If you love making cocktails at home, you know how important it is to have the right tools and ingredients. A well-stocked home bar can elevate your drinks from ordinary to extraordinary, and impress your guests with your mixology skills. But what are the essential items you need to create a home bar that rivals any professional establishment? Here are some tips and suggestions to help you build your own home bar.
## Liquors
The first thing you need for your home bar is a selection of liquors. These are the base spirits that form the foundation of most cocktails. You don’t need to buy every bottle in the liquor store, but you should have at least one of each of the following:
– **Vodka**: This is the most versatile and popular liquor, used in countless cocktails from martinis to Moscow mules. You can opt for a budget-friendly bottle for mixing, and a premium one for sipping or shaking. You can also experiment with flavored vodkas, such as citrus or vanilla, to add some variety to your drinks.
– **Gin**: This is a juniper-flavored spirit that adds a distinctive herbal note to cocktails. It is essential for classics like gin and tonic, martini, and negroni. There are many styles and brands of gin, each with its own botanical profile. You can start with a London dry gin, which is the most common and versatile, and then explore other options like Old Tom, Plymouth, or Hendrick’s.
– **Tequila**: This is a Mexican spirit made from blue agave, and it is the star of margaritas, palomas, and tequila sunrises. You should have at least one bottle of blanco (or silver) tequila, which is clear and unaged, and has a clean and crisp flavor. You can also add a reposado tequila, which is aged in oak barrels for up to a year, and has a smoother and richer taste.
– **Rum**: This is a sugarcane-based spirit that comes in various colors and flavors. It is essential for tropical drinks like daiquiris, mojitos, and piña coladas. You should have at least one bottle of light rum, which is clear and mild, and suitable for most cocktails. You can also add a dark rum, which is aged in charred barrels and has a deeper and sweeter flavor, or a spiced rum, which is infused with spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla.
– **Whiskey**: This is a grain-based spirit that is aged in wooden barrels and has a complex and smoky flavor. It is essential for classics like old fashioned, Manhattan, and whiskey sour. There are many types and regions of whiskey, such as bourbon, rye, Scotch, Irish, or Japanese. You can start with one or two of your favorites, and then expand your collection as you discover new ones.
– **Brandy**: This is a fruit-based spirit that is distilled from wine or other fermented juices. It is essential for cocktails like sidecar, brandy alexander, and French 75. The most common type of brandy is cognac, which is made from grapes in the Cognac region of France. You can also try other types of brandy, such as apple brandy (or calvados), pear brandy (or poire), or apricot brandy.
## Mixers
The next thing you need for your home bar is a selection of mixers. These are the non-alcoholic ingredients that add flavor, sweetness, sourness, or fizz to your cocktails. You don’t need to buy every bottle in the grocery store, but you should have at least one of each of the following:
– **Vermouth**: This is a fortified wine that is infused with herbs and spices. It comes in two main varieties: dry vermouth (which is white and bitter) and sweet vermouth (which is red and sweet). Vermouth is essential for cocktails like martini (dry), Manhattan (sweet), or negroni (sweet). You should store vermouth in the refrigerator after opening it to keep it fresh.
– **Orange liqueur**: This is a sweet and citrusy liqueur that adds a burst of flavor to cocktails. There are many brands and styles of orange liqueur, such as Cointreau (or triple sec), Grand Marnier (or curaçao), or Aperol (or Campari). Orange liqueur is essential for cocktails like margarita (Cointreau), cosmopolitan (Cointreau), or spritz (Aperol).
– **Bitters**: These are highly concentrated extracts of herbs, spices, fruits, or flowers that add depth and complexity to cocktails. They come in small bottles with droppers or dashers, and are used sparingly. The most common type of bitters is Angostura bitters (which are dark and aromatic), but there are many other types of bitters, such as orange bitters, chocolate bitters, or lavender bitters. Bitters are essential for cocktails like old fashioned (Angostura), martini (orange), or chocolate martini (chocolate).
– **Juices**: These are fresh or bottled juices that add freshness and acidity to cocktails. The most common types of juices are lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, cranberry juice, or tomato juice. Juices are essential for cocktails like daiquiri (lime), mojito (lime), tequila sunrise (orange), or bloody mary (tomato). You should always use fresh juices whenever possible, as they have a better flavor and quality than bottled ones.
– **Syrups**: These are sweetened liquids that add sweetness and flavor to cocktails. The most common type of syrup is simple syrup (which is sugar dissolved in water), but there are many other types of syrups, such as grenadine (which is pomegranate flavored), orgeat (which is almond flavored), or ginger syrup (which is ginger flavored). Syrups are essential for cocktails like daiquiri (simple), mai tai (orgeat), or Moscow mule (ginger).
– **Sodas**: These are carbonated drinks that add fizz and dilution to cocktails. The most common types of sodas are club soda (which is plain and sparkling), tonic water (which is bitter and quinine flavored), ginger ale (which is sweet and ginger flavored), or cola (which is sweet and caramel flavored). Sodas are essential for cocktails like gin and tonic (tonic), whiskey highball (ginger ale), or rum and coke (cola).
## Tools
The last thing you need for your home bar is a selection of tools. These are the utensils and accessories that help you measure, mix, shake, stir, strain, pour, and serve your cocktails. You don’t need to buy every gadget in the market, but you should have at least one of each of the following:
– **Jigger**: This is a metal measuring device that has two cones of different sizes joined at the base. It helps you measure the exact amount of liquor or mixer for your cocktail. The standard jigger has a 1.5 oz cone and a 0.75 oz cone, but there are also other sizes available.
– **Shaker**: This is a metal container that has a lid and a strainer. It helps you mix your cocktail ingredients by shaking them with ice. There are two main types of shakers: the Boston shaker (which consists of a large metal tin and a smaller glass) and the cobbler shaker (which consists of a metal tin with a built-in strainer and a cap). You can use either type, depending on your preference.
– **Strainer**: This is a metal device that has a spring and a handle. It helps you strain your cocktail from the shaker into the glass, leaving behind the ice and any solid bits. There are two main types of strainers: the Hawthorne strainer (which fits over the rim of the shaker) and the julep strainer (which fits inside the glass).
– **Bar spoon**: This is a long metal spoon that has a twisted handle and a small bowl. It helps you stir your cocktail ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. It also helps you layer different ingredients in a glass by pouring them slowly over the back of the spoon.
– **Muddler**: This is a wooden or metal device that has a flat or textured end. It helps you crush fresh herbs, fruits, or spices in the bottom of the glass to release their flavors and oils. It is essential for cocktails like mojito, old fashioned, or caipirinha.
– **Peeler**: This is a small metal device that has a sharp blade and a handle. It helps you peel off thin strips of citrus zest from lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruits. These zests add aroma and flavor to your cocktails, and can also be used as garnishes.
– **Juicer**: This is a metal or plastic device that has a cone-shaped head and a handle. It helps you squeeze fresh juice from lemons, limes, oranges, or grapefruits. You can use either a hand-held juicer or an electric juicer, depending on your preference.
– **Knife**: This is a sharp metal device that has a blade and a handle. It helps you cut fresh fruits, herbs, or garnishes for your cocktails. You can use any kitchen knife that is comfortable and safe to use.
– **Cutting board**: This is a flat surface that protects your countertop from scratches and stains when you cut fruits, herbs, or garnishes for your cocktails. You can use any cutting board that is clean and sturdy. – **Ice bucket**: This is a metal or plastic container that holds ice
