If you want to play 18 holes at Kastle Park Go-Karts and Mini-Golf (in Green Bay, WI, real close to our office), a putter alone will suffice. If you aspire to Pebble Beach, you need a few more clubs in your arsenal. So it is with alcohol. Any man who aims to spend at least 25% of his ample leisure time with a drink in hand needs a full set of tools. To ensure that you've got everything you need, we've enlisted the help of the Magnificent Bastard Cocktail Contest sponsor KegWorks to help Magnificent Bastardize your bar.
| Item |
Ordinary Bar |
MB Bar |
Why |
| Cocktail Shaker |
Standard 3-piece Metal Shaker
 |
25.5 oz. Glass Shaker
 |
Indigenous to liquor bottle gift sets and department store "entertaining" aisles, the average metal shaker is prone to becoming a hard-to-open frustration. There are also immutable laws of physics at work that call for glass shakers. |
| Citrus Juice Extractor |
Hand Squeezer
 |
Heavy-Duty Juicer
 |
Hand squeezers require excessive effort and you may end up with pulp and/or seeds in your drink. With the pull of a lever, the chromed-out zinc alloy juicer gives you fresh citrus juice without the "extras." |
| Cutlery for Garnishes |
Paring Knife
 |
Channel Knife - Peeler and Zester
 |
Sure, paring knives will cut things - then again, so will rusty box cutters.
If you're serious about preparing cocktails the right way, you'll invest in a zester specifically designed to peel citrus. When cut with the right tool your lemons, limes and oranges will release fresh oils and ideal flavor into your drink. |
| Measuring Tool |
Shot Glasses
 |
Jiggers
 |
Consistent drinks call for consistent measurements. Shot glasses are usually an ounce but for any other measurement, you'll be eyeballing it. Jiggers have precisely measured cones on either end to make sure you always get it right. |
| Stirring Utensil |
Plastic Stir Sticks
 |
Stainless Steel Bar Spoon
 |
Go ahead, try to layer shots, stir a large tumbler or fish cocktail onions out of the jar with a plastic stir stick. |
Now put some of these tools to work and create an entry for the
Magnificent Bastard Cocktail Contest. Only 9 days left! Winner to receive a $500 shopping spree at
KegWorks.
posted:
1.22.10
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