On Building Out Your Home Bar
When quarantine started, I had but eight bottles of liquor (plus one sad bottle of Angostura Bitters, slowly gathering dust) lined up neatly on a lacquer tray in my kitchen. But as it turns out, a person who is enthusiastic about cocktails cannot live on vodka sodas alone, particularly during a time when most of my favorite bars were closed for the foreseeable future. As I took stock of what I’m missing and what I’d like to be making, I was able to finally flesh out that home bar I’d only been dreaming about for so long.
That said, I only have two rules to abide by when building out your own bar: One, if you can, try to buy high quality. As with food, the better the ingredients, the better the result. Two, although the below is a comprehensive list, purchase only what you think you’ll realistically want to drink - you’re the sole imbiber, after all!
Spirits
Vodka:
If vodka were a person, she’d go to cardio dance classes in her Carbon 38 leggings and brunch at Bagatelle with bottles of rosé … in other words, basic. She is, however, easy (to drink), plus you’ll want to have her around for when you decide to invite company over again. I prefer to use mine for dirty martinis and said vodka sodas if I’m feeling lazy and low-cal.
Gin:
If you love Negronis as much as I do, this is a must. It’s also the base for so many other great drinks, and, if you’re ever in the mood for something refreshing and easy, a gin & tonic is always the answer. I have a couple of bottles myself – a London dry gin, and a locally distilled grapefruit forward gin from my friend’s company, Tuck. However, unless you’re an enthusiast, you probably only need one – and the London Dry is a workhorse. My favorite is Bombay Sapphire, although if you’re the “fancypants” of your friend group, I also recommend Monkey 47.
Whiskey:
Everyone will have their preference here depending on flavor profile, but I like to have 2-3 different kinds at my bar - a bourbon, a Scotch (for sipping – my personal favorites are Hibiki and Laphroaig), and perhaps a whiskey for mixing, such as a Rye or Canadian whiskey.
Tequila:
My favorite spirit of all time, particularly if you’re as obsessed with margaritas as much as I am, but lethal if not chosen correctly. Most everyone has a “bad tequila” story, so do yourself a favor and avoid José Cuervo. Espolòn and Milagro are good alternatives at a similar pricepoint.
Mezcal:
It wasn’t until a couple of months ago that I realized Del Maguey Vida was the Mezcal that most bars were using in their cocktails. I had tried (and failed) making cocktails with other Mezcals that were great on their own, but more subtly smoky when mixed with other ingredients. This one is also solid for sipping, but my favorite part is the value – it’s fabulous in drinks, satisfactory for sipping and costs but $34. (Or $11 at Hannaford in Maine, as I once gleefully discovered.)
Rum:
You’ll ideally want to have two: a dark (spiced) rum, and a white one. Personally, I’m less of a rum gal, but if you love drinks such as Painkillers or want to pretend you’re on a beach in Barbados, there are plenty of recipes that include one or the other.
Vermouths:
You’ll need both a sweet vermouth and a dry vermouth to make everything from Manhattans to Vespers. But “Not that Martini & Rossi kind!” as Stanley Tucci once stated in his tipsy Negroni tutorial video. Dolin is a solid (and storied) French brand that is carried most everywhere (and great for their dry vermouth especially), but if you can get it, Carpano Antica Formula is the go-to for sweet vermouth. Just a housekeeping note: purchase half bottles if available and keep them in the fridge, as their lower proof means they’re not shelf stable the way other liqueurs or spirits are. In other words, they’ll go bad quickly.
Liqueurs
Campari and Aperol:
Both are used in a number of Italian aperitifs and other lesser known but equally delicious cocktails such as the Paper Plane. Some folks don’t love the bitterness to it, but if you’re looking to replicate aperitivo at a sidewalk café in Italy (as I often do for my self-imposed Happy Hours), these are great to have on hand.
Orange Liqueur:
I’m going to say it here, and probably will say it again – if you love margaritas, I highly recommend Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao over other triple secs. It has a much nicer, rounder, almost floral-like flavor to it that elevates any drink you’ll make with it from here on out.
Aromatic Bitters
While my little bottle of Angostura mostly sat in a corner of my home bar for years (don’t worry, it keeps!), I’ve finally been able to put it to good use over the past few months, making Manhattans and Old Fashioneds. I recommend buying yourself a bottle as well, if you’re a fan of classic, spirit-forward drinks and fancy making them at home.
Everything Else
You’ll want to keep seltzer and tonic around (I prefer the 7.5 oz single-serve cans), as well as good juice (I love Blood Orange if you can get your hands on it, but grapefruit is just as versatile if you like the flavor), and lots of lemons, limes and oranges for both fresh juice and garnishes. I also like to have martini olives (pitted, not stuffed) and Luxardo cherries on hand for classic drinks such as the Dirty Martini and Old Fashioned.
Lastly, don’t forget the ice!