People baffled by metal tool that came with corkscrew and bottle opener but it has a simple explanation

Daily Mail​

12-05-2025

An internet user was baffled when they found a random metal tool in their cocktail set that came with a bottle opener, corkscrew, and ice cube thongs.
The tool pictured was a long and skinny metal rod with a diamond shape on one end and an open circle on the other.
'What is this metal tool? It's light, made of metal, and found in a set containing a bottle opener corkscrew and ice cube tongs,' the user asked in a Reddit thread.
Many Redditors quickly flocked to the comment section to sound off on what they believed the object was.
Some speculated that the stick could be used to hook olives or cherries out of a jar, while others argued it was used to mix drinks.
'This is it. Olives and cherries from the jar,' one commenter wrote.
'A cocktail stirrer is longer and has a twisted handle to pour spirits down without disturbing whatever effect you're going for.'
'Agreed. I owned a cocktail bar for 10 years. It's not a stirring spoon. It's for olives and cherries,' another agreed.
However, a third commenter argued that some were overthinking it, writing, 'There's tongs in the set, it's just a swizzle stick and you guys are overthinking it. How would this tool be useful in any way for getting an olive or cherry out of a jar?'
Another simply noted, 'It's a stirrer. You have a cocktail set.'
'I believe the proper term is - Swizzle stick. It's for stirring drinks,' a fourth agreed.
The Redditors were correct in guessing that the mystery object was a Swizzle stick - an old fashioned tool used to properly mix drinks.
Swizzle sticks are often long metal or stainless steel rods with a circular center on one end and curved end on the other.
The metal rods may seem like a useless extra addition to a kitchen, but they are often seen as bar staples.
The sticks were featured in Mad Men when Jon Hamm's character, Don Draper, used them to stir his signature old-fashioned.
Swizzle sticks are said to have originated in the West Indies, where they were used to stir a rum-basked drink called the Swizzle.
The Swizzle stick often has a circular center with either a curved or pointed end
The Swizzle stick is believed to have originated in the West Indies to mix a drink called the Swizzle that included rum, sugar and ice
The drink included rum, sugar and ice, and the sticks were made out of trees native to the Caribbean.
They were eventually introduced to the US and Europe and were used to reduce the carbonation in champagne.
Now, the sticks are commonplace in bars and are staples in cocktail sets or bartender kits.
Custom Swizzle sticks with hearts, bees, and crowns can be purchased on Joanna Buchanan's website for $98. There are also several more affordable options on Amazon for under $10.