Bottle racks

The first question is whether you have room on the counter or only on the wall. A rotating stand for six bottles sits on the bar or on a work island and turns with one hand, bringing every label within reach without having to bend down. A carousel like this works best when you pour from one fixed spot rather than walking up and down the bar.

If you work along a length of counter, a wall rack makes more sense. The four- and six-bottle versions hang the bottles upside down, so the spirit is always right at the pourer and you never lose half a second turning it over. When measuring up, allow a good ten centimetres between bottles so your hand fits alongside. The round wall bracket is meant for short, wide bottles that sag in a straight rack. Hang the jigger next to it on the matching aluminium bracket and it will never end up buried under a cloth.

Put the bottles you reach for most at eye level and directly in front of your working spot: gin, vodka, white rum and the house vermouth. Anything you need once an evening can move to the outside or to the bottom row. Within that, sort by category rather than by brand, so an order sends your hand straight to the right corner.

Turn the labels to the front, including on bottles that hang upside down. Guests read along and choose what they see more often than you would think. At the start of service, check that every pourer runs freely and that nothing is stuck to it; a clogged spout costs you time at exactly the busiest moment.

Stainless steel and anodised aluminium do not rust and cope with the daily mix of moisture, sugar and alcohol that is normal behind a bar. Wipe the racks down weekly with warm water and a neutral cleaner, because dried syrup turns sticky and attracts dust in spots you never see.

With wall mounting, the fixings matter more than the rack itself. Six full bottles quickly add up to twelve kilos, so screw into masonry with proper plugs rather than into plasterboard alone. Check the fixings once a season, certainly on a rack where bottles hang upside down and the load sits on one side.

What you reach for most often sits closer still, in a speed rail along the edge of the bar. The jiggers go with the aluminium bracket in this range, and for shaking and stirring there are cocktail shakers and bar spoons. Not sure yet what should go in the bottles? Have a look at the cocktails for the classics or at the bar tools for the rest of the kit.