This is for every man and woman out there who isn’t a bartender but likes to play one when at home entertaining guests. I have bartended for a few years (too many, but I don’t feel like aging myself). I built my own bar at home, in my kitchen. It has hanging glass racks and room for all of my supplies. First you need to set up your bar. This is going to be set up how you like it and visually what you want, but above your bar there should be hanging glass racks where the glasses slide in by the bottom. Go to any bar and look at how they have theirs hung and that will give you an idea of how to build yours. Mine are made of wood and I built them in a wall recess, shelf area. Each rack is made of one L shaped rack and one reverse L rack to make one rack. Glassware: 6 of each
- Margarita glasses
- Martini glasses
- Wine glasses
- Shot glasses
- Rocks glasses
- Tumblers
- Chimneys
Wet bar supplies
- S&S (Sweet and Sour)
- Triple Sec
- Rose’s Lime and grenadine
- Tomato Juice
- OJ
- Cranberry juice
- Bottle of Coke
- Bottle of 7 up
- 1/2 and 1/2
- grapefruit juice
Well Liquors (generic or choice)
- Vodka
- Gin
- Tequila
- Rum
- Whiskey
- Scotch
- Khalua
Garnishes
- Sliced Limes
- Sliced Lemons
- Olives
- Cherries
Other miscellaneous Supplies
- Crushed ice
- Bar towel
- Shaker with strainer
- Margarita salt spinner
- Toothpicks
- Worcestershire
- S&P
- Tabasco
- Celery Salt
- Bartender’s Bible (recipe book)
- various sized straws
- blender
You are basically ready to open up your home bar. Here’s a couple of recipes to get you started: Screwdriver
- 1 oz Vodka
- Fill with OJ
Greyhound
- 1oz vodka
- fill grapefruit juice
(for salty dog simply salt rim) Tequila sunrise
- 1 oz tequila
- roses lime
- triple sec
- fill with OJ
- splash roses grenadine and cherry for garnish
Now you are ready with a few basics, only buy juices and fresh fruit for as much as you need that night (obviously they will spoil). You can get as fancy as you want, that’s what being a mixologist is all about. You can show off a little with your garnishes by making lime and lemon twists. Making fancy garnishes isn’t all that hard, just use your imagination. Think about color and presentation. If you have a friend who bartends have them give you a couple of lessons before striking out on your own. Any questions feel free to e-mail me.
