build your very own

Home Bar

Having your own bar can be a great addition to your home. It will allow you to entertain friends and family in a fun and creative way. It is also an excellent way to break the ice at your next party. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Design

Start with a simple and elegant design that matches your home décor and style of living – you can go for classic wooden cabinets, modern glass shelves or even something more unique like an old boat hull turned into a whisky cabinet! Whichever it is, make sure it fits in well with your existing furniture and décor. You don’t want to have to move everything around just because you bought some fancy new whiskey cabinet! The main thing here is to keep things simple so that you don’t end up spending too much time on building the bar itself as well as on maintaining it.
Make sure the bar is well lit – this will make your whiskey collection look even better and you’ll be able to see all of those labels properly! You can either use a single light source or multiple ones, depending on how much space you have available for lighting fixtures.
Keep things organized – if you’re going to spend time looking at your collection, then it’s only fair that they are arranged in an orderly fashion so you don’t get confused when looking for a particular bottle!

Spirit Selection

The best home bars begin with a quality selection of spirits. You don't need to spend a ton of money. Just make sure you have all of the major ones on deck. Wondering what those staples are? We got you.

Vodka

According to the U.S. Government, vodka is a colorless and flavorless distilled spirit. Those of us who’ve tasted it may disagree. While vodka is usually colorless, it certainly carries a flavor that is uniquely its own.

Gin

Source of the original martini, Gin is a grain-based, juniper flavored spirit that is amazingly versatile in cocktails. There are over 5 different types of gin, how many have you tried?

Whiskey

Whiskey is defined as a spirit distilled from a fermented mash of cereal grain and water. It may not have any added coloring or flavoring. All whiskey must be distilled at less than 95% alcohol by volume and must be bottled at a minimum of 40%. Whiskies often (but not always) spend time aging in wooden barrels, which allows them to take on the colors, flavors, and aromas that we know and love.

Tequila & Mezcal

I call these the Agave twins. The difference between tequila and mezcal is the process. To be considered a Tequila, the product must be made from the blue agave plant and it must be made in the town of Tequila. Mezcal can be made from a variety of agave plants, and it can be made anywhere in the state of Oaxaca. Tequila must also be distilled twice, while mezcal only needs one distillation. One last difference is that tequila can be made with a minimum of 51% agave nectar, whereas Mezcal must be made with 100% agave nectar.

Rum

Rum is a distilled spirit made from sugarcane by-products, such as molasses and sugarcane juice. This process of distillation was brought to the Caribbean by the English. Rum is produced in several regions of the world, but the primary producers are the Caribbean and Latin America.

Brandy

The only spirit traditionally distilled from fruit. There are lots of different types of Brandy, but the traditional version is made from a French wine grape called Ugni Blanc.  Cognac is the most famous variety of brandy and is distilled from grapes from a famous wine region on the west coast of France.

Glassware

Having the right bar glassware is essential to creating the perfect drink. Whether you want to showing off the bright colors of your cocktail, or enhance the flavor and aroma of a great whiskey, proper glassware is a must. We’ve rounded up a list of bar glassware that are perfect for your home bar.

Glencairn

The Glencairn glass, which is a type of whisky glass named after Glen Carin, Scotland where the glass was first used to serve Glen Carin distilled spirits. I won’t bore you with the specifics, but it is one of the only pieces of glassware specifically designed for tasting whiskey. 

Coupe

Whether it’s time to pop champagne, or stir up a gin martini, the coupe glass is a must-have for your home bar. This a great multipurpose glass that will make you look classy at the same time.

Double Rocks

If you love an old fashioned as much as I do, these glasses are a necessary part of your home bar. Double rocks glasses are great for many cocktail recipes. They’re also fantastic if you prefer sipping your whiskey over ice (which is totally okay).

Collins

Collins glasses are a type of glassware commonly used for mixed drinks. Love a good mojito? Looking to really test your skills with a Ramos Gin Fizz? Or maybe you’re just looking to kick back with a gin & tonic. Make sure you’ve got some collins glasses around.

Wine

Proper wine glasses are an important part of your bar setup. Why? Because sometimes we need a break from liquor. While I prefer Burgundy glasses, there are many excellent styles of wine glasses out there. Just make sure you avoid stemless varieties (they’re the worst).

Beer

There is nothing like cracking a cold beer at the end of a long day. Of course, you can drink straight from the can/bottle if you choose, but some brewers recommend that you use a glass for certain styles of beer.  There are many different styles to choose from. I prefer Belgian tulip-style glasses, which are great for darker brews.

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Bar Tools

A Good Set Of Bar Tools Is Like A Good Set Of Kitchen Tools. It Can Make The Task At Hand Much More Enjoyable And Efficient. We Want To Help You Find The Right Ones For You. Here's A List Of Both Must-Haves & Fun Toys.

Must-haves

Extra Stuff

Boston Shaker Set
Hawthorne Strainer
Jigger
Bottle Opener
Citrus Peeler
Muddler
Citrus Squeezer
Bar Spoon

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Party Time!

Now that you've done all the hard work setting up your home bar, it's time to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Call some Vaccinated friends, crack some bottles & have a great time!
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