HOW TOS

HOW TO: BAR TOOLS HOW TO

In the wake of COVID-19, reevaulate your top tools.

Many things are being reexamined in the wake of COVID-19, especially disinfecting and food safety protocols. The tools you use most should also come under scrutiny. Are they worn out and need to be replaced? Easy to clean? Can a new tool make creating a cocktail more sanitary? New, sterile bar tools will help your customers feel confident you have their best interests in mind. Here, we took a look at a few providers.

BarProducts.com Started in 1995 by Mark Hastings, this site was literally founded by and specifically designed to cater to bartenders. The site contains more than 10,000 tools as well as bartender gear and hospitality products, and new items are constantly added.

BarProducts.com prides itself on hiring talent from within the bar and service industries who know what it’s like to run, budget and stock bars.

According to Amanda Bastow, customer service at BarProducts.com, there are a few tools every bartender needs to have on hand at all times, “The top tools are a V-Rod Bottle Opener, a measuring device such as a jigger or a pour check, and a good strainer.”

She stresses the importance of a great bottle opener, which is a tool that might be overlooked by some. “Our V-Rod bottle opener is a great multi-tasking tool,” she says. “One side acts the same as a speed opener, whereas the other end is able to remove those stubborn liquor pourers.”

Pourers are very important for accuracy and consistency in your drinks. Margins are more important than ever right now, so don’t pour money down the drain by over-pouring.

Bastow says that strainers are also a must, “After you shake a cocktail, it is common to use a strainer to pour the cocktail over a glass with ice already in it.”

While she doesn’t recommend certain tools over others, she does detail the importance of having the right tool for the job. She gives the example of a strainer. “Many people will use a standard four-prong strainer for all cocktails,” she says. “A julep strainer is typically used when straining a cocktail from a mixing glass, whereas the Hawthorne is from a mixing tin or standard shaker.”

What separates BarProducts.com for other bar suppliers is its longevity in the industry. “We are proud to say we have been in this industry since 1995,” says Bastow. “We are always adding new product SKUs to our website and even creating new products ourselves.”

In fact, the company offers many custom, unique products. “We have our own in-house woodshop department where we create many customized wood products such as LED bar shelves, customized table tops, etc.”

They also have the ability to print on many different types of glassware, Koozies, coasters, and more. “We have many different customizable options on the site to fit many different types of customers,” says Bastow. “We also have the ability to ship to almost any country.”

Über Bar Tools Established in Australia in 2006, Über Bar Tools has one goal in mind. “To create ergonomic and innovative bar tool design to improve bartender speed, efficiency, accuracy, and consistency while improving comfort and reducing user injury,” says Rhonda Goldberg, commercial director of North America for Über Bar Tools.

According to Goldberg, there are specific tools that every bartender needs in their repertoire: a great set of pourers, the right jiggers, tins and shakers to suite your style, stirrers, and no bar set is complete without the right muddlers.

“Each tool creates a platform that helps deliver more memorable, consistent, and accurately made cocktails a guest gladly pays for again,” says Goldberg.

Bars should also consider what isn’t in their arsenal. On its Facebook page, Über Bar Tools recommends purchasing a set of tongs to prevent bartenders from picking up garnishes, ice, straws, etc. with their hands. With customers paying attention to food and drink preparation more than ever before, simple tools like these can make a big difference.

Über Bar Tools puts a bartender’s needs and comfort at the forefront of their designs. “Über Bar Tools reimagined an entire category unchanged since Prohibition,” says Goldberg. “Quality, comfort, modular design extends Über Bar Tools’ product lifespan from months to years.”

The company also creates and manufactures its own products. “As we control the design, manufacturing and quality control of our tools, we offer

Barfly tools are manufactured to stand up to the rigors of professional bar applications.

Lux is a line of products offered by Über Bar Tools.

warranties and guarantees,” says Goldberg. “We make tools that deliver return on investment. Generic bar products are produced to a price that requires constant replacement; a drain on the environment and the pocket.”

Bar owners are most likely reevaluating every purchase in light of the financial hits from COVID-19, but investing in quality bar tools pays off in the long run.

Barfly Mixology Gear Barfly Mixology Gear is a product brand from Mercer Culinary with products designed to be used by professionals. “Barfly Mixology Gear by Mercer is for the professional with an unwavering commitment to the art of the cocktail,” says Joe Flaherty, CFSP senior vice president of Mercer Culinary / Barfly. “Our barware essentials and accessories are designed to deliver optimal appearance, temperature, consistency and proportion in every glass–with masterful results.”

Every bartender is different, but there are specific tools that everyone needs to complete their job and craft high-quality mixed drinks. “Although every bar is going to have their own very specific needs, we feel it is a necessity to have quality tools too,” he says.

Quality cocktails require high-quality tools to ensure every ingredient is measured and prepared properly. “Barfly tools are manufactured to stand up to the rigors of professional bar applications. All of our measuring tools are quality checked to ensure accuracy and durability,” says Flaherty. “We continue to innovate new tools based on feedback and trends in the marketplace.”

Flaherty says choosing a bar tool is all about usage and what the recipe calls for. “Many cocktail recipes will state what tools are recommended, but we leave this in the hands of the bartender and their own preference,” he says.

Barfly separates itself from its competitors by offering products across multiple platforms. “Barfly has the largest selection of high-quality bar tools available to the professional from their foodservice supply distributor or online through Amazon,” says Flaherty. “We have many unique bartending kits, travel bags, ice tools, and spoons that are only available through Barfly.”