Life at Home: The Essential Home Bar Guide
A Guide to Curation, Classics, and Cocktails
The Philosophy of the Bar
The gentleman’s at-home bar is a timeless and refined reflection of himself. In his home, he is the arbiter of taste. It’s important to have the classics refined to infinity, but to also be open to the way a guest may prefer their cocktail mixed. While the trends of the mixology industry may point towards exotic ingredients and twists-on-a-classic, a carefully considered, modestly stocked, and efficiently run home bar remains an immovable pillar of the gentleman’s life at home.
Whether an evening with guests or in solitude, the bar provides what you need. These are recommendations to consider, but do not take these as gospel. Acquire the basics then refine them to your personal taste and allow your home bar to speak on your behalf.
The Cart, Cabinet, or Shelf
Where the bar lives is the most variable part. If you’re a homeowner in Connecticut, you may have the room for an entire butler’s pantry or wet bar. If you’re a renter in Chinatown, you’ll need to find some creative solutions. No matter the bones, the guts remain the same, though.
We are proponents of the mobile bar cart, as we believe that it offers the flexibility of space while still allowing some grandeur in presentation. It also allows a bit of your stylistic personality to show through, as there are a myriad of cart options to be found. While some of us at TNBC are still on the hunt for the perfect vintage cart, a starter from Wayfair is doing just fine for the time being. If your home allows, a cabinet behind closed doors speaks of restraint and elegance, or a collection of fine spirits on a clean, minimal shelf displays your discernment and will best showcase rare finds.
What You Really Need
Making a home bar can be daunting, looking online and through forums, discovering all of the equipment you may or may not need. We are going to give you a list of what we have for our home bar setups so you can decide for yourself what may or may not be necessary for making drinks at home. We tend to stay on the lenient side and will only include what we refer to in this guide. (we included pictures at the bottom of the article)
Mixing glass
Bar spoon
Jigger
Citrus juicer
Strainer
Double strainer
Shaker
Boston 2 Piece Shaker (More reminiscent of a professional bar)
Cobbler 3 Piece Shaker (Better for casual users and looks stylish)
Decanters
Wine
Made of fine crystal and in elegant shapes
Spirits
Hardier crystal and rougher aesthetic design, with a stopper
Glassware
Wine glasses
Bordeaux Glasses
Champagne Flutes
Bar glasses
Rocks Glass
Highball Glass
Coupe or Martini Glass
The Basics Done Right
Now that you have a home and some equipment for your bar, we need to talk about the fun part, booze. Depending on what types of spirits you prefer or the drinks you plan on making, you may decide to have multiple components of one or be rid of another. For the sake of simplicity in this guide, we will talk about what we consider the basic four drinks: the old fashioned, the highball, the martini, and the sour.
The TNBC Drinks Guide
The Old Fashioned
While there is a way of making one, the old fashioned has seen a myriad of iterations since its inception in the mid-20th century. There still exist today regional variations in places like Wisconsin and Buenos Aires, but we’ll walk you through the generally accepted method.
What You’ll Need
Usually composed of a dark and already complex liquor on its own such as dark rum or whiskey, specifically bourbon or rye is common for a sweeter or spicier drink. Swap in Añejo tequila or brandy if you’re feeling adventurous.
Sugar cubes or simple syrup are used for a touch of sweetness in the drink, personally we use simple syrup as it lands a more consistent and smoother product, it also aids in diluting the drink.
Bitters are incredibly important in the drink, adding complexity and depth to the base of the drink. Mix and match orange and aromatic bitters or try something unique like cardamom or peach bitters, it will never disappoint. Starting with Angostura bitters is never a bad choice, and in our opinion don’t be afraid to use them, rather use a bit too much than too little.
“Rest easy knowing that most of your guests are not there to critique your ice-making skills but to enjoy the atmosphere you present them”
Ice is a bartender’s best friend. Although it can be easy to get caught up in the clear ice craze and make it feel like your enemy, rest easy knowing that most of your guests are not there to critique your ice-making skills but to enjoy the atmosphere you present them. Our recommendation is to buy some molds for larger cubes or spheres online like this one from Williams & Sonoma although there are a plethora of options out there.
