There’s something so satisfying about creating your own home bar. You don’t have to leave the comfort of your own home to enjoy a well-crafted cocktail, and you can impress your friends and family with your mixology skills. Plus, nothing beats a relaxing evening at home with your favorite drink in hand.
With so many options for alcohol, mixers, and tools, it can be challenging to get started. Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered with this guide on how to craft and stock the perfect home bar.
Decisions You’ll Need to Make to Create Your Home Bar
Besides deciding on the physical location, there are some other important factors to consider for your home bar.
Find the Perfect Space
The first step to crafting your home bar is finding the right location. It should be a spot where you’re most comfortable entertaining guests and large enough to accommodate a variety of spirits, glassware, and mixing ingredients. Ideally, you’ll have access to a sink or wash tub, and you’ll have plenty of space for serving and preparing drinks.
Choosing a Theme
Once you’ve decided on the space, setting a theme can help you with decorating and even choosing which spirits you want to dominate your space. For example, if you’re a bourbon lover, you may want to create a “speakeasy” atmosphere with dark wood and leather furnishings. If you’re more into tropical cocktails, then a tiki bar theme may be the way to go.
Grabbing some merchandise from your favorite distillery can help you take your space up a notch.
Gathering the Tools of the Trade
Every home bar, no matter how big or small, requires a set of essential bartender tools. A shaker, strainer, muddler, jigger, and a mixing spoon should all be within arm’s reach. Quality tools not only make crafting the perfect drink easier but also add a professional touch to your bar’s aesthetic.
Stocking the Bar
The Core Spirits
It’s essential to have a solid foundation when stocking your home bar. If you like a variety of cocktails, you’ll want at least a bit of each spirit. But you should lean in on those you (and those you entertain) drink the most.
Don’t be afraid to expand beyond what you might be used to when choosing spirits. For example, if you’re a Kentucky Straight Bourbon fan, grab some rye, an American single malt, or different proofs to fill out your bar.
Show off Your Favorite Bottles
One of the best parts of entertaining at a home bar is showing off what you like to drink the most. Whether it’s a favorite spirit or cocktail, have plenty of those spirits and ingredients in stock.
And, if you have any collectible bottles, keep those on display–even if you have to hang up a “Do Not Touch” sign.
A Smoking Gun
We’re not talking about firearms. This culinary tool has become popular for many home cooks and amateur mixologists who want to recreate the smoky flavors they find in their favorite restaurants and bars. You can find a range of smoking guns at various price points.
Filling Out Your Selection
Alongside your bourbons, gins, vodkas, and whatever else you’ve stocked, consider adding vermouth, bitters, simple syrup, and various liqueurs to create a more elaborate cocktail menu. Remember to add mixers like cranberry juice, tonic water, and soda.
Ideally, if a particular cocktail sounds interesting, it’s nice to make it without interrupting your party with a trip to the store.
Know Your Classic Cocktails
Unless you only drink your bourbon or spirit straight, you will need to memorize a few classic cocktail recipes. Even if you don’t prefer these, it’s always nice to be able to impress friends with some mixology skills..
The Classic Old Fashioned
The Old Fashioned is a timeless bourbon cocktail highlighting the spirit’s complexity with just a few ingredients. Beyond this classic recipe, you can always do something more adventurous by adding different bitters or muddling some interesting fruits (like peaches or plums) into the bottom of your glass.
- 2 oz Yellowstone Bourbon
- 1 tsp sugar or simple syrup
- 2 dashes of bitters
- Garnish with an orange twist and maraschino cherry
Method
- In a shaker, stir the sugar with the bitters. Muddle a bit of fruit if desired.
- Add bourbon and fill the shaker with ice. Stir–don’t shake.
- Strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange twist and cherry.
The Yellowstone Mule
A twist on the classic Moscow Mule, this Yellowstone-inspired cocktail hits the spot, especially on a chilly night.
Ingredients
- 2 oz Yellowstone Special Finishes Collection – Toasted or Rum Cask
- 3 oz ginger beer
- 1/2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- Lime wheel or twist for garnish
Method
- Fill a copper mug or rocks glass with crushed ice.
- Pour the Yellowstone over the ice, followed by the lime juice.
- Top with ginger beer and stir gently.
- Garnish with a lime wheel or twist.
Beyond the Classic Cocktail
The best part of learning how to make cocktails is discovering that once you understand the basics, there is no limit to what you can make.
Entertaining at Home with Your Bar
Hosting a Bourbon Tasting
A great way to engage your guests with your love of bourbon is to host a tasting. Offer a variety of bourbons, including Yellowstone, and guide guests through the tasting process, discussing the different flavor profiles and notes that distinguish each one. It’s an educational and fun way to appreciate the art of bourbon.
Host a Kentucky Derby Watch Party
Themed nights can add an extra layer of enjoyment to your home bar gatherings. Consider hosting parties for the Kentucky Derby or for the holidays.
Of course, you never need a reason to hang out in your home bar. Simply enjoying the great atmosphere and collection of spirits is always reason enough.
Your home bar is not just about the drinks; it’s about the experiences and memories you create.
Host a Stock Party
Stocking your home bar, especially if you know several friends will happily enjoy it with you, doesn’t have to be expensive. Once you have your bar up and running, host a stock party. Invite your friends and family over and charge them one of their favorite bottles as admission.
If you’re feeling generous, you can even make it a trade. You give one of your favorites for one of theirs. That way, no matter who comes over to your home bar, you always have what they want to drink on hand.
Not sure where to find your favorite spirits? Check out our Product Locator.
Congratulations, you now know what it takes to craft the perfect home bar. If you need some inspiration, take a distillery tour at Limestone Branch Distillery. We sell great spirits, but we also have everything you’d need for a great home bar.
You might even be able to purchase some hard-to-find bottles while you’re there.