Bar Accessories
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Bar Accessories and Tools for the Home
Create your favorite cocktails with bar accessories and tools. Home bar accessories include various tools and items used in the preparation, serving and enjoyment of beverages, alcoholic and nonalcoholic alike. Whether you are an experienced bartender or beginner mixologist, select cocktail accessories to complete your collection of accessories for a home bar and help you craft any drink from the comfort of your home. Use peelers, shakers, muddlers and jiggers to make mixed drinks, including martinis, margaritas, old-fashioned cocktails and mojitos. Or, enjoy the simplicity of your favorite spirit on the rocks by pouring aged dark liquors, such as whiskey and scotch, over large ice cubes from ice trays. To create a cohesive look on your bar cart or home bar, find a bar tool set that holds each tool in a stylish container.
Using Cocktails Sets and Home Bar Accessories
Dazzle guests at your next dinner party with a chic bar tool set made from stainless steel in addition to wood, copper, silver, gold or graphite finishes. For an effortlessly polished appearance, try pairing a gold bar tool set with a rustic wooden bar cabinet, and finish the look with a glass vase filled with freshly picked flowers and leafy branches. Taking the fun outdoors for a backyard party? Entertain guests by seating them on chic bar stools, then serve them seasonal cocktails or mocktails made with tools such as bottle openers, ice scoops, ice buckets, jiggers, strainers, muddlers and more. For a playful touch, serve the drinks in statement glassware featuring fun shapes or designs. When the party is over, easily store the bar tool set in kitchen cabinets and islands, buffets and hutches, or in the open on the counter or bar cabinet. Just clean the set in the kitchen sink, dry with any kitchen towel and you're ready to go for your next party. If you're not hosting, a bar tool set or a unique bar tool accessory also makes a great housewarming or hostess gift.
Must-Have Bar Accessories
- Muddlers: a pestle-like tool used to mash fresh cocktail ingredients such as herbs, fruits and sugars. Muddlers crush ingredients and release extra flavor to be added to drinks and bar concoctions.
- Jiggers: a small measuring device used to portion and pour liquor for mixed drinks. A shot is typically considered 1.5 ounces, but some jiggers offer measurement variations.
- Cocktail Shakers: a device into which cocktail ingredients and ice cubes go. Cover the top of your cocktail shaker, shake for several seconds and pour through a strainer for an instantly chilled beverage.
- Cocktail Strainers: a small, handheld sieve designed to fit the mouth of a cocktail shaker. Perforations in a cocktail strainer filter out the chilled mixed drink into a serving glass while keeping ice and other solid ingredients in the shaker.
- Ice Molds: a container with snappable top and bottom pieces. Ice molds are used to shape and freeze water into specific forms for cocktails. Similarly, whiskey stones are solid soapstone spheres or cubes that are frozen, then dropped in a beverage to chill it without watering it down.
- Swizzle Sticks: a thin glass stick used to stir mixed drinks or smoothe out carbonated beverages.
- Shot Pourers: a bottle stopper with a short pourer that can be popped in and out of glass bottles. The pourer reduces drips and spilling while helping you better measure your pour and giving your home bar a professional flair.
- Ice Buckets: an insulated tub used for bottle-chilling or to hold ice for individual glasses. Ice buckets often come with tongs to grab the ice cubes from the container.
- Beverage Tubs: a beverage tub holds a party's worth of wines, beers and sodas in a chilling ice bath.
- Coasters: a small mat or tray used to absorb liquid from condensating glasses. Place sweating drink glasses on coasters to protect the bar or tabletop.
Not only do these accessories serve functional purposes—they also contribute to the overall presentation and experience of enjoying beverages. Depending on the type of drinks you enjoy creating, you may choose different bartending tools and bar cart accessories to enhance your home bar setup. What's more? Bar tools make for a great wedding registry gift. Wondering what the unwritten rules of gift giving are for weddings and various wedding-related events? Crate & Barrel has you covered (in writing) with our Wedding Gift Etiquette Rules Guide and Bridal Shower Gift Etiquette Rules Guide. Learn how much to spend on wedding gifts, what type of wedding gifts to give, how far in advance to buy wedding gifts and all sorts of useful information when shopping for nuptials.