Basic Home Bar

[Asherweef]

Hi Chaps,

I've got a fair mix of good and middling, common and unusual drinks in my home bar but I'd like to know your essential stock list to drive a change.

If you were to advise someone when they were starting out what would you recommend? I'm thinking budget easy drinks. Any tips on spirits, wines, mixers and additives would be great!

Cheers,

 

[Slash McCoy]

Bourbon. More bourbon. Also, some extra bourbon. Club soda, some coke. For putting on airs, some vermouth and Angostura bitters, maybe some herbsaint or absinthe, and Peychaud's bitters. (Manhattans and Sazeracs, both of which actually call for rye not bourbon.)

 

[BSAGuy]

Wow. So many options. Coke, ginger ale, club soda, tonic water, Angostura Bitters, dry vermouth,

Gin, vodka, rye, bourbon, scotch.

 

[Pepin]

Depends on the cocktails you like to drink.
For mixing:
Whiskey - Forty Creek, Wild Turkey
Rum - Gosling Black Seal
Vodka - Finlandia
Gin - Dillon's

For having straight:
Whiskey - Forty Creek Special Reserve, a variety of single malts (Islay, Lowland and Highland types)
Rum - Gosling Black Seal
Vodka - Grey Goose, and the one with a blade of grass (I forget the name)
Tequila - Patron
Gin - Dillon's
Port, Sherry, Armagnac, Cognac

Then the other items:
Sweet and dry vermouths, (Dolin's), Campari, Dubonnet, Cointreau, Galliano, brandy

Also have Angostura bitters, Peychaud bitter

 

[jjking54]

Hi Chaps,

I've got a fair mix of good and middling, common and unusual drinks in my home bar but I'd like to know your essential stock list to drive a change.

If you were to advise someone when they were starting out what would you recommend? I'm thinking budget easy drinks. Any tips on spirits, wines, mixers and additives would be great!

Cheers,

Vodka
Gin
Tequila
Whiskey (Bourbon would be my preference)
Vermouth
Rum

Angostura Bitters
Peychauds Bitters
Sugar Cubes
Cherries (Luxardo if you can find them, if not, Marachinos for now)
Lemons/Limes

Tonic Water
Club Soda
Ginger Ale
Coke/Diet Coke
7up/Sprite

I wouldn't worry about wines for now. Though if you really wanted to have something on hand for guests I'd get a fruity crisp white and a Cabernet for a red.

Beyond the above, a muddler, a shaker and strainer, stirring spoons and glassware.

That'll get your home bar off to a nice start.

 

[cvargo]

Bourbon. More bourbon. Also, some extra bourbon. Club soda, some coke. For putting on airs, some vermouth and Angostura bitters, maybe some herbsaint or absinthe, and Peychaud's bitters. (Manhattans and Sazeracs, both of which actually call for rye not bourbon.)

Can you believe this guy forgot to mention bourbon?

Aside from that his list is pretty sound.

 

[Asherweef]

Sounds good gents.

I have Angostura but how are Peychaud's different?

Also - we tried Patron but found Don Julio much better. Have you tried DJ?

Also - what are the thoughts on different glassware? In the U.K. There has been a recent surge in gin goblets.

 

[Mick]

Open bottle, pour 2 fingers.

No ice for me.

If I can't sip it straight, it is not my kind of drink.

 

[jjking54]

According to wikipedia - Peychauds is lighter bodied, sweeter and more floral

As far as glassware, if you're on a budget, or limited in space, I'd start with four to eight pint glasses (great for beer, great for "double" cocktails) and four to eight Old Fashioned (rocks) glasses.

With additional money and/or space, I'd opt for some (4) martini glasses, as well as four white wine glasses and four red wine glasses to start.

That'll get your started and cover many if not most of the drinks you and your guests will be enjoying

 

[SlyMoose]

A big cheap bottle of vodka (Smirnoff regular gets picked over Ketel One and Grey goose in Blind taste tests FWIW) and basically any assortment of juices and pop (soda) and you'll be any 20 something lady's best friend.

