Home Bar Essentials: Bar Spoons

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What are the essential bar tools for a home bar? That’s a question that many people ask themselves when they’re setting up their first home bar. It would be hard to imagine not having any liquor or mixers, but what about cocktail shakers and glasses? Believe it or not – bar spoons are one of the most important tools in your bartender’s arsenal.

An Introduction to Bar Spoons: Choosing the Right One

Mixing drinks is about more than just alcohol. You’ll want to be sure you have the tools, no matter how basic they are! These include things like mixing containers, jiggers, straws, stirrers, garnishes, umbrellas, pepper shakers, ice trays, muddlers, toothpicks, and more!


If you’re like most people, your bar has a few bottles of liquor and some mixers. What else do you need?

Bar spoons are an essential tool for both inexperienced and professional bartenders. There are three main types of spoons to choose from, although the variations of each are endless from materials, like stainless steel or brass, to decorative design. Read below to learn more about these three most commonly found bar spoons for your home bar.

American Bar Spoon

The American Bar Spoon is the most basic of the three spoons. It’s typically a long-handled spoon with a rounded bowl and often features a slightly garish red cap on the end. Though it may not be as lavish as other spoons, this type is very durable and perfect for stirring in ingredients to drinks that will sit on ice like sodas, fruit juices, and liquors.

European Bar Spoon

The European Bar Spoon is a long-handled spoon with a flat bowl, perfect for breaking up pieces of ice. It’s also the most popular style among professional bartenders and may feature more flair in design than other spoons. European Bar Spoons have a spoon rest when not being used to avoid picking up bacteria from sitting on unclean surfaces.

Japanese Bar Spoon

The Japanese Bar Spoon is a long-handled spoon with a curved, flat bowl. This style of spoon is perfect for stirring drinks that need to be mixed vigorously and features the same benefits as European Bar Spoons in terms of sanitation. The extra-long stem works particularly well with tall mixing glasses and is a favorite of bartenders around the world.

The Story of the Humble Bar Spoon

The earliest British mention of spoons appeared in a legal document from 1279, and it’s around this time that one style of bar spoon emerged in Germany – the sucket fork – used to eat the fruit that was added for garnishing drinks. The sickle-shaped spoon is an old French apothecary tool that was popularized during the 1700s. It might also have served a similar function to spoons with heavy ornaments that date back as far as ancient Greece, but there are no records. 

The familiar bar spoon with a muddler on one end can be traced back to this humble device and helped it gain popularity in American bars around the 1800s when they started using them for stirring mixed drinks containing fruit, ice cubes, and herbs.

Bar Spoons: the Most Important Tool in a Bartender’s Arsenal

The bar spoon is the cherry on top of a well-made cocktail. Whether you’re looking for stainless steel, brass, or decorative spoons, there is something that will fit your needs and help make mixing drinks easier than ever before! 

So whether you want to be an expert bartender with all the right tools at your disposal or just get started making more professional cocktails in your home – these options are perfect for anyone who wants to learn how easy it can be. Reach out today if any of this sounds like what you need – we’re happy to provide some insight into which type would work best for you!

Essential Tools to Mix Drinks Like a Pro!

Whether you’re an experienced bartender or just looking to get started with mixology on a more professional level, these options will have something for everyone. So whether you want stainless steel or brass spoons, decorative designs like filigree, or engravings – there’s no wrong choice when it comes down to picking out which spoon is right for you!