We bring the party

  • Home
  • Services
    • Services
    • Classes and Tastings
    • Events
    • FAQ
  • Blog
  • Book

What Every Bartender Should Have In Their Bar Kit

August 8, 2019

bartender-bar-kit

From measuring ingredients to muddling herbs to straining cocktails and opening beers, bartenders need a variety of supplies to get their job done. Having a good bar kit stocked with the right tools can make the difference between a quick bar line, happy guests, and a happy bartender! 

We’re taking you behind the scenes to show you the top ten items every bartender should keep in their bar kit. Whether you’re a professional bartender or just looking to up your at-home mixology game, this post is for you!

1. Cocktail Shaker

A bartender’s best friend, a cocktail shaker is a necessity for your bar kit. We use Boston Shakers, which are two-part shakers consisting of a glass and a metal tin. Another option is a cobbler shaker (which includes a strainer), but we find the Boston Shaker to be the most user-friendly!

boston-cocktail-shaker
Two-part Boston Shaker
hawthorne-strainer
Hawthorne Strainer

2. Cocktail Strainer

The sidekick to the shaker, a cocktail strainer keeps the ice and other non-liquid ingredients out of your final cocktail. Shown above is the Hawthorne Strainer, which works perfectly with a Boston Shaker. 

3. Muddler 

Mash fruit, herbs, or spices into the bottom of a glass (think a mojito!) 

cocktail-muddler

4. Jigger 

A jigger is an hourglass-shaped measuring device for accurately pouring alcohol. They come in multiple sizes, with the standard being 1.5 oz on one side and 1 oz on the other. 

jigger

5. Flat top Bottle Opener

Speed open beer bottles in quick succession with this handy tool.

6. Wine Key 

The preferred wine opener, a wine key has a knife to cut the seal on top of the wine bottle, and corkscrew to remove the cork.

flat-top-bottle-opener
wine-key

7. Pairing Knife & Cutting Board 

Cocktails aren’t just about the liquor. For garnishing and flavoring drinks, you’ll need a versatile pairing knife and cutting board to peel and chop fresh fruit and herbs.

pairing-knife

8. Pour spouts for the five most common types of liquor

A pour spout fits snugly into the top of a liquor bottle and is essential for smooth, consistent pouring and measuring. We keep pour spouts for the five most common types of liquor in our bar kit: Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Rum, and Whiskey 

9. Cocktail Stir Spoon

Not just any old spoon! Also known as a Bar Spoon, this spoon has an elongated handle and is specially designed for mixing around the inside edge of a glass. 

cocktail-stir-spoon

10. Two Bar Towels 

Thick absorbent bar towels always come in handy. From wiping up spills to drying off your hands and polishing glasses – we always carry at least two with us in our bar kit! 


With these ten essential items you are ready to tackle anything the bar throws at you. Feeling inspired to make some cocktails? Check out our recipes for classic and beginner cocktail recipes!

More posts you'll love:
Why you should hire a licensed and insured bartender for your party |
The Perfect Bar Menu |
Greening Your Bar Service |
Why We Have a Liquor License |

SHARE WITH FRIENDS

More posts you'll love:
Why you should hire a licensed and insured bartender for your party |
The Perfect Bar Menu |
Greening Your Bar Service |
Why We Have a Liquor License |
Previous
Next

It was a pleasure to work with Josh. He was knowledgeable, professional yet social, and provided high quality service. He also was willing to go above and beyond to assist in the set up and clean-up of our event. I look forward to future events with Party on the Rocks and hope that we can request for Josh specifically for future events!

- Stephanie A., Corporate Client

I had the honor of working with Party on the Rocks at a wedding recently and they are great! There were 300+ guests, and they were able to serve everyone quickly and efficiently. They arrived on time, handled all of the set up the bar areas, and were ready to go when the guests starting arriving. They were really accommodating during planning, quick to respond and really knew all of the details for the day. I'm excited to see such a great new bartending service in the area, and look forward to working with them again!

- Candi B.

Party on the Rocks truly rocks. They were referred by our Day of coordinator and I'm so happy that she did. I can't express how hard this team works and also their level of customer service. Truly professional and I love the family feel. We had a great bartender and two servers. So accommodating and considerate. I would definitely recommended them to anyone.

- Desiree

We hired Party on the Rocks to provide setup, tear down, and server service for my daughter's wedding. Claire and her team were awesome. They were super friendly, observant, and provided spot-on service for our guests. Plates, glassware, etc. were picked up in a timely fashion, and they even went above and beyond and provided beverage service for my 87-year-old mother who couldn't stand in line at the bar! I would highly recommend Party on the Rocks and would hire them again! Thank you Claire and team!

- Jeannie C.

I cannot more highly recommend this event company! They were easy to work with scheduling and everything went smoothly. Claire was amazing and no less than a dozen guests commented to me how awesome she was and very, very helpful. Thanks Party on the Rocks!!!

- Russell J.

These guys are the real deal. We worked together for a wedding and we were thrown tons of curve balls! But these guys rolled with all of the challenges with a smile on their face. Definitely recommend!!!

- Priscilla P.

I worked with Party On the Rocks recently and their bartender KaDeana did such an amazing job. Guests were commenting on how amazing the drinks were, and the clients were so impressed with how clean everything was throughout the night!!

- Torry W.

Claire and her team were so awesome. We hired Party on the Rocks to provide set up, tear down, and serving for my daughter's wedding. Their staff were super responsive, friendly and totally observant. In fact, they noticed that my 87-year-old mother's soda glass was empty, went to the bar and got her a fresh one, and brought it to her. She was thrilled and pleased! Above and beyond!

- Jessica C.

Try as I might I couldn't find a 6th star to click. Claire was wonderful to work with! I reached out to her about two months ahead of my wife's 50th birthday with a pleading, "Help I have to plan something epic and I'm unsure where to start!" From brilliant ideas, to managing absolutely everything, to the execution of an absolutely flawless event, Claire handled absolutely everything flawlessly. Ours was comparatively smaller than some of the other examples here with only about 40 guests. People were praising me throughout the incredible event and I routed all praise right to Claire. THANK YOU!

- Mark M.

LET'S BE FRIENDS

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • LinkedIn

JOIN OUR TEAM!

CONTACT US

JOIN OUR MAILING LIST
206.487.4224
hello@partyonthe.rocks

SERVICING GREATER
WESTERN WASHINGTON
JOIN OUR TEAM Wedding Wire Reviews Upcoming Events Privacy policy
© 2023 Party on the Rocks a doodle dog website