How to correctly organize your home bar?

Drinking alcohol was a pleasurable time-spending throughout all human history and it has even became a part of our culture. Now it presents a rich variety of possible flavors and drinks combination, a magnificent world of cocktails and mixology. It takes part in almost all life’s spheres, we even talk about world-ending ‘must-have’ aperitifs.

But should it be only a part of the bars and restaurants, can’t we bring this magic to our own homes?
Of course, we can, but it will need a little bit of preparation. So, what should you know before creating your own cocktail paradise? Let’s find out.

What do you need for a home bar?

The basic tools needed for a bar are a shaker, a mixing glass, a bar spoon, a sieve, measuring utensils (jiggers), and a slow citrus juicer. At home, and especially for the first time, it is possible to use what is already in your kitchen instead of most of these instruments. Instead of a jigger, are suitable 30- and 50-ml stacks or culinary measuring spoons; instead of a bar spoon, you can use a coffee spoon or generally get by with any improvised means suitable for mixing liquid with ice. You can squeeze the juice from lemons and limes (if you want) with your hands or a fork. The only thing you definitely have to buy is a shaker. For the home, a metal cobbler is best suited: firstly, it will not break and secondly, a sieve is already built into it.

Will you definitely need ‘triangular’ glasses?

In bars, dozens of types of glasses are used, sometimes quite bizarre, but for the house, you need no more than two or three: a tall glass (highball jeon, for cocktails with a small number of ingredients), a glass with low sides and heavy bottom (aka ‘old fashion’, for the self-tilted cocktail and everything that is given with ice) and a glass for cocktails without ice. It can be the same triangular martini glass or a glass of any other shape, the main thing is the leg. Because when you hold the glass, you do not heat the content with the warmth of your hand.

If glasses are a more or less standard thing, just open the sideboard: surely something can be adapted for cocktails; if there are only low glasses, so it is even better, it can be quite enough. Then suitable shot glasses most likely should be bought. The special cocktail dish is not so popular, but wine glasses can be used for fizz cocktails where you’re topping up with Champagne or sparkling wine. Remember that a martini glass is not the most convenient drinkware: they are often too large, and unstable, and the contents are easy to spill. It is best to find a small amount of a glass of 120-150 milliliters, the shape of which you like.

How many bottles should a bar have to get off to a good start?

There are several points of view on how best to organize purchases for a home bar. Everyone understands that you can’t just take and buy two or three dozen bottles of alcohol. Firstly, it is insanely expensive. Secondly, it makes no sense: if you don’t know what each bottle is for, they will all stand idle for years, gathering dust and remind you of your shortsightedness.

The easiest and most economical way is to start a bar with a single bottle. This method is suitable if you already have a favorite cocktail or if you prefer a certain type of alcohol. From one bottle of gin, scotch, bourbon, cognac, or rum and a minimum amount of additional ingredients, you can make quite a lot of different cocktails. This way you don’t go broke, you can try different recipes at a comfortable pace, gradually buy the right ingredients and buy a second bottle of alcohol when you are ready to move on.

If you think that one bottle is too boring, there are plenty of options to complete a full-fledged home bar without going broke. One of the most famous recipes is the 12 Bottle Bar, compiled by American David Solmonson. It includes the main types of strong alcohol, liqueurs, and vermouths, as well as bitters – bitter alcohol-containing tinctures that are part of many classic cocktails.

If you decide to stay somewhere in the middle, then in terms of the variety of recipes, it is best to start with a bottle of gin and bourbon, sweet red and extra dry vermouth, orange liqueur (triple sec), bottle of sparkling wine and aromatic bitters.

What do you need besides alcohol?

Ice. Lots of ice. It is used to cool and dilute cocktails (despite the fact that the recipes do not specify this, water is one of the main ingredients in them). Ice is most conveniently bought in advance in silicone molds. For freezing, it is better to use bottled drinking water (tap water is also possible, but this may affect the taste of ice and therefore, a cocktail).

You will also need citrus fruits – primarily lemons and limes. Their juice is needed to make sours, gimlets, daiquiris, margaritas and other classic cocktails, while the peel and slices are used to decorate drinks. Juice should only be fresh, ideally squeezed just before preparing each drink.

The last major ingredient is sugar syrup. It is easy to prepare at home (dissolve granulated sugar in heated water in a ratio of 1:1) and can be stored in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Also, think about the special furnishings like bar sets, stylish sideboard or maybe acme furniture dining table sets. It adds atmosphere to the process and can enhance your experience.

Actually, you don’t need any other ingredients to get started – you can make a cocktail with almost any kind of alcohol from juice, sugar syrup, and ice.

What are the secrets to making cocktails always good?

• Use fresh ingredients.
• Don’t skimp on juices and other inexpensive cocktail ingredients.
• If you see a ‘sour mix’ in a recipe, look for another recipe (which indicates how much syrup is needed and how much citrus juice).
• Never reuse ice.
• Chill dishes in the freezer if possible.
• Watch the proportions and always measure the ingredients – do not squeeze the lemon into the shaker ‘by eye’.
• Learn from the masters – there are tons of videos on YouTube of famous bartenders and mixed drink enthusiasts making cocktails and demonstrating various tricks (it’s best to start with the videos of Robert Hess and the Good Cocktails for Home channel).
• Don’t be afraid to compare different recipes for the same cocktail and after trying them, change the proportions to taste – no matter what people on YouTube tell you, it’s up to you and your friends to drink what you made.