The TNBC Old Fashioned Template
Ingredients:
2 oz. Dark Spirit (Bourbon, Rye, Dark Rum)
Splash Simple Syrup (To your taste)
2-3 dashes Bitters
Ice
Garnish: Orange Peel
Equipment:
Mixing Glass
Bar Spoon
Rocks Glass
Method:
Add sugar or simple syrup to a mixing glass
Add bitters
Add spirit of choice
Add ice and stir with bar spoon for 20-30 seconds to chill the drink and dilute
Pour into rocks glass with a large ice cube already placed inside that has been sitting out to adjust to room temperature. Pour a little at first to temper the ice and prevent cracking before finally pouring in the rest.
Cut a slim strip of orange peel, avoiding the white pith. Twist over the drink to expel essential oils and aroma. Cut a strip down the middle and place on the rim of the glass for presentation.
How to Explore
Above we have provided a basic template for the drink, but it is far from a firm judgment. We encourage you to experiment with sweeter or drier drinks, or change up the flavor profile by using different types of bitters or making your own flavored simple syrups.
Other drinks that branch from this include the classic Manhattan, adding sweet vermouth creating a wonderful palate of sweet and spicy notes; or the Monte Carlo, which uses rye whiskey and Bénédictine instead of simple syrup giving it a botanical and spirit-forward character.
The Highball
The highball can be whatever you’d like it to be. Gin and tonic, scotch & soda, 7 & 7, and the Ranch Water are all classic variations of the highball formula. The key, and where the cocktail gets its name, is from the glass that it is presented in. The highball is simply a spirit and a carbonated mixer. That’s it.
What You’ll Need
Spirit
Carbonation
Ice
Garnish
The TNBC Highball Template
Ingredients:
2 oz. Spirit
4-6 oz. Soda or Tonic Water
Garnish: Lemon Peel
Ice
Equipment:
Highball Glass
Bar Spoon
Method:
Fill the Highball glass completely to the rim with ice.
Pour the spirit over the ice.
Gently pour the soda water down the side of the glass to fill, preserving carbonation.
Give one single, gentle stir from the bottom up. Do not over-stir.
Express the lemon peel over the drink and add it as a garnish.
How to Explore
While there is no definitive beginning for the highball as a concept, it is strongly associated with drinking culture in Japan, who do a whiskey & soda like no other. The Ranch Water originates from west Texas: simply tequila, mineral sparkling water, and a squeeze of lime juice, a light and refreshing drink after a day of ranching.
The aforementioned two combinations are favorites of TNBC, along with the G&T. We encourage you to try a liquor on its own, and then in a highball with a squeeze of citrus to see how the dilution and garnish bring out flavors that may not have been present when drinking a whiskey or tequila neat.
The Martini
Perhaps a drink that is open to much interpretation, the martini remains divisive in how your guests may like it prepared. While some of us at TNBC are gin martini only drinkers, vodka gained traction in the mid-20th century as the bold spirit of choice. Like the old fashioned, the bones of the drink are similar no matter your liquid choices, allowing you to refine your own personal taste to infinity, and maybe come up with something you can name after yourself or a woman from the British Treasury you fall madly in love with.
What You’ll Need
Spirit
Dry Vermouth
Garnish
Ice
The TNBC Martini Template
Ingredients:
2.5 oz. Gin or Vodka
1 oz. Dry Vermouth (Adjust to your taste, from just a rinse for extra dry to 2:1 )
Garnish: Lemon Twist or Green Olive
Equipment:
Mixing Glass
Bar Spoon
Bar Strainer
Chilled Coupe Glass
Method:
Fill the mixing glass with ice.
Add the vermouth, then add the gin or vodka.
Stir briskly with the bar spoon for 30-40 seconds. The glass should be frosty.
Strain into a well-chilled coupe glass.
Express the lemon peel over the glass and add as a garnish or drop in an olive.
