Home Bar Series – Creating Your Home Bar

The home bar isn’t so much an item but a place. More function than form, it can be as small as an old etagere or be an 18ft oak wrap-around with an iron foot rail and six leather bound stools. Your needs are your own, but the bar just needs to house the booze, mixers, ice, and glassware. In a practical sense, it must be sturdy, at a comfortable height to serve from or gather around, and easy to clean. But how to get started with the right instructions? We can help with our blog on our Home Bar Series – Creating Your Home Bar.

Define Your Home Bar Needs

While there are a few decision-points for anyone’s requirements in a home bar, the two most prominent (opinion only) are space and function. In this section we’re only going to discuss the portable or smaller, boxed and ready-to-assemble versions. For those undertaking a full-blown construction of a room or renovation of existing bar space, then skip to Stocking Your Bar.

Space

This probably is the most restricting of decisions for the home bar. Luckily, selection sizes are abundant and customizable, from wall-based to corner units and even wheeled that can follow your party to wherever you need. My current bar is 2’ x 4’ butcher block cutting board that is 4 inches thick and mounted to vertical 4×4’s with casters and a lower shelf attached. It was harvested from a Grand Eagle Grocery Store in upstate New York in the early 70’s and is still in awesome condition. It has plenty of space and is 38” high and rolls to where it is needed and accommodates a blender and ice bucket. It is the perfect vessel for limited living space and while adding no extra seating, it doesn’t subtract from my current area.

For those with the space and wanting to enjoy more utility, there are many sizes and selections you can make from the standard retail sources like Walmart, Overstock and of course, Amazon. As you would expect, sizes range by design but you should be able to get everything you need from a 54”w x 45”h x 24”d to a 84”w x 453.5”h x 38”d model. These can typically hold a dozen bottles or more and has serviceable drawer space.

Function

If by chance you’re an empty-nester and finally have plans to convert junior’s room into a mini-tavern, complete with draught beer taps, wine fridge, big screen TV’s and foosball tables, then function is key. You need something that not only accommodates storage, but utility where you can create and present your concoctions. Conversely, if a stand-alone off an unused wall will serve as a stopping point, consider something with more storage and a rolling server that you can move with you. Wherever your bar may be situated, the most important aspect is that it be entertainment ready.

Stocking Your Bar

No one expects to have the same options at a residence as they do at the corner bar or downtown club. While spirits, liqueurs, and cordials may have an extended shelf life, garnishes and mixers certainly do not. A few, like olives and bottled water, might seem to be perpetual, while anything fresh or with a fizz certainly is not. This makes the home bar a bit mercurial and adds a few items to the weekly shopping list if the house saloon is to remain current. For everyday drinks, a drop of reconstituted lime or lemon juice will substitute just fine for an enhancement. If you’re hosting a party or planned event, then fresh is best.

The offering of spirit, wine, or beer should be diverse but doesn’t have to be copious. Quality should be paramount but can be found at a reasonable price. Don’t stock up on things that the immediate residents will not enjoy. Unused booze will gather dust and lose its luster. Most beers, whether canned or bottled, will have a shelf life of about 6 months. Some wine will last for decades or even a century, but most are produced to be enjoyed within a year or two. Here are a few suggestions for each category of liquor, beer and wine.

Beer

Classic Domestic lagers, IPAs, and maybe 1 favorite is variety enough. Remember that beer is liquid bread and therefore spoils. Always serve beer in a glass! It just tastes better.

Wine

If you have a red, a white and a blush, then you are ready to entertain. Your selections should be palatable but don’t have to cost a fortune. If you have a private stash of expensive selections, be careful. It’s best to set out the wine that you’ve chosen to serve.

Liquor

The 6 basic examples of spirits can be well defined as either a mixer, where another component or many will be added, or a sipper; a stand alone or maybe just on the rocks spirit that is to provide all flavor and nuance without ancillary help.

Vodka:

• Tito’s (mixer) made from corn so it is gluten free. Distilled 6X for a clean, crisp taste.
• Grey Goose (sipper) made from French winter wheat. Makes an incredible martini and is great with ice and a lime wedge.

Gin:

• Tanqueray (mixer) classic London-Dry with moderate juniper. Great with tonic or juice.
• Bombay Sapphire (sipper) London-Dry gin with a blue hue and a priority blend of juniper and botanicals. Good choice for martinis or by itself.
• Hendricks (wild card) is a gin loaded with typical botanicals but with the added bonus of rose, coriander, citrus, elderflower and many herbs. Makes an interesting martini and mixes well with flavored tonics, not so much with tonic and lime.

Scotch:

• Dewar’s (mixer) blended scotch that is well-balanced and clean. Great with soda, water and in scotch-based cocktails like a Rob Roy or a Rusty Nail.
• Glenlivet 12yr (sipper) single malt from Speyside. Smoky without being over-whelming. Double oak maturation for a smooth, vanilla and tropical finish.

