Stock A Home Bar In 7 Steps!
Welcome to your home bar, where there is no last call! Creating a bar within your home adds a convenient and fun element to your house that is perfect for entertaining unexpected guests or planned parties. Home bars also offer additional space for functional and customized home design.
Your bar can be as simple as chilled bottles of wine to a complex selection of masterfully displayed spirits and mixers. Here is our 7-step guide that will help you to achieve a well-rounded home bar that is sure to keep your guests in great spirits!
- Pick a designated space for the bar – this can be a cabinet, small table, or bar cart. We recommend Wayfair for affordable and stylish options. You could also thrift a used piece and refurbish it for a unique look that’s all your own.
- Hit the liquor store and stock up! Choose a mixture of spirits based on your personal preferences, balanced with a variety to accommodate guests’ tastes. Choose a selection of clear and brown liquors that make up a majority of cocktails, including – tequila, rum, whiskey, gin, brandy, and vodka. Take your selection to the next level with red wine, white wine, and craft beer so your company has options!
- Keeping a variety of mixers on hand makes it convenient to mix up all of your favorite cocktails! Mixers to keep stocked include – lemon and lime juice, orange juice, cranberry juice, tomato juice, simple syrup, bitters, sour mix, grenadine, tonic, club soda, ginger ale, cola, and lemon-lime soda.
- Impress your guests with elevated cocktails that feature garnishes! Garnishes to keep on-hand include – lemons, limes, oranges, maraschino cherries, olives, pickles, granulated sugar, and coarse salt.
- Of course, every amateur bartender needs tools. Essential tools include a bottle opener, shaker, strainer, jigger for measuring, tall bar spoon, muddler, and an ice bucket.
- Don’t forget the glassware! Traditional bars keep a wide variety of glasses stocked, such as martini glasses, pint glasses, rocks glasses, shot glasses, wine glasses, and champagne flutes.
- Finally, always keep a simple book of cocktails displayed that can be helpful when learning how to make drinks or helping your guest pick a cocktail. Here’s a fun option from Uncommon Goods that would also make a great gift for a drink connoisseur in your life.
Your selection of spirits, garnishes, bartending tools, glassware, and decor can be collected over time, leading you to completely personalize and design a bar that is uniquely yours. Our Double Boldt Real Estate team encourages you to shop for your bartending supplies locally around Milwaukee and surrounding areas, meeting friends along the way as you build your favorite new bar! Cheers!