Bar spoons in making cocktails

A bar spoon (from the English Bar spoon) is one of the required attributes when working in a bar. The bar spoon not only has an attractive design, but also performs a number of specific functions, without which it is impossible to imagine working at the bar counter.

History of appearance

A bar spoon is a borrowed and modified piece of equipment that bartenders have introduced into their work for their convenience.

The spoon is considered the oldest of cutlery, and, naturally, there are a great many different interpretations of spoons. In ancient times, the role of a spoon was played by shells, which is why one of the versions of the etymology of the word Latin “cochlea” is a spiral-shaped shell. Then spoons began to be made from pieces of wood, and later from ivory and various types of metal.

As for the bar industry, one of the first mentions dates back to 1898. The London wine and spirits catalog Farrow & Jackson mentions the Mazagran spoon specifically as a bar device. Later, in some publications, mention of equipment appears, therefore, the development takes root in the drink mixing industry.

Main types

The classic bar spoon is a spoon with a capacity of 3 to 5 ml and has a long handle.

Mazagran Spoon is a modification of a bar spoon that has a flat cavity at the end, which is used as a muddler. Initially, this modification of the spoon appeared at the end of the 18th century; French pharmacists used such a spoon for grinding medicines on the one hand, and for measuring liquids in small volumes on the other. Nowadays you can often see such a spoon in bars, because the muddler allows you to grind sugar or pulp in cocktails.

Sucket spoon is a type of bar spoon with a fork at the opposite end. The prototype of such a device was a spoon for the “sucket” dessert, which was popular in the second half of the 16th century, consisted of various fruits and was a favorite delicacy of the English Queen Elizabeth I. Sucket was served with a long spoon at the opposite end of which there was a fork. Now you can easily take the garnish with a miniature fork and place it on a glass of drink.

How to use

A bar spoon is used in several cases:

For preparing cocktails using the stir method . So, pour ice and all the ingredients into a mixing glass and stir the drink with a bar spoon with smooth, gentle movements, and then filter into a glass . The stir method is necessary for mixing and cooling easily mixed components; with this preparation, the drink is cooled, and melted ice does not dilute it. The spoon for this method must be long, since the height of the average mixing glass is 20 centimeters, and it must be convenient for the bartender to stir the cocktail.

To prepare cocktails using the build method . In simple words, a build is when a cocktail is prepared and served to a guest in the same glass. In this case, pour ice into a glass ( rocks glass or highball glass ), then add all the ingredients and mix gently with a bar spoon. In this case, the requirements for a bar spoon are minimal - moderate length, and preferably a wide paddle.

For preparing layered cocktails . Nowadays, in almost all establishments, layered cocktails are prepared in shots, pouring one layer after another using a bar spoon. In this case, it is necessary to compare the size of barware and equipment. The fact is that if the bar has tall and thin shots, the wide paddle of the bar spoon simply will not fit inside. Therefore, either spoons with a narrower main part are needed, or wider shots are needed.

For adding small amounts of liquids to cocktails . Many drinks, such as bitters or aromatic liqueurs, are added to cocktails in very small dosages. The bar spoon, depending on the modification, has a volume of 3 or 5 ml. Therefore, knowing the volume of his spoon, the bartender can, without resorting to using a jigger or beaker , accurately measure the required amount of drink.

What to look for when choosing

The bar spoon can be purchased separately, and is also included in any bartender's kit .

When choosing inventory you needWe must take into account the main functionality of the spoon, its length, and the width of the main part. Perhaps you want to surprise and entertain your guests, then you can use unusual spoons. For example, a few years ago they made a spoon in the shape of a metal finger, and bartenders asked guests: “Can I stir with my finger?”, and then, to the surprise of the public, they pulled out a massive metal finger-bar spoon.

A bar spoon is an important basic tool for a bartender, which helps in work and stylishly and neatly complements the visuals and image behind the bar.