Bar spoons are more than just something to twirl around your fingers during your shift (although that is one of my favorite things to do behind the bar), it has many functions. Spoons behind the bar were designed for added usability and support for us bartenders around the world. Bar spoons are used to stir cocktails (see, How to Stir Cocktails, and Why) as well as measure our ingredients. Sometimes there are even spoons meant to muddle with!

No matter what, the bar spoon is a staple behind the bar. As elementary as a SPOON is in the whole idea of mixing, it plays a key role in all of the drinks we know and love. We will talk about the standard types of bar spoons, how they are used, and why they became so relevant and necessary for modern mixology.

TYPES OF SPOONS

So when it comes to bar spoons, there are many different types. It comes down to understanding which bar spoon is needed for the type of bar you are at. There are three main types of bar spoons:

European Bar Spoon: this bar spoon is the spoon that can be seen to have a muddler at the back end of it, a flat end on the opposite side of the spoon end. This type is normally regarded as the best for layering drinks, because the bartender can pour gently, the liquid on the spiral body of the spoon down to the flat base, where it will disburse on top of the drink and layer gently. This is great for drinks like the New York Sour.

American Bar Spoon: this one can be categorized as the larger-topped bar spoon that carries a bit more volume in its “scooping” side. This one also has another end that can be used as a muddler.

Japanese Bar Spoon: this type of bar spoon is my personal favorite. It is compact, slim, and very useful. This one does NOT have the muddler on the end of it. Instead, it has a counterweight normally called “the teardrop” to make the bar spoon easier to use and handle when stirring drinks. The elegance of this spoon is what sets it apart mostly.

SPOON MEASUREMENTS

The spoons that we normally use, have a measurement of approximately 5mL (teaspoon or 0.16 US fluid ounces)

A lot of recipes will list “one bar spoon of…” and this typically refers to the standard 5mL.

THE HISTORY OF THE BAR SPOON

The first spoons were seen in the 18th century in France. There were apothecaries that used the spoons that had a blunt side on one side, and the functional spoon on the other (see: European Bar Spoon above). At the apothecaries, these spoons were used to crush medicines with the one side of the spoon, and to stir the medicine with liquids. These were not cocktails in the traditional sense, but it was believed that ailments were cured with these tools and medicines.

The spoon widely was popularized later on, in the 19th century. This was because of a drink that required a sugar cube to be crushed into coffee. The drink was called “mazagran”. Later on, the spoon became heavily marketed to bars and the original name was dropped for the simple “bar spoon”.

WHATS UP WITH THE TWISTED HANDLE?

This is probably the most innovative and interesting part of the bar spoon. The twisted handle was created to support the bartender’s efforts to mix her drinks. The twisted handle allows for the spoon to twirl as the bartender stirs. It allow the ingredients to incorporate more evenly.

Not to mention it makes it even more comfortable to hold!

There is also another use for the twisted handle: pouring more gently. When building drinks, there are times where recipes call for either floating an ingredient on top or adding carbonation (“bubbles”) to the drink. The best way to do this is to pour onto the side of the spoon and allowing the carbonated liquid (prosecco, soda, seltzer water) to slide down the body of the spoon and land into the drink without over-fizzing. Gravity can make liquid to drop very fast into the drink, to avoid this, use a bar spoon to slow it down.

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So, with that, remember the next time you hold a bar spoon, there is a certain magic to it more than just being a functional spoon!