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How To Build The Perfect Bar
Step 1: Type of Bar
In general before you go about creating your home bar, you should first determine the quality level and budget. The “Well” bar is a more budget-oriented, basic set-up whose inital cost will range $75 - $125. If you can increase your budget north of $200 then a “Top Shelf” home bar is well within reach. For those who only want to drink the best and have the bank account to do so, then a minimum of $500 will result in a “Premium” level bar.
Step 2: Get Your Liquors
After speaking with several experts, we’ve compiled a list of suggestions that should please your palates and impress guests who are partaking of the Top Shelf and Premium home bars.
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Vodka
Well: When it comes to vodka, especially if you’re mixing it with orange juice, Stolichnaya is always a solid choice as is Burnett’s, which comes in an impressively wide variety of flavors.
Top Shelf: Rain Vodka is a limited-run premium vodka made with organic white corn from a single farm in southern Illinois. Vertical Vodka is one the smoothest vodkas around thanks to four distillations: the first two in stainless (inoxidizable) stills and the latter two distillations in tin-plated copper vats.
Premium: Charbay is a California vodka made from three types of grain and unfiltered for an extra full mouth feel. If you like regular Stoli, then you’re sure to rave about Stoli Elit, a noticeably smoother spirit that will impress the vodka connoisseur who enjoys sipping it well-chilled or mixes it in “transparent” cocktails like the Vodka Martini.
Gin
Well: Again, Burnett’s is a decent budget choice as is Broker’s, a spicy, traditional London Dry style.
Top Shelf: Plymouth Original Dry Gin is another type of gin hailing only from Plymouth, England, and it is particularly good on its own and makes fabulous cocktails. Another top shelf option worthy of your home bar is Beefeater, a nice London Dry style gin that’s perfect for the classic dry Martini.
Premium: It may be difficult to find but Hans Reisetbauer Blue Gin, distilled from a wheat and corn spirit base and over 20 botanicals, is well worth it. The bold and spicy Junipero is made by the folks behind Anchor Steam Beer and has a great proof on it at 98.6.
Rum
Well: For an inexpensive, reliable white rum, Brugal from the Dominican Republic is a fine brand and one that is used by many upscale bars as their well brand. As for a dark rum, try the nicely mellow Barbancourt 3 Star from Haiti.
Top Shelf: If you are aiming to make the perfect Caipirinha, then your bar should be stocked with Sagatiba Cachaca (cachaca, which is made from sugar cane juice, differs slightly from rum, which is mostly made from molasses). Bermuda produces the quite hearty Gosling’s Dark Rum, which makes a terrific pairing with ginger beer.
Premium: Many say that the slightly aged Mae de Ouro Cachaca is the best cachaca around and one that won’t lead to a hangover if consumed in quantity. Rhum JM is an aged rum made from sugar cane juice instead of molasses like most rums.
Tequila
Well: A big seller in Mexico and fairly cheap for a 100 agave tequila, El Jimador, is sure to make your Margaritas sing.
Top Shelf: Milagro Blanco is a clean, crisp tequila made from 100 agave. Herradura Reposado is aged for less than a year in oak barrels and thus has a smooth edge.
Premium: While Patron is the trendy tequila of the moment, break the mold and try Partida Blanco, which is a very clean and elegant spirit. Casa Noble Reposado is also a fine choice and its blue ceramic bottle makes an attractive visual addition to your home bar.
Whiskey
Well: While Jack Daniel’s is fine enough, why not change it up a bit with either Rittenhouse Rye or Wild Turkey 101 Bourbon.
Top Shelf: Jim Beam Black Label is twice the age of the well-known white label and is great in cocktails or for sippin’ neat. On the Irish whiskey Clontarf Black Label has a nice full flavor, without being smoky.
Premium: Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon, with a lot of rye in its recipe, has a bold flavor profile that makes for excellent sipping. Minty-clean, creamy, and malty, Edradour 10 year Scotch is a mellow Scottish spirit that will give pleasure to the pickiest of connoisseurs
Liquers & More
Well: When it comes to mixing many types of Martinis as well as Magaritas and plenty of other cocktails a bottle of Hiram Walker Triple Sec will do just fine. To satisfy true Martini and Manhattan drinkers make sure to have some Noilly Dry Vermouth as well as Martini & Rossie Sweet Vermouth on hand.
Top Shelf: At this level you should go ahead and purchase Cointreau, an orange liqueur that’s in the triple sec family and that has a nice orange peel bite. As for vermouth, include Punt e Mes, a red vermouth with rich, full flavor, in place of your regular sweet vermouth.
Premium: An amazing orange peel finish can be experienced via Cognac-based Prunier Orange Liqueur. The next step up in vermouth includes Vya Dry and Sweet Vermouths, which are made by Vya, a California winery. Premium bar dwellers should also acquire bitters - Regan’s Orange Bitters and Fee Whiskey Barrel Aged Bitters are best – as well as Lucid Absinthe.
Step 3: Finding the Right Tools
Regardless of the drinks you plan on making, there are about a few essential tools and accessories that your home bar should have.
Beverage napkins – Coasters are ok, but you really should have beverage napkins around. It just seems to make everything more authentic.
Cocktail straws – Unless you’re serving drinks out of Big Gulp cups, offering bendy straws from fast food restaurants is kinda tacky.
Liquor bottle pours – These will make life so much easier and add a nice authentic touch to a home bar.
A double jigger – You’re not in college anymore where you just added vodka to lemonade to make it strong enough to get drunk. Be an adult: measure out your shots and enjoy the delicious complexities of a well-made, balanced cocktail.
A cocktail shaker with built-in strainer – Given the popularity of Martinis these days, this is arguably the most important accessory on the list. A strainer is quite important, so if it’s not built-in, make sure to buy a separate one.
Step 4: The Glassware
Any bar needs to consider the necessary glassware in order to make sure a margarita never ends up served in a cordial glass. Connoisseurs of barley and hops will need beer glasses as well. Here’s the 4-1-1 on glassware in the order of usefulness and versatility.
Rocks – also known as lowball and old fashioned glass. This is an extremely versatile glass and is a must have in a bar. The 5 or 6 ounce version is best for the home.
Highball – this essential piece of glassware looks like a taller version of the Rocks glass, is used for most tall drinks, and is typically between 8 to 12 ounces.
White Wine – the white wine glass is actually a very versatile piece of glass that can be used in place of most other glassware in when necessary. There is a wide variety of sizes in this glass, but a smaller size is recommend.
Cocktail – also known generically as a Martini glass, this is the icon glass of mixed drinks. Contrary to the “bigger is better” phenomenon, a 6 ounce Cocktail glass is the perfect size.
Cordial – think shot glass with a stem. About 1.5 to 2 ounces in size, it can be used as a shot glass rather easily.
Shot – The Shot glass can be short and squat or taller and skinny, but at most it holds about 2 ounces.
Red Wine – the larger bowl allows red wine to breathe more and express its aroma.
Step 5: Party!
Invite some friends over for a soiree and serve up the cocktails!
