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The most basic bar should have high ball and old fashioned glasses as well as shot and wine glasses. These four are the most necessary and versatile of the glassware. Wine glasses can be used to serve cocktails and frozen drinks as well as wine. Old fashioned glasses are excellent for shots on the rocks and creamy mixed drinks. Mixed drinks like a long island iced tea or mohito can be served in a high ball glass.
To upgrade your basic glassware, think about beer, collins, pilsner, cocktail and margarita glasses. -
The most basic liquors needed for a home bar are vodka, gin, rum, tequila, whiskey, bourbon, scotch and brandy. Look to bottles sized 750ml, but take into account you may need more or less of certain kinds of liquor. Use your personal tastes to determine if some bottles should be smaller or bigger. For example, if you favor drinks like white Russians and screwdrivers, vodka will be needed more than the others. Or, if you personally don't like the taste of gin, get a smaller sized bottle for your guests.
Always have a case of beer on hand with several bottles refrigerated. Choose a basic domestic beer, not too light or too heavy, that can appeal to a wide variety of guests. Also have a bottle or box each of white, red and blush wine available. -
The sweet flavored liqueurs are what make drinks like grasshoppers and amaretto sours possible. Begin with amaretto, triple sec, coffee liqueur, creme de menthe, creme de cacao, Irish cream, dry and sweet vermouth and orange liqueur.
To add to the basics, choose anisette, curacao, flavored brandies, apple liqueur, maraschino liqueur, sloe gin, schnapps and creme de cassis. -
Mixers are necessary to make a basic bar. Lemon juice, lime juice, club soda, tonic water, lemon-lime soda, cola, orange juice, tomato juice, pineapple juice, coconut milk, grapefruit juice, sour mix, grenadine and cream will give you the supplies to make most mixed drinks.
Garnishes are not necessary for most drinks, but certainly add to the flair or your bar. The ones that will see the most use include cocktail olives, cocktail onions, limes, lemons, mint, cherries and celery.
There are a few condiments that can come in handy also. Tabasco sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, nutmeg and cinnamon are the most common ones to use.