How to Explore
As mentioned in the introductory paragraph, the martini is open to many interpretations. Most people will drink a martini “dry” or “dirty,” a.k.a. the two classic variations: dry, with light vermouth and usually nothing more than a lemon as garnish; dirty, with a splash of olive brine and at least two olives on a stick as a garnish.
Other notable variations we recommend include the Perfect Martini, with equal parts sweet and dry vermouth accompanying the spirit, and the Vesper Martini from Casino Royale: 3 parts vodka, 1 part gin, half part Lillet Blanc (Kina Lillet is unfortunately no longer produced) with a lemon peel garnish or an 8 to 1 martini. James Bond was a serious alcoholic.
Speaking of Bond, the shaken vs stirred debate lives on mostly in the Bond universe, and results in minimal difference in real life. Even if you’ve had thousands of martinis, you are extremely unlikely to notice any difference. There are those that would argue you will bruise gin by shaking it excessively, however a real scientific study finds that oxidation as a result of shaking results in virtually no change in flavor or profile.
We encourage the audience of TNBC to have an exploratory knowledge of variations like the espresso martini and the Gibson; their mastery should come second to that of the classic styles.
The Sour
“Like many things in men’s fashion, we can thank the British Navy for this piece of mixology.”
The Sour is not one drink but a format for many. The Spirit, Sour, Sweet mix is a combination that satisfies the human palate, touching every part of our flavor senses. Like many things in men’s fashion, we can thank the British Navy for this piece of mixology.
The story goes that sailors had rations for rum from the Caribbean islands as well as citrus which was used to prevent diseases like scurvy, which stemmed from a lack of vitamin C. It is surmised that they mixed their sailor rations together to create the first sour cocktail, the Grog. The drink proved potent, earning its own verb for its name, ‘groggy’. This is now the feeling we associate with being hungover. British sailors definitely knew how to enjoy themselves.
What You’ll Need
Spirit
Sour
Sweet
Foam (Optional)
The TNBC Sour Template
Ingredients:
2 oz. Spirit (e.g., Bourbon)
1 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1 oz. Simple Syrup
(Optional) 1 Egg White
Equipment:
Cocktail Shaker
Strainer
Rocks or Coupe Glass
Method:
Add the spirit, lemon juice, simple syrup, and (if using) egg white to your shaker.
If using an egg white, dry shake without ice to agitate and unravel the proteins (denaturation) in the egg to create the large frothy foam without diluting the drink. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
Add ice and shake again.
Strain into your glass. You can either ‘dump’ the contents (including the ‘dirty ice’ from the shaker) or strain over fresh ice, if you desire.
How to Explore
“The Lemon Maple is a great way to embrace the new season while still longing for a summer staple.”
The whiskey sour has variations that go on for eternity. The combination of a spirit, lemon juice, and syrup is the base for many cocktails like the Daiquiri as we mentioned, but here are a few of our suggestions to get your own creative mind started.
The New England seasonal favorite of our Editor-in-Chief Theo, the lemon maple (or maple bourbon sour). Swap out the usual simple syrup for a smokey maple syrup (Bonus if it’s from Vermont!) and enjoy with bourbon or rye. The lemon maple is a great way to embrace the new season while still longing for a summer staple. Go with the rye for a spicier and more jumpy drink, stick with bourbon if you enjoy a cleaner, sweeter, and woodier drink to compliment the maple syrup.
If you are feeling exploratory you can make your own pomegranate simple syrup to make a pomegranate sour. Use pomegranate juice instead of water while making your simple syrup to your desired ratio and it will provide a great variation for any drink (plus you can layer it to make some cool looking drinks).
In Europe and Stateside, pomegranate is considered a niche ingredient, but while our editor was living in the Middle East, they were plentiful. This led to an exploration into its applications in mixology. Feel free to make a different simple syrup and experiment, like blueberry or raspberry, where the same method applies.
If you decide to get involved with triple sec as your sweet component you open your doors to many cocktails that stem from the sour, like the sidecar (could have its own section), or the margarita which swaps in lime juice and tequila. No matter the route you choose, the Spirit, Sour, Sweet will always be a staple to build from. In our opinion it is the best starting platform for cocktail experimentation as the possibilities are endless.
