A short companion to the guide: the tools I actually reach for, the handful of techniques that matter most, and a few notes on ice and glassware. You do not need all of it to start — a shaker, something to measure with, and a way to strain will carry you through most of the drinks in the guide.
Tools
Shaker
I use a two-piece Boston shaker: a large tin and a smaller tin. It seals with a tap, breaks open with a tap, and chills fast. Cobbler shakers — the three-piece kind with a built-in strainer — also work and are friendlier to start with, though the cap tends to stick once it gets cold.
Jigger
A jigger is the single biggest upgrade to consistency. Measuring by eye is where most homemade drinks go wrong. I like a dual jigger with interior markings that cover ¾ oz, 1 oz, and ½ oz, since those are the amounts the guide uses most.
Mixing glass
For stirred drinks you want a vessel with room for the spirits and plenty of ice. A dedicated mixing glass is nice, but the large tin of a Boston shaker or a sturdy pint glass works just as well.
Strainers
Two are useful. A Hawthorne strainer — the one with the spring — fits over a shaker tin for shaken drinks. A julep strainer fits a mixing glass for stirred drinks. If you only buy one, get the Hawthorne. For drinks served up, hold a fine-mesh strainer underneath to catch small ice shards and pulp; that second pass is called a double strain.
Bar spoon
A long, spiraled bar spoon is for stirring and layering. The length lets you stir smoothly against the side of the glass, and the weight helps you find a rhythm.
Nice to have
A Y-peeler for clean citrus twists, a small paring knife, a muddler for the Kentucky Buck, and a hand juicer for limes and lemons. None are essential on day one, but the juicer earns its place quickly — fresh citrus is not optional.
Techniques
Shaking
Shake when a drink has citrus, egg, or anything that needs to be aerated and well chilled. Fill the shaker with ice, seal it, and shake hard for about 10 to 15 seconds, until the tin is frosted and almost too cold to hold. Shaking both chills and dilutes, so a properly shaken drink is colder and a little softer than the recipe looks on paper.
Stirring
Stir spirit-forward drinks with no citrus — Martinis, Manhattans, Negronis, Old Fashioneds. Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir gently but steadily for about 20 to 30 seconds. The goal is to chill and dilute without adding bubbles or cloudiness. Stirred drinks should come out silky and clear.
The dry shake
For drinks with egg white, shake once without ice to whip the egg into foam, then add ice and shake again to chill. Shaking dry first builds a much better texture. The guide uses this for the egg-white Whiskey Sour and the Smoke Show.
Building in the glass
Some drinks are built directly in the serving glass over ice — the Old Fashioned, an amaro highball. No shaker needed: add the ingredients, add ice, and stir briefly to combine and chill.
Expressing a citrus twist
Cut a wide strip of peel with a Y-peeler, taking as little of the white pith as you can. Hold it skin-side down over the drink and pinch it to spray the citrus oils across the surface, then rub it around the rim and drop it in. That fine mist of oil is the whole point of a twist — it is aroma, not juice.
Ice
Why ice matters
Ice is an ingredient, not just a way to keep things cold. It chills the drink and dilutes it as it melts, and the right amount of dilution is part of the recipe. Old or sparse ice over-dilutes and waters a drink down; plenty of fresh, cold ice dilutes less and keeps the drink crisp.
Types of ice
For shaking and stirring, use whatever cubes your freezer makes, as long as you use a lot of them. For serving, a single large cube in a rocks glass melts slowly and keeps an Old Fashioned or Negroni cold without watering it out. For tall, refreshing drinks like the Kentucky Buck, smaller or crushed ice is fine, because dilution and chill are part of the appeal.
Glassware
Coupe
A stemmed, shallow glass for drinks served up, without ice — the Last Word, the Daiquiri, most of the shaken sours in the guide. The stem keeps your hand off the bowl so the drink stays cold.
Rocks glass
A short, sturdy glass, also called an old fashioned glass, for drinks served over ice — the Old Fashioned, the Negroni, the Mezcal Tommy's Margarita. Good ones have a heavy base.
Nick & Nora
A small stemmed glass, a little deeper and more rounded than a coupe. I like it for Martinis and other stirred up drinks because it holds the volume well and is less prone to spilling.
Collins or highball
A tall glass for long drinks topped with soda or ginger beer — the Kentucky Buck, the amaro highballs. The height leaves room for ice and a generous top.