Essential Ingredients of the Perfect Home Bar
Find out how to create the perfect home bar so you can kick back in style, impress your mates and throw the best parties in the neighbourhood. From setting up the furniture to stocking the booze cupboard, this step-by-step guide covers all the basics.
The perfect bar furniture:
Lay the foundations with a counter top, central island or purpose-built bar, plus a set of bar stools. Housing Units has a good selection to suit most interior design schemes and budgets. Make sure you have enough cupboard space and/or shelving for all your bottles and glassware. As always, Pinterest is a great source for creative ideas and inspiration.
The perfect glassware:
You don’t need to spend your life’s savings on Dartington Crystal to achieve five-star presentation. At a minimum, make sure you have six to eight of each of the following: short glasses, tall glasses, stems, beer glasses and shot glasses. If you’re going full-on connoisseur, this guide to glassware and barware will help you get the basics right.
The perfect barware:
You will need: a corkscrew and a bottle opener (you won’t get far without those); an ice tray, an ice bucket, a cocktail shaker, a jigger (small measuring cup), a bar spoon for stirring, a muddler for crushing, a sharp knife for cutting fruit, and a strainer for achieving a lump-free, silky texture.
The perfect storage conditions:
Liquors and spirits can keep well if stored in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight. The emptier they become, the more quickly they will deteriorate so if levels are low, invite your buddies round for a little help polishing them off. Everything else – mixers, wines, beers and so on – belongs strictly in the fridge, with the exception of most red wines.
The perfect drinks:
Now that you have the perfect home bar, it’s time for the fun part. Stock up on whiskey and bourbon, white spirits (gin, vodka and tequila), rum (light and dark), aperitifs (sherry, vermouth, cassis etc.), digestifs (port, cognac, amaretto etc.), beer (light, dark and imported), wine (white and red), mixers (tonic, ginger ale, cola etc.) and garnishes (lemons, olives, maraschino cherries etc.).
Now you’re ready to party.