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To make good cocktails at home, five tools are enough to get started: a shaker, a jigger, a bar spoon, a strainer and a muddler. The rest depends on your taste and your budget. This guide covers the cocktail gear that truly matters, the right glass for each drink, and how to equip yourself without overspending, whether you are simply curious or a mixology enthusiast. The 30-second summary What basic gear do I need? A shaker, jigger, bar spoon, strainer and muddler. A complete starter kit runs around $75 to $125. Which glasses should I get? Three cover most cocktails: a martini glass, an old fashioned glass and a highball glass. What budget to start with? $75 to $150 for quality equipment; $200 and up for a full station. Ordinary glass or crystal? Crystal (Riedel, Zalto) offers finesse and brilliance; tempered glass holds up better with frequent use. Is an all-in-one kit a good idea? Handy as a gift, but quality varies. Check the shaker and the jigger, often the weak pieces. The essential tools for making cocktails at home You do not need to turn your kitchen into a professional bar to nail your first cocktails. Five pieces cover the vast majority of classic recipes. By choosing good quality from the start, you avoid replacing everything six months later. Five tools are enough to make most classic cocktails at home. The shaker The shaker is used to mix and chill cocktails that contain juice, cream or egg white. Two formats dominate. The Boston shaker, in two parts, is fast and favoured by bartenders. The three-piece shaker, with a built-in strainer, is simpler for beginners. Expect $25 to $60 for a durable stainless steel model. Pro tip A double-walled stainless steel shaker keeps the drink cold longer and does not frost over in your hand. A small detail that improves service when you entertain. The jigger The jigger ensures a cocktail's balance. A few milliliters too many are enough to make a mix too strong or too sweet. Choose a graduated model offering several measures, for example 15, 22 and 30 ml. It is the cheapest and most useful tool in the bar, often under $20. The bar spoon and mixing glass Some cocktails are stirred rather than shaken, like the negroni, the manhattan or the old fashioned. The bar spoon, long and twisted, lets you stir without over-diluting. Paired with a mixing glass, it gives a clear, elegant result. Plan for $30 to $80 for the set. The strainer and muddler The strainer, or hawthorne strainer, holds back ice and chunks as you pour. The muddler crushes fruit, sugar and fresh herbs, essential for a mojito or a caipirinha. These two small tools usually cost less than $40 together. Which glass for which cocktail? The glass is part of the recipe, not just the presentation. Its shape influences temperature, aroma concentration and how the bubbles hold. Three glasses are enough to serve almost everything, but each cocktail family has its ideal match. Three glasses cover almost everything: the martini glass, the old fashioned glass and the highball glass. Cocktail Recommended glass Why Martini, cosmopolitan, daiquiri Martini glass The long stem keeps the drink cold without warming it. Old fashioned, negroni, whisky Old fashioned glass (rocks) The thick base holds a large ice cube that dilutes slowly. Gin and tonic, mojito, Tom Collins Highball glass (collins) Tall and narrow, it preserves the fizz longer. Mimosa, French 75, spritz Flute or coupe The shape concentrates the aromas and showcases the bubbles. The martini glass The martini glass, with its wide cone and long stem, serves cocktails presented without ice, like the martini, the cosmopolitan or the daiquiri. The stem keeps your hand from warming the drink. Crystal versions from Riedel or Zalto offer remarkable finesse on the lip. The old fashioned glass Also called a whisky glass or rocks glass, it holds cocktails served over ice like the old fashioned, the negroni or a simple scotch. Its thick, stable base handles a single large ice cube well, which melts slowly and dilutes the mix less. The highball glass Tall and narrow, the highball glass, or collins, is made for long, sparkling cocktails like the gin and tonic, the mojito or the Tom Collins. Its slender shape preserves the bubbles and also works very well for sparkling water and mocktails. Glasses for bubbles For a mimosa, a French 75 or a spritz, the flute and the coupe concentrate the aromas and elevate the effervescence. The in-house Piccolo Vinum collection offers contemporary, versatile shapes, designed for everyday use as much as for entertaining. Pro tip If you are short on space, an old fashioned glass and a martini glass cover most cocktails on their own. You can round out your set later based on your favourite recipes. How to equip yourself by level and budget No need to buy everything at once. The right approach is to start with a solid base, then build up your equipment according to your favourite cocktails. To get started (under $75) For your first steps, aim for a shaker, a jigger and two types of glasses, a coupe and an old fashioned glass. This base, around $60 to $75, already lets you make dozens of recipes. Favour quality over quantity. To go further ($75 to $200) When mixology becomes a habit, add a mixing glass, a bar spoon, a fine strainer and dedicated glasses like the highball and the flute. Expect $75 to $200 for a versatile station that covers nearly all the classics. For the dedicated enthusiast ($200 and up) Seasoned enthusiasts invest in high-end crystal (Zalto, Gabriel-Glas), a complete station and specialized accessories, like a sturdy citrus press or a large ice cube mold. At this level, the pleasure comes as much from the ritual as from the result. Key statistic The global barware market was valued at US$6.53 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow 3.3% per year through 2035. Equipping yourself for home cocktails is a lasting trend, not a passing fad. Source: Barware Market Size & Share, Global Market Insights, 2026, gminsights.com. Setting up your bar for holiday entertaining The holidays are the perfect occasion to bring out your gear. A well-planned bar keeps the evening flowing and lets you enjoy your guests instead of chasing after a spoon. A well-planned bar keeps the evening flowing and lets you enjoy your guests. The essentials for a successful evening For a party of about a dozen people, plan for two shakers so you can serve continuously, a good supply of ice, and at least six to eight glasses per type of cocktail offered. Keeping the menu to two or three cocktails simplifies service and reduces the gear you need. Mixology gear as a gift Mixology gear makes a welcome, lasting gift. A set of glasses, a steel tool set or a nice mixing glass please the novice and the enthusiast alike. For a present that stands out, a crystal glassware set is always a safe bet. Expert insight According to the Vinum Design team, with over 30 years of experience in glassware and accessories, the best way to equip yourself is to start small and choose durable pieces. A good glass and a precise jigger improve a cocktail more than any gadget. Better three quality glasses than twelve forgotten at the back of a cupboard. Mistakes to avoid when equipping yourself Some mistakes come up often and cost a lot over time. Avoiding them will save you money and help you get more out of your equipment. Choosing a cheap all-in-one kit Very cheap kits are tempting on price, but the shaker sometimes leaks and the jigger lacks precision. Check the quality of the key pieces before buying, even if it means assembling your set yourself. Overlooking glass quality A glass that is too thick or poorly finished hurts the experience. A good glass, thin on the lip and well balanced, shows the cocktail off. The difference is clear from the first sip. Piling up useless gadgets Gadget accessories pile up fast and rarely get used. Focus your budget on the pieces you will use for every cocktail rather than on single-use tools. Caution Be wary of sets that multiply the pieces without caring about quality. A leaky shaker or an imprecise jigger ruin the experience, no matter how many accessories are included. Where to start your collection Start with the basics, then build your collection as your tastes evolve. Our Cocktail, mixology and beer collection brings together shakers, jiggers, glasses and sets, with our team's advice to help you choose well. Once equipped, all that is left is to put it into practice. A crystal glassware set is always a safe bet to impress. Frequently asked questions about cocktail gear What is the must-have gear to start mixology? To start, five tools are enough: a shaker, a jigger, a bar spoon, a strainer and a muddler. Add two types of glasses, a coupe and an old fashioned glass, and you can make most classic cocktails. The set runs around $75 to $125 in durable quality. Which glass should I choose if I buy only one type? The old fashioned glass is the most versatile. It suits cocktails on ice, spirits served neat and even some long drinks. If you mostly make cocktails served without ice, go for the martini glass instead. Should I invest in crystal glasses? Crystal (Riedel, Zalto, Gabriel-Glas) offers a finesse, brilliance and lightness that ordinary glass cannot match. For everyday use or with young children at home, a more resistant tempered glass can be more practical. Many enthusiasts own both. Is it better to buy from a specialist or a big-box store? A big-box store offers low prices, but a limited selection and little advice. A specialized retailer like Vinum Design, in business since 1992, offers a wider range, recognized brands and expert guidance to avoid bad buys. For gear you will keep for years, the guidance often makes the difference. How much does a complete home cocktail bar cost? A quality base runs $75 to $150. A versatile station covering most classics falls between $150 and $300. Beyond that, high-end crystal and specialized