If every guy had the time and money, we'd all build full-scale Irish pubs in our basements, with Guinness on draught and high-end whiskey flowing like water. Fortunately, you don't need to strike it rich to create a killer home bar.
"A great home bar, like most things a discerning man chooses, is about simplicity, authenticity and timelessness," says Tobin Ellis, former head bartender for Caesars Palace and the current principal consultant and owner of BarMagic of Las Vegas. "All you need is a collection of basic, but quality spirits; a small pantry of specialty ingredients and tools; some fresh fruit; a couple books; some ice and glasses; and you'll be channeling your inner Don Draper in no time."
How do you get set up in style without breaking the bank? Well, you probably don't want to just walk into a liquor store and start grabbing everything off the shelves. Ellis recommends adding these essentials to your home bar shopping list:
SPIRITS:
Ford's Gin, Four Roses Bourbon, Redemption Rye, Don Q Rum (light), Ron Zacapa Rum (dark), Punt y Mes Vermouth (sweet), Tequila Forteleza or Milagro Silver Tequila, Dolin Dry Vermouth (dry), Campari, and Tito's Vodka.
MIXERS:
Sugar, agave nectar, fresh lemons, limes, oranges, angostura bitters, and ginger beer.
BAR TOOLS:
"For the man who likes his expensive toys, there is a world of nifty, respectable bar gadgets from $60 japanese spoons to $600 leather bar bags," Ellis says. "For the rest of us, you can buy everything you need for about $50." Stick with online merchants like Amazon and Barproducts.com, or your local restaurant supply store, and you'll save a bundle.
Here's what Ellis suggests picking up: a 2-piece or 3-piece shaker ($7-15); a pint glass or mixing glass ($2-10); an "elbow" citrus press ($12-20); a few 285-50 metal speed pours ($6 ttl); two jiggers: a 1/2+1 oz. and a 3/4+1.5oz. ($4 for both); 3 strainers: hawthorne, julep, and tea/fine/conical ($6 for all 3); a bar spoon ($2-6); a "y-peeler" ($4); a muddler ($5); a knife; and a cutting board.
GLASSWARE:
Browse for bar glassware online, and you may experience sticker shock. Getting all the requisite glass shapes (martini, highball, old-fashioned, etc.) can feasibly set you back hundreds of dollars. But Ellis thinks that's a waste of time. You can find everything you need at your local thrift store. "For about $20 you'll have a vintage set of cocktail glasses that will look amazing," Ellis says. "And more importantly, they'll fit the bill for serving up the classics."
BOOKS:
Ellis recommends just two: Salvatore Calabrese's Classic Cocktails and Dale DeGroff's The Craft of the Cocktail. "They have all the recipes, tips, tricks, and techniques you'll need to be off to the races," he says.
With this set-up, you should be able to make everything from a Martini to a Manhattan, an Old Fashioned to a Margarita, a Negroni to a Moscow Mule. Sure, you may not have a fancy basement pub like Paul Rudd. But Ellis insists that a great home bar can exist just about anywhere.
"Dump out your junk drawer and make it into a cocktail drawer," he says. "Yes, women are impressed by a man that can cook. But nobody got lucky after a couple of quiches. Learn how to whip up some classic cocktails at home and thank me later."
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