If you’ve been following my blog from the start, you know the home bar is our favorite room in the house.
John and I meet there every Friday for happy hour. It came in handy when the quarantine hit. We didn’t miss our local hangout because… well… our local hangout was under our roof.
But like any evolving room in the house, the home bar is a work in progress. It needs to be nurtured. Maintained.
The home bar is to be enjoyed, but with that enjoyment comes the chore of taking inventory. Trying new liquors while keeping old favorites on hand.
Here are steps for building a home bar that has something for everyone:
The basics – Always keep vodka and tequila on hand. A margarita is always a hit. Bloody Marys are popular at brunches. At parties, someone will always suggest a shot of tequila. The real drinker will request vodka on ice.
Beef if up – Bourbon (aka John’s favorite) is the base for a good Manhattan or Old Fashioned. You could say bourbon is an acquired taste, and you would be right. The first sip will hurt. But after the ice melts a bit, the bourbon rounds out to a sweet, smooth finish.
Mix it up – Juices, sodas, bitters and liqueurs can elevate a ‘meh’ drink to an awesome drink. This is the fun part of stocking a bar but the choices can be overwhelming. Play if safe with orange and cranberry juices, lemon-lime soda, dry and sweet vermouth, and orange bitters and liqueurs.
Beer and wine – No bar is complete without these staples. And here’s where you can run the gamut because beer and wine are relatively inexpensive. For beer, keep lagers and ambers on hand. For wine, pick a white and a red. For trendy drinkers, select an IPA beer and a Rose wine. For special occasions, keep a few bottles of sparkling wine on hand.
Garnishes – Lemons, limes and oranges are the obvious choices. If you have room in your budget and in your refrigerator, a jar of cherries, stuffed olives and cocktail onions add a special touch and flavor.
Glassware – Beer mugs and wine and rocks glasses are so affordable, there is no reason not to have them. You might ask what the big deal is, but having the right glass for your drink is as important as the measurement of tequila in that margarita.
Accessories – A corkscrew and a bottle opener go without saying. A potato peeler can be used for citrus rind. But if you’re ready to be a true mixologist, a tool set will give you a double jigger, a muddler, a strainer, a stirrer and a shaker. Just the words alone sound fun. Don’t forget to pick out a cocktail recipe book. Now you have all of the essentials for a true home bar.
Designing Goldilocks 