your drink. If you’re looking to add a bartender-approved ice tray to your freezer, Lieberman says that these molds are “easy to use and clean,” and make 2.5x2.5-inch cubes that are great for any cocktail or just whiskey on the rocks.

Secret Warehouse Skull Ice Cubes

Those who want ice with a bit of flair should consider these skull-shaped ice cubes that Rob Dietrich, the master distiller at Blackened American Whiskey, uses at home. “The large surface melts slow, offering a less diluted beverage,” he says. His other tip: Use filtered water when making your ice to get the best taste.

Pulltex Corkscrew, Black

“A good wine key is invaluable,” says Simó, though you don’t necessarily need to spend much money on one. He recommends getting one with a serrated blade (to take the foil off of the bottle) and coated coil, because it’ll go into the cork more smoothly. “The kind that have the hinged little portion that you can get halfway through the pull and then re-lock it to get the other half in, those are very forgiving because it gives you two different angles at which to get the cork out perfectly vertically,” he adds.

Repour Wine Saver

Should you be eyeing an expensive Coravin to preserve any wine bottles you uncork at home, Matt Crafton, a winemaker at Chateau Montelena, says this RePour wine saver does good a job at keeping your unfinished bottles fresh for a fraction of the cost. “They’re inexpensive, dead simple, and effective.”

Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer

“The only way to get good lemon and lime juice is to take a small, round, fresh green or yellow thing, cut it through the equator, and then put it into a juicer and ream it and use it that day,” says Simó. “You can’t use it the next day. It gets really bitter and oxidized and gross.” That’s why he says having a handheld juicer is so important if you’re trying to up your home-cocktail game. Ivy Mix — the owner of Leyenda in Brooklyn, a co-founder of the all-female bartending competition Speed Rack, and the author of the forthcoming book Spirits of Latin America — agrees: “Having a fantastic juicer on hand is a must.” Biggins and Dowe say this handheld juicer is the “best of the best,” because it’s efficient, sturdy, and gets the most juice out of your citrus. If you want something more powerful, Brian Evans, the director of bars at Sunday Hospitality, says an “easy-to-operate beast” like the Breville electric juicer will up your mixology game a notch by allowing you to juice vegetables and fruits, instead of just simple citrus.

August Morgan Lightweight Cocktail Napkins

“For useful décor, I love to serve drinks on vintage cocktail napkins,” says Allen Katz, a co-founder of New York Distilling Company. “They are a great escape and a conversation piece at the same time.” Vintage linens (or anything) are typically one-of, and Katz did not name a favorite style or seller, so if you’re looking for a napkin that doubles as a conversation starter, might we suggest these embroidered ones from August Morgan, which contributor Chloe Malle says should appeal to “shameless pun-thusiasts.”

Cocktail Codex

Just like you keep a coffee table book in the living room and a cookbook in the kitchen, you can display a cocktail book on your bar cart. Evans calls this “one of the most invaluable cocktail books ever released,” as well as a “treasure trove like no other.” Cocktail Codex is a James Beard Award–winning book that “lays out a wide spectrum of techniques, flavor pairings, and spirits knowledge that really speak to the professional mixologist as effectively as the casual home bartender,” he explains.

“There are endless books on the subject of cocktails, and I want them all,” says Maldonado. She has a rotation of “informative and beautiful” tomes that she keeps on her own home bar, including Death & Co and The Drunken Botanist as well as Cocktail Codex. “Friends love thumbing through them” while she entertains, she adds.

Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.

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From the Strategist Everything You Need to Stock an at-Home Bar (Minus Booze), According to Bartenders (1) added to Google Docs

From the Strategist Everything You Need to Stock an at-Home Bar (Minus Booze), According to Bartenders (1)

 H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images

The best shakers, strainers, bar spoons, jiggers, and more, from the Strategist

So you finally found the bar cart of your dreams, and you’ve loaded it up with your favorite liquor. While those are two very important steps to curating an at-home bar, to really make your setup recall that of your favorite watering hole, you’re going to want to add some barware and cocktail equipment. But that can be an intimidating task, especially if you’ve had more experience drinking cocktails than making them. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money. “Most people in their home bar really don’t need that many tools,” advises Joaquín Simó, a partner at New York City’s Pouring Ribbons who was named Tales of the Cocktail’s American Bartender of the Year in 2012. “I say you start with the absolute basics and concentrate on the things that you like to use.”

If you’re in a pinch, Martin Hudak, a bartender at Maybe Sammy, says you can always use tools you may already have on hand: “For your shaken cocktails, you can use empty jam jars or a thermos flask. For measuring, spoons and cups, and for stirring, any spoon or back of a wooden ladle.” But Stacey Swenson, the head bartender at Dante (which currently holds the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list), notes that if you’re going to put stuff on display, you might want gear that’s both practical and stylish. “You want something that’s functional and also something that’s pretty,” she says. “If you’re putting it on your bar cart, you kind of put on a show for your guests.” With the help of Simó, Hudak, Swenson, and 28 other experts, we’ve put together the below list of essential gear for any cocktail-lover’s home bar.

Editor’s note: If you want to support service industry workers who have been impacted by the coronavirus closures, you can donate to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, which has set up a COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund, or One Fair Wage, which has set up an Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund. We’ve also linked to any initiatives the businesses mentioned in this story have set up to support themselves amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Shakers Best Overall Shaker  Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tin Set

According to Simó, all shakers “technically do the same thing, and there are very cheap and very nice versions,” so there’s really no superior option when it comes to function. That said, many professional bartenders use Boston-style shakers, which are basically two cups that fit into each other and form a tight seal to keep liquid from splashing all over you. “If you want to look like a bartender at Death & Co. or PDT, and you want the same kit, then you’re probably going to go metal-on-metal,” or “tin-on-tin,” Simó notes. Six of our experts recommend these weighted tin-on-tin shakers — which come in a range of finishes, including copper and silver — from Cocktail Kingdom, a brand that nearly every bartender we spoke to praised for its durable, well-designed barware. Grand Army’s beverage director, Brendan Biggins, and head bartender, Robby Dow, call this “the gold standard” of shaking tins. “Behind the bar, there’s almost nothing worse than shaker tins that don’t seal well or don’t separate easily,” explains Krissy Harris, the beverage director and owner of Jungle Bird in Chelsea. “The Koriko Weighted Shaking tins seal perfectly every time and easily release,” she says. And because they’re weighted, they’re less likely to fall over and spill.

Best shaker for beginners  Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tins Set

While most bartenders use Cocktail Kingdom’s Koriko tins, bartender Tim Cooper, who is also the head of brand advocacy for Fords Gin, says that the Leopold shaker is his favorite. “In my experience, the tins are easier to separate than the Koriko’s and feel a touch lighter, as well,” he says. “They’re simply more efficient,” adds Cooper, which is why he says this is a great option for the at-home bartender who’s not well versed on using shaker tins.

Best shaker with a built-in strainer  Yukiwa Stainless Steel Cobbler Cocktail Shaker

For some people, a two-piece setup like the above shakers might be tricky to use comfortably. “Say you’re a petite female — if you have very small hands, then maybe using a Boston-style shaker may be a little harder,” explains Simó. In that case, a cobbler shaker may be the better choice, because it’s smaller than a Boston-style shaker and thus easier to hold. The other convenient part of a cobbler-style shaker is that the strainer is already built into the lid, so you don’t necessarily have to spring for an additional tool. Karen Lin, a certified sommelier, sake expert, and the executive general manager of Tsukimi, suggests this shaker from Japanese barware brand Yukiwa. “The steel is very sturdy, and the shape fits perfectly in my hands,” she says. “It is also designed well so you can take it apart easily to clean.”

