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A bar spoon is one of the vital tools every bartender and mixologist needs to make the best cocktails-especially on National Cocktail Day. In addition to cocktail shakers, jiggers, and strainers, bar spoons help create tasty cocktail drinks.
It's one of the bar tools you must master before you get your bartender license. These long utensils spin ice with ease and make mixing and chilling your mixed drink effortless. They show up in every tool list in all the bar books.
Why are bar spoons twisted? This article reveals the reason for their design, origin, and recommendations for the best bar spoons. A good bartender or mixologist masters the tools to make great cocktails in a bar or speakeasy, which supports your bar profitability. Read on to learn more.
What Is a Bar Spoon?
A bar spoon is a long-handled tool for bartending that mixes and layers cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks. It has a long length to ensure it reaches the bottom of cocktail shakers, tumblers, and jugs. The average bar spoon holds about 5 ml. of liquid.
A bar spoon has a decorative and elegant handle, and the shaft is usually thin and threaded to provide a better grip for rotating the spoon. It's possible to purchase a single bar spoon or sets of two to as many as eight. Many cocktail shaker sets include a bar spoon and a collection of additional mixology tools.
Why Is a Bar Spoon Twisted?
A bar spoon's twisted handle assists the layering of alcohol in cocktail drinks. It also enables efficient stirring and provides comfort for the hand. A bar spoon is optimal for layering because it has a disc at the end that complements the twist.
The bartender or mixologist pours the liquor down the long handle, creating a slow and steady flow. The disc provides additional control of the alcohol, letting it float on top.
As the bartender or mixologist stirs, the bar spoon's twists follow the motion to make the contents of the drink smooth. This ensures that the concave part of the spoon touches the ice to prevent splashes.
The twisted handle also dilutes the drink quicker because there aren't any interruptions during stirring. It’s essential for making cocktails that people love and helps increase bar profits.
Bar Spoon Origin
A regular spoon is one of the oldest utensils used by humans, dating back to ancient Egypt. However, the Sucket and Mazagran spoons from Europe inspired the modern bar spoon.
Germany has been using the Sucket spoon for eating fruit desserts since the late 17th century. It has a scoop on one end, a two-pronged fork on the other, and a spiraled stem between the two ends.
When it arrived in England, it was renamed Mazagran after a popular dessert menu item. In the mid-1800s, bartenders began giving it to customers with their drinks so they could stir and pick up the garnishes. That's how the regular spoon evolved into the bar spoon in your mixology set.
Best Bar Spoons
1. Cocktail Kingdom Teardrop Spoon
Cocktail Kingdom's bar spoon has a smooth, weighted teardrop end on top and a curved spoon on the bottom. The weighted teardrop provides quick and smooth stirring action and allows you to taste the cocktail.
You can also add dashes of an ingredient or small quantities of alcohol to your mixture. We recommend this bar spoon because its long handle makes stirring effortless, and its classic Japanese style provides a timeless piece for your bar setup.
2. Crafthouse by Fortessa Professional Metal Barware
We recommend this bar spoon for professional bartenders and advanced mixologists. Charles Joly, an award-winning bartender, designed it for the working bartender. Many mixology classes use his products to train students on how to create cocktails.
The handle provides a comfortable grip for stirring, and the spoon gives you a standard teaspoon measurement. Its spiral handle helps layer drinks while the disc offers control of the liquids or alcohol and helps disperse it across the top.
3. A Bar Above Spiral Handle Drink Mixing Spoons
This stainless steel cocktail stirring set of two bar spoons promotes comfort and speed. An experienced bartender designed these 12-inch bar spoons for advanced mixologists, but they're easy enough for beginners to use. They make an excellent addition to your commercial or home bar accessories.
The spoons have reinforced welds for durability and strength and are guaranteed not to break, rust, or bend. The 12-inch handle on each spoon provides extra weight to mix and chill your cocktail ingredients.
4. Viski Stainless Steel Weighted Bar Spoon
Viski offers this weighted bar spoon made from 18/8 stainless steel with a classic teardrop tip and a perfectly rounded head. It's 15.75 inches long and has the proper weight for stirring and mixing your drinks and cocktails.
The spoon has a polished finish and refined look for adding style to your commercial or home bar essentials. This is one of many top-notch products that Viski offers for your bar collection.
