bar essentials

I am in desperate need of a new corkscrew. Every time I go to drink a bottle of wine, it's a battle to get the cork out! Sometimes I struggle with my current opener for more than ten minutes. That's why I asked you to help me look for a new, more reliable corkscrew. You searched for an opener that is efficient and attractive, one that works well on both regular and rubber corks. You bookmarked your discoveries in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Corkscrew. Since pink is my favorite color and two people — LucaBella and RedPointyHeels — saved it, I'm going to have to invest in this pink twist wine opener. It's fabulous and practical at the same time. Thanks ladies! To check out all of the corkscrews, browse to the right below.

For more info on how to bookmark, check out geeksugar's guide.

My friend Antonio is the best bartender I know. He's always looking for the latest, greatest addition to his home bar. Both Antonio, and your bartending boy, are sure to love any of these gifts.

Sleek coasters, a foil cutter, and a bar travel set are all fun and functional. A personalized bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue is a splurge well worth the price.

For more gift ideas for the bartender in your life, browse below.

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My good friend DearSugar is searching for a wine cooler to gift at Christmas. She always gives me wonderful advice, so I agreed to research wine refrigerators. Can you help Dear and I hunt for an extraordinary wine cooler? Look for fridges that have dual temperature settings and can hold more than 30 bottles. It should be free standing and attractive. Bookmark the wine fridges you find in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Wine Cooler. On behalf of DearSugar and myself, thank you!

Get more info on bookmarking when you read geeksugar's informative article. To check out a list of my favorite online shops, read more

I'll admit, even for a trained bartender like me, making perfect lemon twists to garnish a drink can be a pain in the butt. To help you out, I'm going to let you in on a little secret: the easy way to make these pretty little garnishes. Don't worry, no special gadget is required, the only tools you'll need are a wooden or metal skewer and a knife. To learn the technique that can be applied to any citrus, complete with flipbook style step-by-step pictures, read more

I'm off to Spain to visit mis amigos and I'm bringing some fun little gifts with me. I told you about my best buddy over there — he's kind of like my big Spanish bro — Antonio the mixologist and bartender. He specializes in shots so I asked you to help me find him a new set of shot glasses. You looked for practical, but cool glasses with a bit of a rocker edge and you bookmarked them in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keywords Shot Glasses.

I love the set of colorful, wobbly glasses that gruaig_rua saved, but my favorite are the subway map shot glasses discovered by bfly1133. These are super fun and something one definitely won't be able to find in a Spanish tienda. At $10 for a set of 6, the only way these glasses could be better is if they were maps of San Francisco's BART!

Check out geeksugar's explanation for more info on TeamSugar's fun feature.

I forgot my dear girlfriend Maile's birthday. I usually never forget a friend's birthday and I want to make it up to her by bringing a little something special next time we meet. I told you that she collects drink koozies and her beers are never without a smart little jacket. I asked you to help me by scouring the internet for the funkiest, most alternative drink koozie around. Maile's not super girlie so vintage, rock inspired pieces were ideal. You saved the koozies in the Yum Market on TeamSugar with the keyword tag Drink Koozie and I was plesantly surprised to see some fabulously fun koozies.

It was a tough call deciding my favorite, so I've decided to get her two! The I (Heart) Pirates koozie is hysterical and since she is always quoting Pirates of The Caribbean, I know she'll love it. Great find Swp2885! HonestMuffin bookmarked this Let's Get Naked koozie that is a total attention grabber and conversation starter. I've never heard of the Cory Marrow Band, but this koozie is too good to pass up!

GeekSugar has put together an article that explains how to bookmark on TeamSugar. Check it out for more details!

No matter how stocked a bar may be, if it doesn't have alcohol it's not really a bar. What's the use of a cocktail shaker, martini glass, and toothpick if there's no vodka? Having one bottle is a must, but if your budget allows for more purchase a variety of types. Select one high-end bottle for sipping on the rocks, one for mixing vodka heavy cocktails like martinis and cosmopolitans, and one lower- end for Bloody Marys and Red Bull Vodkas. Supplement the collection with flavored vodkas — vanilla, citrus, and berry are my faves — that are popular in mixology. Lastly, a nice bottle of organic vodka is a special way to treat eco-conscious guests. Take a look at some of my selections below.

You may think that drink stirrers are totally unnecessary - after all, you could simply use a spoon - but no self respecting mixmaster's bar is without a unique set of drink stirrers that perfectly reflect their personality. Also known as swizzle sticks, these fun little stirrers come in just about every color, shape, and material. Glass, plastic, metal, colorful, eclectic, cute - find one that suits your style as a hostess. I like to have a set for everyday use and then supplement those with stirrers that match the theme of a specific party. Scroll through the ones I've found, or tell us about your favorites in the comments below!

Any knowledgeable bartender knows that the best cocktails are made with real, fresh citrus juice. Countless recipes call for just squeezed lemon, lime, orange, or grapefruit juices. I would love to tell you that I have a sleek, efficient, electric juicer, but the truth is I have an old fashioned metal one - like the juicer at right. It's reliable, gets the job done and is only annoying when I want to make lemonade (at which point I enlist elbow grease from the nearest guy). A citrus reamer works well when mixing drinks in a cocktail shaker, but it doesn't protect against seeds falling directly into your drink. If you've got a big bar and do a lot of entertaining, splurge on a chic standing juicer. To check out some different juicers, scroll through below.

This weekend when I made the sangria and clerico for a welcome back party, I realized the importance and the invaluable use of a nice, good sized pitcher. To avoid spending way too much time behind the bar, I prefer to make a few batches of one specialty cocktail in advance. The concoction can sit in the fridge until the guests arrive, when it is then placed on the bar next to the serving glasses. For intimate dinner parties fill the pitcher with cool water and lemon slices or fill with flowers and use as a centerpiece. I've assembled a bunch of my favorite pitchers below, scroll through until you find the one perfect for you.