Entertaining guests at your home can be a night full of fun and enjoyment. If you are serving food you are usually serving beverages that may include alcohol. Having the essential home bar supplies can ensure that every guest is happy with what you have on the ready. In the case you may not have something a guest requests or you run out of a particular drink you may want to use after hours alcohol delivery services. Whichever the case may be, it is best to be prepared and fully stocked with basic home bar supplies.
Essential Liquors
New mixologists frequently underestimate the amount of alcohol required for a home bar. Most classic cocktails require only a limited assortment of fundamental staples. Here are some examples of alcohol that every home bar should have:
Vodka: More mixed cocktails contain vodka than any other type of spirit. It is a really flexible spirit that comes at a number of price points. Every home bar should have at least one or two different varieties of vodka on hand.
Gin: Some individuals love the flavor of gin more than others, but regardless of your personal choice, you should always keep a bottle of gin behind your home bar. When visitors want Gin Martinis or Gin and Tonics, you should be able to create them.
Tequila: Margaritas are lively and exciting beverages that are especially popular in the summer.Home bartenders should have a cheaper bottle of blanco tequila on hand for margaritas and a finer bottle on standby for people who enjoy tequila straight or blended with soda.
Rum: Have one bottle of white rum on hand for Daiquiris and Mojitos, and another bottle of darker rum on hand for more daring rum-based beverages. This is an excellent way to begin growing your rum collection.
Whiskey: There are several whiskey styles, each with its own particular flavor profile and characteristics. This makes selecting a single whiskey bottle for your bar a difficult task. Purchase one bottle of bourbon and one bottle of mixed rye whiskey to begin your whiskey collection. The bourbon should stand up to being served neat or on the rocks, while the rye will work in most classic whiskey cocktails like an Old Fashioned or Manhattan.
Must have mixers
Most drinks require one or two mixers. Most conventional cocktails may be made with a basic assortment of liquors and a broad selection of mixers. Here are several mixers that should be in every home bar such as juices, bitters, syrup, sodas, and Grenadine and sour mix. Juice is a key component in many drinks. Bottles of orange juice, cranberry juice, tomato juice, lemon juice, and lime juice should be kept on hand at any home bar. This package includes everything you need to prepare the most common drinks. In addition, a bottle bitters can be enough for the majority of your demands, and each bottle should last at least a year. If you prefer to experiment with tastes in your cocktails, you can have several bottles of bitters. Another welcomed addition to your home bar are Grenadine and sour mix. These two fundamental mixers, available behind every bar, may be purchased in store or created at home. Lastly, sodas should be carried in every home bar. Sodas can be combined into cocktails or presented to non-drinking visitors on their own.
Do not forget the garnishes
It is best not to scrimp on the garnishes, even if you are tempted to. The presentation is part of the enjoyment of making and putting time and money into a fantastic cocktail. Furthermore, depending on the type of garnish, they might add taste to the combination. For all of your favorite cocktails, keep a supply of olives (for martinis), citrus fruits and/or peels, and maraschino or cocktail cherries on hand. These ingredients are available at any grocery store, but specialist stores create them specifically for cocktail aficionados.
Present your drinks in appropriate glassware
As a home bartender, you may want to know the distinctions between various cocktail glasses. A well-stocked home bar will most likely have some or all of the following types of glasses to complete your collection. Beer glasses are used depending on the type of beer. Beer mugs and glasses are a must-have for any professional or home bar. Beer glasses come in a variety of shapes and sizes, including normal pint glasses, pilsner glasses, and stein glasses. Champagne flute is another glass type that holds a different beverage. A champagne flute is a tall and slender stemware that is used for champagne and other types of sparkling wine. They are intended to prevent heat transmission from the hand to the champagne as well as to preserve sparkling wine from becoming flat.
Other champagne glasses, such as the champagne tulip and champagne saucer (or champagne coupe), are available, but champagne flutes are the most commonly used glass for serving sparkling wine. The Collins glass is a tall and slim glass that is typically used for mixed cocktails. It is similar to a highball glass but somewhat higher and narrower. Collins glasses can be used to serve a number of mixed beverages, notably the Tom Collins, for which they are named. Martini glasses have been a mainstay of cocktail glassware. The Martini glass is an iconic cocktail glass, and most home bars have a Martini glass set on hand for making mixed cocktails such as Martinis and Manhattans. Standard red wine glasses have a fairly wide bowl designed to allow the aromas and flavors of a red wine to drift up towards the drinker’s nose and mouth. In contrast, White wine glasses resemble red wine glasses but are somewhat smaller since lighter aromas and flavors require less area to blend and aerate.
Necessary bar tools
Along with everything mentioned above you need tools that can help with creating the beverages you want. Here’s a collection of fundamental bar tools, along with a brief description of how to use each one. The Bottle opener is essential for home bartenders, a portable or wall-mounted bottle opener is a must-have bar item. Bottle openers make it simple to open bottles of beer and mixers. Cutting boards is something any home bar should include. At least two cutting boards to prepare garnishes and ingredients for a range of drinks. Having two readily available allows you to alternate and make beverages for extended periods of time without having to wash your cutting board.
A drink shaker set is essential for making any shaken cocktail. Cocktail shakers are available in a number of styles. As long as your shaker is solid and lasting, such as stainless steel, it should suffice. Personal choice and budget constraints will determine whether you get a cobbler shaker or a Boston shaker. With a grater, peeler, and zester set, you may prepare citrus fruits for garnishes. Different cocktails require different sorts of garnishes, and a decent grater will provide you versatility in the garnishes you produce. A sturdy mixing glass provides a place to stir and blend cocktail components. Some mixing glasses include ornate etchings and may be a lovely ornamental accent to your bar’s top. Cocktail stirrers are lengthy stirring instruments that allow bartenders to swiftly combine a stirred cocktail without spilling ingredients all over the bar. If you don’t have a stirrer, a bar spoon can be used to stir the mixture.
You do not need a fully equipped bar as it all depends on those who are partaking in the beverages you are serving. However, if you can cover your supplies from each of the mentioned categories you can fully equip your home bar with what you need. In addition, if you need some supplies to keep your night going, consider after hours alcohol delivery.
