Is Your Home Bar A Dive?

There has been a strange phenomenon among my friends and I. Every time we have a get together, we each think we’re the master bartender. But the truth is, all we do is guess and make up crazy, sometimes nasty, drinks. My friend Chris once made a peppermint punch – it tasted like NyQuil. I’m gagging thinking about it. We never seem to have the right mixers on hand, or alcohol for that matter. So this entry is for all us who wanna be savvy bartenders.

A simple trick to appear like you know your spirits is to master 3 drinks, serve only those along with beer and wine at your next gathering.

A good resource to discover what’s in the drink you love is drinksmixer.com. Eventually your drink repertoire will grow, and you will be ready to mix with the best of them.

Building the perfect home bar should happen organically, as to not to wipe out your 401K (if that hasn’t happened already). Begin by stocking your bar with the ingredients to make the most known signature drinks.

Basic beer, wines and spirits you should have on hand at all times:

rum
vodka
gin
tequila
whiskey
red wine
white wine
beer
coffee liqueur/ Irish cream

Also include basic mixers:
tonic water
club soda
ginger ale
fruit juices (cranberry and pineapple)

More exotic options include:
Vermouth
Orange Liqueur (Triple Sec or Cointreau)
Curaçao Liqueur
Crème de menthe
Melon Liqueur
Amaretto
Chocolate Liqueur
Schnapps (peach or raspberry flavored)

And if you really wanna get fancy:

Tabasco sauce
Worcestershire sauce
limes or lime juice
salt
pepper
bitters
simple syrup
kosher salt
sugar
heavy cream
green olives (pitted)
lemons
maraschino cherries
celery sticks
mint leaves
sage

Lastly, you will need the proper tools:

ice bucket & tongs
blender
cocktail shaker
shot glass or jigger
small chopping board
paring knife
corkscrew
lemon juice squeezer
rimming bowl
bottle & can openers
cocktail napkins
coasters
stirrers and cocktail picks
bar strainer
hand grinder to mash herbs and fruits
bar towels

Here’s my new favorite drink I’m going to show off at my next party. It’s called the Pineapple Sage Caipirinha. Just muddle lime, fresh sage leaves and sugar. Add pineapple juice, Sagatiba Pura Cachaça and ice. Shake and serve over ice in a rocks glass. So good.