Cocktails

Cocktails out can be hit or miss. Some bars follow poor instructions with even worse ingredients, while others will make you some $30 mash of of flavors and call it a cocktail. I often find this takes the fun out of enjoying a few drinks with friends.

I like to keep things simple. Keep the ingredients fresh, the process quick, and the good times rolling. You won’t need much to get started, and you don’t have to use my suggestions below, but a few essential tools help.

Shaker, Jigger, Strainer and Muddle

Pretty much every cocktail is either going to need to be shaken or stirred, and if you are doing so over ice, you are going to need something to strain it. Further to that point, unless you intend to free pour, you are going to need something to measure your amounts. Generally this would call for a jigger, a shaker, a strainer and maybe a muddle. I use the following.

Cocktail Mixing Glass

Eventually you will start getting into the science of cocktails. Believe it or not, there are rules for when things need to be shaken, and when they need to be stirred. If you are going to be stirring a cocktail, you will probably want a mixing glass. Can you use the shaker? sure, but the mixing glasses are typically a little wider, which allows for more ice in the bottom, and a little more ease in stirring. I use the following.

Ice Tools

I will admit upfront, this is not needed. This is more bougie then it is anything else. That said, clear ice bricks will melt slower (less dilution to a cocktail) and have far less “freezer flavor” than what ever you get our of your fridge. It will also make your presentation stick out, and level up your cocktails. Here is what you will need.

The Basic Spirits

When you first set up a home bar, there are going to be a few ingredients that you are going to want to keep on hand. I suggest the following, but it is really going to depend on what you like to drink.

Spirits:

  • Whiskey

  • Vodka

  • White Rum

  • Gin

  • Amaretto

Bitters:

  • Angostura Bitters

Mixers:

  • Lemon Juice

  • Lime Juice

  • Grapefruit Juice

  • Pineapple Juice (canned is fine)

  • Cranberry Juice (bottled is fine)

  • Simple Syrup

  • Honey Syrup