Barware encompasses a diverse array of accessories and products crucial for both professional bartending and home-based cocktail crafting. These range from essential tools needed to mix and serve drinks to decorative elements that enhance the aesthetics of your bar setup.
One of the fundamental tools in any bar arsenal is the cocktail shaker, available in various styles like the Boston and Cobbler shakers, vital for mixing ingredients effectively. Strainers, including the Hawthorne and fine mesh varieties, are essential for smoothly pouring cocktails, ensuring elegance in presentation. Precise measurement is key in cocktail making, making jiggers indispensable for measuring spirits and mixers accurately. Bar spoons, with their long handles and typical twist design, are multifunctional and used for stirring, layering drinks, and measuring. Muddlers, too, play a crucial role, especially in preparing cocktails like Mojitos and Old Fashioneds, by mashing fruits, herbs, and spices to release flavours.
The choice of glassware significantly impacts the drinking experience, with each type designed to complement specific beverages - from highball glasses for long drinks to martini glasses for cocktails, and snifters for brandy or cognac. For the more advanced mixologist, mixing glasses are both elegant and functional, typically used with a bar spoon and strainer for stirred cocktails. Ice tools are also a key component of a well-equipped bar, extending beyond standard ice trays to include ice picks, moulds for large cubes or spheres, and ice crushers, catering to various drink styles.
In addition to these tools, decorative and utility items like coasters and bar mats not only serve functional purposes, such as protecting surfaces and keeping the bar area clean but can also be style statements. Pour spouts, fitted to bottles, are practical tools for smooth pouring and controlling the flow of liquids, while wine and bottle openers range from simple corkscrews to more sophisticated devices. Bar towels are another practical necessity for wiping down surfaces and dealing with spills.
For those looking to add a flair to their bartending, speciality barware items such as cocktail smokers for infusing drinks with a smoky flavour or herb and spice infusers offer an avenue for creativity and experimentation. These speciality items cater to the adventurous mixologist, looking to explore beyond traditional cocktail making.