Let’s Talk Spirits
Distillation has been around for thousands of years, with the exact place or date of origination unknown. Likely invented for medicinal purposes, spirits have taken on numerous associations and iterations in the modern era. The simplicity of the distilling process means that you can inject any amount of extra steps, techniques, or flavors you deem necessary to create a complex and desirable liquor. Thus, spirits come from thousands and thousands of different brands and variations. At the end of each section we will provide our recommendations for bottles in bold that we think are perfect to get you started.
Whiskey
We at TNBC find whiskey to be extremely divisive among the gentlemen of the world, but which kind should you buy? American versions from Kentucky or Tennessee? Irish or Scottish? Canadian?!? And within each kind, what complexities do you prefer? What’s the sweet spot for aging? Below we will cover what you need to know, if you have your set preferences, feel free to skip the section.
Rye has a minimum of 51% rye grain used in distillation, whereas bourbon is a minimum of 51% corn, and both must be made in the US under certain standards. Rye comes out spicier and with a little more intensity, whereas bourbon comes out sweeter and smoother.
How long a whiskey is aged affects this as well. You’ll often hear the term “Kentucky straight” with bourbon, which means it was made and distilled entirely in Kentucky and aged for at least 2 years in newly charred American oak barrels. Tennessee whiskey uses the Lincoln County Process, a charcoal filtering step that is known to increase smoothness. The term ‘bottled-in-bond’ is also important, signifying the aging process it has gone through. It is a US federal government certification ensuring that a spirit is produced by a single distiller in a single season, aged in a federally bonded warehouse for at least four years, and bottled at exactly 100 proof.
For a well-priced entry level bourbon and rye that fit perfect for cocktails and sipping straight we can recommend Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky straight bourbon, and Old Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Rye which are both approachable 100 Proof bottles to start your exploration into the world of whiskey drinks.
Irish whiskey has a high percentage of malted barley in its grain mix, thus is often a little lighter and smoother than something like rye. Obviously, it must also come from Ireland. Distilling three times rather than two also increases smoothness, and Irish whiskey is often aged in used bourbon or sherry barrels to impart some sweetness into the bottle.
Scottish whiskey or Scotch is a unique whiskey that is often associated as more of an elevated liquor that stands above its whiskey competitors. This is likely due to the fact that scotch is often aged longer than its compatriots, some as many as 18 years or more. While only required to be aged three years in oak casks, scotch is often standardized around ten to twelve years before it is considered as a contender in the fine scotch category.
Of course, scotch comes from Scotland, and is often smoked with peat to impart a unique flavor that makes scotch instantly recognizable in smell and in taste. While it is mixed in cocktails on very rare occasions due to its age and complexity; it is often enjoyed with a cigar to compliment its flavor rather than hiding it behind a complex drink.
Reaching out to a trusted source we were given a recommendation to share. For something to get you into the world of high quality scotch whiskey at a premium price point the Glenmorangie 14 Quinta Ruban punches above its weight with some sweet, and woody notes.
While we didn’t want to grant them their own sections entirely, it may be worth noting that like many types of alcohol recently, the Japanese do it very well. Japanese whiskey is perhaps the most notable of the group; The famous Suntory Distillery could be a good place to start. The other one we didn’t mention was Canadian whiskey. Canadian whiskey is sometimes referred to as “Canadian rye” or “Canadian blended whiskey.” It is not the most important part of a bar and is not really notable but in our experience, however, those who drink Canadian whiskey are extremely loyal to it. It is usually a bit lighter and smoother than bourbon and made from a higher rye content. A well-known brand for Canadian whiskey is Forty Creek Whiskey so maybe consider having it around for any of our northern neighbors should you live stateside.
Gin
Gin starts out much the same as vodka: simply a distilled grain spirit. You’ll often hear about Americans making gin in their bathtubs during Prohibition, and this is due to the relatively simple process of taking a strong, neutral spirit and infusing it with botanicals. These botanicals are often juniper berries, citrus, or spices that can result in millions of different flavor profiles under the umbrella of gin.
