A home bar is always a great idea to fill in spaces for anyone who loves entertaining. Mixing the right drink can make it easy to impress friends, romance a partner, or impress your boss. There is no doubt that a bar impresses guests on its own.
Although stocking a home bar may seem daunting to some, it does not have to be. Village Warehouse Wine & Spirits encourages you to create a bar that suits your taste and budget. As you find new cocktails and a new spirit to try, you can always add more. This guide to home bar essentials will show you how easy it is to become a home mixologist.
Factors to Consider When Restocking Your Home Bar
The key to a successful bar at home is not about the budget, but more about quality and intent. Consider the following when stocking and restocking your home bar.
1. Drinks
Begin with the drinks that you love to order. Stock your bar with drinks that reflect your preferences, creativity, and tastes. You will also have easy access to the drinks you enjoy at restaurants and bars.
2. Cost
What is your budget? You don’t have to spend a lot on a high-end bar set for home and an alcohol drink maker to impress your guests. There are many budget-friendly options available. To make informed decisions as you shop, start with establishing a budget.
3. Space
Space can impact the size of your bar and your essential bar tools. You might have a home bar that occupies an entire basement or a single cart. You need to be realistic about how many bottles and glasses you can fit into your home bar.
5 Essential Liquors for Home Bar
It can be difficult to know what spirits you should have on hand at home. There are always new brands and bottles that vie for your attention. How can you tell which spirits are hot fads, and which make a well-rounded bar at home?
These basic bar drinks will help you cut through the clutter. These home bar essentials are all easy to find, affordable, and adaptable to make a variety of cocktails.
1. Rum
Rum can be classified as dark or gold if it is distilled from brown sugar caramel, molasses, or rum’s traditional filtered sugarcane base. Dark rum also has a distinctive characteristic: It’s barrel-aged. The darker the final color of the rum, the longer it has been aged.
2. Tequila
This is a must-have liquor for that perfect Margarita. The purpose of the tequila will determine what type you keep. If you intend to use your tequila in mixed drinks, gold tequila will be the most affordable. Stock the bar with this agave-based drink if you want to enjoy your tequila straight up.
3. Vodka
Vodka’s versatility makes it a must-have for any bar or home bar. Vodka is a key ingredient in many of the most loved cocktails, including brunch-ready Bloody Marys and craft cosmopolitans. It’s also one of the most affordable home bar additions. A minimum of one to two types of vodka should be available in every bar at home. You can get vodkas with berries, citrus, and other ingredients for exciting mixes.
4. Whiskey
There are many types of whiskey available, each with its own flavor profile and attributes. It can be difficult to choose a single bottle of whiskey for your bar. One bottle of bourbon is a good choice to start your collection. You can also buy one bottle each of blended rye whiskey. The bourbon will be strong whether it is served neat or on the rocks. Additionally, the rye can be used in classic whiskey cocktails such as Old Fashioned and Manhattan.
5. Gin
Gin is a well-known dry or off-dry spirit that is made from grains and juniper berries, as well as other green botanicals. Gin’s unique aroma and flavor are due to the combination of botanical plants and grains. Gin is used as the base for many popular cocktails, including Tom Collins, gin fizzes, and gin and tonic.
Basic Mixers for Your Home Bar
Mixers are essential for all types of cocktail-making. They give your drinks a different, softer, and more enjoyable finish.
It is up to you to decide which mixers your bar uses. Stocking a home bar with these mixer staples guarantees you’ll have everything you need to make a wide range of mixed drinks.
- Simple Syrup: Simple syrup, as its name implies, is a condensed sugar liquid that’s commonly used to sweeten cocktails.
- Club Soda: Club soda is a fizzy, enhanced version of seltzer. Club soda is carbonated water with trace amounts of minerals such as sodium bicarbonate and sodium citrate. Its carbonation helps lighten a drink and gives it a bubbly, zippy taste that is great for mixed drinks and non-alcoholic beverages.
- Grenadine and Sour Mix: Grenadine (the essential mixer) and sour mixture are two of the most important ingredients behind every bar. They can be purchased in stores or made at home.
- Garnishes: Garnishes, although not technically mixers, are a great way to improve the presentation and taste of a cocktail. Stock the bar with oranges, grapefruits, and maraschino cherries to add a bit of flair to your cocktails.
- Juices: Fruit juices are a ubiquitous mixer underscoring many cocktail recipes. A bar at home should always have a supply of orange juice and cranberry juice for making the standard cocktails.
Stock up with Village Warehouse Wine & Spirits
Setting up a bar for home happy hours is fun and rewarding. It can start with a few small bottles and common types of alcohol glasses. Let your collection grow drink by drink while discovering new trends and cocktails with essential drinks from Village Warehouse Wine & Spirits.
Whatever your budget, the basics of how to stock a home bar will always hinge on quality ingredients. Village Warehouse Wine & Spirits is a liquor store in Vail, Colorado, with all your favorite spirits and liquors.
Transform your home into the best place to enjoy the finest mixers in town. Browse our online selection or visit us today for quality ingredients that will spice up happy hours in the comfort of your home.
