Pouring soda down the spirals of a bar spoon allows bubbles to attach to the metal and enter spirits much more gracefully without fizzing over, thus maintaining that satisfying carbonation. “It works like a dipstick in a car — you pour oil down the dipstick, and it will stick to it,” says Stewart.
Bar spoons mainly have a twisted handle for stirring. The twists on the spoon complement the stirring motion so that it's continuous and smooth. This prevents splashes and, with the right stirring technique, will minimize diluting the drink. The twist also allows you to pour drinks down the spoon without spillage.
A bar spoon is a long-handled spoon used in bartending for mixing and layering of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic mixed drinks. Its length ensures that it can reach the bottom of the tallest jug or tumbler to mix ingredients directly in the glass.
Hold the jigger between your index and middle finger or between your middle and ring finger to have a better pour just from flipping your hand. Holding the jigger any other way will put your hand in an awkward position.
A bar spoon is a long-handled spoon used for mixing and layering spirits.
It allows the bartender to stir faster, expediting chilling and dilution. It is more fluid, which provides better control of chilling and dilution. Perhaps most importantly, it makes one look, and feel, extremely cool.
A jigger, also known as a double jigger, is a bar tool for measuring and pouring alcohol. You can find jiggers at home bars and in the kits of professional mixologists. Standard jiggers feature two conjoining cups, one larger and one smaller, connecting on the closed ends and having different measurements.
Bruising simply refers to diluting the liquor with the melted ice (water) thus making the drink weaker. Those who prefer their cocktails shaken like this because it makes for a more smooth drink.
"With a twist" signals the bartender to add a "twist" of the zest of a citrus fruit (bar choice, if unspecified) to the cocktail. Often, the bartender will hang the rind of the citrus on the glass as a garnish (see martini photo above).
For some bars, the bell is for help behind the bar. When a bell rings in this case, you might see some extra staff running out; literally. For the most part, bells are a way to draw attention. They are an effective way to let people know that something's happening.
A shot is typically 1.5 ounces, which equates to one standard jigger.
Shot/Pony/Jigger
A “shot” is often used informally to mean a small serving of alcohol. The drinking vessels known as “shot” glasses often range in size from 1 to 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 ounces. A “pony shot” (aka “pony”), on the other hand, is a little more precise. It equals 1 fluid ounce.
"I've seen both: the one tap and the double tap. I was told that the double tap is one for the bartender, one for someone who is no longer with us. In Wisconsin, you're doing shots with the bartender, so there it's is your 'cheers to the bartender.
Place it on the rim, and you allow the drink's flavors to develop in stages. A hit of isolated salt can awaken tongue receptors, which changes what you perceive as the other components of the drink are sipped.
Fundamentals of Shaking
“The purpose of the shake is to chill the drink and add dilution, ideally with as much control and consistency as possible,” says Brendan Bartley, the head bartender and beverage director at New York City's Bathtub Gin.
Shaking creates this effect by breaking up the ice and chilling the cocktail, while also sloshing all of that delicious boozy mixture around. It makes for a frothy sipper rather than a velvety one. Importantly, shaking mixes certain ingredients together that, if stirred, would separate by the time you drink them.
The bar spoon is one of the most underrated yet most necessary tools found behind the bar. Bar spoons allow bartenders to mix drinks and integrate ingredients together in a method different to that of shaking. There are a few types of bar spoons available, yet the basic functionality of them is the same.
The Boston shaker is the Major League. It's the cocktail shaker of choice for most bartenders and true cocktail apprentices. The Boston shaker consists of a shaking metal tin and a mixing glass tin but has no built-in strainer.
The primary purpose of a bar spoon is to stir drinks but it is also a great jigger alternative when measuring ingredients. One bar spoon equals 5ml of liquid or one standard teaspoon.