How to stock a home bar

Since I’ve posted two drink recipes this week (the Wisconsin Brandy Old Fashioned Sour and Starbucks Iced Coffee Copycat), I’m in the mood for all things drink related. PLUS…watching Mad Men where there’s a constant drink in everyone’s’ hands and they all have mini bars in their offices really inspires me to step up my home bar, so here’s this week’s Sweet Sunday on How to Stock a Home Bar:

Liquors

1. Vodka – this is probably the most common liquor to have as part of your home bar- you’ll use it for cocktails such as screwdrivers, vodka tonics, and many more. A delicious Vodka I like is the Citrus Honey Vodka from Great Lakes Distillery, located here in Milwaukee.
2. Gin – for martinis, gin & tonics, and tom collins
3. Rum – there are both dark and white rums, use white rums in drinks such as mojitos and dark rums in rum & Cokes.
4. Bourbon – for manhattans and whisky sours
5. Tequila – for margarita or tequila sunrises

Mixers

1. Club Soda – you can go all fancy pants with this San Pellegrino club soda
2. Tonic Water – how fun does this Tonic Water Sampler pack look?
3. Fruit Juice – you have to stock classic Orange Juice – it’s great with so many cocktails
4. Bitters – I like to use bitters from Bittercube which is also  located here in Milwaukee, they have very unique flavor combinations, but you could always go with classic bitters.
5. Soft drinks – think things like Coke & Sprite.

Tolls & Glasses

1. Cocktail Shaker – you definitely need a fun shaker set like this one
2. Muddler – if you buy the above set, the muddler is inculded, otherwise, one like this
3. Short Glass – like such
4. Tall Glass – like such
5. Stem Glass – think martini or margarita glasses

Odds & Ends

1. Bar Cart – store all your items on a cute vintage bar cart like this one (even has a world map on it) or this one
2. Straws – I love adding a little cute paper straw into a drink, like these pink paper straws
3. Napkins – seriously, how adorable are these polkadot cocktail napkins? I’m off to purchase them right now!
4. Ice Bucket – no one likes a warm cocktail, store ice in an ice bucket
5. Recipe Book – it’s always fun to have a recipe book for creating unique cocktails, like this one called Bartending Basics

There you have it – how to stock a home bar! Do you have a home bar? Any things that are a must in yours?

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