The goal of mastering mixology is something many professional bartenders strive for. It is entirely possible to become such an experienced mixologist that you can compete in international bartender competitions if you have the right bartender equipment, experience, and knowledge of mixology.
Consider the official Heaven Hill Bartender of the Year competition. In this US-based competition with regional events in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Denver, Austin, Chicago, NYC, Miami, and Nashville, the 'Bartender of the Year' receives an impressive $15,000 cash prize.
You will notice several things about the finalists on the competition website. Almost all of them are pictured using quality bartending equipment to help them perform their duties.
You might have a knack for combining ingredients in a way that creates perfectly balanced cocktails. You might be able to anticipate your guests' needs and serve them mixed drinks that delight their taste buds. Possibly you know something about mixology's history.
However, you can't advance as a professional bartender if you don't have the bartender tools to help you practice all this knowledge.
Every bartender should carry his or her bartender set with a few bar tools at all times. When you start your professional bartending career, your manager will expect every single one of his or her bartenders to have these tools on at all times.
Do yourself a favor and invest in these items ASAP if you're a bartender. There is no way (and no reason) for you to expect a bar to provide them for you.
You must also bring these items with you to your trial shift if you are looking for a bartending job this year.
Here are the primary essential bar tools you need on the job:
Bar Blade:
A tool for quickly opening beer bottles and various other improvised uses. It is never easy to predict when or how you will need a bar blade.
Wine Knife/Waiters Friend/Wine Key:
The tool is used to open corked wine bottles, beer bottles, and a variety of other improvised uses.
2 pens:
Carry two pens at the very least. Why do you need two? One to use and another in case of emergency when you lose the first, it stops working, or you have to give it away.
Lighter:
Lighters are useful even if you don't smoke. In cocktails, they're used to flame orange zest or light shooters. They're good for lighting candles at the bar or helping smokers when they need it.
However, these are only small regular tools that you can use for basic purposes. A professional bartender needs more than this; A complete bartending kit. What does it contain? Let us have a look at the most important tools in bartending kit.
Bartender kit
Check out the top ten items every bartender should keep in their bar kit as we take you behind the scenes. Whether you're a professional bartender or just trying to improve your home mixology skills, these tools will change your game.
The package includes a cocktail shaker, cocktail strainer, cocktail muddler, Japanese jigger, flat top bottle opener, wine key, paring knife and cutting board, cocktail stir spoon, and two bar towels.
Cocktail Shakers
You should never go without a cocktail shaker when it comes to useful bar accessories. There are many uses for this item such as mixing cocktails such as cosmopolitans and martinis. By doing so, you won't have to worry about coming up with a perfect blend with balanced flavors. If you are looking for something cheaper than a cocktail mixer, this is the best choice. It is commonly used by bartenders and mixologists to make a single cocktail. You can make both non-alcoholic and alcoholic drinks with it, which makes it even more impressive. When switching between these two categories, you should, however, make sure you rinse the shaker well enough.
You can expand your beverage menu and explore new recipes with the item. Various cocktail shakers are available, including Parisian, Cobbler, and Boston cocktail shakers. The Cobbler or 3-piece cocktail shaker is the easiest shaker to use. This is because it comes with a lid and cocktail strainer to make mixing easier. It is important to ask yourself what your level of expertise is and how you enjoy cocktails when choosing a shaker. Consider the Boston shaker if you are an expert. Let us dive deep into the mechanism and handling of Boston shakers.
1.Boston Cocktail Shaker
The Boston Shaker is a two-piece shaker kit. Since one piece is smaller than the other, you can bash them together and create a tight seal without liquid splashing everywhere.
There is almost no bartender on earth who does not use a Boston shaker as their preferred tool for shaking drinks. It's fast, easy to use, easy to strain, and can be used as a mixer for stirred cocktails as well.
You should choose a two-part tin set over a glass-tin set when you are looking for a Boston Shaker set. A Boston shaker's glass will eventually break if you use it frequently enough, so the tin-tin set is a better investment.
2.Cobbler Cocktail Shaker
If you already own a Boston shaker, you don't need a cobbler shaker (also known as a three-piece shaking set). It's the old-school shakers you see in James Bond movies.
The Cobbler Shakers are one of those cool-looking bar tools that are good to have, but you won't use them very often because they look so cool. Cobbler shakers look better than Boston Shakers, but Boston Shakers are superior in every way.
Cocktail Strainers
Cocktail strainers are used to remove solids from cocktails and other liquids. The purpose of this tool is to catch any fruit bits and ice in shaken drinks before they evaporate. You will get different types of strainers in the market today.
Jigger bar
Bartenders use a jigger to make sure the last cocktail is similar to the current cocktail in terms of both its flavor and quantity. Additionally, it prevents you from overpouring your cocktails. There are a variety of sizes, weights, and materials available for these items. 0.25oz is the capacity of the smallest jigger. There are, however, bigger ones that can hold a total of 2 ounces. Nevertheless, it is best to buy a variety of jiggers to ensure your safety.
The jigger, however, can be a bit messy for first-timers. When using a jigger, there are a few things you must and must not do. You need to practice until you get it right. Once you're comfortable with the basic jigger skills, you might want to add flair to your jigger game.
Drink muddler
The purpose of a drink muddler is to crush things. It's impossible to say NO to a muddled drink when you've had a bad day. Crushing ice with it makes it even more satisfying!
The purpose of a muddler is primarily to crush fruit and sugar in cocktails that require muddling, such as mojitos or old-fashioned. You can also use them as improvised ice crushers in the Boston shakers by placing cubed ice in the tin and CRUSHING!
There are a few options when it comes to choosing a muddler. The first thing you need to decide is whether you want a serrated or flat base. Cerated bases are better for crushing fruit since they extract oils and juice from the skin. Sugar muddling is easier with a flat base.
We suggest getting one of each, but the serrated bottom is a good option if you need to choose between the two.
When it comes to material, a wooden muddler is often a good choice. The rubber end of a metal muddler or the plastic end of a plastic muddler also works well. You shouldn't go for metal ends, no matter what you do. Muddling in a glass will break the glass. So be a little careful when you try it for the first time.
Rabbit wine opener
Rabbit produces a variety of wine openers, ranging from simple manual openers like the Original Rabbit to a line of electric openers like the Rabbit Electric. A few of the brand's key characteristics include speed, working on all sizes of bottles, and releasing the cork quickly and automatically. A combination of these features, as well as rave customer reviews and an attractive warranty period, make Rabbit a leader in the wine accessory industry.
Rabbit wine openers come in a variety of styles. There are two types of rabbits: the Original Rabbit and the Vertical Rabbit. Three seconds is all it takes for these famous tools to remove a cork! Rabbit's corkscrews are backed by a 10-year warranty and include a foil cutter and extra spiral.
Besides manual corkscrews, Rabbit also makes electric corkscrews such as the Rabbit Electra Corkscrew. With both designs, you can remove corks with the touch of a button, open 30 or more bottles of wine on a single charge, and remove both synthetic and natural corks.
Conclusion
If you use these bartender tools, you can be sure of consistency for the duration of your career behind the bar. Additionally, you can use them to measure the correct amount of ingredients before pouring them into a shaker or cocktail mixer. No bartender will disagree that a jigger is an indispensable bartending tool.
In summary, the above are some of the most essential bar tools if you'd like to serve cold drinks, flavorful cocktails, and the right amount of wine. Other bartending equipment you can also include on your list includes a juicer, peeler, and zester, as well as a glass washer so that you can ensure that you always have clean glass on hand. There is no doubt that each of the bartender tools mentioned in this article plays a unique role and you should always carry them with you.
