Home Bars

The most important part of your home bar is the booze. Pick several bottles of your favorite spirits for mixing tasty drinks for you and your guests, and choose bottles with attractive labels and packaging that will enhance the decorative quality of your cart. Vodka, whiskey, gin, tequila, and rum are typically the staple liquors to keep stocked, and a collection of wine and champagne bottles are also perfect additions.

The other ingredients needed for your drinks are tasty mixers. Club soda, cranberry juice, dark and clear sodas, and tonic will all be vital in offering your bar guests classic drink options involving carbonation. For added flavor, keep small bottles of bar syrups and sugary liqueurs to give your drinks some extra flair.

Garnishes are the perfect finishing touch for all your mixed drinks. Popular garnishes such as a zesty lemons, limes, and those ultra-sweet maraschino cherries all serve to enhance the bar experience. Other garnishes and drink ingredients can include mint leaves, salt for drink rims, and olives.

Now that you've gathered all your essential drink ingredients, you need to stock your home bar cart with a set of quality bar tools. A simple set of bar tools usually includes a cocktail shaker, bottle opener, corkscrew, jiggers for measuring liquid, and an ice bucket. Garnishing tools like muddlers and citrus juicers are also helpful additions to your arsenal.

Now it’s time to consider the glassware for your new home bar. Stock up on wine glasses and champagne flutes for more formal occasions, and use shot glasses, beer mugs, and a variety of glasses for mixed drinks to accommodate the rest of your drink choices. Overstock carries nearly every size, shape, and color of glassware you can imagine; choose something that truly reflects you.