How to Create A Classy At-Home Bar

Ten years after the 60’s style home bar trend took the country by storm thanks to Mad Men, we’re still in love with the idea. You don’t have to be a big drinker to enjoy the perks of having a classy home bar. Depending on what your drink of choice is, liquor can last a very long time if stored out of direct sunlight in a cool dry place in your home. Plus, if you love having guests over, a classy home bar can be a great conversation starter and will make your guests feel extra special.

If you’re inclined to create your own bar, but don’t know where to start, this little guide will give you the basics of the tools you will need.

The Cart

First things first is where to store your home bar. The rolling cart is an easy way to set up a bar that isn’t too expensive. Plus, it looks super classy. Check out these carts:
Alleger Bar by House of Hampton
Acrylic Bar Cart by World Market

Rose Gold by Threshold™ at Target

The Tools

You don’t need a ton of tools to get started, just the essentials. Here we go:

Bar spoon (Sur La Table) for mixing martinis and cocktails, plus measuring ingredients and layering drinks.

Muddler (Williams Sonoma) for extracting juices and crushing limes, mint and other fruits and herbs.

Jigger (Sur La Table) for measuring and pour liquor, juices and simple syrups.

Cocktail shaker (Crate & Barrel) to mix drinks.

Strainer (Sur La Table) for easy straining of multiple drinks at once.

Ice Bucket (Crate & Barrel) for storing ice for cocktails.

Bar tongs (Crate & Barrel) for transferring ice cubes.

Glassware

There are three types of glasses to start out with for your home bar: a short glass, a tall glass, and a stem.

The short bar glass (Anthropologie) or also called a “lowball” glass is ideal for liquor on the rocks, or drinks in general that have a high liquor content.

The tall glass (Anthropologie) or also called a highball glass is ideal for carbonated or craft cocktails.

A martini glass (Crate & Barrel) is ideal for well, martinis. No explanation needed.

Alcohol and Mixers

Unless you’re a certified mixologist, there’s no need to get too complicated with types of liquor and mixers. Keep it simple to start out with and then expand once you get the hang of mixing cocktails.

Here’s what you need to start:

Liquor

• Cognac
• Rum
• Gin
• Bourbon/ Whiskey
• Vodka
• Tequila

Mixers

• Cointreau
• Red Vermouth
• White Vermouth
• Cola
• Club Soda
• Tonic Water
• Cranberry Juice
• Orange Juice
• Bitters

So now you have the bar, the tools, the liquor and the mixers. Still not sure how to make a classic cocktail? Check out these recipes and guides on how to make the perfect cocktail.