Having a home bar does not have to be expensive. In fact, it can be put together with even the smallest budget. With any home bar, you need a few go-to items or staples such as pumpkin spice syrup. Without them, your home bar will not quite be complete. Variety is the spice of life as they say, so you want to make sure that you offer plenty of choices for your guests. Not everyone is the same, and not everyone will have the same palettes.
First off, you need somewhere to put all your bar items. This is where you can get kind of creative. You could find a unique cart from a thrift store or buy an inexpensive one from a nearby store. If you get one with wheels, you could even roll it away into a closet or another room when you are not using it. Or, if you want it to be more stationary, you could use an old reclaimed table, desk, armoire, or pretty much anything that has a surface.
You can create a whole corner that is dedicated solely to your home bar. Add some fun prints on the wall, a vase with flowers, or anything else that may be a conversation-starter. Have fun with it and get colorful. Arrange bottles so that they are visually stimulating. Keep larger bottles near the back with smaller containers and trays up in front. Keep spirits in pretty decanters but make sure that they are tightly sealed to preserve the favor. Don’t forget to label them as well. There are plenty of labels that are designed specifically for labeling your alcohol and will really jazz up your bottles. Don’t overcrowd your bar table. Be sure to leave some space around the items so that it does not look cluttered and so it is easier to find things.
Once you have the basics of your bar set up, you need to stock it with some good alcohol. Most people will stock their bar with their favorites, but you should include a couple of other classics for entertaining guests as well. You want to store your liquor in a cool place that is not in any direct sunlight. If you have bottles that are half full, you will want to use them up fairly quickly because there will be more air in the bottle to leach the flavors out of your good alcohols. There is an exception, and that is with Vermouth which is technically a wine. It needs to be refrigerated and enjoyed quite quickly.
Do not forget the glasses. You should have about six to eight of the three basic glasses which include a tall glass, short glass, and a stem. If you will be serving wine, you will need eight to 12 stemmed glasses in the shape appropriate to what you will be serving.
You will want to have brightly colored liquors and expensive vodka. You should also have a few mixers, syrups, and base spirits. You should also study up on your cocktail basics and once you feel confident enough you can even begin to create some of your own. You could even tell your friends that you have a special concoction that they will only get to try t your personal bar.
You will want to have Cognac, White Rum, Gin, Bourbon, Vodka, and Tequila. You can use Cognac to make sidecars, smashes, and brandy milk punches. You will need White Rum for mojitos and daiquiris. Gin will be a staple for making martinis, gin, and tonics, and Bourbon is the main ingredient for whiskey sours, old fashioneds, and Manhattans. Vodka is used for all kinds of drinks including screwdrivers and the vodka martini, and if you like margaritas, you will need tequila.
Do not forget the ice. You will need about a pound for every guest and plan for three drinks per guests as well. You will also need three napkins and glasses for each guest as well. This is based on a party that is two hours long. Don’t forget to set the mood with some music and be sure to specify what kind of attire you expect your guests to show up in on your invites.