Mixing glasses Best overall mixing glass  Hiware Professional Cocktail Mixing Glass

You know how James Bond always ordered his martinis shaken, not stirred? Well, if you were to ignore Mr. Bond’s order and make 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. Harris agrees, saying that since they are the most broken item behind the bar, you should stick to a well-priced option like this mixing glass from Hiware that “doesn’t have a seam, so it’s stronger and very attractive.”

Best nontraditional mixing glass  Bodum Replacement Beaker French Press, Replacement 12 Oz Clear Glass

One of Simó’s hacks to getting a glass mixing beaker for not that much money is to use the glass piece from a French press, which is something else you might already own. If you want a dedicated one for your bar cart (that could serve as a backup for your French press), he says you can buy a replacement glass like this one, which has a capacity that is particularly useful if you’re making drinks for a lot of people. “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,” Simó explains.

Best Pitcher  My Vintage Antique Shop Retro Martini Pitcher

According to Paul McGee, a co-owner of Lost Lake in Chicago, “finding vintage martini pitchers is very easy, and they are perfect for making large batches of cocktails.” Plus, they’ll look more visually striking on your bar cart. This one is even pretty enough to use as a vase when it’s not filled with punch. The photo shows the pitcher next to a strainer, but you’re only getting the pitcher for the price shown.

Bar Spoons Best Japanese-style bar spoon  Twisted Bar Spoon by Modern Mixologist

If you’re making a stirred drink, a mixing or bar spoon is also necessary. “Three basic styles exist: the American bar spoon has a twisted handle and, usually, a plastic cap on the end, the European bar spoon has a flat muddler/crusher, and the Japanese bar spoon is heavier, with a weighted teardrop shape opposite the bowl,” explains Joe Palminteri, the director of food and beverage at Hamilton Hotel’s Via Sophia and Society. None of our experts recommended specific American-style bar spoons, but Simó told us that one of his favorite Japanese-style spoons is this one 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, according to him. Simó 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.

Best European-style bar spoon  Cocktail Kingdom Muddler Barspoon, Silver-Plated

Should your at-home bartending require a lot of muddling, Swenson recommends getting a European-style spoon like this, which he says will still allow you to stir while eliminating the need to buy a dedicated muddler. “You can actually use the top of the 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.”

Strainers Best overall strainer  Cocktail Kingdom Buswell 4-Prong Hawthorne Strainer

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, 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. Three experts recommend this one, including Lynnette Marrero, the beverage director of Llama Inn and Llama-San and the co-founder of Speed Rack, who says it’s her absolute favorite because “it is light and easy to clutch and close correctly.” If you choose to buy this Hawthorne strainer, Simó also recommends getting “the replacement springs that Cocktail Kingdom sells,” telling us they’re a good way to give a worn-out strainer a face-lift. “They’re really, really nice and tight, and you can generally slip them into any Hawthorne strainer that you have.”

Best less expensive strainer  Cocktail Kingdom Julep Strainer

A slightly less expensive strainer is this Cocktail Kingdom julep strainer that three of our experts — bartender Random Ward; Padraig Confrey, the beverage director at Grupo Gitano; and Harris — also recommend. Generally, julep strainers will offer a better fit than Hawthorne strainers if you’re using a mixing glass to make your drinks. According to Cohen, a julep strainer can work equally well in the kitchen, because it “doubles as an ice scoop if needed, too.”

Jiggers Best overall jigger  OXO Good Grips Angled Measuring Cup, Mini, Clear

A jigger is what you use to measure the liquor into the shaker or mixing glass. A hyperfunctional, albeit nontraditional-looking, 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.” Part-time bartender Jillian Norwick and Ward both love it too and keep the stainless steel version on hand (which looks a little nicer when left out). Noriwck adds that she’s in good company: “The peeps at Bon Appétit love it.”

Best stepped jigger  Cocktail Kingdom Stepped Copper Jigger

This fancy-looking jigger combines the functional appeal of the OXO measuring cup (it’s basically a cup that grows wider to accommodate different amounts of liquid) with the aesthetic appeal of a classic bar tool. It also makes measuring a snap: “This handy measuring tool is super-easy to use and enables the imbiber to essentially build all the ingredients of a drink in one go,” says Confrey.

Best traditional jigger  Viking Japanese-Style Jigger

If you’re going for a more classic look but still want something practical, Simó recommends this double-sided metal jigger that has a one-ounce cup on one side and a two-ounce cup on the other. The one-ounce side on this strainer also has a half- and three-quarter-ounce lines etched into it to make it even more precise. “That gives you a lot of wiggle room” and will allow you to measure for most basic cocktails, Simó says. “From there, you really just have to learn what a quarter-ounce looks like in there, and you’re pretty much good to go.”

Best Leopold jigger  Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Jigger

Biggens, Dowe, and Swenson prefer a Leopold jigger, which has a unique bell shape (with one bell holding an ounce, and the other two ounces) 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,” Swenson adds. “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 cool.”

Glassware Best collins/highball glasses  Cocktail Kingdom Buswell Collins Glass, 12-Ounces

Though it’s easy to want to get a different type of glass for every type of drink you make, that’s really unnecessary when you’re first starting out. According to Simó, “You can make 90 percent of drinks into a good, all-purpose cocktail glass like a rocks or a collins glass.” (While this section contains our bartenders’ favorite glasses, if you want to shop around, you can find most of these styles at various price points in our list of the best drinking glasses.) A collins — or highball — glass is the one that looks like a chimney, and generally you’re looking for something that’s about 12 ounces, like these collins glasses from bartender-favorite brand Cocktail Kingdom. “You don’t want a 16-ounce Collins glass because you’re going to be hammered after your second Tom Collins,” advises Simó.

Best rocks glasses  Marquis by Waterford Markham Double Old Fashioned Glasses

For a rocks glass, Simó says the ideal size is between eight and ten ounces. “That’s enough where you could put a decent-size chunk of ice in there if you like making the fancy ice,” he explains. This set of four rocks glasses recommended by Theo Lieberman, the beverage director of 232 Bleecker, is slightly larger at 11 ounces each (more room for fancy ice), and he says they’re durable, machine-washable, and look good to boot. “No one likes taking all the time to make a cocktail and then just putting in a boring glass,” he says.

Best coupe glasses  Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Coupe Glass

If you’re looking for glassware beyond the basic collins and rocks glasses, Swenson suggests adding some coupe, or bell-shaped, glasses to your setup, because they’re more forgiving than a V-shaped martini glass (which, she adds, are “super out of style” these days). “The curve on a coupe holds the liquid in a little bit more, so if you get jostled, the liquid is more likely to slosh within the glass but stay in the glass,” Swenson explains. “They’re sleek, they’re smaller, and they look a lot classier than a martini glass.” A coupe glass should be somewhere between six and eight-and-a-half ounces, advises Simó. Nate Fishman, the brand ambassador for Santera Tequila and a bartender at Liquor Lab, likes these six-ounce coupe glasses, telling us that, in his opinion, “everything tastes better out of a coupe glass.”

