No thanks to the pandemic, the idea of going to bars and partying with friends until the wee hours now remains a far-fetched dream. Like many, you probably miss these late-night shenanigans and to compensate, have learned how to become a “cocktail connoisseur” through self-taught mixology skills.
While social gatherings remain limited due to ongoing restrictions, that does not mean we cannot bring our own version of a “happy hour” at home. Read on this article as we discuss how to create your home bar setup.
Step 1: Prepare Bar Tools and Glassware
The first things to consider when setting up your home bar are the glassware and tools. According to professionals, you should choose items that are less expensive but have good quality rather than focusing on their embellishments. Simplicity is key to embody a clean and classic home bar.
Here are the basic supplies you should have:
Tongs for getting the right amount of ice and garnishing a drink.
A long-handled bar spoon for mixing and layering drinks especially when placed in a tall jug or tumbler.
A cocktail strainer to filter ice and solid ingredients from the mixed drink.
A citrus juice presser for crushing fruits and extracting their juice.
Trays to carry and serve glassware.
A sealed cocktail shaker used to mix and shake drinks.
An hourglass-shaped alcohol jigger to measure the amount of alcohol to be poured on every cocktail recipe.
Mixing glasses that may require stir and strain techniques.
Cocktail glasses that come in the following types:
- Rocks - Used in margarita and old-fashioned cocktails, and served with ice balls or cubes
- Collins or Highball - For drinking gin and tonic. These can hold up to 10 to 12 ounces of ice.
- Coupe - Stemmed glass with a broad and shallow saucer
- Champagne flutes - For serving sparkling beverages
- Martini - Used in serving drinks with a toothpick, olives, or sliced lime
Step 2: Stock Some Mixers and Modifiers
Next on the list when creating a home bar setup are the mixers and modifiers. These are ingredients that add flavor and texture to your base drink.
Use the syrup to add viscosity and flavor to cocktails and other liquid essentials. It is commonly made of natural ingredients like flowers, fruits, nuts, and spices. Other syrup modifiers have sugar cane, gluten, and no chemicals added. Its shelf life may last up to six months.
Bitters are another must-have modifier in your home bar setup. Also known as Angostura Bitters, these are considered the “salt and pepper” for most cocktails. These come from herbs and spices with extracts of fruits, grasses, leaves, and roots mixed in alcohol to balance digestion.
Other good mixers you can include in your home bar setup are ginger ale, cola water, tonic water, and soda water.
Step 3: Stash Some Fancy Garnish
Garnishes can be anything edible and consumable. They add aesthetics to your drinks and enhance the flavor. You can use olives in martinis, and fruit peels and herbs for cocktails. For Americans, bacon makes a perfect garnish for cocktails because of its saltiness and crispness.
Step 4: Know the Right Ice for A Better Cocktail
If you are into mixology, you have probably noticed the different types of ice used in every drink. Ice plays an important role as your drink ingredient.
Did you know that each type and quality of ice can modify your dink? Crushed or pebble ice melts faster as it is placed on top of a drink. Spheres and large cubes can remain solid for a certain time compared to crushed ice because it has less surface area that prevents it to absorb too much heat.
Step 5: Style Your Bar Carts or Console Table
The purpose of having a bar cart or console table in your home bar setup is to organize items according to their function and category. A bar cart should be kept simple and uncluttered, and you may add some cloth napkins in case of bottle spill or any food litter.
