Bar Tool
Citrus Juicer
Also known as: Mexican elbow juicer, citrus press, lime squeezer
A manual or electric tool designed to extract juice from citrus fruits like lemons, limes, oranges, and grapefruits for use in cocktails.
Fresh citrus juice is essential for quality cocktails - bottled juice lacks the brightness and complexity of freshly squeezed. Hand-held Mexican elbow juicers are popular in bars for their efficiency with limes and lemons. Larger lever-style juicers work well for high-volume operations. Fresh juice should be used within 4-8 hours for optimal flavor, as it begins to oxidize and lose brightness quickly.
💡 Pro Tips
- Roll citrus on the counter before cutting to release more juice
- Cut citrus through the equator, not pole to pole
- Juice citrus the same day you plan to use it
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using bottled lime or lemon juice
- Juicing too far in advance
- Including seeds in the juice