Bar-tool sets Best overall bar-tool set  Cocktail Kingdom Essential Cocktail Set

Instead of shopping à la carte, Johnny Swet, the owner of Brooklyn’s Grand Republic Cocktail Club and a bar consultant for Jimmy at the James and The Skylark, says that Cocktail Kingdom sells many of the above tools as part of this set. It includes a spouted mixing glass, weighted metal shaker tins, Japanese jiggers, bar spoons, and a Hawthorne strainer (or everything you need to make a drink at home). If you want to be really fancy, you can even get it in copper or gold.

Best less expensive bar-tool set  Crafthouse by Fortessa Professional Barware by Charles Joly Gift Set

For a more affordable set, Marrero suggests this really “nice at-home barware set that includes a shaker, muddler, strainer, and jigger.”

More expert-approved gear for your at-home bar  Hella Cocktail Co. Cocktail Bitters Variety Pack

“The world of bitters is massive, and there is so much variety available on the market now,” says Four Seasons Hotel New York beverage director Cara Maldonado. To stock up on several profiles of bitters without breaking the bank on larger individual bottles, Cooper says to try this variety pack, which includes aromatic, citrus, orange, smoked chili, and ginger bitters. “It’s great for the budding home bartender that they can use to experiment with.” Linden Pride, a co-owner of Dante, is also a fan of stocking a bar cart with several types of bitters like those found in this set.

 Top Shelf Bar Supply Extra Long Cocktail Muddler

If you do want a proper muddler (not just a muddling spoon) to make drinks that require sugar cubes, herbs, or fruit (like old fashioneds, mojitos, or Brambles), Harris prefers an old-school, wood style. “As long as it’s rinsed and left to dry, it shouldn’t crack,” she says.

Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife

According to cocktail expert and global brand ambassador for Absolut Elyx Gareth Evans, “When you’re making drinks for friends, remember that the first sip is with the eye, and this is where a good, sharp knife comes in to make sure your garnishes look fresh.” He suggests this non-serrated paring knife from Victorinox, which he says “is the bartender staple around the world.”

 Rösle Stainless Steel Crosswise Swivel Peeler

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 more 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 one.” If aesthetics don’t matter, Biggins says a regular vegetable peeler works just as well, naming the simple, Strategist-approved vegetable peelers from Swiss kitchenware company Kuhn Rikon as a favorite (Norwick and Dowe are both fans too).

 GBO Amber Boston Round with Black Glass Dropper

Kris Peterson of Chicago’s Mordecai and Hush Money calls these glass droppers “indispensable to cocktails,” because they allow you to make drinks with more precision. “Dasher bottles can sometimes be clumsy and inconsistent,” he explains, adding that droppers are especially useful with ingredients like crème de violette or maraschino or Chartreuse that can take over a drink without a light touch.

 Cocktail Kingdom Stainless Steel Cocktail Picks

For garnishes, Paula November, the event vice president of Reed Exhibitions and Bar Convent Brooklyn, loves these sleek-looking, reusable picks for topping off a cocktail.

 Love and Victory Snake Cocktail Picks

If you’re looking for a pick with personality (that isn’t an umbrella), Katipai Richardson-Wilson, the owner of Gowanus bar Dirty Precious, “uses these stylish snake cocktail picks if I’m showing off.” She promises that they’re “guaranteed to kick even the most delicious cocktail up a notch.”

 PERLII Ice Cube Trays Large Silicone

“At home, I just have the two-by-two ice-cube trays,” says Swenson. “I don’t stress with making them perfectly clear, but if you want to take the time to do that, that’s totally fine.” According to Simó, basically any style of ice-cube tray you have at home will likely yield better ice than you’d get at an actual bar. “For the most part, you will make better ice in your home freezer using even standard ice molds,” he says. That’s because most commercial ice machines produce ice that “is designed to stack on each other and take up a lot of room, but has so much surface area that it melts really quickly” and dilutes your drink. If you’re looking to add a bartender-approved ice tray to your freezer, Lieberman says that these molds are “easy to use and clean,” and make 2.5x2.5-inch cubes that are great for any cocktail or just whiskey on the rocks.

 Secret Warehouse Skull Ice Cubes

Those who want ice with a bit of flair should consider these skull-shaped ice cubes that Rob Dietrich, the master distiller at Blackened American Whiskey, uses at home. “The large surface melts slow, offering a less diluted beverage,” he says. His other tip: Use filtered water when making your ice to get the best taste.

 Pulltex Corkscrew, Black

“A good wine key is invaluable,” says Simó, though you don’t necessarily need to spend much money on one. He recommends getting one with a serrated blade (to take the foil off of the bottle) and coated coil, because it’ll go into the cork more smoothly. “The kind that have the hinged little portion that you can get halfway through the pull and then re-lock it to get the other half in, those are very forgiving because it gives you two different angles at which to get the cork out perfectly vertically,” he adds.

 Repour Wine Saver

Should you be eyeing an expensive Coravin to preserve any wine bottles you uncork at home, Matt Crafton, a winemaker at Chateau Montelena, says this RePour wine saver does good a job at keeping your unfinished bottles fresh for a fraction of the cost. “They’re inexpensive, dead simple, and effective.”

 Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer

“The only way to get good lemon and lime juice is to take a small, round, fresh green or yellow thing, cut it through the equator, and then put it into a juicer and ream it and use it that day,” says Simó. “You can’t use it the next day. It gets really bitter and oxidized and gross.” That’s why he says having a handheld juicer is so important if you’re trying to up your home-cocktail game. Ivy Mix — the owner of Leyenda in Brooklyn, a co-founder of the all-female bartending competition Speed Rack, and the author of the forthcoming book Spirits of Latin America — agrees: “Having a fantastic juicer on hand is a must.” Biggins and Dowe say this handheld juicer is the “best of the best,” because it’s efficient, sturdy, and gets the most juice out of your citrus. If you want something more powerful, Brian Evans, the director of bars at Sunday Hospitality, says an “easy-to-operate beast” like the Breville electric juicer will up your mixology game a notch by allowing you to juice vegetables and fruits, instead of just simple citrus.

 August Morgan Lightweight Cocktail Napkins

“For useful décor, I love to serve drinks on vintage cocktail napkins,” says Allen Katz, a co-founder of New York Distilling Company. “They are a great escape and a conversation piece at the same time.” Vintage linens (or anything) are typically one-of, and Katz did not name a favorite style or seller, so if you’re looking for a napkin that doubles as a conversation starter, might we suggest these embroidered ones from August Morgan, which contributor Chloe Malle says should appeal to “shameless pun-thusiasts.”

 Cocktail Codex

Just like you keep a coffee table book in the living room and a cookbook in the kitchen, you can display a cocktail book on your bar cart. Evans calls this “one of the most invaluable cocktail books ever released,” as well as a “treasure trove like no other.” Cocktail Codex is a James Beard Award–winning book that “lays out a wide spectrum of techniques, flavor pairings, and spirits knowledge that really speak to the professional mixologist as effectively as the casual home bartender,” he explains.

“There are endless books on the subject of cocktails, and I want them all,” says Maldonado. She has a rotation of “informative and beautiful” tomes that she keeps on her own home bar, including Death & Co and The Drunken Botanist as well as Cocktail Codex. “Friends love thumbing through them” while she entertains, she adds.

Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy.