accessories can push up the bill, depending on your tastes. What gift should I give a cocktail lover? A set of glasses, a stainless steel bar tool set or an elegant mixing glass are safe bets. For a memorable gift, a crystal glassware set almost always pleases. A gift card also lets the recipient choose what will round out their collection. The right tools are already half the cocktail Getting into home mixology takes neither a fortune nor a bartender's kitchen. A few well-chosen tools and the right glasses already transform the experience, for you and your guests alike. The home cocktail trend keeps gaining ground, driven by the desire to entertain differently and take your time. Better a small set of quality gear that will last for years than a pile of accessories soon forgotten. The key is to start. Begin with the basics, add as your tastes evolve, and let pleasure guide your collection. Build your home cocktail bar Since 1992, the Vinum Design team has helped you choose the right gear and the right glasses, from the starter kit to high-end crystal, in our Montreal and Quebec City boutiques and online. Shop the Cocktail collection Talk to an expert

Have you ever wondered how certain drinks came to be? Here we explore not only six tasty cocktail ideas, but also the surprising and often fascinating story behind each one. Get ready for an exciting journey filled with tasty ingredients, tantalizing aromas, and exciting stories. 1. The Moscow Mule: a not-so-Russian story Vodka was unfamiliar to most Americans in 1939, so John Martin, owner of Smirnoff at the time, wanted to introduce his spirit to the United States. He contacted his friend Jack Morgan, owner of a Los Angeles pub, who was also in the midst of promoting his new product: ginger beer. They partnered with Sophie Berezinski, a young Russian woman who immigrated to LA and produced copper cups. Together, they created a cocktail that is very well known today featuring vodka and ginger beer served in a copper cup! Despite holding the name “Moscow” (references vodka’s origins) and “mule” (suggesting that it would be as harsh as an animal’s kick), the cocktail originates neither from Russia nor from a Midwest ranch. Instead, it was a marketing plan from three imaginative entrepreneurs with a great idea that is still being enjoyed today. How to prepare a Moscow Mule The Moscow Mule is a very popular summer cocktail for its flavours, refreshing side and simplicity to prepare. 5 oz of Vodka ¼ oz of lime juice 4 oz of ginger beer Bitters, to taste (Angostura or ginger bitters) Put ice cubes and lemon slices in a glass, add the vodka and lime juice, mix using a cocktail spoon and top your glass with the ginger beer. Finally, enjoy the cocktail! We recommend serving it in a Moscow Mule mug. 2. The Margarita: the secrets of the legendary cocktail There are many stories about the invention of the classic Margarita, the most popular one being from Acapulco in 1948. It describes an American named Margaret Sames who went to Mexico for Christmas and got into the habit of serving her guests a refreshing combination of tequila, triple sec and lime juice. It is said to be a Mexican adaptation of the Brandy-based Daisy (Margarita in Spanish). It has since been considered a poolside afternoon cocktail and remains one of the most popular cocktails in North America. A fresh Margarita ready in a few minutes The Margarita is a classic cocktail to make and only requires a few ingredients: 2 oz of tequila 1 oz of fresh lime juice 5 oz of citrus liqueur (triple sec, Cointreau, etc.) For a frozen cocktail, you can mix the ingredients with ice in a shaker or a mixing glass. You can also add an extra touch of flavour and garnish by running a lime around the rim of your glass and dipping it in some salt. To fully enjoy all the flavours that a Margarita has to offer, we recommend serving it in Marie-Antoinette style glass or in an Old Fashioned glass. Shop our cocktail glassware 3. The Negroni: a century of Italy in one glass The Negroni is a worldwide classic when it comes to bitter and refreshing cocktails. It originated in Florence, Italy in the early 20th century. At the time, the aristocracy would meet at Café Casoni for a drink before dinner and Camillo Negroni would drink an Americano: a cocktail made of Campari, red vermouth and soda. Following a trip to London, he told his barman to add gin, a recently discovered spirit, to his classic Americano and to remove the soda to make it a stronger cocktail. This was a success, and the Negroni remains one of the best-known cocktails in the world. The Negroni, a simple cocktail that hits the spot every time The Negroni is made for lovers of bitter and strong yet refreshing cocktails. This cocktail is extremely easy to prepare: 1 oz of gin 1 oz of bitter liqueur (Campari, Amermelade, Aperol) 1 oz of red vermouth Place large ice cubes in a glass and add the rest of the ingredients. Mix using a bar spoon and garnish your glass with an orange or grapefruit wedge. 