5. Barfly Bar Spoon with Cast Barfly
Barfly crafted this spoon from 18/8 stainless steel, and there are a variety of lengths and colors to choose from. It ensures easy stirring, smooth transfer of liquids, and efficient layering of liquors. And, yes, it has a fly at the top for adding character to the spoon. It can give your bar a unique feature to help it stand out from competitors in the hospitality industry.
No matter how large your mixing tin or cocktail shaker is, they offer a length that makes it easy to stir and handle garnishes. Purchase several different sizes for your bar and you'll have a spoon that can reach the bottom of any mixing vessel.
6. Difenlun Stainless Steel 12 Inch Mixing Spoon
This 12-inch cocktail spoon provides a good grip for easy mixing. It's perfect for cocktail shakers, tall cups, and mixing glasses.
Difenlun's bar spoon comes from polished stainless steel 304 and resists corrosion and rust. You can choose between gold, silver, black, and red rose color options to match your bar layout.
7. Barsrow Two Pack Mixing Bar Spoon
We like this bar spoon from Barsrow for its unique and eye-catching gold drop color. It's durable with the perfect weight and offers a simple, elegant style to fit with your other mixology tools.
You can mix drinks quickly without worrying about spills or drips. It's easy to clean, and the 12-inch length makes it suitable for various cocktail shakers, mixing tins, and bar glasses.
8. Purefold 15.7 Inch Cocktail Spoon
Purefold's boutique bar spoon comes from 18/10 stainless steel with durability and corrosion resistance. It has a spiral design with a comfortable grip and a polished finish that's easy to clean.
The length and secure grip offer easy stirring and rotation for a balanced drink. It's longer than many other bar spoons, giving it an advantage for reaching the bottom of taller mixing tins. A tool that offers you advantages is always good for raising your bar profit margin.
9. Barfly Cocktail Stirrer, Double End 13 3/16 Inches
Barfly's cocktail stirrer comes from 18/8 stainless steel and has a twisted design for improved grip. It makes stirring and mixing your cocktails pleasurable and provides a good length for garnishes.
This design is available in different lengths, which gives you the flexibility to customize your bar spoon. It's compatible with almost any size cocktail shaker, mixing tin, or glassware.
10. Hidoran Three-Pack Stainless Steel Mixing Spoons
You need at least one bar spoon to make delicious cocktail drinks, but sometimes it's convenient to have a few extras. This set from Hidoran gives you three boutique bar spoons, each with a length of 12 inches.
They're ideal for cocktail shakers, mixing glasses, taller cups, and carafes. Their classic spiral design and comfortable grip make them easy to rotate and give your ingredients an even stir. This three-pack of spoons is also easy to clean and dishwasher safe, helping you get through your bar and restaurant cleaning checklist in no time.
Frequently Asked Questions About Bar Spoons
How Long Should My Bar Spoon Be?
Most bar spoons are between 12 and 15 inches long. A bar spoon is a valuable tool for bartenders and mixologists with its long, corkscrew handle and slim, paddle-shaped bowl at the end. Its length ensures that it can reach the bottom of a cocktail shaker, mixing tin, or other vessels.
What’s the Difference Between a Bar Spoon vs. Teaspoon?
One bar spoon equals 5 ml. of liquid or one standard teaspoon. A bar spoon can also provide units of measurement such as an ounce or a tablespoon if measured correctly. However, European bar spoons differ in volume, with the average being 2.5 ml.
How Do You Twirl a Bar Spoon?
Place the bar spoon an inch or two into the ice without touching the liquid. Ensure that your bar spoon touches the inside of the mixing glass and rotate the ice into a smooth vortex.
Do not chip the ice or lose contact with the side of the glass. Try not to disturb the ice while rotating the spoon.
"Shaken, Not Stirred"
You've likely heard James Bond make the request for a drink "shaken, not stirred." A bar spoon is essential for a martini recipe or any cocktail served "on the rocks."
It should offer comfort, the proper weight, and an efficient design to mix your ingredients quickly and effectively. Whether you’re making cocktails with prosecco, rum, whiskey, or your favorite spring cocktails, you want to get the ingredients right for maximum flavor.
Learn how to master the art of mixing with a bar spoon, and you’ll be crafting flavorful drinks. This keeps people coming back for more, which boosts bar profitability and leans into the bar manager salary.