The items below are a basic examples of equipment that you should have in a complete bar. The function of many of these items can be duplicated with other home kitchen equipment.
Name
Purpose
Bar Knife
For cutting or coring fruit, or for peeling rind.
Bar Knife
For cutting or coring fruit, or for peeling rind.
Can Opener
Pretty self explanatory; opening beer bottles, etc.
Ice Bucket
For keeping ice close at hand and cold.
Ice Tongs
For placing ice cubes into drinks -- a sanitary measure.
Jigger
Convenient measuring tool, usually showing 1/8, 1/4, 1/2 and 1 oz. measures. Some are two-sided: 1 oz. on one side, 1 1/2 oz. on the other.
Juicer
For squeezing fresh juice for drinks... always preferred to pre-made.
Long Bar Spoon
Makes life easy when stirring drinks in large glasses or pitchers.
Measuring Spoons
For when drink recipes call for dry ingredients or are measured in table or teaspoons.
Wooden Muddler
This device is for crushing leaves (such as mint) against the bottom of a glass without scarring it. If you can't find one of these, use the back of a wooden spoon.
Large Pitcher
For mixing large quantities of drinks. Pitchers of drinks usually contain 5-7 oz. of alcohol, so use proportional amounts from the smaller recipe, and lots of ice to prevent dilution.
Shaker
If you really want to be classy, you can shake drinks (see Shaking in the techniques section).
Covered Shaker
A somewhat cheaper alternative. The cover fits over the top of a glass for shaking.
Strainer
Strainer
:
Waiter's Corkscrew
This is a handy little number for keeping in the pocket. Includes corkscrew, can opener, and knife.
Winged Corkscrew
Somewhat easier to use than the waiter's corkscrew, but also bulkier.
