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It’s time to discover the essential must-have tools for your at-home cocktail bar! From shakers to glasses to cocktail picks, it’s time to elevate your cocktail game and impress family and friends with signature drinks and concoctions!
Cocktail Bar Tools
- SHAKERS – Shaking your cocktail mixes and chills it faster than stirring. It also dilutes the alcohol to bring the acid, sugar, and the alcohol together to give texture to your drink. When it comes to shakers, you can’t go wrong with a classic stainless steel shaker. But because I love pretty things, this glass shaker and this checked shaker both caught my eye!
- ICE CUBE MOLDS – Ice does more than just chills your cocktail! As the ice breaks down through being shaken or stirred, it adds water to the drink, which mellows the alcohol and infuses fruity flavors to create a smoother drink. You can go with square, round, or decorative ice cubes in your drinks!
- GLASSES – Yes, the type of glass you put your drink in matters! It can be overwhelming to know what to have, so here’s a few I recommend having on hand.
- Martini glasses – Use for drinks like my Peanut Butter Cup Martini or a Classic Lemon Drop Martini.
- Short glasses – For times when you’re craving a White Russian, a Pineapple Margarita, or something sweeter like an Almond Joy Cocktail.
- Tall glasses – Makes drinks like Hawaiian Party Punch or even Iced Coffee Sodas fun!
- Moscow Mule cups – I love a Moscow Mule, and the copper mugs help to keep the drinks nice and cold!
- Coupe glasses – The cutest glasses for classic drinks like a Cable Car Martini!
- Champagne flutes – You can get these with stems or without stem! Perfect for a 5-Minute Pink Champagne Punch Cocktail or a Strawberry Mimosa.
- MIXING SPOON – Mixing your drink with a long-handled mixing spoon allows the flavors of your drink to mixed gently. They can also be helpful in layering ingredients in drinks or the end can be used as a muddler in case you don’t have one.
- JIGGER – No cocktail bar is complete without a jigger! It helps to measure liquid ingredients!
- MUDDLER – You’ll want to have a muddler for drinks like a Mango Mojito. You’ll need to gently bruise your ingredients like mint, fruit, or a peel, with a muddler to release their flavor. It’s done in the glass itself and then joined by whatever liquids the recipe calls for.
- MESH STRAINER – The cone shape is essential when straining unwanted extras for from your cocktail!
- JUICER – Because fresh is best when making a cocktail! I’ve used this juicer for years and love it.
- PEELERS – Peel your citrus fruit and garnish your cocktails with ease thanks to a swivel peeler and a zester!
- COCKTAIL PICKS – Keep your olives, cherries, and other garnishments in place with cocktail picks.
- GLASS PITCHER – Some cocktails are single serve, but there are times when you want a boozy drink for a crowd and will need a glass pitcher to make it in! It will complete your at-home cocktail bar. Some of my favorite drinks for a crowd are Salty Dog Punch, Electric Lemonade Punch, or Knock You Naked Punch!
