Bar Spoon
Bar spoons are slim spoons with noticeably long handles and are mainly used for stirring cocktails.
Generally, stirred cocktails are mixed together and prepared in a mixing glass before being stirred with a bar spoon.
The majority of these spoons are made of metal; many manufacturers count on brushed or polished stainless steel. With many bar spoons, the handle is also twisted in a spiral shape, which enables comfortable and fast stirring for quick cooling of the drink. In addition, the twisted design makes for a better grip, which is why bar spoons for right-handers have a left twist and vice versa.
Almost all bar spoons are at least 20 cm long however, many models are easily twice as long. Due to the influence of the Japanese bar scene around the turn of the millennium, longer spoons of up to 50 cm length found their way into the repertoire of European and international bartenders. At the end opposite the bowl there is often a small counterweight. This ensures better balance when stirring in a circular manner. In addition, many counterweights are designed like a small pestle with which bartenders can gently muddle herbs, spices or even fruit in the glass. Meanwhile, instead of a pestle, especially many Japanese-style bar spoons have a fork to skewer fruit and other cocktail garnishes. When stirring, the handle of the bar spoon is held loosely between the fingers and the spoon is rotated around its own axis using the wrist. The back of the spoon stays in contact with the inside edge of the glass during the whole stirring process.
Besides its main functions for stirring drinks, a bar spoon is also a unit for measuring small amounts of liquid, where one bar spoon equals approx. 5 ml. This is a common notation in cocktail recipes and is usually used for adding strong aromatic ingredients. The underside of the spoon’s bowl also serves for layering ingredients. By slowly pouring liquids over the back of the spoon, layered cocktails such as the B-52 can be created with precision. Twisted spoon handles help when adding ingredients, as they can be run down the handle for less impact with the drink.