Rum:

• Appleton Estate (mixer) Jamaican blended rum with molasses and brown sugar notes. Medium color and a complexity to handle everything from Coca-Cola to Daquiris and Pina Coladas.
• Mount Gay XO (sipper) Barbados blend of 8 to 15yr old rums. Dry banana and light spice with a complex and long finish.

Bourbon:

• Jim Beam (mixer) Kentucky Bourbon distilled by the same family for 7 generations. Well balanced with caramel, vanilla and spice notes. Aged twice as long as the law requires.
• Elijah Craig Barrel Proof (sipper) KY barrel proofed bourbon with notes of apple, spice, caramel and nutty flavors. One of the few quality bourbons available for less than $75.

Tequila:

• Sauza Gold (mixer) double distilled world class gold tequila with clean citrus and agave notes and a touch of salty oak.
• Herradura Anejo (sipper) Rich and full bodied with herbal notes blended with spice, vanilla and citrus. Long super smooth finish.

Brandy:

• Korbel (mixer) California brandy with good legs and sublime nuttiness. Will mix well for ice cream drinks and stingers.
• Gran Duque d’Alba (sipper) Solera brandy from Andalusia, Spain. 100pt (perfect) rated brandy at less than $50 for 750ml. Rich, viscous with legs for days and flavor to spare.

Note: All selections were made on the basis of availability and affordability. You can spend 10X or more on any sipper listed and it might be worth it to you. These are products that no one should be ashamed to serve to anyone.

Cordials
These are different flavors that contain varying amounts of alcohol and that are necessary to complete different popular cocktails and, in some cases, are served by themselves.

Triple Sec (orange), Cointreau (orange), Grand Marnier (orange & cognac), Kahlua (coffee), Bailey’s (Irish Cream), Chambord (Raspberry), Crème de Cocoa, Crème de Menthe, Dry Vermouth, Cassis (currant), Peach Schnapps, Sweet Vermouth, Chocolate Liquor, Melon Liqueur, Frangelico (hazelnut), Amaretto (almond), Sour Apple, Anisette.

These are a few that are always good to have on hand. You’ll find that these tend to multiply with little or no effort. I currently have 5 partially used bottles of banana liqueur. (I make a mean Bananas Foster). There are many more to add and some of the above are not essential but as always, the decision is yours.

Mixers
Along with the basic sodas like Cola, 7up, Club, Tonic, and Ginger Ale (all of which have a shelf life of about 9 months), here are a few non-alcoholic mixers:

Sour Mix, Bitters (Angostura), Sugar cubes, Bloody Mary and Margarita Mix, Lime Grenadine, Simple Syrup, Cranberry, Pineapple, Orange, Grapefruit, Tomato juices, Maraschino Cherries.

If you’re a perfectionist, then fresh juices are best but come with a less than 60-day use by date. Cans and ultra-pasteurized juices have come a long way in flavor and can be kept for many months or even a year or so. Check your dates from time to time and cull any close dates and use them or donate them to a food bank but not after expiration please.

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Tools

The hardware you use will change over time and things that were absolute must haves will gather dust and grow rust. Keep your tools simple and multi-tasking. Make sure that they’re cleaned before and after using. Cutting instruments like knives and peelers should not be bar specific but live in the kitchen so that they are used frequently and inspected for sharpness and safety on a continual basis. Some bar tools that are necessary are as follows:

Muddler, Mixing Tins and Glasses, Jigger (dual size), Bar Spoon, Blender, Strainer, Martini Shaker, Rocks Glasses, Collins Glasses, Wine Glasses, Beer Glasses (pints), Bottle Opener, Church Key (for cans), Cork Screw, Ice Molds, Whiskey Stones, Ice.

Final Thoughts on Home Bar Series – Creating Your Home Bar

We hope that these suggestions in setting up a home bar have been helpful and that they encourage you to entertain more frequently. As always, we encourage comment and critique and welcome any and all suggestions. Whether it be a corner nook, a grand slab of oak, the manliest of caves or the shiniest of she-sheds, the home bar is an engaging area of amiability and affection that can bring together the best of friends or forge new relationships.

Bob Hollowell has been exploring the world of wine for almost 40 years and has no plans on slowing down anytime soon! He’s no stranger to the culinary circles and is passionate about teaching other’s the experiences one can receive through food and drink.

Bob is a Certified Sommelier from Court of Master Sommeliers and a Cicerone Certified Beer Server, but most importantly has been in the restaurant and commercial sales (wine, spirits and beer) industry for over 25 years, bringing a wealth of professional knowledge to The 55 Lifestyle and to our readers.