A lot of people are writing
to me asking : what bottles do i need to build a complete bar ? the answer is
simple, it depend on you budget. I will present you a few options you can have
depending on the money you want to invest and your personal taste.
The first option is a 50 $
cocktail bar.
You will need a Boston shaker with a strainer, a
bar spoon and some measuring shot glass 1oz and 0.5 oz. it will probably cost
around 20 $ You will also need a couples of bottle. I suggest you a bottle of
gin 750 ml + a bottle of vermouth around 350 ml. So you will be able
to make Martinis, gimlets, gin and
tonics, tom collinses and gin rickeys. But you will also need to buy lime, soda
water, tonic water, syrup and fresh fruits.
The second option is a 100 $ cocktail bar.
In the second one you will have to buy a shaker
set, 750 ml. bottle gin, 750 ml. bottle bourbon, 750 ml. bottle white rum, a
manual squeeze citrus juicer, 4 oz. bitter bottle, 375 ml. vermouth. With this
one you will be able to make a lot of the most popular and known drinks such as
Cuba libre, Daiquiris, mojitos, margaritas, gin tonic ect… don’t forget to buy inexpensive
things like lemons, limes, mint leaves, soda and tonic water, cola, and sugar. Cherry
or green olives are a great idea to add some prestige to your drinks.
Continually upgrade you bar
So if you’re already having a shaker and a couples of
good bottles you can still add some bottles to your bar by buying bottles like
citrus liqueur like Grand Marnier or blue curaçao. I will present you the few
bottles you can add to you bar if you are already well installed. You will
probably want to buy a good bottle of scotch, a bottle of tequila, some bottles
of citrus liqueur like Cointreau, triple sec or curaçao. Don’t buy more than 2
citrus liqueurs. I personally suggest you to buy a blue curaçao bottle and a
Grand Marnier bottle because they are my personal favorites.
You will also want to buy some applejack like
Apfelkorn or something of that kind. It will allow you to make some sour green
apple cocktails. In addition to that a good bottle of dark rum or spiced rum is
a great idea.
If you don’t want to buy a lot of bottle you can go
for the fab four. These are some of the most used bottles in modern cocktails.
It include a good citrus liqueur like Cointreau, a bottle of Campari, a bottle
of maraschino liqueur and a bottle of herb liqueur like green Chartreuse.
This is probably all you will need to set up a good cocktail bar. you can shortcut some of the bottles by buying some ready mix cocktails but they never taste as good as real recipes one. dont forget to enjoy drinking responsibly and keep in mind that even if a cocktail is sweet as juice its not and that you sould not over drink alcohol.
