There is a fine line between throwing a bunch of ingredients together and carefully crafting a great mixed drink. It might be intimidating when learning the basics of mixology, but there are a ton of resources out there that can help you. We are here to help you find what you need so you can become a great home bartender.
Basic Equipment
When you are just starting, there is no need to go all-out. There are often ways to improvise when you don’t have a specific tool that a recipe calls for, but there are some essentials.
- Shaker: It should be no surprise that some kind of shaker is needed. Whether it is a Boston shaker or a cobbler shaker, you need one. The cobbler shaker has a built-in strainer, which is another essential tool.
- Strainer: Whether it is included in a cobbler shaker that you have, or you are buying one separately, a strainer is essential. These prevent the ice that is used to chill a drink from diluting it.
- Bar Spoon: This piece of equipment is used to stir drinks and layer ingredients. It also often comes as a two-in-one with a muddler, which gives an opportunity to cut costs.
- Muddler: As mentioned above, you can find a two-in-one muddler/bar spoon. The muddler is used to mash fresh produce for your drinks. If you plan on making something like a mint julep, then a muddler is essential.
- Jigger: Lastly, the jigger makes it a lot easier to measure how much you are putting into your drinks.
Stock Your Bar Properly
What you need will depend on what types of drinks you want to make, so it is tough to list out some universal essential ingredients. If you are looking to make a variety of drinks while not buying unnecessary bottles, there are some guides for you. Depending on where you look, there are guides that say you can have everything you need with around ten bottles. Some common liquors are gin, whiskey and vodka. Make sure to have some soda and fruit juice around for mixers as well.
Know The Staples By Heart
When you are starting out, it can be good to follow a recipe by the book. But when you start to get a little bit more familiar, you should know how to make some of your favorite drinks like the back of your hand. When having company over it will make the process much easier for you.
Know Why Ingredients Go Together
As alluded to at the top, it is important to know why ingredients go well together. Blindly throwing a ton of ingredients into a mixed drink is something a college student would do. You should have an explanation for every ingredient that you are adding. Knowledge of ingredients will give you the ability to make drinks to the ability that you desire.
Photo Credit: Bogdanhoda
