Metal Bottle Opener

A metal bottle opener from Esplanda, listed under barware accessories and merchandise. It does one job, lifting the crimped cap off a glass bottle, and a metal body suits that job. Metal doesn't flex under the leverage a tight crown cap needs, which is where plastic and thin novelty openers tend to give out. The listing doesn't state dimensions, finish or weight, so check the product photos for the shape and size before you buy. Most of its use is at the bar cart or kitchen drawer. Beers sealed with crown caps are the obvious match, and so are craft sodas, ginger beer, tonic and cola bottles. Those last ones come up often in home bartending, since a Moscow Mule, a Dark and Stormy or a gin and tonic all start with a capped mixer. Hook the lip under the cap's edge and lever upward in one steady motion. That lifts the cap without denting the glass rim, which matters if you're pouring into a glass and don't want chips in the drink. An opener like this has no tasting notes of its own, but it does change how you serve. Opening a bottle just before pouring keeps carbonation lively, and a sturdy opener makes that quick. If you give barware as a gift, an opener fits well in a set with a jigger, a bar spoon and a pair of glasses.