Gear
Tools, bitters, herbs, ice. Amazon Associate links when they earn.
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I list what the recipes call for at home and what I pack for the road.
Bar tools
Jigger, spoon, strainer, peeler, shaker. The pieces the recipes assume you own.
Bar SpoonLong twisted handle. Stir 20 seconds without fishing cubes with a teaspoon.
Diamond Drill BitsJazz up your bar area with some lighted bottles using these drill bits to drill holes in your favorite bottles to showcase some of your old favorites.
Steel Cocktail StrainerHawthorne spring. Holds the mixing-glass ice back when you pour.
Steel Double Jigger1 oz and 2 oz. The recipes are written in ounces. Eyeballing is how the drink gets sweet.
OXO Y PeelerWide zest strips with almost no pith. Oleo, falernum, and the orange peel on an Old Fashioned.
Boston Shaker TinsTwo tins. Shake citrus, cream, or egg. Strain with the Hawthorne you already have.
Fine-Mesh SieveEvery steep goes through this: Kahlúa, falernum, orgeat, allspice dram, super juice.
Unbleached CheeseclothLine the sieve for orgeat, milk clarification, and fat-washing. Coffee filters work in a pinch.
Nut Milk BagSqueeze orgeat pulp and super juice without shredding cheesecloth.
Cocktail AtomizerOne short spritz of Spiced Lemon oil on the Classic Old Fashioned. Fill it, do not drown the drink.
Mortar and PestleCrush allspice berries for dram. Broken pieces, not powder.
Kitchen FunnelBottle syrups and liqueurs without painting the counter. Cherry cola syrup, grenadine, cordial.
Ice
Large cubes for Old Fashioneds. A Lewis bag when the drink wants crush. Clear ice if you have freezer space.
Tovolo King Cube TraysTwo-inch cubes. The Classic, Vanilla, Banana Chocolate, and Cherry Cola Old Fashioneds want one rock.
Clear Ice Cube MakerInsulated mold, open top. Directional freeze without parking a picnic cooler in the freezer.
Lewis Bag and MalletCanvas bag, wood mallet. Drier crush than a blender. Proper Ice calls this out for juleps and tiki.
Glassware
Rocks glass for the pours on this site. Mixing glass if you stir off the rocks.
Bitters
Angostura for the Classic. Orange as a second dash. Chocolate, vanilla, and cherry when the recipe names them.
Bitters BottleEmpty dasher. Decant Angostura so one shake is a dash, not a puddle.
Angostura Aromatic BittersThe Classic Old Fashioned and the galley kit. Small bottle, long life.
Orange BittersSecond dash on the Classic. Pack a vial if the galley already has Angostura.
Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate BittersBanana Chocolate Old Fashioned. Three dashes. The recipe says Aztec.
Bob’s Vanilla BittersTwelve drops in the Vanilla Old Fashioned. Dropper bottle, not a dasher.
Cherry BittersCherry Cola Old Fashioned if you skip Angostura, or a second dash on top of it.
Herbs and produce
Ranch wants dill and parsley. Wings want cilantro. The cordial wants thyme. Falernum and ginger liqueur want fresh ginger. Keep basil next to them for whatever you cook with the pour.
Gourmet Garden Dill PasteRanch wants fresh dill. The tube lives in the fridge and survives a galley week.
Gourmet Garden Parsley PasteThe other half of the ranch herb pile. Fresh minced if you have a bunch.
Gourmet Garden Cilantro PasteWings marinade. A town-stop bunch is better; the tube is what you pack.
Gourmet Garden Basil PastePark it next to the dill when the galley is cooking.
Fresh ThymeSix to eight sprigs in Orange Thyme Cordial. Pull them before the herb takes over.
Fresh Ginger RootFalernum and Fresh Ginger Liqueur. Peel, slice, steep. Skip the dusty jar of powder.
Live Basil PlantA counter plant at home. Snip what you cook. The paste is the road version.
Bottles and pantry
Jars you steep in. Cherries, banana chips, spices, and the acids for super juice.
Swing Top Glass BottlesClamp lid. Finished syrups and liqueurs live here. Steeps still start in a mason jar.
Dried Banana ChipsGarnish on the Banana Chocolate Old Fashioned. Unsweetened if you can find them.
Amarena Fabbri CherriesClassic Old Fashioned garnish. The syrup in the jar is a bar spoon, not a pour.
Madagascar Vanilla BeansKahlúa, ginger liqueur, bourbon cherries. Split the bean. Extract if you are out.
Whole ClovesTurbinado syrup, amaretto, falernum (a lot of them), allspice dram (one).
Cinnamon SticksCrack one into turbinado syrup or amaretto. A small piece in allspice dram.
Whole Allspice BerriesAllspice dram and falernum. Crush, do not grind to dust.
Food-Grade Citric AcidCitrus super juice. Weigh the peels. Cups lie.
Food-Grade Malic AcidThe lime half of super juice. That green-apple tang. Keep it next to the citric.
Orange Flower WaterOrgeat and real grenadine. Start with less than you think. It is loud.
Quart Mason JarsSteep Kahlúa, ginger, falernum, almond extract. Swing-tops are for the finished bottle.
Galley kit
Small-kitchen versions. A scale, herb tubes, and bottles that survive a cabinet that also cooks dinner.