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H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images The best shakers, strainers, bar spoons, jiggers, and more, from the Strategist So you finally found the bar cart of your dreams, and you’ve loaded it up with your favorite liquor. While those are two very important steps to curating an at-home bar, to really make your setup recall that of your favorite watering hole, you’re going to want to add some barware and cocktail equipment. But that can be an intimidating task, especially if you’ve had more experience drinking cocktails than making them. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money. “Most people in their home bar really don’t need that many tools,” advises Joaquín Simó, a partner at New York City’s Pouring Ribbons who was named Tales of the Cocktail’s American Bartender of the Year in 2012. “I say you start with the absolute basics and concentrate on the things that you like to use.” If you’re in a pinch, Martin Hudak, a bartender at Maybe Sammy, says you can always use tools you may already have on hand: “For your shaken cocktails, you can use empty jam jars or a thermos flask. For measuring, spoons and cups, and for stirring, any spoon or back of a wooden ladle.” But Stacey Swenson, the head bartender at Dante (which currently holds the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list), notes that if you’re going to put stuff on display, you might want gear that’s both practical and stylish. “You want something that’s functional and also something that’s pretty,” she says. “If you’re putting it on your bar cart, you kind of put on a show for your guests.” With the help of Simó, Hudak, Swenson, and 28 other experts, we’ve put together the below list of essential gear for any cocktail-lover’s home bar. Editor’s note: If you want to support service industry workers who have been impacted by the coronavirus closures, you can donate to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, which has set up a COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund, or One Fair Wage, which has set up an Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund. We’ve also linked to any initiatives the businesses mentioned in this story have set up to support themselves amid the coronavirus pandemic. Shakers Best Overall Shaker Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tin Set According to Simó, all shakers “technically do the same thing, and there are very cheap and very nice versions,” so there’s really no superior option when it comes to function. That said, many professional bartenders use Boston-style shakers, which are basically two cups that fit into each other and form a tight seal to keep liquid from splashing all over you. “If you want to look like a bartender at Death & Co. or PDT, and you want the same kit, then you’re probably going to go metal-on-metal,” or “tin-on-tin,” Simó notes. Six of our experts recommend these weighted tin-on-tin shakers — which come in a range of finishes, including copper and silver — from Cocktail Kingdom, a brand that nearly every bartender we spoke to praised for its durable, well-designed barware. Grand Army’s beverage director, Brendan Biggins, and head bartender, Robby Dow, call this “the gold standard” of shaking tins. “Behind the bar, there’s almost nothing worse than shaker tins that don’t seal well or don’t separate easily,” explains Krissy Harris, the beverage director and owner of Jungle Bird in Chelsea. “The Koriko Weighted Shaking tins seal perfectly every time and easily release,” she says. And because they’re weighted, they’re less likely to fall over and spill. Best shaker for beginners Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tins Set While most bartenders use Cocktail Kingdom’s Koriko tins, bartender Tim Cooper, who is also the head of brand advocacy for Fords Gin, says that the Leopold shaker is his favorite. “In my experience, the tins are easier to separate than the Koriko’s and feel a touch lighter, as well,” he says. “They’re simply more efficient,” adds Cooper, which is why he says this is a great option for the at-home bartender who’s not well versed on using shaker tins. Best shaker with a built-in strainer Yukiwa Stainless Steel Cobbler Cocktail Shaker For some people, a two-piece setup like the above shakers might be tricky to use comfortably. “Say you’re a petite female — if you have very small hands, then maybe using a Boston-style shaker may be a little harder,” explains Simó. In that case, a cobbler shaker may be the better choice, because it’s smaller than a Boston-style shaker and thus easier to hold. The other convenient part of a cobbler-style shaker is that the strainer is already built into the lid, so you don’t necessarily have to spring for an additional tool. Karen Lin, a certified sommelier, sake expert, and the executive general manager of Tsukimi, suggests this shaker from Japanese barware brand Yukiwa. “The steel is very sturdy, and the shape fits perfectly in my hands,” she says. “It is also designed well so you can take it apart easily to clean.” Mixing glasses Best overall mixing glass Hiware Professional Cocktail Mixing Glass You know how James Bond always ordered his martinis shaken, not stirred? Well, if you were to ignore Mr. Bond’s order and make 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. Harris agrees, saying that since they are the most broken item behind the bar, you should stick to a well-priced option like this mixing glass from Hiware that “doesn’t have a seam, so it’s stronger and very attractive.” Best nontraditional mixing glass Bodum Replacement Beaker French Press, Replacement 12 Oz Clear Glass One of Simó’s hacks to getting a glass mixing beaker for not that much money is to use the glass piece from a French press, which is something else you might already own. If you want a dedicated one for your bar cart (that could serve as a backup for your French press), he says you can buy a replacement glass like this one, which has a capacity that is particularly useful if you’re making drinks for a lot of people. “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,” Simó explains. Best Pitcher My Vintage Antique Shop Retro Martini Pitcher According to Paul McGee, a co-owner of Lost Lake in Chicago, “finding vintage martini pitchers is very easy, and they are perfect for making large batches of cocktails.” Plus, they’ll look more visually striking on your bar cart. This one is even pretty enough to use as a vase when it’s not filled with punch. The photo shows the pitcher next to a strainer, but you’re only getting the pitcher for the price shown. Bar Spoons Best Japanese-style bar spoon Twisted Bar Spoon by Modern Mixologist If you’re making a stirred drink, a mixing or bar spoon is also necessary. “Three basic styles exist: the American bar spoon has a twisted handle and, usually, a plastic cap on the end, the European bar spoon has a flat muddler/crusher, and the Japanese bar spoon is heavier, with a weighted teardrop shape opposite the bowl,” explains Joe Palminteri, the director of food and beverage at Hamilton Hotel’s Via Sophia and Society. None of our experts recommended specific American-style bar spoons, but Simó told us that one of his favorite Japanese-style spoons is this one 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, according to him. Simó 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. Best European-style bar spoon Cocktail Kingdom Muddler Barspoon, Silver-Plated Should your at-home bartending require a lot of muddling, Swenson recommends getting a European-style spoon like this, which he says will still allow you to stir while eliminating the need to buy a dedicated muddler. “You can actually use the top of the 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.” Strainers Best overall strainer Cocktail Kingdom Buswell 4-Prong Hawthorne Strainer 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, 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. Three experts recommend this one, including Lynnette Marrero, the beverage director of Llama Inn and Llama-San and the co-founder of Speed Rack, who says it’s her absolute favorite because “it is light and easy to clutch and close correctly.” If you choose to buy this Hawthorne strainer, Simó also recommends getting “the replacement springs that Cocktail Kingdom sells,” telling us they’re a good way to give a worn-out strainer a face-lift. “They’re really, really nice and tight, and you can generally slip them into any Hawthorne strainer that you have.” Best less expensive strainer Cocktail Kingdom Julep Strainer A slightly less expensive strainer is this Cocktail Kingdom julep strainer that three of our experts — bartender Random Ward; Padraig Confrey, the beverage director at Grupo Gitano; and Harris — also recommend. Generally, julep strainers will offer a better fit than Hawthorne strainers if you’re using a mixing glass to make your drinks. According to Cohen, a julep strainer can work equally well in the kitchen, because it “doubles as an ice scoop if needed, too.” Jiggers Best overall jigger OXO Good Grips Angled Measuring Cup, Mini, Clear A jigger is what you use to measure the liquor into the shaker or mixing glass. A hyperfunctional, albeit nontraditional-looking, 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.” Part-time bartender Jillian Norwick and Ward both love it too and keep the stainless steel version on hand (which looks a little nicer when left out). Noriwck adds that she’s in good company: “The peeps at Bon Appétit love it.” Best stepped jigger Cocktail Kingdom Stepped Copper Jigger This fancy-looking jigger combines the functional appeal of the OXO measuring cup (it’s basically a cup that grows wider to accommodate different amounts of liquid) with the aesthetic appeal of a classic bar tool. It also makes measuring a snap: “This handy measuring tool is super-easy to use and enables the imbiber to essentially build all the ingredients of a drink in one go,” says Confrey. Best traditional jigger Viking Japanese-Style Jigger If you’re going for a more classic look but still want something practical, Simó recommends this double-sided metal jigger that has a one-ounce cup on one side and a two-ounce cup on the other. The one-ounce side on this strainer also has a half- and three-quarter-ounce lines etched into it to make it even more precise. “That gives you a lot of wiggle room” and will allow you to measure for most basic cocktails, Simó says. “From there, you really just have to learn what a quarter-ounce looks like in there, and you’re pretty much good to go.” Best Leopold jigger Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Jigger Biggens, Dowe, and Swenson prefer a Leopold jigger, which has a unique bell shape (with one bell holding an ounce, and the other two ounces) 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,” Swenson