If you are planning to have a bar, or a restaurant with a bar, you will need more than just kitchen equipment and glassware. In order to keep your bartenders and clientele happy, you’ll need some barware essentials. Keep reading to learn more about the top items you should have on your shopping list.
1. Beverage Tubs
Beverage tubs are pretty trendy these days, and if you’re hosting a private party or a casual night, these allow patrons to self-serve themselves a cold one.
2. Garnish Station
Bar caddies, condiment dispensers, and garnish stations all serve multiple functions: ease of service, convenient organization, and cleanliness. Your bar will be super-organized with a garnish station that holds orange, lime, and lemon wedges, cherries, toothpicks, napkins, olives, and more.
3. Bar Bottle Pourers
There are different types of bar bottle pourers, so you might want to get more than one kind. There are ones that offer spill protection, tapered speed, and screened tips. Get some your bartender enjoys using the most.
4. Shakers
There’s no other iconic barware quite like the cocktail shaker. Both pretty and functional cocktail shakers are required for many cocktail recipes. With these, your drinks will come out perfectly chilled and blended. Add in some showmanship of talented bartenders, and your patrons will be in for a treat. Some shakers come with a strainer, cap, and other utensils, so shop wisely.
5. Corkscrews and Bottle Openers
Like bar bottle pourers, corkscrews come in many different types: T-shaped, Waiter’s, Extractors, Winged, and more. Bottle openers should be extra-thick stainless steel for the most durability.
6. Muddlers & Glass Rimmers
Cocktails that need mashed or muddled spices, herbs, like the Old Fashioned, Mint Julep, Mojito, and Sazerac will require a muddler. Your patrons will be very happy for the perfect upscale cocktails you will create with your muddler.
Trendy cocktails like the Bloody Mary, Margarita, and even scaled-up Cosmo require the addition of a special something like salt, sugar, chili powder, or even chocolate to the rim. A glass rimmer is typically made of one or more shallow discs that hold the rimming ingredient in place. Have at least two: one for salt and one for sugar.
7. Serving Platters
No longer do bar menu items come out on plates; these days, hot food can be served on cast iron skillets, wooden serving boards, melamine platters, galvanized serving trays, and divided platters for things like tacos.
8. Bar Mats & Towels
A good bar mat will be designed to allow for airflow and clear drainage. It should be grippy enough to keep glassware in place. You can even get them in funky colours to match the personality of the bar or bartender. Make sure to wash these often to prevent the buildup of bacteria.
Bar towels are a necessity! Choose ones that are large, absorbent, and easily washed. You might want to get a few different kinds as they come in cotton and microfibre varieties. You’ll find your bartenders go through a lot of these towels, so stock up!
9. Zester/Grater/Peeler
For drinks that require spices grated directly into the glass, use a good zester or grater. For drinks that need a twist, otherwise called a long slice of citrus peel, a citrus or vegetable peeler is what you need. To get the corkscrew shape, take a long slice of the peel and wrap it around your finger.
10. Ice Scoops
Last but not least, make sure you have at least one ice scoop. Your bartenders should never dip a glass into the ice box, because a broken glass means the whole thing has to be emptied and cleaned out. Save time and frustration and get your servers ice scoops to use to keep the ice clean and safe for drinks.