In more industrial, out-of-home processes, the infusion is distilled again for maximum extraction of flavor and nuance. That’s what makes this spirit so compelling to us at TNBC, it can be endlessly complex or strikingly simple and approachable. Beefeater and Tanqueray are the two mass market gins at reasonable prices that deliver on precisely what gin should be - strong, complex, and sharp. Because the flavors are best highlighted in a spirit-forward drink like a martini, high end gin is especially coveted, The Botanist being a favorite of more than one of our writers.
You may hear the term London Dry gin when exploring different variations. This explains the distilling process more than geographical origin. London Dry’s main appeal is that it is intensely juniper forward, often the flavor profile the masses associate with gin. For anything not labeled as such, that does not disqualify it from consideration, however it usually signifies a more citrus or fruit flavored profile, usually something like the cucumber-forward note found in Hendrick’s Scottish gin or the anise-first blend of Gunpowder Irish Gin. If you want to explore the world outside of the classic London dry we suggest starting on the other British Isles although Japan has some fantastic gins as well that should not be overlooked.
Tequila and Mezcal
Once a party drink that has now become incredibly popular in the United States, agave spirits are having a mass market boom post-COVID. This is, like many other spirit booms, attributed to the ability to give the spirit intense nuances by making small changes in production, especially in the field of mezcal. Many kinds of agave can be used to create mezcal, and the unique production method of cooking the agave hearts in underground smoke pits before crushing and distilling the liquid imparts not just a unique aroma but a flavor profile completely different from that of tequila.
Tequila is also made of agave, like mezcal, however only blue weber agave can be used in the production of tequila. While the agave hearts are cooked, crushed, and distilled like mezcal, tequila is missing the smoking part of the cooking process, thus creating a cleaner and crisper liquor. However, only tequila blancos like Espolòn are bottled immediately after distillation. Tequila reposados like La Gritona are aged in oak barrels for two months to one year, tequila añejos like Hiatus are aged for one to three years, and tequila extra añejos like El Tesoro Paradiso are aged for three years or more. Some brands may create aged tequila that is cleaner and crisper by aging it in newly charred barrels (like bourbon), or they may choose used casks to impart the unique flavors of the liquor or wine (like rum) that was aged before the tequila.
With all of the different methods, aging times, and finishes that can be imparted to create a unique tequila drinking experience, there has been a recent rise in high-end tequilas coming into the market. We at TNBC recommend añejo and extra añejo spirits be enjoyed on the rocks or neat for the most immersive experience, while mezcals can be enjoyed on their own or substituted in tequila cocktails for an upgrade to classic drinks.
Rum
Rum is an underappreciated and underexplored spirit in general bartending. There are, however, plenty of specialty bars and restaurants that do amazing things with rum. Most rums produced on any kind of industrial scale start with molasses, the thick syrup left behind after sugar crystals are removed from boiled sugarcane juice. The flavor profile of rum is largely determined by how long the fermentation process is allowed to continue.
White rum often goes through a short fermentation and is immediately ready to drink after distillation and dilution, whereas dark rum is left to age. This could be in any barrel, as there is no classification standard, but it is most commonly reused bourbon barrels to impart a deeper flavor and color into the rum.
Mostly seen mixed in tiki-style drinks, rum remains unrivaled in complex flavor and versatility in cocktails. A recommendation from us is the daiquiri, the way Hemingway used to drink it, or the dirty mojito, an easy way to impart some interesting flavor into a classic drink by swapping in dark rum.
For our recommendations we can vouch for a bulk white rum like Bacardi as fine for most drinks as it is a blank canvas for you to build from just don’t go too cheap, make sure it is 100 percent white rum and not blended with any neutral spirits.
For dark rum Appleton Estate 3 Year is a good bottle for mixing although can also be enjoyed sipping but lacks the complexity of some more expensive bottles, Angostura 7 Year or 1919 are fantastic bottles to enjoy straight or mixed. Mount Gay XO is a great rum if you are looking to sip and enjoy
Vodka
“There are plenty of local distilleries across America and Europe that make fantastic vodka, sometimes the best one is the one closest to home.”
