Mix It Up: Drinks Are on the House When You Build Your Bar
By Lori Price, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Mar. 4–Perhaps you need a break from the typical nightlife scene and want to bring the soiree closer to home.
Spend the day creating a home bar that goes beyond a case of beer and a bottle opener.
You’ll need tools and libations to meet the tastes of friends who favor trendy martinis with funky flavors such a blue raspberry, revitalized mixed drinks such as the Lemon Drop, and resurging old-school favorites such as Smith and Kearns, and the Amaretto Sour.
“I’m not sure if Americans are drinking more, but they certainly are drinking better,” said Rick Laev, owner of Ray’s Liquor in Wauwatosa.
To get you started, here are tips from Laev; Larry VanDenEng, a bartender and instructor at the Bartending College in Milwaukee; and Bill Thornton, founder of BarNinja.com, a barware and bartending education Web site.
— Tools: “You can turn any table or any countertop into a nice bar instantaneously with $30 to $40″ in bar tools, Thornton said.
He recommends people start with two bar mats, two large tins (also called shakers or tumblers), two small “cheater” tins and two strainers.
“From there, you can make any drink you’ve ever seen made on television or at your favorite bar.”
Add a corkscrew/can-opener tool for wine and canned juices and you’re set, VanDenEng said.
Beyond the tools, stocking a bar gets a bit more expensive. Here are suggestions for the essentials.
— Basics: Most drinks include the standards: vodka, rum, gin, tequila and triple sec. Possible others liquors to have on hand might be bourbon, whiskey and scotch. “You’ll be able to pour drinks for a buddy or your boss and anyone in between,” Thornton said.
— Mixers: Equally important as the liquors are the non-alcoholic drinks blended with them to make cocktails, the experts said.
For juices, get lime, orange, cranberry, pineapple and grapefruit. Soft drinks to buy are Coke (regular and diet), tonic water, soda water, ginger ale, Sprite and 7UP.
To save time with other popular concoctions, pick up pre-made Bloody Mary, sour and margarita mixes.
Steer clear of subbing in non-brand colas and lemon-lime sodas, because that can change the taste of many drinks.
“A Rum and Pepsi is just not the same as a Rum and Coke,” Thornton said.
— Beer and wine: For beers, have an ale, a hard cider, a lager and a stout, Thornton said.
A bar’s wine collection should include Zinfandel, Chardonnay, Cabernet and Merlot.
“And it never hurts to have a nice inexpensive bottle or two of champagne for mimosas or impromptu celebrations,” he added.
— Extras: Brandy, a local favorite, is good to have on hand, “for your 40-and-older guests,” Laev said.
— Remember: Stock up on ice when planning to entertain, Thornton said.
“You may think you have the world’s greatest ice maker, but you usually find out you don’t when you need to make drinks.”
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Copyright (c) 2006, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
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