From the editors of MyGourmetConnection: Easy cocktail recipes, cooking with spirits, wine information and tasting notes, food pairing suggestions and reviews.

When it comes to mixing cocktails and serving wine or beer, the right tools and glasses can make a big difference.

Before you start shaking, stirring and serving your favorite drinks, check out this brief overview of all the essential barware you'll need.

The Basic Tools

• Wine opener - ideally one with a corkscrew, bottle opener and a sharp blade
• Stainless steel cocktail shaker
• Hawthorn strainer - spoon-shaped stainless steel utensil with a spring coil

• Ice bucket and tongs
• Jigger - usually a 2 oz measuring glass
• Pourer - easiest way to pour exact amounts
• Muddler - small wooden pestle to crush fruits and herbs

As you get more comfortable mixing drinks at home, you'll probably also want a dedicated blender, as well as coasters, stirrers, a cutting board and knife, and a bar spoon.

Essential Glassware

If you're limited on space, start out simply with red and white wine glasses. A red wine glass has a wider, balloon-shaped bowl, while a white wine glass has a narrower bowl.

Next, you''ll want to stock some appropriate glassware for serving beer. The two basics are beer mugs and pilsners. Beer mugs have a handle, and pilsners are tall, narrow glasses.

For a more complete collection of glassware, you might also want:

• Shot glasses
• Rocks glasses - also known as old-fashioned glasses
• Highball and collins glasses - both are very versatile
• Cordial glasses - ideal for serving drinks straight up
• Brandy or cognac snifters - short-stemmed glasses with wide bowls
• Champagne flutes
• Cocktail glasses - commonly known as martini glasses
• Margarita glasses - very wide, shallow bowls

This is certainly not an extensive list of items you'll want to stock your home bar but merely a starting point.

Written by Erika Pitera