Cocktail Stirrers and Swizzle Sticks

Bar spoon is one of the basic tools in a bartender's kit but extremely versatile and crucial to crafting the perfect cocktail. It plays a great role for many classic cocktails we enjoy today such as Old Fashioned, Martini, Manhattan, Negroni and more. It allows bartenders to blend ingredients, chill the drink and achieve the ideal dilution and balance of flavours. While stirring is one of the basic uses, bar spoons are also designed for more functions.

Purpose of bar spoons

1. Controlled mixing of ingredients for a smooth and balanced cocktail.
2. Chill the drink to the desired temperature without the intense dilution and aeration.
3. Precise layering of different ingredients for a better presentation.
4. Convenient tool for measuring a teaspoon of liquid.

Features of a bar spoon

Most bar spoons are made of stainless steel that is durable and rust resistant. These are designed with an elongated handle, usually 10-12 inches long, for bartenders to effectively reach the bottom of the mixing glasses. The spiral or twisted design of the handle provides better grip and control. The spoon is perfect for mixing and measuring 5 mL of liquid. The other end of the spoon has various designs for specialized use, allowing bartenders to do multiple tasks with the same bar spoon or without necessarily switching to another bar tool.

Types of bar spoons

The American-style bar spoons are the classic ones with a flat disc or plastic cap in the end. The European-style bar spoons feature a flat end for muddling, allowing bartenders to crush fruits and herbs directly in the mixing glass or shaker tin. It can also be used for cracking ice. The Japanese-style bar spoons feature a teardrop-end that balances perfectly in the hand or a trident which provides a useful fork for picking garnishes.

Bar Spoons vs Swizzle sticks

While bar spoons are mainly used for stirred cocktails, swizzle sticks offer a different approach to mixing drinks by creating a frothy texture. Unlike other categories of cocktails, the swizzle earned its name not by ingredients or flavours, but by the whisk-like motion of making it — swizzling. Swizzle sticks feature a propeller-like spiral design for mixing and aerating the cocktail. Tiki cocktails like Mai Tai and Piña Colada, and other rum-based cocktails are best achieved using swizzlers. Überbartools A-Swizz™ was co-designed by world-renowned mixologist, Antonio Lai.

While less popular and used in bars compared to bar spoons, swizzle sticks still offer a unique cocktail-making style to your bar. A well-equipped venue should have both bar spoons and swizzlers to accommodate a variety of cocktails.