Reddit mentions of OXO Good Grips Angled Measuring Cup, Mini, Clear

I would never go for a manhattan shaker. They are notorious for locking up, as soon as there's a bit of liquid in the cracks (unless you buy really expensive japanese ones). They are also harder to clean than the simple two cups of a boston shaker, and the extra strainer isn't really hard to use.

I haven't used a parisian shaker, but that seems like it could do fine, but might lock up on you.


My own kit is made of a lot of individual stuff. Some from amazon, some from local shop, and some from china. If you want, I can do a writeup of where i got it, but since it's from china, it will take a month before you will receive the goods. However, the guys behind AbarAbove.com recently launched their quality bar tools line. They have a complete set of tools, which all seem to be of great quality. They have only gotten 5-star reviews so far: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LVY7VMH. It's $63 for the complete set.

Or you can just buy their boston shaker for $20, and this excellent strainer from OxO ($7), along with this measuring cup ($5)

Then you have a pretty good starter set. A fine strainer can be bought in most dollar stores locally for next to nothing, or you can find one on amazon. They are pretty much all the same, but it isn't really required if you're just starting out. I also have a bar spoon, a mixing glass and a muddler, but to be honest, I rarely use them. If you need to muddle something, use a wooden spoon or something. If you decide you really need one, look for one which is at least 6 inches long, to avoid bashing your knuckles on the edges of the shaker, or google "morgenthaler homemade muddler".

Hope your GF will be happy with your gift!


EDIT: Missed the part about you being from UK. Here's an updated list. I'll let the other one be for any americans who might wander through here.

• Shaker: Homekeros sems to have a good one. (£16, £19 with a strainer) The strainer looks fine.
  
• Shaker (alternative): If budget is a concern, then the Mezclar Tin on Tin Boston Shaker (£6) looks fine. One reviewer said, however, that the small tin was so tiny, it almost dropped to the bottom before making a seal. The other 9 reviews are happy with it though. Still, It's an amazing price!
  
• Strainer: The OXO strainer (£5.43 + £3.19 S+H)
  
• Measuring Cup: OXO angles measuring cup (£4.25)
  
• Citrus juicer: I kind of forgot about it in the main post, but this is a tool that get used every time I use the shaker and sometimes also just for cooking. Very useful. I recommend the Chef'n freshforce citrus juicer (£22.32)
  
  Seeing as there is a shipping charge, I probably wouldn't go for the OXO Strainer unless there's something else that you need from the american amazon. The one from the Homekeros set should be adequate.

4.99 with free shipping It's a jigger, make repeatably good cocktails for the rest of your life.

Buy yourself a shaker, and an accurate measuring cup/jigger. I like this one.

Some options:

• Grab some fresh limes at the grocery store. Pick up a bottle of gin - doesn't need to be too expensive but don't go bottom shelf. New Amsterdam, Beefeater, etc, will work for now. Grab a bottle of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and a bottle of green Chartreuse. Put 0.75 oz each of fresh squeezed lime juice, gin, Chartreuse, and Luxardo into your shaker, add lots of big hefty ice cubes, shake until very cold. Strain the liquid into a cocktail glass or whatever you have on hand, and you have a Last Word.
  
• Grab some rye-forward bourbon or rye whiskey - again, no need to go super expensive at first but don't go bottom shelf. Maybe start with Bulleit (either regular or the rye version). Get a good vermouth - Carpano Antica Formula is the classic, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is cheaper and has a very similar flavor profile. Get a bottle of Angostura bitters. If you want, optionally get some good cherries, like the Luxardo brand ones - the neon pink ones from the typical grocery store are not adequate. Put about 2 oz whiskey, 1 oz vermouth, and 1 or 2 dashes of bitters into a mixing glass. The ratio of the whiskey and vermouth can be adjusted to your preference once you try a few. Add lots of big ice, and stir until very cold. Strain the liquid a glass, and optinally add your cherry. Enjoy your Manhattan.
  
  There are many more options. The tempatation will be to buy a bunch of shitty liquors and liqueurs. They will not taste good. I really recommend trying a smaller number of nicer things. This goes for things like beer, too. Anything will get you drunk, but alcohol can also taste amazing - don't miss out on that aspect.

I can't go back to a regular jigger, this has so much flexibility. Apparently they make a stainless steel one too.

Cup fractions, tablespoons, ounces, millimeters, and easy to squeeze just as much citrus juice as you need.

http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Angled-Measuring-Clear/dp/B00FYL4MPY

I use a small OXO angled measuring cup that I got from Bed Bath and Beyond for ~$5.

I have a 2 oz measuring cup from Oxo and it's perfect for measuring oils. I can clearly see up to half an ounce.

Just a note, a Lemon Martini is usually not made with vermouth, and white (dry) vermouth isn't sweet. : )

But as someone who has been bitten by the cocktail bug in the last few years, here's my humble advice. Pick one or two drinks you want to learn to make. Don't go crazy buying a huge number of liqours to start. Buy good quality ingredients for your two, and start making and tweeking them. This time a little too much lime juice, next time a little too little, until you dial in what it is you like. Things like fresh lemon juice, versus the stuff in a plastic yellow lemon bottle really make a difference. You don't have to go top shelf on liqour, but stay out of the low-end stuff. And it really is important to actually measure every single ingredient. This is the best cocktail making purchase I've made!

The glassware doesn't have to be perfect - yes, you can make it in a coffee cup - but it is kinda' nice. Don't spend money on fancy glassware to start. Hit your local thrift store and pick up some cheap, but correct-for-the-drink glasses, and you'll appreciate it. Plus you'll feel classy!

Garnishes are actually not as easy as they sometimes look, so learning to make garnishes is a skill. Sometimes, as /u/stormstatic said, they are part of the actual flavor of the drink, sometimes they just make it pretty. To start, focus on mixing the drink, later add the garnishes. Heck, what's a tiki drink without all the stuff and paper umbrellas sticking out? : ) Goal!

Unless you are looking to look fancy don't waste your money. Just go to amazon/walmart and find a shaker tin, all-in-one "jigger", and a pint glass from your local cabinet. That is really all you need to get started.

If you want to add on some stuff just to make life easier you can get a bar spoon, muddler, strainer, fine strainer (get rid of those ugly ice bits), and a citrus juicer.

Save your money for alcohol to make more drinks!

I think whatever you wind up using will get funky if you're not washing it enough. I use this for mixing drinks at home. I just put it in the dishwasher.

Alright, that we can work with, 20$ budget and no existing bar:

-only two tools are remotely important: shaker and jigger. The rest is pretty much irrelevant, and can be easily replaced with things you have at home. Even the jigger is fairly irrelevant, because it only needs to be precise to itself. Doesent matter if the 3cl mark is actually 3.2
So I'd recommend you take the 20$ and buy a decent shaker, and maybe a small one-sided jigger.


you don't really need a Hawthorne strainer and weird spoon an all that, to be honest i usually can't be bothered to use them when im making cocktails for myself and are not in a hurry. Those tools are made to speed things up at a bar, but aren't a necessity.


i recommend spending the money on ingredients rather than additional tools for now, if you find out you really like that particular kind of cocktail then you should develop the bar in that direction.

Only thing the steel one is missing is a 3/4 oz mark; the plastic version of the same has ml markings on the outside which makes it slightly better imo.

This guy should work for you

these are the two measuring devices I use for whiskey. A more aesthetically pleasing stainless steel jigger that works fine. And the one I actually use 90% of the time 2 oz plastic measuring cup

I use this mini measuring cup for detergent.

https://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Angled-Measuring-Clear/dp/B00FYL4MPY/