Stocking the Home Bar on a Budget

If you have ever tried to stock a home bar, you know that it can be costly if you allow yourself to be dazzled by the immense variety of liqueurs, wines and beers on the market today. Stocking a home bar, though, doesn't require a vast quantity of alcohol and just the basics can give your guests an extensive variety of options.

As a bartender and bar manager of over a dozen establishments over the years, I have seen professional bars stocked to the teeth with every alcohol imaginable and all the latest equipment. Very few of them ever get used on a day-to-day basis.

As the economy continues to sink, entertaining at home is becoming popular once again. It is possible to host a party for eight guests at home for less than it costs for a couple to go out to a restaurant for dinner. Home bars are once again becoming popular to serve dinner party guests.

Stocking a home bar from scratch, however, can be an expensive proposition. Here are the basics that you need with some ideas for keeping the cost down:

Stocking Your Home Bar With Alcohol

While having a full bar's worth of liquors and liqueurs can break the bank, start with these basics, called the "white liquors": vodka, gin, rum, and tequila. The two basic non-white liquors for a basic bar are rye whiskey (or bourbon) and a decent scotch. If you are going to spend a little more on any of these, spend it on the tequila and scotch. Great quality versions of these will be noticed and appreciated more than the others.

If you want to save money on doing the initial stock up for the bar, throw a "bar warming" party and have people bring their favorite liquors or wines. You will have enough leftovers to get a good start on your inventory.

If you have some extra budget room, include an Irish cream, Grand Marnier, and a bourbon or brandy.

Stocking Your Home Bar With Other Drinks and Mixers

You will also need several sodas and other mixers to stock a full home bar. The most often requested soda mixers are Coke, Sprite, club soda, orange juice and tomato juice. Buy all of these in 12 ounce or less cans. Large plastic bottles of soda lose their carbonation more quickly and opened quart cans of juice will quickly begin to impart off-flavors to the juice.

Watch for loss leader sales on these items at your local grocery store and then stock up. Carbonated beverages in cans will easily last six months to a year and juices will last at least a year.

If your budget allows for it, include cranberry juice and margarita mix.

Bar Glasses

There are dozens of styles of bar glasses available in department stores today. However, there is no need to overdo it. Buying some basic glass types will give you the flexibility to serve many kinds of drinks. Purchase a set of 12 each low balls, high balls, large and small wine glasses. Fancy frozen drinks can be served in the large wine glasses rather than tulip glasses and small wine glasses can be used for liqueurs rather than snifters.

If your home bar budget allows, purchase a dozen martini glasses as well.

Bar Equipment

You don't need a lot of equipment to set up your home bar. A sturdy blender is always handy for frozen or fruit drinks. A stainless steel bar shaker is handy for martinis. You will also need bar towels for general cleaning and mopping up. You can purchase a large pack of white terry cloth "utility towels" at big box stores. These work well and can be washed in hot water with bleach if necessary. You also need a good bartender's (single arm) corkscrew and a bottle and can opener.

Setting up a home bar can be an exciting experience as you contemplate all of the exotic drinks you make. Your friends will be impressed with your well-stocked bar.