Mumbai based bartenders share list of must-have tools to make a cocktail

My pick: Trident bar spoon
Varun Sudhakar, head bartender, The Bandra Project



The trident bar spoon is my favourite tool. It is elegant to work with, and used for stirring martinis and other cocktails. This tool can catch the eye of any customer when used properly. The technique of stirring requires a mix of understanding the weight and balance of the spoon combined with fine mixology skills. Several classic cocktails including the Manhattan, gimlet, negroni and saketini are made using the stirring technique.

My pick: Ice crusher
Jack Jagwan, bartender, True Tramm Trunk



Cocktail-making is a delicate art for which everything needs to be perfect. This includes the size and texture of the ice too. For example, the golaritas that we serve are a grown-up version of a gola. For that, I can't do without my trusted ice crusher. If the ice pieces are too large, it will not hold the liquid, making the icy-pop useless. If they are too fine, they will melt and disintegrate quickly, not leaving enough time to savour it. Which is why I make sure that my crusher is in the best shape so that it never lets me down.

My pick: Boston shaker
Shashank Charaniya, bartender, Bar Bar



A bartender without a Boston shaker is like a chef without a knife. It's also my favourite bar tool as it's the heart of any drink, primarily used to build up and shake it. We are known for our variety of Long Island Iced Teas. I use the Boston shaker to make these fun and energetic LIITs.