Any functioning alcoholic needs a bar at home. If post-work cocktails are getting a little tight on the budget, why not try making them at home? Whether you’re entertaining friends, or just feel like treating yourself to a fancy beverage, these are the top things you need to get the (drunken) ball rolling.
Alcohol, obviously.
As a starting point, be stocked with vodka, tequila, rum, gin, and whisky. These will serve as the base for any good cocktail. Popular liquors for cocktail-making include Malibu, Midori, Vermouth, Cointreau, and Kahlua. Don’t forget basic beer and wines, too! The initial investment will pay off in the long run, we promise.
Fancy glassware
Whilst not entirely necessary, strongly recommended. There are so many varieties, but we recommend schooners, highball glasses, rocks glasses, and martini glasses for beginners. (For the more adventurous, coup glasses look amazing on Instagram).
Mixing Equipment
Shaken or stirred, no one really knows the difference- they just know they want it. Pick up a cocktail shaker, strainers, a stirring spoon, muddler, bottle opener, ounce glass, and steal the blender from the kitchen (it’ll be much happier here).
Mixers
Common mixed-drink pairings include soda water, tonic water, soft drink, grenadine, and all kinds of fruit juice. Don’t forget to stock up on limes other fresh fruit for when you know your guests are on their way!
An ice game-plan
Ice is essential to any bar, even alcoholics will turn their nose up to a luke-warm drink. Whilst ice-machines are probably best left to the professionals, an option is to by a mini-cooler which should keep you from having to run to the kitchen every time you need ice. Alternatively,
It’s all about the flair
Here’s the fun part. If you want to take your bar from drab to fab, all you’re going to need is a little bit of imagination (and money… again. Sorry). Garnishes can take even the most boring cocktail to social-media-post potential. We love fruit on cocktail skewers, mint, lime wedges, and fancy straws.
All there’s left to do now is drink. That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
-Monika
Proud glutton, beer snob, sustainability enthusiast and collector of silly socks. Aspiring ‘cool aunt’ who collects eccentric artifacts from her world travels.
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