Technology is amazing, this automatic cocktail maker cranks out an amazing 200 drinks per hour. The company says that the auto bartender will increase quality and consistency, reduce costs and loss and increase over all efficiency.

Of course, this may all be true, but will it innovate? While I am sure that this is great for vanilla chain restaurant, hotel and airport bars, it will never replace the neighborhood barkeep. Nor will it create amazing, innovative cocktails that the worlds best mixologists have been developing for decades.

Automatic Bartender

Wrap up your classic martini in these mummified cocktail glasses designed by Tracy Lolita Yancey. Each glass is hand made and distinctively gift boxed for storage and gift-giving.

They make great addition to any haunted cocktail party.

Mummy-tini Martini Glass

more Halloween Party Supplies …

The Strainer is easily the funnest of bar tools. Many strainers even come wearing a great big smile, and why not they are making great cocktails. The traditional bar strainer is made of stainless steel and features a coiled spring around the edge. The coils are used to make a perfect fit between inside a Boston Shaker or mixing glass, holding back the ice and releasing yummy goodness.

shop for strainers and help support Drink of the Week

A while back we wrote about the Ice Jacket, an ice mold for 750ml bottles of vodka, rum, gin, tequila or whatever.

We finally got to sample the Ice Jacket in the field. Our first few runs didn’t pan out well as the top seal of the unit came loose. We told Davis and his team of our troubles and they went to create a fix.

After a few weeks we received a replacement seal for our Ice Jacket and we were in business. We grabbed the best fitting bottle on hand, some Bacardi Silver, clamped the seals, filled it with water and stashed the whole thing in the freezer over night.

The next day the Bacardi was sheathed in an inch of solid ice, now that’s cold! This “jacket” of ice, not only keeps everything chilled, but as an added effect it magnifies the label so every one can see what a great host you are.

Great for parties, the ice jacket keeps your bottles and guests icy cool.

Ice Jacket

Muddlers are an essential tool for every bartender and very simple one. The standard muddler is 7 - 8 inches long, made of wood or metal and have a wide, rounded end for mashing up stuff like mint leaves, limes or herbs.

The most popular cocktails that require a muddler are the Mojito (for mashing the Mint) and the Caipirinha (mashing up the lime).

Buy Muddlers at Amazon and support Drink of the Week! (shameless plug, but ya’ gotta shop anyway)

More lists. Here’s a collection of the most unique bottle openers ever created from the folks at Double Viking (no idea why they are called Double Viking?). My favorite has to be the belt buckle “gitty gitty go” opener. The one picture here attaches to your fridge with a super strong magnet, so it stays put when you pop the top.

more bottle openers

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An essential for every bartender, the jigger (or measure in Europe) will save the home bartender a ton of disproportioned cocktails. Counting pours is cool, but a good jigger is your key to making great cocktails without the bother of getting it wrong.

A typical jigger has two measures - 1 ounce and 1 1/2 ounce. Personally, I like the double cup versions, a 1 oz. and 1 1/2 oz. side. Some have a handle. I have a nifty one that has a bottle opener in the handle and cup doubles as a small hammer to break up ice.

If you are serious about making great cocktails, pick up a good jigger and go to town.

More Bar Tools…