The Essentials You Need to Create a Well-Stocked Home Bar

Do you want to offer guests a signature cocktail when you host a get-together? If you are just getting your home bar setup started, or if you feel like it is time to reassess and upgrade what you have on your bar, we've consulted mixology experts and rounded up the home bar essentials, everything from the alcohol and garnishes to the mixers and serving tools you need.

Lynnette Marrero, a mixologist, beverage consultant, and MasterClass.com teacher, has a few ideas to get you started: "I always recommend having spirits, liqueurs, amaro, vermouths, and cordials that can be used in a variety of cocktails," she says. "A good starting point for your home bar is investing in quality ingredients for a few drinks or drink styles that you want to make." Her favorite? The ingredients to make tasty martinis. To mix this cocktail, or any of your favorites, you will want to have base spirits, such as vodka, gin, and bourbon, that can be used to make the drinks in your arsenal of essentials.

Don't forget about the tools for making and serving delicious drinks. "The absolute minimum set of tools include a set of shaker tins, a strainer, and a bar spoon," says Shannon Mustipher, an author, spirits educator, and consultant. The benefit to having these tools, she adds, is that you can make absolutely any shaken drink you desire.

Read on for your all-inclusive guide on the home bar essentials you need now.

Marrero asserts gin is the only base alcohol you need to make martinis, and it's also essential for Negronis. Not a big fan of gin? Then she recommends stocking your bar with vodka instead. If you have both, you can make a vesper, which she calls the "James Bond Martini." She recommends stocking your bar with one (750ml) bottle of any of your base spirits. This is equal to 12 drinks based on a two-ounce pour. "[I suggest] Fords Gin for a very good 'London Dry' style or something classic, like Tanqueray," she adds. If you have space, Mustipher suggests adding mezcal, as well.

Liqueurs are vital for a home bar, specifically a dry orange liqueur, which is used for a variety of classic cocktails, such as the margarita, Marrero advises. She says Cointreau is the standard, but "an Italian Luxardo Triplum can also be a nice substitution." If you would like to stock other types of liqueur, consider a small bottle of absinthe or an anise-flavored liquor, like Pernod Ricard, to add vegetal flavors. Marrero recommends buying 375ml bottles of liqueur, unless you plan to use them often.

If the martini is your drink of choice, then vermouth is an essential for your bar. "For types to buy, I suggest having a nice, dry French style for classic martinis, such as Dolin Dry Vermouth or Noilly Prat," Marrero says. "Then for Negronis, Manhattans, and other classic cocktails, I suggest having a sweet vermouth (you can choose something robust, like Carpano Antica Formula vermouth, or something less so, like Cinzano). Marrero recommends buying vermouth in 375ml bottles.

If you enjoy whisky-based drinks, Mustipher suggests having three to four styles of whiskeys with different flavor profiles. Consider stocking a rye, which is known for its spicier flavor profile, and bourbon, which is usually sweeter and fuller-bodied. Then, "you can experience variety with cocktails or make different whisky cocktails, such as sours and bucks," she explains.

Mustipher recommends adding a bottle of light rum to your bar since it is a versatile option that will allow you to make a variety of cocktails, ranging from highballs and sours to an old fashioned.

Bitters are used to balance out the flavors in cocktails. In turn they bring out the different flavor profiles, add depth, and boost the character of a mixed drink. There are several types on the market that Marrero recommends: orange, mole or chocolate (perfect to add in an old fashioned with whiskey or a Manhattan), Peychaud, and basic angostura bitters. She says that the latter, also known as aromatic bitters, can be found in many grocery stores or liquor stores. And she notes, "One bottle of bitters will last a while, especially if you get some specialty dasher bottles that help portion them out."

Look to brands like Luxardo, Filthy, and Amarena to supply garnishes for your drinks, such as olives and cherries. At a minimum, have a jar of unrefrigerated, brandied or maraschino cherries. "If you enjoy spirit-forward drinks, consider adding maraschino cherries (I recommend Luxardo) and keeping oranges to make orange peels for Old Fashioneds," says Mustipher.

Not only will you need citrus fruits for garnish, but lemons and limes are the duo that will never go out of style in the cocktail world. Marrero recommends having them so you can add fresh citrus juice to a drink. If you like cocktails that use other juices, such as peach and pomegranate, buy other high-quality bottled juices. "Companies like Twisted Alchemy sell cold-pressed juices delivered to your home or companies like Cheeky sell bottled juice for at-home mixing," Marrero notes.

Simple syrup is used to easily mix the sweetness you seek into a cocktail (as opposed to just adding sugar or other flavorings). Have a simple syrup on hand or have the makings for one. Marrero says a one-to-one sugar to water ratio should work well and Mustipher says brown or white sugar can be used. It's as simple as using hot water and combining with the sugar in a sealable container, then shaking until it's dissolved. Mustipher says an agave syrup and honey mixture is a great option for anyone who wants a simple syrup made with unrefined sweeteners. Both should be diluted (two parts honey to agave to one part water).

"It's great to have soda water, tonic, and ginger beer," Mustipher says. These mixers will allow you to make simple highballs, as well as gin and tonics and Moscow mules.  

Mustipher recommends having shaker tins, a strainer, and a bar spoon at a minimum to make drinks. In addition, make sure you have a way to measure each ingredient, particularly the alcohol. "Bartenders use a jigger to measure the liquor into our shaker or mixing glass," Marrero explains. It measures in ounces and tablespoons, so it is a useful tool to have but she says home mixologists can measure in tablespoons if they prefer. 

Also "invest in a nice mixing glass to make stirred cocktails," says Mustipher. "A decent chef-grade citrus peeler and paring knife to cut garnishes and fruit," are other home bar essentials she says to have. And include a muddler if you plan to make mojitos, mint juleps, and caipirinhas. Finally, Mustipoher says get a sturdy, handheld juice press, since fresh citrus is key to making delicious cocktails and some store-bought varieties don't have the same "brightness."