Everybody’s doing it at home! Almost. Home cocktail mixing has taken off, big-time in recent years.
It’s trending everywhere, across Europe, the UK and US, and beyond.
It’s all likely down to the incredible new high-quality craft spirits, flavours and ingredients coming onto the market in recent years. The pandemic too, gave aspiring mixologists all the time they needed to practice mixing their favourite cocktail.
A massive help is given because you can buy every type of professional bartender tools directly online!
And the trend is continuing…
Growth of cocktail mixing at home
CGA, global hospitality data analysts recently reported:
- Nearly half (47 per cent) of cocktail drinkers reported to be exploring mixology at home
And there’s further proof of the phenomenal growth of home cocktail mixing. Based upon the number of households who boast their own collection of cocktail mixing tools.
The Bacardi Consumer Survey 2021 found:
In the US:
- 50 per cent of consumers have a cocktail shaker, jigger, and strainer at home.
In the UK:
- 43 per cent of consumers have a cocktail shaker at home.
- 37 per cent own a spirit measure.
- 35 per cent have a strainer.
Learning to be a bartender and mixologist means you must have the right equipment at your fingertips. It also helps to have the latest super cool shakers, strainers and jiggers. In shining gold, stainless steel or copper. Nothing like pro bartender tools to give your cocktails that extra wow factor.
Let’s look in more detail. Starting with…
Shakers
It’s the most well-known of bartender tools. The defining image of cool cocktail mixing flair and magic. A shaker
enables you to mix ingredients while still keeping them chilled.
The reason is:
- Ingredients are kept securely enclosed throughout.
- Shaking exposes ingredients to the surface area of the ice – lowering the temperature quicker than stirring.
- Ice melts as it mixes with ingredients, providing additional water to dilute the mixed drink.
The outcome is a super silky, smoother-tasting drink because the alcohol and the added flavour enhancers are perfectly balanced in the blended mix.
There are three types of cocktail shakers:
- Boston shakers
- Cobbler shakers
- French (or Parisian) shakers
Boston Shaker
Normally, the preferred choice of the professional bartender and mixologist when building their bar tools. The Boston boasts a large shaker tin with a small shaker tin, firmly sealed together, or a pint glass securely fitting inside. It’s important to note that you will need to obtain the strainer and jigger separately.
Cobbler Shaker
This is the one that’s recommended for anyone starting out because it’s easy to use. It’s also popular with home mixologists, and with good reason. The Cobbler is known as a “3-piece set”. It comes with everything you need – a tin, a lid with a built-in strainer, and a cap to prevent spills during the all-important shaking. It’s able to serve one or two cocktails at a time, so ideal for homemade cocktails for family or friends.
French (or Parisian) Shaker
The French shaker combines great features of both the Boston and Cobbler shaker. It’s more leak-proof than the Boston and, like the Cobbler, also has a shaker tin and lid – but not a built-in strainer.
The next essential cocktail tools every mixologist must have, are…
The Jigger
Generally available as double ‘jigger’ cups (where one cup is slightly larger than the other). It’s used for precisely measuring the amount of alcohol when making a cocktail.
- The larger cup is exactly one jigger, measuring out 1.5 ounces.
- The smaller cup is one-half jigger, measuring out 0.75 ounces.
The Bar Strainer
Important bartender tool for filtering liquids, typically used after a drink has been shaken or stirred to remove the ice, fruit or other solids.
There are three types of bar strainer:
- Calabrese – with a removable close-meshed coil, and a middle round plate with small holes to prevent overflowing.
- Hawthorne – fits neatly into standard shakers and mixing glasses, ideal for fruit-based cocktails.
- Julep – shell-shaped head with small holes for single-hand use.
Getting started as a bartender or setting up a cocktail bar at home? Check out our bartender’s shop for everything you will ever need!
