Beginning today and continuing in March and April, I will lay out the tools needed to mix the perfect cocktail and the spirits needed to ensure you have all of your bases covered for a basic but stellar home bar.
First things first: bar tools — what they are and how to use them, but to start, where to get them.
My absolute favorite website for ordering tools is Cocktail Kingdom. This New York-based company takes common bar tools to a new level of quality and prestige. All of the notable craft bartenders in Hawaii and beyond get their tools from Cocktail Kingdom.
Are they cheap? Definitely not, but the quality and feel of the tools are incomparable. An Essential Cocktail Set ($99.99) provides the basics without a lot of fluff, and will get you on your way to making delicious craft cocktails at home.
Other options locally are Bargreen Ellingson or ChefZone, which both carry the basics, and Williams Sonoma if you’d like to fancy it up a bit.
The website barproducts.com offers options similar to Bargreen and ChefZone but at slightly lower prices. You can also find a lot of options on amazon.com.
Check back here on the last Wednesdays of March and April for more on stocking your bar.
STRAINERS
The Hawthorne strainer is placed on a large metal tin to strain out the liquid held inside. The julep strainer is used with a mixing glass to make stirred cocktails, placed at a slight angle after stirring.
For cocktails that contain a lot of pulp, or when you want to ensure that the texture of your cocktail is even, use a conical strainer or a fine mesh sieve. This will ensure that only the liquid and no ice chips or pulp make it into the glass.
MUDDLERS
These are used to pulverize fruits or herbs, not all of which are created equal. This means you’ll need to learn how much pressure to apply for each ingredient so you don’t “over-muddle.”
For instance, mint need only be pressed with a couple of turns to extract the oils from the leaves. If you pound mint, you will bruise and break it into tiny pieces — not a favorable outcome.
I prefer using a muddler made from food-grade plastic like the black one at right, as wooden muddlers will soak up the flavors of your ingredients.
SHAKER TINS
The shaker tin is used to build your cocktail in, add ice and shake until desired dilution is achieved. The Boston shaker is a two-piece shaker consisting of a 28-ounce metal tin and 16-ounce mixing glass. The two pieces are inserted into each other and used for shaking the cocktail with ice. A separate strainer (typically the Hawthorne) is used on the metal tin to strain the liquid out.
Instead of a mixing glass, you can also use two metal tins, one smaller than the other. They work the same way as the Boston shaker but create a better seal.
My favorites are the Koriko tins that can be foundon the Cocktail Kingdom website (see link above).
BAR SPOONS AND MIXING GLASSES
Certain cocktails — those that are all spirit-based with no fruit or juice in them (the Manhattan, Negroni, Old-Fashioned, for example) — need to be stirred, not shaken.
Bar spoons from Cocktail Kingdom are incomparable, constructed in a Japanese style that makes them spin naturally inside a glass when used properly. Although seemingly a simple task, stirring does require technique (check out “Stirring Cocktails featuring a Manhattan” on YouTube).
You could use a simple pint glass, but the Yarai mixing glass takes it up a notch. There are flat-bottom versions and those on stems; its matter of personal preference.
JIGGERS
Jiggers ensure that your measurements are accurate so that your cocktails taste the same every time you make them. I prefer Japanese-style jiggers in two sizes so that all of the typical ounce increments are covered.
An alternative is a clear OXO jigger, which is like a small measuring cup and makes it easy to see exactly how much you are using.
SHARP OBJECTS
A great set of knives helps with garnishing and general prep. The paring knife is useful for more intricate garnishes that require fine knife skills, such as tailoring a wide orange twist. A serrated knife is a great all-around knife for cutting fruit, especially harder ones like pineapple.
For garnishing, a zester creates very fine strands of citrus rind; a channel knife makes long spiral twists. The two tools are sometimes combined in one implement.
More often, though, all you’ll need is a good vegetable peeler. I prefer stainless-steel peelers because they tend to stay sharp longer and are more durable. A vegetable peeler can be used to make wide citrus twists, used in a variety of cocktails.
Chandra Lucariello is director of mixology for Southern Wine & Spirits. Ingredient note: The liquors and liqueurs used in these recipes are widely available from Oahu liquor stores and some supermarkets.