Titos is good and doesn't break the bank, that's what I use

A decent rum for daiquiris would also be nice. Also a dark rum (several drinks call for both light and dark)

I like Don Q for light and Kraken for dark. (Technically Kraken isn't a "dark rum" but it's good enough for me)

For Tequila cheap 100% agave is gonna be way better than Mexcal (think Jose Cuervo.)

We use Lunazul it's cheaper than JC and way better.

Bourbon, again I'm a cheapskate Evan Williams black label is my go to at $14 a liter it's a very underrated bourbon. I won't drink it straight up though.

I've never tried gin some I'm clueless as to what to recommend for that.

As far as mixers my staple (signature?) mixer is Ginger Beer. My 3 favorite drinks are just about the same:

Dark 'N Stormy- dark rum, lime juice, and ginger beer

Moscow Mule- same but with vodka and no rum

Kentucky mule- same but Bourbon instead of the others.

 

[Asherweef]

Some great answers here - thanks guys. I'm going to confess I've never tried bourbon but I am a Speyside Malt drinker so I'd be keen on giving it a try!

 

[Slash McCoy]

You can't make a Sazerac with Angostura bitters. It must be Peychaud's. All bitters are not the same. A Manhattan with Peychauds tastes a bit off, too. Must be Angostura.

Evan Williams or Ezra Brooks black label either one is a good inexpensive bourbon. I usually go with Beam black label. Sometimes the pricier but still not too expensive Makers Mark. I have been known to imbibe my late father's favorite, Old Granddad, or Rebel Yell. Wild Turkey gets high marks from me but I don't care for the 101... the fumes overpower the flavor, to me.

 

[MntnMan62]

There is no such thing as a basic bar. If you don't have two of everything, it isn't a bar.......

 

[Giant Kiwi]

The vodka with grass in it is call żubrówka. It's polish and they drink it with apple juice.

You'll need an Irish whiskey in there too
Jameson for basic
Green spot or Writers Tears for a bit more

 

[Asherweef]

The vodka with grass in it is call żubrówka. It's polish and they drink it with apple juice.

You'll need an Irish whiskey in there too
Jameson for basic
Green spot or Writers Tears for a bit more

Hi Leigh,

Have you ever tried Redbreast? An incredibly smooth whisky! Goes down a bit too easy.

 

[MPruett]

It depends on what you like to drink.

If you're into vintage cocktails and the like, then you probably want a small array of bitters (aromatic/Angostura and orange at a bare minimum), basically well as some basic liqueurs and ingredients, such as dry and sweet vermouth, triple sec/cointreau, orange curaçao and maraschino (luxardo is the only good choice). You'll also need your base spirits - don't go too expensive here; they're going to be mixed. A good set might be Evan Williams bourbon, Old Overholt rye, Beefeater gin, Espolon tequila, some kind of aged rum- maybe a Cruzan single barrel, some kind of brandy or cognac (I like Chatelier VS), and likely you'll want some apple brandy/apple jack (kind of like a whiskey derived from apples instead of grain) Laird bonded is pretty much where this category is at.

Along with citrus and sugar/syrup this'll set you up to make a lot of classic cocktails. The addition of a few more liqueurs (cherry heering, chartreuse, bénédictine and herbsaint/pernod /absinthe), and you should have all bases covered from the liquor store.

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[Doc4]

You can't make a Sazerac with Angostura bitters. It must be Peychaud's. All bitters are not the same. A Manhattan with Peychauds tastes a bit off, too. Must be Angostura.

One is bitter than the other?

 

[Slash McCoy]

To me, angostura has a dark, earthiness. Okay, a muddy taste, very grabby. Works well in a manhattan. Rye has a sharpness that needs competition on the palate, and Angostura gives it the needed balance. The Peychaud's is brighter, a little more citrusy and floral. Doesn't clash with the absinthe or bring it down.