How to make...
Your very own Caribbean Swizzle Stick
Cocktails are either shaken, swizzled or stirred. All three methods chill and dilute your drink, and although both shaking and swizzling aerate the liquid (changing the mouth-feel), swizzling is a less aggressive version that allows you to build the drink in the glass.
So, why swizzle? Not only does it add a unique element of theatre to the mix, it creates a great froth to the head of your drink, plus the frosting you get on the side of your glass is next level. It’s hardcore, old-school bartending and it straight-up rocks because of it!
And the technique is even easier than stirring with a bar spoon – simply hold the stick between both your palms and rub them together as if you were a caveman starting a fire, working it up the glass and back down again until a frosting appears on the outside.
There’s a little more to it than that, but the issue lies not in the method, but in getting your mitts on an authentic ‘le bois lele’ straight outta Martinique, without a) going to the Caribbean, or b) paying an arm and a leg for one.
This is where our DIY guide comes in. You only need a few tools to make a wooden swizzle stick at home – and of course access to some trees with the right shape branches.
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Supplies needed
- A hacksaw or garden prunes
- A whittling knife or pen knife
- Tape (gaffa or masking tape will do)
- A bar spoon (or any other straight metal object)
- Sandpaper – a couple of different grades if possible, going from rough to light
- A branch!
Let's get started!
Step 1: Find the right tree
Our recommendation is to use a coniferous tree such as pine, spruce or hemlock, as they’re quite common in many locales around the world and have the right kind of ‘spoke’ like branches that are similar to those of a genuine Quararibea Turbinata (swizzle stick) tree.
WARNING: Whatever you do, make sure that the tree you choose is non-poisonous! There are many species out there – such as the Yew – that have leaves, fronds or bark that are toxic to both humans and pets, so please, please make sure you have put in the research necessary to establish whether you can safely use it. Here’s a good article to start you off in identifying the differences between conifers.
Once you’ve found the right tree for the project, you’re looking for a branch that has between 3-5 smaller ‘spokes’ protruding from it. Ideally the main branch should be a bit thicker than a pencil and as straight as possible. Though if it fits the other criteria and it’s a bit bent, don’t worry, we have a solution to this. 
Sometimes the branch you’re looking for could be the top part of the tree, or it could be a branch coming out sideways from the main trunk. You’ll want to get a couple of them so that you have a few size options (or a backup if it goes wrong).
The great thing about making your own swizzle stick is that you get to choose one that’s a perfect fit for the container you’re going to be using it in and you can make sure it’s tough enough to take a good swizzling!
Step 2: Cutting the branch
Use a hacksaw or garden prunes to cut the branch from the tree. When you cut it, make sure to give yourself a bit extra to work with. Ultimately you want to keep enough length so that you can ‘swizzle’ it between your hands above a tall glass or cocktail shaker.
When you get your branch home, use your garden prunes or hacksaw to cut it to the length you want your final stick to be and then cut each individual ‘spoke’ down to size as well. Start with 1-2 cm length for each of these smaller spokes, but don’t worry about getting them perfect as we’ll trim them to size at the end. Then strip off any fronds or needles that are still attached to the main length.
We found a branch that had one end that was just perfect, with a section a bit further down that made for a more robust, chunkier option as well. The thinner one’s good for a tall glass whilst the other can be used in a large cocktail shaker or swizzle cup.
You’ll see that the ‘spokes’ on the ends of ours point in two different directions – on the thinner one they’re splayed back whilst on the thicker one they point forwards. This is fine – authentic swizzle stick trees have spokes that come out almost perpendicular to the branch, but remember we’re only approximating this, any angle is going to get the swizzling job done.
Step 3: Removing the bark
It’s easier to remove the bark on the day you cut the branch, but leaving it a couple of days is fine. The best thing to use is a whittling knife or pen knife, cutting in just beneath the surface of the bark and stripping it off in long clean strokes away from you.
Once the main shaft has been cleared, start in on the spokes, just be careful you don’t cut them off or thin them down too far in the process.
If you don’t have a decent knife, a rasp or file will suffice, it’ll just require a little more elbow grease.
Step 4: Straightening the stick
Hopefully you found a nice straight piece of branch, but if you didn’t and it’s a bit curvy, simply take a bar spoon (or any other straight metallic object, such as a pair of BBQ tongs) and tape it tightly at both ends to your branch.
Now leave it for a couple of weeks to straighten. During this period the wood will dry out and start to cure. It’s this process that allows the wood to be reshaped in the early stages.
In the pic above you’ll notice that the bark is still on the wood. That’s how we know it’s easier to remove it on the day you cut your branch than leave it for two weeks to dry out (!) 😫
Step 5: Sanding and trimming
Start with your coarse grit paper, removing the bulk of the rough spots and any raised areas that cause snags when you run your hands over the stick. Then move to the fine grit paper, taking it down to a nice smooth finish.
Now’s the time for your final size check. Hold the stick ‘spoke’ end down over your glass, swizzle cup or cocktail shaker (whatever you’re most likely to be using your new swizzle stick in) and measure how far over the edge of the glass the spokes hang.
Using your hacksaw or garden prunes, cut or clip these smaller branches back so that the head of your swizzle stick now fits comfortably inside your glass.
Give the newly cut ends a final sand to take off any burrs, then run the whole thing under the tap to clean off any dust. And that’s it, you’re done – it’s time to get started on your first Swizzle cocktail! 
We put a whole lotta love, lime and rum into our work, so if you think your friends would find this article useful, we’d be thrilled if you could share it with them!
Thank you. Mahalo.
