How to set up a bar at home

I have to admit, it doesn’t seem all that long ago that bartending at home, to me, meant having a cooler full of beer sitting on the back patio and a bottle of tequila and a few limes on the kitchen counter.  And if it was supposed to be a classy party, maybe some store-bought margarita mix to go with that tequila.  And a bottle or two of wine.  Oh, and a stack of Solo cups.

I’ve learned a great deal about making and serving drinks since those days (thanks especially to The Hostess’ passion for entertaining), and needless to say my approach to bartending has evolved pretty extensively, and mostly for the better.  I’m the half of the Entertaining Couple who’s responsible for ensuring our guests have a frosty beverage in their hand as soon as they walk in the door.  And occasionally writing about my experiences in our blog these past few months has helped me realize that I really have developed some competence on the serving side of the bar (my competence on the drinking side of the bar was already well-established).

A major part of what’s helped me get good at all of this is the setup of my home bar.  From the tools and glassware, to the types of booze I make sure are always in stock, right down to the location of the bar itself, having a great bar makes all of this easy and fun.  I’ve just finished writing a four-part series of tips for easily and inexpensively setting up your own bar at home.  Even if you already have a cabinet full of liquor and you entertain regularly, I encourage you to take a quick look at our Perfect Bar category in our collection of Entertaining Tips.  There may be an idea or two that you’ll find useful.

Oh, and please leave comments with your own ideas you’d like to share!