Everything You Need to Stock Your Home Bar

Stay home and make a drink! Here’s a quick list of everything you need to stock your home bar and make a cocktail.

Know what I love most about being known as the house on the block with the great cocktails? It’s not the cocktail itself—it’s the people!

It’s asking about each other’s days while we squeeze the limes, or hearing the clink of the ice cut through the laughter of friends.

These moments add bright spots to our day and lift our spirits (no pun intended).

We keep our home bar stocked with a basic supply of items that can cover every base, should our friends ever swing by for a chat. Here’s how you can do the same.

Liquors to Keep in Your Home Bar

If you’re stocking a home bar for the first time, I recommend testing the waters with various mid-range liquors (with regard to both price and quality).

If you’re planning on mainly making mixed drinks or cocktails, ultra high-end bottles aren’t necessary at all.

On the other hand, if you plan on drinking any liquor neat or on the rocks without mixers, then it might be worth investing in something a bit more special.

I recommend keeping a basic selection on hand of vodka, gin, rum (dark and light), tequila, and bourbon whiskey. If there’s something in particular you like it can be fun to keep a few different brands around for tasting.

If you have a basic bar stocked you can make so many things! Classic Martinis, Gimlets, Negronis, Boulevardiers, Dark + Stormies, and so much more.

Beer, Wine, and Bubbles

Keep a little selection of each of these on hand, especially if you enjoy entertaining.

A nice array might consist of one bottle each of red wine, white wine, prosecco, champagne, and a fun six-pack of craft beer.

Once you start to learn what you or your guests enjoy, you can build your collection.

Specialty Liqueurs to Keep at Home

There are a few liqueurs that are fantastic to keep on hand for making special cocktails.

Some of my favorites are:

• St-Germain – an elderflower liqueur used in French Gimlets and Hugo Spritzes
• Cointreau – orange liqueur perfect for Sidecars and Poinsettias
• Aperol – lovely to have around for a Spritz
• Campari – a bitter liqueur that makes fabulous Negronis and more
• Vermouth – a small bottle each of dry and sweet is perfect
• Bitters – add to an Old Fashioned, an Old Cuban, and lots more

The Best Mixers for Home Bars

Stock your home bar with a simple list of basic items that you can mix and match to make a wide variety of cocktails. Some of the mixers we always keep on hand:

• Club soda
• Tonic
• Cola
• Lemon-lime sode
• Fruit juices
• Ginger beer

If you stock just one mixer for your home bar, make it ginger beer.

It mixes beautifully with just about any liquor you can imagine and creates a spicy, flavorful cocktail.

Mixed with vodka, it becomes a Moscow Mule; with whiskey, a Kentucky Mule.

Add ginger beer to gin to mix a Foghorn, or add it to rum for a Dark and Stormy.

You can even add a squeeze of lime to create a delicious mocktail. Follow the recipe below to choose your own cocktail adventure.

Garnishes to Stock at Home for Cocktails

A few easy-to-stock garnishes will help you make great cocktails from your home bar!

• Lemons
• Limes
• Luxardo Cherries
• Sugar cubes
• Margarita salt

Barware for a Home Bar

Keep it simple! Just a few items will help you make any cocktail in your recipe book. Here’s a set that has everything on my list!

• Cocktail shaker
• Strainer
• Citrus juicer
• Muddler
• Jigger

Glassware for the Home Mixologist

A great place to start a special glassware collection is at the thrift store. You may even have some incredible pieces passed down through your family.

Keep in mind, you can drink a great cocktail out of a coffee mug if you need to! But keep these on your radar if you want to build your collection (and feel free to mix and match patterns and colors):

• rocks glasses
• highball or tall glasses
• red and white wine glasses
• champagne glasses

Enjoy these tips for creating a home bar, and I hope you toast to your health and happiness! xoxo

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