4. The Mojito: recipe and history of a classic from Cuba According to an early 16th century Caribbean legend, the English privateer and explorer Francis Drake invented the modern Mojito. Legend says that the explorer enjoyed sipping tafia, a cheap industrial rum, with crushed mint leaves between pillages. This mix was named “El Draque” in his honour, but in the 20th century, rum became a higher quality commodity and the Drake evolved. Lime was then added to the original mixture and the mojito became the emblematic cocktail of Cuban culture in 1920, with rum being Cuba’s main export. Mojito preparation secrets The Mojito is the ideal cocktail to enjoy on a patio in the summer. Its sweetness and freshness make it a cocktail that everyone loves. 2 oz of white rum ¾ oz of simple syrup or 2 tsp of sugar Fresh mint leaves, crushed Lime wedges, crushed Soda First, crush your mint leaves and lime wedges in a shaker using a muddler. Follow by adding the ice, rum and simple syrup (or sugar). Shake vigorously, pour in a glass and top it with soda to taste. Finally, for an elevated presentation, garnish your glass with a lime wedge. 5. The Pisco Sour: a South American cocktail that divides A traditional and national recipe in Peru and Chile, the Pisco Sour is a cocktail born in the midst of a nationalist feud between the two countries. Chile and Peru each claim to have invented Pisco, and therefore the Pisco Sour. This eau-de-vie produced by the distillation of grapes, like Brandy or Cognac, generally does not undergo any ageing in casks, which leaves it colourless and lacking the woody aromas of its European cousins. Whether Chilean or Peruvian, Pisco remains a high-quality alcohol made from grapes, satisfying brandy lovers in South America. The cocktail was first mentioned in 1928 during the promotion of the Morris Bar in Lima and in the 1934 novel "La Chica de Crillon" by the Chilean Joaquin Edwards Bello. These two nations clearly cannot agree on the origins of the best cocktail south of the equator! A perfectly prepared Pisco Sour The Pisco Sour is a simple cocktail to make, using unique ingredients which may not normally come to mind, like egg. 5 oz of pisco 1 oz of lemon juice 5 oz of simple syrup 1 egg white Angostura bitters To prepare a good Pisco Sour, vigorously shake all the ingredients except the bitters with some ice in a shaker. Strain the mixture into a glass preferably a wide bottom one like the Norlan whiskey glass. Add the bitters and a lemon zest garnish before serving. Find the perfect ingredients for your cocktail 6. The Martini: behind the cocktail that has conquered the world The most common theory on the origin of the Martini comes from the town of Martinez, California. According to historians and locals, the cocktail was invented in the mid-1800s during the gold rush era. A miner, wishing to celebrate his luck in his search for gold, is said to have asked for champagne at a local bar to mark the occasion. The barman, not having any, insisted on creating a cocktail with the ingredients available at the time: gin, vermouth, bitters, maraschino liqueur and lemon. Other theories point instead to the beginnings of the Martini&Rossi brand, a vermouth that is still popular today and presumably helped popularize the cocktail in the 19th century. It has evolved over the years and had its heyday in the 50s and 60s during the Mad Man era, when workers consumed it generously during their business dinners. Fortunately for our health, it is now more common to consume it after a workday or on weekends by the pool. A simple cocktail recipe Usually served very cold, the martini is a cocktail that can be enjoyed on the patio on a hot day. It is quite simple to make and doesn’t require any mixology background. 5 oz of dry gin ¼ oz of dry vermouth (white) Olive brine (for a dirty martini) Ice cubes 2 green olives Preparing a martini simply requires adding all ingredients in a martini glass and mixing with an appropriate spoon. It should be noted that James Bond, the famous British secret agent from Ian Fleming’s novels, is known for enjoying his martinis prepared in a shaker, which cools and dilutes the cocktail quicker. Shaking a cocktail creates small air bubbles in the mixture, which can be useful for milky cocktails like a Pina Colada, frothy cocktails like a Pisco Sour, or fruity cocktails. On the other hand, it is not as ideal for a Martini, where the predominant ingredients are alcohol and bitters. Cocktails, recipes and stories There you have it, 6 classic cocktails and a little bit of their history to inspire you to make them at home. We hope you found these cocktail ideas and their stories as interesting as we did. Syrups, bitters, glasses, bar tools: At Vinum Design, we have all the accessories you could need for your cocktail making, whether you are a professional or novice. Visit one of our wine and spirits accessory shops in Montreal and Quebec City or our online store to make the cocktail kit you've always wanted.