Thinking of setting up a bar at home? Great idea! A bar at home will be a great opportunity to entertain guests and socialize. But in case you are wondering, a bar at home doesn’t have to be a headache, if you follow some simple rules and stock up on important liqueurs and follow the rest of the guidelines to the T.
Storing Liquor
Always keep the in a cool and dry place away from sunlight. For proper display, get a bar cabinet to showcase your liquor collection and to keep them safely.
For the Bar Specially
You will need equipment to stir or mix a cocktail. Like what? Here’s the list:
- Ice bag
- Bar spoon
- Muddler
- Jigger
- Cocktail shaker
- Strainer
- Ice cube trays
What About the Glassware?
Besides the liquor, you will need proper glassware to serve your drinks. For daily use, you will need three basic types of glasses: a short glass, a tall glass, and a stem. Get around 6-8 of each and you should be okay. If you are going to serve wine, purchase 8-12 basic stemmed wineglasses, either a single shape that is suitable for both red and white or isolated sets of glasses for each.
Here Comes the Alcohol
To entertain guests and to make great drinks, you don’t need to buy many brands of costly vodka or stock up your bar of 20 different kinds of bottles. All you need is half dozen basic spirits along with a few mixers which will give you the flexibility to create some super cool drinks.
The Liquors You Need
White Rum
Why: For daiquiris and mojitos.
Cognac
Why: For sidecars, brandy milk punches, crustas, daisies, and smashes.
Gin
Why: For martinis, gin and tonics, Tom Collinses, etc.
Bourbon
Why: For Manhattans, old fashioneds, and whiskey sours.
Vodka
Why: For basic drinks such as vodka tonics, screwdrivers, and the vodka martini.
The Mixers You Need
Red Vermouth
Why: For Manhattans.
Bitters
Why: To help other flavors blend.
Cointreau
Why: A bar essential — clean, full of natural orange flavor, and not too sweet.
White Vermouth
Why: Vital for truly inspiring martinis.
Must Have a The Nonalcoholic Bar
There should always be options for those who don’t drink. But that doesn’t mean you serve them cola or juice also. Thankfully, there are many options for delicious nonalcoholic drinks to fill up and entire bar.
Example: Combine fresh-squeezed orange or grapefruit juice with a wade of seltzer to make a light cocktail. Also try sweetened, diluted lime and lemon juice served over crushed ice, or whip fresh or frozen berries in a blender with ice and a dash of lime.