adds. “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 cool.” Glassware Best collins/highball glasses Cocktail Kingdom Buswell Collins Glass, 12-Ounces Though it’s easy to want to get a different type of glass for every type of drink you make, that’s really unnecessary when you’re first starting out. According to Simó, “You can make 90 percent of drinks into a good, all-purpose cocktail glass like a rocks or a collins glass.” (While this section contains our bartenders’ favorite glasses, if you want to shop around, you can find most of these styles at various price points in our list of the best drinking glasses.) A collins — or highball — glass is the one that looks like a chimney, and generally you’re looking for something that’s about 12 ounces, like these collins glasses from bartender-favorite brand Cocktail Kingdom. “You don’t want a 16-ounce Collins glass because you’re going to be hammered after your second Tom Collins,” advises Simó. Best rocks glasses Marquis by Waterford Markham Double Old Fashioned Glasses For a rocks glass, Simó says the ideal size is between eight and ten ounces. “That’s enough where you could put a decent-size chunk of ice in there if you like making the fancy ice,” he explains. This set of four rocks glasses recommended by Theo Lieberman, the beverage director of 232 Bleecker, is slightly larger at 11 ounces each (more room for fancy ice), and he says they’re durable, machine-washable, and look good to boot. “No one likes taking all the time to make a cocktail and then just putting in a boring glass,” he says. Best coupe glasses Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Coupe Glass If you’re looking for glassware beyond the basic collins and rocks glasses, Swenson suggests adding some coupe, or bell-shaped, glasses to your setup, because they’re more forgiving than a V-shaped martini glass (which, she adds, are “super out of style” these days). “The curve on a coupe holds the liquid in a little bit more, so if you get jostled, the liquid is more likely to slosh within the glass but stay in the glass,” Swenson explains. “They’re sleek, they’re smaller, and they look a lot classier than a martini glass.” A coupe glass should be somewhere between six and eight-and-a-half ounces, advises Simó. Nate Fishman, the brand ambassador for Santera Tequila and a bartender at Liquor Lab, likes these six-ounce coupe glasses, telling us that, in his opinion, “everything tastes better out of a coupe glass.” Bar-tool sets Best overall bar-tool set Cocktail Kingdom Essential Cocktail Set Instead of shopping à la carte, Johnny Swet, the owner of Brooklyn’s Grand Republic Cocktail Club and a bar consultant for Jimmy at the James and The Skylark, says that Cocktail Kingdom sells many of the above tools as part of this set. It includes a spouted mixing glass, weighted metal shaker tins, Japanese jiggers, bar spoons, and a Hawthorne strainer (or everything you need to make a drink at home). If you want to be really fancy, you can even get it in copper or gold. Best less expensive bar-tool set Crafthouse by Fortessa Professional Barware by Charles Joly Gift Set For a more affordable set, Marrero suggests this really “nice at-home barware set that includes a shaker, muddler, strainer, and jigger.” More expert-approved gear for your at-home bar Hella Cocktail Co. Cocktail Bitters Variety Pack “The world of bitters is massive, and there is so much variety available on the market now,” says Four Seasons Hotel New York beverage director Cara Maldonado. To stock up on several profiles of bitters without breaking the bank on larger individual bottles, Cooper says to try this variety pack, which includes aromatic, citrus, orange, smoked chili, and ginger bitters. “It’s great for the budding home bartender that they can use to experiment with.” Linden Pride, a co-owner of Dante, is also a fan of stocking a bar cart with several types of bitters like those found in this set. Top Shelf Bar Supply Extra Long Cocktail Muddler If you do want a proper muddler (not just a muddling spoon) to make drinks that require sugar cubes, herbs, or fruit (like old fashioneds, mojitos, or Brambles), Harris prefers an old-school, wood style. “As long as it’s rinsed and left to dry, it shouldn’t crack,” she says. Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife According to cocktail expert and global brand ambassador for Absolut Elyx Gareth Evans, “When you’re making drinks for friends, remember that the first sip is with the eye, and this is where a good, sharp knife comes in to make sure your garnishes look fresh.” He suggests this non-serrated paring knife from Victorinox, which he says “is the bartender staple around the world.” Rösle Stainless Steel Crosswise Swivel Peeler 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 more 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 one.” If aesthetics don’t matter, Biggins says a regular vegetable peeler works just as well, naming the simple, Strategist-approved vegetable peelers from Swiss kitchenware company Kuhn Rikon as a favorite (Norwick and Dowe are both fans too). GBO Amber Boston Round with Black Glass Dropper Kris Peterson of Chicago’s Mordecai and Hush Money calls these glass droppers “indispensable to cocktails,” because they allow you to make drinks with more precision. “Dasher bottles can sometimes be clumsy and inconsistent,” he explains, adding that droppers are especially useful with ingredients like crème de violette or maraschino or Chartreuse that can take over a drink without a light touch. Cocktail Kingdom Stainless Steel Cocktail Picks For garnishes, Paula November, the event vice president of Reed Exhibitions and Bar Convent Brooklyn, loves these sleek-looking, reusable picks for topping off a cocktail. Love and Victory Snake Cocktail Picks If you’re looking for a pick with personality (that isn’t an umbrella), Katipai Richardson-Wilson, the owner of Gowanus bar Dirty Precious, “uses these stylish snake cocktail picks if I’m showing off.” She promises that they’re “guaranteed to kick even the most delicious cocktail up a notch.” PERLII Ice Cube Trays Large Silicone “At home, I just have the two-by-two ice-cube trays,” says Swenson. “I don’t stress with making them perfectly clear, but if you want to take the time to do that, that’s totally fine.” According to Simó, basically any style of ice-cube tray you have at home will likely yield better ice than you’d get at an actual bar. “For the most part, you will make better ice in your home freezer using even standard ice molds,” he says. That’s because most commercial ice machines produce ice that “is designed to stack on each other and take up a lot of room, but has so much surface area that it melts really quickly” and dilutes your drink. If you’re looking to add a bartender-approved ice tray to your freezer, Lieberman says that these molds are “easy to use and clean,” and make 2.5x2.5-inch cubes that are great for any cocktail or just whiskey on the rocks. Secret Warehouse Skull Ice Cubes Those who want ice with a bit of flair should consider these skull-shaped ice cubes that Rob Dietrich, the master distiller at Blackened American Whiskey, uses at home. “The large surface melts slow, offering a less diluted beverage,” he says. His other tip: Use filtered water when making your ice to get the best taste. Pulltex Corkscrew, Black “A good wine key is invaluable,” says Simó, though you don’t necessarily need to spend much money on one. He recommends getting one with a serrated blade (to take the foil off of the bottle) and coated coil, because it’ll go into the cork more smoothly. “The kind that have the hinged little portion that you can get halfway through the pull and then re-lock it to get the other half in, those are very forgiving because it gives you two different angles at which to get the cork out perfectly vertically,” he adds. Repour Wine Saver Should you be eyeing an expensive Coravin to preserve any wine bottles you uncork at home, Matt Crafton, a winemaker at Chateau Montelena, says this RePour wine saver does good a job at keeping your unfinished bottles fresh for a fraction of the cost. “They’re inexpensive, dead simple, and effective.” Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer “The only way to get good lemon and lime juice is to take a small, round, fresh green or yellow thing, cut it through the equator, and then put it into a juicer and ream it and use it that day,” says Simó. “You can’t use it the next day. It gets really bitter and oxidized and gross.” That’s why he says having a handheld juicer is so important if you’re trying to up your home-cocktail game. Ivy Mix — the owner of Leyenda in Brooklyn, a co-founder of the all-female bartending competition Speed Rack, and the author of the forthcoming book Spirits of Latin America — agrees: “Having a fantastic juicer on hand is a must.” Biggins and Dowe say this handheld juicer is the “best of the best,” because it’s efficient, sturdy, and gets the most juice out of your citrus. If you want something more powerful, Brian Evans, the director of bars at Sunday Hospitality, says an “easy-to-operate beast” like the Breville electric juicer will up your mixology game a notch by allowing you to juice vegetables and fruits, instead of just simple citrus. August Morgan Lightweight Cocktail Napkins “For useful décor, I love to serve drinks on vintage cocktail napkins,” says Allen Katz, a co-founder of New York Distilling Company. “They are a great escape and a conversation piece at the same time.” Vintage linens (or anything) are typically one-of, and Katz did not name a favorite style or seller, so if you’re looking for a napkin that doubles as a conversation starter, might we suggest these embroidered ones from August Morgan, which contributor Chloe Malle says should appeal to “shameless pun-thusiasts.” Cocktail Codex Just like you keep a coffee table book in the living room and a cookbook in the kitchen, you can display a cocktail book on your bar cart. Evans calls this “one of the most invaluable cocktail books ever released,” as well as a “treasure trove like no other.” Cocktail Codex is a James Beard Award–winning book that “lays out a wide spectrum of techniques, flavor pairings, and spirits knowledge that really speak to the professional mixologist as effectively as the casual home bartender,” he explains. “There are endless books on the subject of cocktails, and I want them all,” says Maldonado. She has a rotation of “informative and beautiful” tomes that she keeps on her own home bar, including Death & Co and The Drunken Botanist as well as Cocktail Codex. “Friends love thumbing through them” while she entertains, she adds. Vox Media has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Vox Media may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links. For more information, see our ethics policy. from Eater - All https://ift.tt/2yM8WEd

