Squeezer - bartender's device

The name of the squeezer comes from the English word squeeze [skwi:z] - literally, “to squeeze” or “to squeeze/squeeze.” This is a bar tool for extracting freshly squeezed juice from small citrus fruits (lemon, lime, orange). Like most of the bartender's equipment, the squeezer retained its name in the American style, without translation. This trend occurred because of the birthplace of the profession, because it was American bartenders who were the founders of mixing drinks.

What should you pay attention to when choosing a squeezer?

The material from which the instrument is made. Squeezers made of stainless steel are the most durable. They are durable, easy to use and easy to maintain.

Size . The diameter of the internal part of the squeezer may vary. Small squeezers work great with lime. Larger diameters are used for lemons and small oranges. There are also miniature squeezers designed for one slice of citrus fruit.

Form . A classic squeezer has holes in the bottom so that the resulting juice is immediately poured into the container. But there is a squeezer without lower holes - in this type the juice accumulates in the lower part, and to pour the instrument you just need to turn it sideways.

How do professional bartenders use a squeezer?

The bartender needs to open the squeezer, place a lemon or lime cut in half, close the top and press with a little force. The juice from the squeezer can be poured into a jigger or directly into a shaker/glass for serving, depending on the preparation method.

Then you should remove half of the squeezed fruit - to do this, just turn the open tool over or, if difficulties arise, use a spoon or knife to remove the spent fruit. By the way, many bars now have zero waste technology - squeezed citrus fruits from a squeezer are frozen and used for variations of garnishes for cocktails.

What drinks can be prepared using a squeezer?

A squeezer is necessary in the process of preparing drinks that contain citrus juice. It doesn’t matter what category the drink belongs to - it can be simple lemonade or a signature drink.

Features of care and storage

Like all bar equipment, the squeezer requires careful care and storage. After use, you should always rinse the equipment, since if small particles of citrus fruits dry out, it will take a certain amount of time to clean the squeezer. Before use, the squeezer must be clean and dry for comfortable operation.

A squeezer is an excellent tool for preparing freshly squeezed citrus juice, but you should remember about its portion size. If citrus juice in a bar is often used in a house position and is included in many cocktails, then preparing a drink using a squeezer will take longer to release, so it’s worth thinking about preparations.

As a result, we can say that a squeezer is an excellent bar equipment, but for batch cooking.