Top Gifts for the Amateur Bartender

Many people love a good cocktail. Whether it is after work, at a party, or just for no good reason, the art of making a good drink is one that many people take very seriously. When holiday shopping, good gifts for the amateur bartender are easy to find.

Every bartender needs a good cocktail shaker. However, even if the bartender you're shopping or already has one, remember that it's always nice to have an extra one around. My suggestion is to find a cocktail shaker that is unique or unusual to also serve as a conversation piece in the bartender's home bar. Amazon.com features many interesting ones. There are shakers shaped like bowling pins, penguins, fire hydrants, and any other shape imaginable. If you don't want something so novelty, opt for a shaker that is made of textured glass or colored glass. A cocktail shaker is a relatively inexpensive gift, too. Shakers can run from about $8 - $40 depending on the model and design.

Coasters are also a nice thing to get your bartender. Surely, everyone needs something to set their drinks on, right? Coasters, like cocktail shakers, also don't have to be run of the mill. Global Décor makes really neat glass photo frame coasters for about $10 for a set of four. You can personalize these coasters by simply filling them with your favorite photos. The coaster set also comes with a stand to hold coasters when they are not in use that is available in either wood or chrome. Coasters can also be found in a variety of other designs. Sports teams, places, colleges, and other things are all popular coaster designs that may fit your bartender's interest.

If your bartender is a fan of mixed and frozen drinks, they will definitely need a good blender behind the bar. Bar blenders can take a lot of abuse with all the ice it's required to crush, so quality is key. A few companies make blender this durable, most are professional grade. Waring's Professional Quality Food and Beverage Blender, which retails for around $100 is a great choice. It is your classic bar blender with a stainless steel base and a large glass jar. The 390-watt motor is great for crushing all the ice that most of the blender drinks require. If price is no option and frozen drinks are your bartender's specialty, the Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker is the product of choice. While the $300 price tag is steep, this machine is designed to chop and crush ice with an incredibly even consistency, like you would get in a restaurant. Then, the machine mixes the perfect amount of ingredients with the perfect amount of ice for a perfect drink. It's especially helpful if the bartender on your gift list hosts a lot of parties.

For the bartender on the go, a nice flask is an excellent gift, enabling them to take their favorite drinks anywhere. Flasks come in a variety of styles, much like cocktail shakers. On www.amazon.com, there are flasks of all colors and sizes. Some are wrapped in leather shells, others in the traditional stainless steel. Make sure that the flask you purchase is large enough to hold a drink or so, but not too large that it is inconvenient to carry. For that extra touch of class, engrave the recipient's initials on the flask. If you look hard, some novelty-type flasks can be found. A porthole-shaped flask can be found on Amazon for $32, perfect for a Navy man or anyone into boating. The site also features pink flasks for the ladies and golfer flasks that hold your tees as well as your liquor of choice.