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From the Strategist Everything You Need to Stock an at-Home Bar (Minus Booze), According to Bartenders added to Google Docs

From the Strategist Everything You Need to Stock an at-Home Bar (Minus Booze), According to Bartenders

 H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images

The best shakers, strainers, bar spoons, jiggers, and more, from the Strategist

So you finally found the bar cart of your dreams, and you’ve loaded it up with your favorite liquor. While those are two very important steps to curating an at-home bar, to really make your setup recall that of your favorite watering hole, you’re going to want to add some barware and cocktail equipment. But that can be an intimidating task, especially if you’ve had more experience drinking cocktails than making them. The good news is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money. “Most people in their home bar really don’t need that many tools,” advises Joaquín Simó, a partner at New York City’s Pouring Ribbons who was named Tales of the Cocktail’s American Bartender of the Year in 2012. “I say you start with the absolute basics and concentrate on the things that you like to use.”

If you’re in a pinch, Martin Hudak, a bartender at Maybe Sammy, says you can always use tools you may already have on hand: “For your shaken cocktails, you can use empty jam jars or a thermos flask. For measuring, spoons and cups, and for stirring, any spoon or back of a wooden ladle.” But Stacey Swenson, the head bartender at Dante (which currently holds the No. 1 spot on the World’s 50 Best Bars list), notes that if you’re going to put stuff on display, you might want gear that’s both practical and stylish. “You want something that’s functional and also something that’s pretty,” she says. “If you’re putting it on your bar cart, you kind of put on a show for your guests.” With the help of Simó, Hudak, Swenson, and 28 other experts, we’ve put together the below list of essential gear for any cocktail-lover’s home bar.

Editor’s note: If you want to support service industry workers who have been impacted by the coronavirus closures, you can donate to the Restaurant Workers’ Community Foundation, which has set up a COVID-19 Crisis Relief Fund, or One Fair Wage, which has set up an Emergency Coronavirus Tipped and Service Worker Support Fund. We’ve also linked to any initiatives the businesses mentioned in this story have set up to support themselves amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Shakers Best Overall Shaker  Cocktail Kingdom Koriko Weighted Shaking Tin Set

According to Simó, all shakers “technically do the same thing, and there are very cheap and very nice versions,” so there’s really no superior option when it comes to function. That said, many professional bartenders use Boston-style shakers, which are basically two cups that fit into each other and form a tight seal to keep liquid from splashing all over you. “If you want to look like a bartender at Death & Co. or PDT, and you want the same kit, then you’re probably going to go metal-on-metal,” or “tin-on-tin,” Simó notes. Six of our experts recommend these weighted tin-on-tin shakers — which come in a range of finishes, including copper and silver — from Cocktail Kingdom, a brand that nearly every bartender we spoke to praised for its durable, well-designed barware. Grand Army’s beverage director, Brendan Biggins, and head bartender, Robby Dow, call this “the gold standard” of shaking tins. “Behind the bar, there’s almost nothing worse than shaker tins that don’t seal well or don’t separate easily,” explains Krissy Harris, the beverage director and owner of Jungle Bird in Chelsea. “The Koriko Weighted Shaking tins seal perfectly every time and easily release,” she says. And because they’re weighted, they’re less likely to fall over and spill.

Best shaker for beginners  Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Weighted Shaking Tins Set

While most bartenders use Cocktail Kingdom’s Koriko tins, bartender Tim Cooper, who is also the head of brand advocacy for Fords Gin, says that the Leopold shaker is his favorite. “In my experience, the tins are easier to separate than the Koriko’s and feel a touch lighter, as well,” he says. “They’re simply more efficient,” adds Cooper, which is why he says this is a great option for the at-home bartender who’s not well versed on using shaker tins.

Best shaker with a built-in strainer  Yukiwa Stainless Steel Cobbler Cocktail Shaker

For some people, a two-piece setup like the above shakers might be tricky to use comfortably. “Say you’re a petite female — if you have very small hands, then maybe using a Boston-style shaker may be a little harder,” explains Simó. In that case, a cobbler shaker may be the better choice, because it’s smaller than a Boston-style shaker and thus easier to hold. The other convenient part of a cobbler-style shaker is that the strainer is already built into the lid, so you don’t necessarily have to spring for an additional tool. Karen Lin, a certified sommelier, sake expert, and the executive general manager of Tsukimi, suggests this shaker from Japanese barware brand Yukiwa. “The steel is very sturdy, and the shape fits perfectly in my hands,” she says. “It is also designed well so you can take it apart easily to clean.”

