Bar spoons & stirrers

A bar spoon is the long twisted-handle spoon used to stir drinks in a mixing glass, layer them, and reach the bottom of a tall glass.

  • Stir spirit-only drinks; shake anything with juice, dairy or egg
  • The spoon should reach the bottom of your mixing glass comfortably
  • The twist is functional u2014 it lets the spoon turn between the fingers

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Stirring is not a lesser version of shaking, it is the technique for a different kind of drink. Anything that is all spirit u2014 a Martini, a Manhattan, a Negroni u2014 is stirred so it chills and dilutes without being aerated, which keeps it clear and gives it a heavier texture. Shaking those drinks clouds them and thins the mouthfeel.

How to choose

What to know

The twist in the handle is functional. It lets the spoon rotate smoothly between your fingers against the inside of the glass rather than being pushed round in a circle, which is what keeps the ice moving as one mass instead of clattering and over-diluting. The length matters for the same reason: the spoon has to reach the bottom of the mixing glass without your hand entering it.

What to know

The other end varies. A flat disc or muddler end is for pressing and layering, a fork end is for spearing a garnish. None of it is essential and all of it saves reaching for a second tool.

Common questions

Why stir instead of shake?

Stirring chills and dilutes without aerating. A stirred Martini stays clear and has a silkier weight to it; the same drink shaken goes cloudy with tiny bubbles and feels thinner. Drinks with juice, cream or egg are shaken because they need the aeration.

How long should you stir a drink?

Long enough to chill it and add the dilution the recipe expects, usually somewhere around 20 to 30 seconds on fresh ice. The outside of the glass frosting is the practical signal.

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