Bar Basics - Building Your Dry Bar
Whether you’ve just built your own dry bar like us or are looking to finally fill in that bar area you’ve had but not loved on, we’re sharing what we suggest to help you build up both your booze and tools. This is definitely aimed more at a smaller, more compact bar but would work great guidelines for a solid base for building our a larger bar.
The Booze
What you stock your bar with will be personal to you. Even some of the basics of a bar are spirits you might not like, and that’s totally ok. If you are looking to try things or entertain those with different taste, we recommend going with this small list of basics. These will enable you to make most drinks generally speaking. Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Rum (light and dark), Whiskey, and Brandy. As for liquers, if you plan on adding those, we suggest starting with those you enjoy from this list of classics: Amaretto (our favorite), Coffee Liqueur, Dry and Sweet Vermouth, Irish Cream Liqueur, Orange Liqueur, Creme de Cacao, Creme de Menthe, Chambord, and Midori.
The Mixers
Unless you’re drinking straight alcholo, you’ll likely want some mixers to create your cocktails. Again, these will vary based on what types of drinks you prefer but a good list to consider for stocking your bar are these: Lemon and Lime Juice, Orange Juice, Cranberry Juice, Grapefruit Juice, Pineapple Juice, Tomatoe Juice, Bitters, Simple Syrup, Sour Mix, Grenadine, Milk/Half and Half or Cream, Coffee, Tea and Sodas (Club, Tonic, Ginger Ale, Cola and Lemon Lime)
The Garnishes
Whether its for a little extra something for looks or taste, garnish are important to get and have stocker prior to creating and enjoying cocktails. You’ll nearly always want to keep lemons, limes, oranges and maraschino cherries however, you can also keep on hand olives, cocktail onions, mint, salt and sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, celery or pickles, and whipped cream.
The Tools
Cocktails do require tools - without them you’ll only have the bottle. Not inherently a bad thing but does get tricky if you want a cocktail more advanced. For making the drinks, you’ll of course want glassware- highballs, whiskey glasses and the like are great basics. For prepping garnishes or opening bottles you’ll want wine or bottle openers, cutting board and knife as well as a trash can for means of disposal. When it comes to crafting the drinks, be sure to also source major key tools such as an ice bucket or ice maker, measuring instruments such as jiggers and tins, mixing spoon, liqueur pourers, strainers, muddler and ice tongs. Ultimately, a bar accessories set with the basics will be enough to get you started. Be sure to invest in something that will hold up and not simply something inexpensive that looks good.
The Extras
Big or small, one of the most fun aspects of stocking a dry bar are the bits and pieces that make it your own. We’ve loved using personalized leather coasters, topical books like our favorite Death and Co. Cocktail Book, candles, photos and more. So much of the extras are a unique opportunity to share more about yourself and your style in really subtle (or not so subtle) ways. Be sure to take advantage when giving your bar the finishing touches over time.