Mixing glasses Best overall mixing glass  Hiware Professional Cocktail Mixing Glass

You know how James Bond always ordered his martinis shaken, not stirred? Well, if you were to ignore Mr. Bond’s order and make 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. Harris agrees, saying that since they are the most broken item behind the bar, you should stick to a well-priced option like this mixing glass from Hiware that “doesn’t have a seam, so it’s stronger and very attractive.”

Best nontraditional mixing glass  Bodum Replacement Beaker French Press, Replacement 12 Oz Clear Glass

One of Simó’s hacks to getting a glass mixing beaker for not that much money is to use the glass piece from a French press, which is something else you might already own. If you want a dedicated one for your bar cart (that could serve as a backup for your French press), he says you can buy a replacement glass like this one, which has a capacity that is particularly useful if you’re making drinks for a lot of people. “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,” Simó explains.

Best Pitcher  My Vintage Antique Shop Retro Martini Pitcher

According to Paul McGee, a co-owner of Lost Lake in Chicago, “finding vintage martini pitchers is very easy, and they are perfect for making large batches of cocktails.” Plus, they’ll look more visually striking on your bar cart. This one is even pretty enough to use as a vase when it’s not filled with punch. The photo shows the pitcher next to a strainer, but you’re only getting the pitcher for the price shown.

Bar Spoons Best Japanese-style bar spoon  Twisted Bar Spoon by Modern Mixologist

If you’re making a stirred drink, a mixing or bar spoon is also necessary. “Three basic styles exist: the American bar spoon has a twisted handle and, usually, a plastic cap on the end, the European bar spoon has a flat muddler/crusher, and the Japanese bar spoon is heavier, with a weighted teardrop shape opposite the bowl,” explains Joe Palminteri, the director of food and beverage at Hamilton Hotel’s Via Sophia and Society. None of our experts recommended specific American-style bar spoons, but Simó told us that one of his favorite Japanese-style spoons is this one 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, according to him. Simó 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.

Best European-style bar spoon  Cocktail Kingdom Muddler Barspoon, Silver-Plated

Should your at-home bartending require a lot of muddling, Swenson recommends getting a European-style spoon like this, which he says will still allow you to stir while eliminating the need to buy a dedicated muddler. “You can actually use the top of the 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.”

Strainers Best overall strainer  Cocktail Kingdom Buswell 4-Prong Hawthorne Strainer

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, 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. Three experts recommend this one, including Lynnette Marrero, the beverage director of Llama Inn and Llama-San and the co-founder of Speed Rack, who says it’s her absolute favorite because “it is light and easy to clutch and close correctly.” If you choose to buy this Hawthorne strainer, Simó also recommends getting “the replacement springs that Cocktail Kingdom sells,” telling us they’re a good way to give a worn-out strainer a face-lift. “They’re really, really nice and tight, and you can generally slip them into any Hawthorne strainer that you have.”

Best less expensive strainer  Cocktail Kingdom Julep Strainer

A slightly less expensive strainer is this Cocktail Kingdom julep strainer that three of our experts — bartender Random Ward; Padraig Confrey, the beverage director at Grupo Gitano; and Harris — also recommend. Generally, julep strainers will offer a better fit than Hawthorne strainers if you’re using a mixing glass to make your drinks. According to Cohen, a julep strainer can work equally well in the kitchen, because it “doubles as an ice scoop if needed, too.”

Jiggers Best overall jigger  OXO Good Grips Angled Measuring Cup, Mini, Clear

A jigger is what you use to measure the liquor into the shaker or mixing glass. A hyperfunctional, albeit nontraditional-looking, 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.” Part-time bartender Jillian Norwick and Ward both love it too and keep the stainless steel version on hand (which looks a little nicer when left out). Noriwck adds that she’s in good company: “The peeps at Bon Appétit love it.”

Best stepped jigger  Cocktail Kingdom Stepped Copper Jigger

This fancy-looking jigger combines the functional appeal of the OXO measuring cup (it’s basically a cup that grows wider to accommodate different amounts of liquid) with the aesthetic appeal of a classic bar tool. It also makes measuring a snap: “This handy measuring tool is super-easy to use and enables the imbiber to essentially build all the ingredients of a drink in one go,” says Confrey.

Best traditional jigger  Viking Japanese-Style Jigger

If you’re going for a more classic look but still want something practical, Simó recommends this double-sided metal jigger that has a one-ounce cup on one side and a two-ounce cup on the other. The one-ounce side on this strainer also has a half- and three-quarter-ounce lines etched into it to make it even more precise. “That gives you a lot of wiggle room” and will allow you to measure for most basic cocktails, Simó says. “From there, you really just have to learn what a quarter-ounce looks like in there, and you’re pretty much good to go.”

Best Leopold jigger  Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Jigger

Biggens, Dowe, and Swenson prefer a Leopold jigger, which has a unique bell shape (with one bell holding an ounce, and the other two ounces) 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,” Swenson adds. “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 cool.”

Glassware Best collins/highball glasses  Cocktail Kingdom Buswell Collins Glass, 12-Ounces

Though it’s easy to want to get a different type of glass for every type of drink you make, that’s really unnecessary when you’re first starting out. According to Simó, “You can make 90 percent of drinks into a good, all-purpose cocktail glass like a rocks or a collins glass.” (While this section contains our bartenders’ favorite glasses, if you want to shop around, you can find most of these styles at various price points in our list of the best drinking glasses.) A collins — or highball — glass is the one that looks like a chimney, and generally you’re looking for something that’s about 12 ounces, like these collins glasses from bartender-favorite brand Cocktail Kingdom. “You don’t want a 16-ounce Collins glass because you’re going to be hammered after your second Tom Collins,” advises Simó.

Best rocks glasses  Marquis by Waterford Markham Double Old Fashioned Glasses

For a rocks glass, Simó says the ideal size is between eight and ten ounces. “That’s enough where you could put a decent-size chunk of ice in there if you like making the fancy ice,” he explains. This set of four rocks glasses recommended by Theo Lieberman, the beverage director of 232 Bleecker, is slightly larger at 11 ounces each (more room for fancy ice), and he says they’re durable, machine-washable, and look good to boot. “No one likes taking all the time to make a cocktail and then just putting in a boring glass,” he says.

Best coupe glasses  Cocktail Kingdom Leopold Coupe Glass

If you’re looking for glassware beyond the basic collins and rocks glasses, Swenson suggests adding some coupe, or bell-shaped, glasses to your setup, because they’re more forgiving than a V-shaped martini glass (which, she adds, are “super out of style” these days). “The curve on a coupe holds the liquid in a little bit more, so if you get jostled, the liquid is more likely to slosh within the glass but stay in the glass,” Swenson explains. “They’re sleek, they’re smaller, and they look a lot classier than a martini glass.” A coupe glass should be somewhere between six and eight-and-a-half ounces, advises Simó. Nate Fishman, the brand ambassador for Santera Tequila and a bartender at Liquor Lab, likes these six-ounce coupe glasses, telling us that, in his opinion, “everything tastes better out of a coupe glass.”

