In my opinion, when you first start tending bars there is very little equipment needed.

A jigger, a bar spoon, Boston shaker and Hawthorne strainer and I’m ready to go. With only four items in my armoury, I can make magic before your eyes; layered, shaken, stirred and built. In fact, almost every cocktail you can think of is possible.

The jigger, or tot measure, is extremely important, no matter how boring you may think it is or how well you think you can free pour. There’s a science to making cocktails and that unmeasured extra millilitre of liquid may make or break the flavour profile you are searching for. There’s also something else that comes with a measured pour, consistency. You can almost guarantee that every time you make a cocktail that it will taste the same.

A bar spoon, besides looking a little odd and being something to fidget with whilst waiting for a customer, is very useful for layering cocktails and stirring that extra dry martini.

when you first start tending bars there is very little equipment needed.

I couldn’t live without a Boston Shaker, it’s comprised of a tempered mixing glass and a stainless steel tin. The glass is where you combine the ingredients, it helps a great deal in judging your measurements and making sure you’ve added them in correctly.

You then fill it with ice to about three quarters…. then comes the best part. Using the tin cover the mixing glass and give it a good firm tap on the back to create an airlock. Pick up the shaker with the tin facing the customer and the glass over your shoulder, one hand on the tin and the other on the glass to keep it together. Then shake, this should not be gentle, nor weak. Give it everything you have.

The purpose of the shake is to combine the ingredients together, whilst cooling the liquid and allowing for a small amount of dilution. You’ll know when you’ve achieved this by feeling the outside of the tin, in some cases it even gets frosty.

Every bartender has his or her own unique shake and style; you’ll need to find the one that suits you. Only then will you create your own delicious, crisp cocktails with the perfect amount of dilution.

You may only need a short shake or an extremely vicious shake depending on your ingredients. Once you’ve completed your perfectly tailored cocktail shake, tap the side of the shaker to release the airlock, and finish with the cocktail ready to be poured from the tin.

The Hawthorne Strainer has a great relationship with the Boston Shaker. It’s placed on top of the tin and used to strain your cocktail into the serving vessel or glass. The strainer is used spring side down. The spring can also be removed and used to “dry shake” cream into whipped cream. The dry shake means that no ice is added before you shake.

Every bartender will create a cocktail differently from the next. It’s a matter of personal style. This style will also play a part in how you present your drinks and how they taste. Recipes and measurements play a big factor in getting your drinks consistent. It will also minimize the difference between bartenders who make your cocktail. Sometimes it’s just in the manner of the serve. A smile and a bit of showmanship will go a long way to impress your customers. It is after all, the customers who decide whether they will come back to see you “on stage” at your bar. Everything in the bar is a prop for the show and the added benefit is your audience will be able to taste your passion and your love for the bar. It is the reason they return over and over again.

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