Remember those 1-800-BARTEND radio advertisements? You don’t have to go to bartender’s school to learn everything you need to know about stocking your home bar and crafting delicious drinks. Master the bartender basics below and check out our favorite recipes.
Stocking Your Home Bar
First, you will need the right ingredients. Precisely what you will need depends on the types of drinks you enjoy or plan to make for others.
Spirits and Other Ingredients
Mixed drinks often contain more than one type of alcohol, as well as other ingredients. How do you make sure your home bar is properly stocked?
Alcohol can be cost-prohibitive, so we recommend building your collection over time. Want margaritas for Taco Tuesday? Buy some tequila and triple sec. Mimosas for your weekend brunch? Buy some champagne. You get the picture.
So, you’ve narrowed it down to the types of spirits you’ll need for your next cocktail. But which one should you buy? Most liquor stores have a vast selection of each type of spirit.
Opinions will vary, but for cocktails, I stock inexpensive varieties. The subtle differences that set more expensive brands apart are often lost when mixed with fruit juices, sweet syrups, and other spirits. They are typically meant to be enjoyed as-is.
Over time, you can develop and refine your tastes, especially if you tour distilleries and attend tastings.
Sometimes flavored varieties of basic spirits are offered. Feel free to experiment, but the basics are usually best when crafting cocktails.
Here are some of the basics to get you started.
- Whiskey (bourbon)
- Vodka
- Rum
- Tequila
- Triple sec – an orange liquor
- Bitters
- Grenadine – a non-alcoholic pomegranate syrup
- Simple syrup
- Agave nectar
- Red and white wines
- Sparkling wine
- Beer
- Hard cider
This list is not exhaustive but will go a long way to making sure you have the right ingredients on hand.
Tools and Glasses
In addition to rows of bottles, well-equipped home bars often contain a litany of different types of glasses – pretty much one for each type of drink. What do you really need, especially if you are short on space?
First, let’s consider why all these different glasses exist. Different drinks have different properties, and the glasses are designed to aid the appearance or flavor for a greater experience.
The truth is, though, that you can enjoy any drink from any type of cup. If you’re short on space or can’t spare the cash, even your coffee mugs will do.
The same goes for fancy tools. Despite James Bond’s famous words, that drink can be stirred – you don’t have to buy a shaker. You can muddle ingredients with a spoon or even a honey wand.
There are a few tools you absolutely DO need for your home bar. They are:
- A shot glass. You will use a one-ounce shot glass for measuring.
- A bottle opener. Many beers and some other drinks don’t have screw-off caps
- A corkscrew. Some wines have screw-off caps, but many are still corked. I prefer the “winged” wine bottle opener because it requires less elbow grease to use.
- Bottle stoppers. You will need these for corked bottles, and they can be useful for pop tops or when you lose a screw-on cap.
While fancy glasses are not a necessity, they do make things fun and can enhance the experience. If you’re going to invest, these are our top picks.
- Wine glasses. While there is variety even within this category (different shapes for reds and whites, stemmed or stemless), a basic set will do.
- Champagne flutes. These tall glasses were designed to highlight the bubbly action, making it visible. They also concentrate the bubbles for a tickly mouthfeel.
- Highball glasses. There’s a lot of variety here, from beer pints to handled mugs. I love the basic clear, handled mugs – I keep them in the freezer so the drinks are always frosted.
- Lowball glasses. These heavy-bottomed glasses are half the height of the highball. Different types are designed for whiskey, bourbon, etc., but a basic set will do.
- Margarita glasses. You can drink a margarita from anything, but the restaurant-style glasses are fun.
- Martini glasses. Again, there’s just something about the look of these glasses that makes a martini.
Recipes for Beginner Bartenders
These are some of our favorite recipes. Check back often for new additions!
Whiskey Cocktails
Remember to always drink responsibly.
One part Lois Lane, one part Jimmy Olsen, one part Johnboy Walton, and a bit of that Clark Kent secret identity thing thrown in for good measure.
Cara Siera is a freelance writer and photographer with a passion for travel and exotic cuisine. Join Cara, her husband Marc, and one very spoiled German Shepherd on their next great adventure.