Bar-tool sets Best overall bar-tool set  Cocktail Kingdom Essential Cocktail Set

Instead of shopping à la carte, Johnny Swet, the owner of Brooklyn’s Grand Republic Cocktail Club and a bar consultant for Jimmy at the James and The Skylark, says that Cocktail Kingdom sells many of the above tools as part of this set. It includes a spouted mixing glass, weighted metal shaker tins, Japanese jiggers, bar spoons, and a Hawthorne strainer (or everything you need to make a drink at home). If you want to be really fancy, you can even get it in copper or gold.

Best less expensive bar-tool set  Crafthouse by Fortessa Professional Barware by Charles Joly Gift Set

For a more affordable set, Marrero suggests this really “nice at-home barware set that includes a shaker, muddler, strainer, and jigger.”

More expert-approved gear for your at-home bar  Hella Cocktail Co. Cocktail Bitters Variety Pack

“The world of bitters is massive, and there is so much variety available on the market now,” says Four Seasons Hotel New York beverage director Cara Maldonado. To stock up on several profiles of bitters without breaking the bank on larger individual bottles, Cooper says to try this variety pack, which includes aromatic, citrus, orange, smoked chili, and ginger bitters. “It’s great for the budding home bartender that they can use to experiment with.” Linden Pride, a co-owner of Dante, is also a fan of stocking a bar cart with several types of bitters like those found in this set.

 Top Shelf Bar Supply Extra Long Cocktail Muddler

If you do want a proper muddler (not just a muddling spoon) to make drinks that require sugar cubes, herbs, or fruit (like old fashioneds, mojitos, or Brambles), Harris prefers an old-school, wood style. “As long as it’s rinsed and left to dry, it shouldn’t crack,” she says.

Victorinox Swiss Classic Paring Knife

According to cocktail expert and global brand ambassador for Absolut Elyx Gareth Evans, “When you’re making drinks for friends, remember that the first sip is with the eye, and this is where a good, sharp knife comes in to make sure your garnishes look fresh.” He suggests this non-serrated paring knife from Victorinox, which he says “is the bartender staple around the world.”

 Rösle Stainless Steel Crosswise Swivel Peeler

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 more 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 one.” If aesthetics don’t matter, Biggins says a regular vegetable peeler works just as well, naming the simple, Strategist-approved vegetable peelers from Swiss kitchenware company Kuhn Rikon as a favorite (Norwick and Dowe are both fans too).

 GBO Amber Boston Round with Black Glass Dropper

Kris Peterson of Chicago’s Mordecai and Hush Money calls these glass droppers “indispensable to cocktails,” because they allow you to make drinks with more precision. “Dasher bottles can sometimes be clumsy and inconsistent,” he explains, adding that droppers are especially useful with ingredients like crème de violette or maraschino or Chartreuse that can take over a drink without a light touch.

 Cocktail Kingdom Stainless Steel Cocktail Picks

For garnishes, Paula November, the event vice president of Reed Exhibitions and Bar Convent Brooklyn, loves these sleek-looking, reusable picks for topping off a cocktail.

 Love and Victory Snake Cocktail Picks

If you’re looking for a pick with personality (that isn’t an umbrella), Katipai Richardson-Wilson, the owner of Gowanus bar Dirty Precious, “uses these stylish snake cocktail picks if I’m showing off.” She promises that they’re “guaranteed to kick even the most delicious cocktail up a notch.”

 PERLII Ice Cube Trays Large Silicone

“At home, I just have the two-by-two ice-cube trays,” says Swenson. “I don’t stress with making them perfectly clear, but if you want to take the time to do that, that’s totally fine.” According to Simó, basically any style of ice-cube tray you have at home will likely yield better ice than you’d get at an actual bar. “For the most part, you will make better ice in your home freezer using even standard ice molds,” he says. That’s because most commercial ice machines produce ice that “is designed to stack on each other and take up a lot of room, but has so much surface area that it melts really quickly” and dilutes your drink. If you’re looking to add a bartender-approved ice tray to your freezer, Lieberman says that these molds are “easy to use and clean,” and make 2.5x2.5-inch cubes that are great for any cocktail or just whiskey on the rocks.

 Secret Warehouse Skull Ice Cubes

Those who want ice with a bit of flair should consider these skull-shaped ice cubes that Rob Dietrich, the master distiller at Blackened American Whiskey, uses at home. “The large surface melts slow, offering a less diluted beverage,” he says. His other tip: Use filtered water when making your ice to get the best taste.

 Pulltex Corkscrew, Black

“A good wine key is invaluable,” says Simó, though you don’t necessarily need to spend much money on one. He recommends getting one with a serrated blade (to take the foil off of the bottle) and coated coil, because it’ll go into the cork more smoothly. “The kind that have the hinged little portion that you can get halfway through the pull and then re-lock it to get the other half in, those are very forgiving because it gives you two different angles at which to get the cork out perfectly vertically,” he adds.

 Repour Wine Saver

Should you be eyeing an expensive Coravin to preserve any wine bottles you uncork at home, Matt Crafton, a winemaker at Chateau Montelena, says this RePour wine saver does good a job at keeping your unfinished bottles fresh for a fraction of the cost. “They’re inexpensive, dead simple, and effective.”

 Chef’n FreshForce Citrus Juicer

“The only way to get good lemon and lime juice is to take a small, round, fresh green or yellow thing, cut it through the equator, and then put it into a juicer and ream it and use it that day,” says Simó. “You can’t use it the next day. It gets really bitter and oxidized and gross.” That’s why he says having a handheld juicer is so important if you’re trying to up your home-cocktail game. Ivy Mix — the owner of Leyenda in Brooklyn, a co-founder of the all-female bartending competition Speed Rack, and the author of the forthcoming book Spirits of Latin America — agrees: “Having a fantastic juicer on hand is a must.” Biggins and Dowe say this handheld juicer is the “best of the best,” because it’s efficient, sturdy, and gets the most juice out of your citrus. If you want something more powerful, Brian Evans, the director of bars at Sunday Hospitality, says an “easy-to-operate beast” like the Breville electric juicer will up your mixology game a notch by allowing you to juice vegetables and fruits, instead of just simple citrus.

 August Morgan Lightweight Cocktail Napkins

“For useful décor, I love to serve drinks on vintage cocktail napkins,” says Allen Katz, a co-founder of New York Distilling Company. “They are a great escape and a conversation piece at the same time.” Vintage linens (or anything) are typically one-of, and Katz did not name a favorite style or seller, so if you’re looking for a napkin that doubles as a conversation starter, might we suggest these embroidered ones from August Morgan, which contributor Chloe Malle says should appeal to “shameless pun-thusiasts.”

 Cocktail Codex

Just like you keep a coffee table book in the living room and a cookbook in the kitchen, you can display a cocktail book on your bar cart. Evans calls this “one of the most invaluable cocktail books ever released,” as well as a “treasure trove like no other.” Cocktail Codex is a James Beard Award–winning book that “lays out a wide spectrum of techniques, flavor pairings, and spirits knowledge that really speak to the professional mixologist as effectively as the casual home bartender,” he explains.

“There are endless books on the subject of cocktails, and I want them all,” says Maldonado. She has a rotation of “informative and beautiful” tomes that she keeps on her own home bar, including Death & Co and The Drunken Botanist as well as Cocktail Codex. “Friends love thumbing through them” while she entertains, she adds.

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via Eater - All https://www.eater.com/2020/4/9/21214234/how-to-stock-at-home-bar-according-to-bartenders-best-tools

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