Equipment and Tools

Refrigerator

You will need a family size refrigerator. You don't need a large freezing section, as it will be used to only store the Vanilla Ice Cream. The cooler section will be used to store:
Half n Half cream
Opened un-used mixes and juices
Absolut Vodka
Jagermeister
Beers & Wines
Cola

Freezer, Ice. Ice Bucket/Cold Box

You need a small dorm sized freezer to make and store ice.

Ice is one of the most important ingredients of a cocktail. Commercial ice makers produce crystal clear ice cubes about half the size of the ones used in household refrigerators. The trapped air and the odor from stored food makes such ice less than desirable. You can buy ice trays that will produce the ice-cubes about half the size of regular ice cubes. 

You will need a large insulated Ice Bucket or a Cooler box to store some Ice to make it easier to mix cocktails during the party.

Blender

You need a heavy duty good quality electric blender. Number of speeds is not important. I prefer a glass or plastic see through jar over Stainless steel jar. It would be desirable to have at least one marking at 12 oz. I use Waring blender. It has two speeds high and low, with a 40 oz glass jar.

Cutting board & Paring knife

You need a small cutting board and a paring knife to slice lemons, limes and oranges and lemon twists.

Cocktail Shaker

I use "Boston Shaker". It consists of two parts. There is a stainless tumbler, and a slightly smaller glass tumbler. To use, you put the cocktail ingredients in the glass tumbler, cover the glass tumbler with inverted stainless steel tumbler. Slightly tap the steel tumbler to seal. You shake this contraption holding with both hands. Tap the metal tumbler and remove. You have the frothy cocktail in the glass tumbler ready to pour.

Strainer

I use Hawthorn strainer. This is made of stainless steel and looks like a circular paddle with a handle. The paddle has holes in it and a spring on the edge. When you put it on top of cocktail glass or shaker tumbler, the spring fits around the rim. This is used to strain the mixed drink leaving behind the ice, fruit pulp etcetera.

Cocktail Picks

Picks are used to pierce garnishes such as cherries and olives. They come in various forms. Functionally, they all serve same purpose.

Bar Spoon

This is simple long handle stainless steel spoon. The handle looks like twisted metal with a plastic knob or a small flat metal disc at the end of the handle. The spoon is used to extract garnishes from the jars. The plastic knob/disc is used as a muddler. 

Corkscrew, Bottle Stoppers

If you decide to carry good quality wines, you will need a corkscrew and Bottle Stoppers to save un-used wines.

Juicer

Sometimes you do need to make some fresh juice. I use stainless steel "Potato Ricer/Fruit press" for this purpose.

Jigger

A jigger looks like a small stainless steel hour glass. It is used to measure the alcohol needed for the cocktail. The larger cup measures 1-1/2 ounces, the smaller side measures 1 ounce.

Pourer

If you wish when you open a liquor bottle, put in a pourer to pour liquor from the bottle. At the end of the party, take the pourers out and replace them with original caps. Wash and store the pourers away. There are two reasons why you don't want to leave the pourers on. First, the gnat will fly and get inside the bottles. Secondly, the alcohol and flavor will be dissipated. I do not use pourers even at my bar.

Napkins and Coasters

The use of these items is obvious and I will not insult the User's intelligence in describing them.

Straws

You will need regular Straws for frozen drinks like daiquiris and soft drinks. You will need "Sip sticks" for cocktails. Sip sticks are about 5" long and and a thinner diameter normal straws. The regular straws are about 7-1/2" to 8" long.