While vodka is usually overlooked as the usual party drink of college kids it provides bartenders with something else: a blank slate. Vodka is the clean plate in bartending that carries your drink to create something you love, whether that is by making a base for a limoncello drink, or wanting to let the niche liqueur you found at a boutique shop stand out, it is incredibly versatile. If you come across an interesting ingredient you want to try, let vodka be the carrier for it, you can never go wrong.
If you are hosting a large group there are a plethora of batch cocktails made from vodka (or white rum) that can satisfy everyone and take the pressure off of the host (you), making it a truly versatile liquor that can come in handy when you might need it. It may not be as interesting as whiskey but it has its time and place in any home bar, cementing itself the go-to base spirit.
If you are looking for something smoother you can spend a bit more and look for something local, supporting a distillery near you. There are plenty of local distilleries across America and Europe that make fantastic vodka, sometimes the best one is the one closest to home. For the rest of us any bottle will work just fine, just make sure it clarifies that it is 100% vodka somewhere on the bottle (some brands can mix in a random neutral spirit to cut costs) and comes from a trusted brand.
Costco Vodka in the US is actually quite a good value if you are looking for something to get the job done or Smirnoff (we also received a recommendation for Sobieski) is fine as well. You just want something you know is pure and free of any additives that gives you a dependable, clean, and simple base for all of your drinks.
Liqueur
When speaking about liqueur it’s important to understand the wide variety available and the ones we recommend starting with. Many liqueurs define the drinks they make and cannot be substituted or replaced in most circumstances but there are a few that stand out as more useful and broad reaching than others. A handy Triple Sec (a type of orange liqueur) like Cointreau or De Kuyper’s (pick based on your budget) are a good mix between sweetness and flavor, both being trusted by bartenders the world over. The other types of orange liqueur like Grand Marnier and Curacao are not necessary to keep around in our opinion unless a specific recipe calls for them as triple sec can satisfy most needs.
The second important Liqueur would be Amari (bitters in Italian), these drinks are spicy, bitter, yet sweet components that are crucial to many drinks like the Negroni, Little Italy (Twist on the Manhattan drink using Cynar) or the now modern staple and favorite for many in the younger generation, Aperol Spritz. Campari, Cynar, and Aperol provide a good base for you to work from and cover much of the ground for being able to make a large variety of drinks but acquire them as you need, as with everything in this guide, buy them as you grow your horizons, no need to buy them all at once. Campari is going to be the most spice forward of the bunch, Cynar by comparison is sweeter and earthier, with more herbal notes, Aperol being the sweetest of the bunch with the least complex palate. The last group of Liqueur we mentioned in the guide above was vermouth (ver-mooth).
For vermouth you can usually divide it into two types: sweet/red vermouth (technically red vermouth is a type of sweet vermouth but we are going to bundle them together for simplicity here) and dry vermouth. Sweet vermouth provides a rich, honeyed, and complex flavor with notes of dark fruits and vanillas, while dry vermouth tends to be brighter, and more floral, yet bracingly dry and complimented by citrus flavors. Sweet vermouth is used in the classic Manhattan and dry vermouth in martinis as we mentioned above. Cocchi di Torino in our opinion is the king of sweet vermouth and readily available. For dry vermouth there are a few options that can change your martini although picking one based on your preference is likely a good idea. If you are looking for a full bodied drink Carpano vermouth is fantastic, for something more mellow Dolin would be our other recommendation. I can’t advocate for it personally but Noilly Prat is also a member of the classic club and enjoyed by many
This guide was quite a joy for us to make and was a big departure from our usual content. We hope you enjoyed it and perhaps got inspired to start or expand your bartending horizons. If you like this kind of writing be sure to let us know through our readers survey below so we can continue publishing the things you want to read. We made this guide in the style of much of our other writings, as a base. We wanted to equip you with the basics for everything you need to know to conquer a new hobby, especially one as daunting as bartending. The photos we promised are below.
