The Bar Guide: What your tools can really do

To beginners, a well-equipped bar often looks like an operating theatre. What exactly are all those spirals, spoons and tongs for?

Many tools have hidden functions that even some mixologists are unaware of. In this guide, we break down the basic equipment into its functions and reveal tricks that will help you get more out of your equipment.

1. The hardware: mixing & shaking

The Cocktail Shaker: The heart of the matter. It is not only used for mixing, but primarily for quickly cooling and diluting the drink. It also whips air into the liquid, which changes the texture.

• Pro tip: the sound reveals the temperature. When the ice in the shaker no longer bangs hard against the sides but sounds slushy and dull, it is starting to break up. Time to stop!

The Mixing Glass: For drinks that consist only of alcohol (such as martinis or negronis). Here, the drink is stirred, not shaken, to avoid creating air bubbles. The drink remains clear and silky.

• Pro tip: Place the mixing glass in the freezer for a short time before use. As the glass (especially crystal) has a lot of thermal mass, it cools the drink faster without watering it down too much.

The Jigger (bar measure): Your precision instrument for balance. Eyeballing is the enemy of good cocktails.

• Pro tip: Work with the ‘meniscus’. Fill the jigger so full that the surface tension just holds the liquid (slightly curved). This guarantees consistency. Many jiggers also have internal markings – learn these by heart so you don't dirty three different cups.

The Bar Spoon: It is long and curved so that it glides elegantly into the glass.

• Pro tip 1 (measurement): A standard bar spoon holds almost exactly 5 ml (one teaspoon). This is perfect for measuring ingredients such as absinthe, syrup or bitter liqueurs when 1 cl in the jigger would be too much.
• Pro tip 2 (layering): Use the curved handle to slowly pour liquids into the glass. This allows the colours to layer on top of each other instead of mixing.

The Muddler: For crushing fruit, sugar or herbs directly in the glass or shaker.

• Pro tip: Be gentle with herbs! If you chop mint (e.g. for mojitos) too vigorously, bitter chlorophyll will be released from the stems. Just press gently to release the essential oils in the leaves. Don't destroy the plant.

2. The Filters: Strainers

The Hawthorne Strainer: The strainer with the spiral spring. It holds back ice and coarse pieces in the shaker.

• Pro tip (the foam hack): Are you making a sour with egg white (e.g. whisky sour)? Remove the spiral spring from the strainer and throw it into the shaker. When dry shaking (shaking without ice), the spring acts like a whisk and creates extremely firm, fine-pored foam.

The Fine Strainer: A fine-mesh net that looks like a tea strainer. It is used in addition to the Hawthorne strainer (‘double strain’).

• Pro tip: It not only catches herb residues, but also small ice shards. These shards would melt quickly in the glass and water down the drink in the first few minutes. The fine strainer is a must for a perfect daiquiri.

The Julep Strainer: It looks like a large spoon with holes and fits perfectly into the mixing glass.

• Pro tip: It is more robust than the Hawthorne strainer. If you are stirring drinks with lots of herbs or fruit, you can use the julep strainer to press the solid ingredients against the glass wall to get every last drop of liquid out.

3. The finish & accessories

The Pour Spout: Ensures a constant, clean stream from the bottle.

Pro tip: Speed mixing. Good pour spouts have a standardised flow rate. Professionals count in their heads (‘21, 22, 23, 24’) to pour 4cl without looking at the jigger. This takes practice, but is extremely efficient.

The Lemon Peeler: Not just for looks. We use it to cut zest (skin strips) from citrus fruits.

• Pro tip: ‘Expressing’. Bend the zest over the glass with the skin side down. You will see a fine mist – these are essential oils. Rub the rim of the glass with it. The guest will smell the lemon before they taste it. This completely changes the perception of the drink.

The Garnish Tweezers: For hygiene and precision.

• Pro tip: Don't just use them for flowers. If you want to position ice cubes in the glass (‘stacking’) without putting your fingers in the drink, tweezers are your best friend for a tidy look.

The Rim Station: Several compartments for lime juice, salt and sugar.

• Pro tip: Never dip the glass vertically! Hold it at an angle and only dip the outside of the rim in the salt. This way, the guest gets the taste on their lips, but the salt doesn't fall into the cocktail and upset the balance of the drink.

The Cocktail Smoker: Creates cold smoke to add wood or herb aromas to the drink.

• Pro tip: Smoke the glass before pouring the drink (‘glass smoking’). The smoke will settle on the inside walls. When you pour the drink, the aroma will subtly combine with the liquid instead of just sitting on top as a cloud.

Bar Tool	Main Function	The Pro Hack
Cocktail Shaker	Chilling, diluting, and aerating (texture) drinks.	Listen to the ice: If it sounds dull and "slushy," the ice is breaking down – time to stop shaking.
Mixing Glass	For stirred drinks (spirits only) to keep them clear and bubble-free.	Freeze beforehand: Use the glass's thermal mass to chill the drink faster without over-diluting it.
Jigger	Precise measuring for the drink's balance.	The Meniscus: Fill it until the liquid curves slightly at the top (surface tension) – or memorize the inner measurement lines.
Barspoon	Stirring and measuring small amounts (approx. 5ml / 1 tsp).	Layering: Pour ingredients down the twisted stem to create clean, distinct colored layers in the glass.
Muddler	Crushing fruits, sugar, or herbs.	Press gently: Only press mint lightly! Too much force releases bitter chlorophyll from the stems.
Hawthorne Strainer	Coiled spring strainer for the shaker; holds back ice and solids.	The Foam Trick: Toss the spring into the shaker during a "Dry Shake" – it acts like a whisk for firm egg white foam.
Fine Strainer	Fine mesh sieve for the "Double Strain."	Catching Ice Shards: Prevents tiny ice chips from landing in the glass and immediately watering down the drink.
Julep Strainer	Spoon-shaped strainer, specifically for the mixing glass.	Pressing: Ideal for pressing solid ingredients against the glass wall to extract every drop of liquid in herb-heavy drinks.
Pour Spout	Ensures a constant, clean flow from the bottle.	Speed Mixing: Learn to count ("21, 22...") to pour exact amounts without looking at the jigger.
Lemon Peeler	Cutting zests (strips of citrus skin).	Expressing: Twist the zest over the glass to spray essential oils as a "perfume" onto the drink.
Garnish Tweezers	Hygiene and precise placement.	Serving: Perfect for arranging decorations, citrus fruit or ice cubes in glasses elegantly and precisely.
Rim Station	Creating salt or sugar rims.	Outside only: Hold the glass at an angle and coat only the outer rim so no salt falls into the cocktail.
Cocktail Smoker	Flavoring with cold smoke.	Glass Smoking: Fill the empty glass with smoke first, then pour – this integrates the aroma subtly into the liquid.