Bartending & Cocktails at Home
Home cocktailing is an equal parts of art form and ritual, much like a Japanese tea ceremony. Of course, anyone can dump some gin, tonic, and lime in a glass and call it a cocktail. They can, and I will be not so silently judging them because the truth is that’s just a mixed drink.
A cocktail involves the finesse, focus, precision, and showmanship of a Benihana chef during a dinner rush. That can sound overwhelming, but through the marvels of modern technology and Amazon.com, you, too, can join the ranks of the posh cocktail set.
So! Are you tired of entertaining with Red Solo Cups? Looking for some good wedding gift ideas? We’ll get you up to speed on the essentials to class it up a little and enjoy entertaining your guests (or just you and your cat) in style.
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THE TOOLS OF THE TRADE:
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The cocktail Bar Set
The first order of business is assembling the tools of the trade. A cocktail shaker, muddler, mixing spoon, and jigger. You can buy them individually, or purchase them in a kit like this one from Mixology & Craft that allows you to display them in a carved wooden stand in bamboo or mahogany.
The Mixology & Craft set comes in silver, gold, black, and copper. Want a more rustic stand? The set also comes in a cute crate-style display that will look great with cottagecore or farmhouse-style decor.
Need something a little less shiny? Consider this gorgeous matte metal set from Mint & Mortar in rich gunmetal.
These are tools for a lifetime, an investment, and if you purchase a quality kit it will serve you well for years to come.
the right glassware
Needless to say, you need the appropriate glassware for the outstanding craft cocktails you will soon be creating--martini glasses, coupes, flutes, lowball/whiskey glasses, and highballs. Beautiful glassware can make every day feel like a special occasion.
The martini glass:
Martini glasses are the classic symbol for fancy booze and drinks. The wide mouth of this glass allows a large surface area to enhance the flavor of drinks that are shaken/stirred and served without ice. Martini glasses can be used to serve the martini of course, but also Manhattan, Lemon Drop, Cosmopolitan, Gimlet, Witch’s Hat, and more.
I love Mikasa's Berlin line for its delicate but classy vintage look. The Libby stemless are more sturdy if you have clumsy friends. And yes! Our favorite Dragon Glassware's Martini glasses were spotted on Star Trek and Star Wars.
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The Coupe:
Similar to the martini glass, the coupe was designed in 1663 England and is one of the first glasses invented specifically to drink champagne. This elegant glass is not exclusive to sparkling wines, however. Boulevardiers, Bees Knees, Hemingway, Daquiri, Last Word, and other cocktails are traditionally served in coupe glasses. The styles range from simple, plain glass to carved crystal.
Most coupes are not really big, so if you are imagining drink-like-the-Gatsby-movie-style portions of bubbly or a bigger cocktail, I would suggest the 11.5 oz Mikasa Berlin coupe. or the 9.5 oz Schott Zweisel Tritan Crystal Glass Saucer.
Some of the nicest glassware I've sipped from is Schott Zwiesel it's sturdy without feeling like thick pub glass. This is an 8.8 oz coupe in a classic 1930s shape, made from titanium and zirconium oxide, so it resists a lot of stress and is dishwasher safe with no clouding. It's an excellent investment and perfect for a wedding present.
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The Flute:
If you or your guests are partial to champagne or champagne cocktails, you will also want to add flutes to your collection. The narrow “bowl” of this glass prevents all the bubbly carbonation from escaping right away and works well for champagne, Asti, Cava, Prosecco, and many other cocktails. Think Mimosa, Bellini, French 75, Death in the Afternoon, and other drinks containing champagne.
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The Rocks, aka lowball, whiskey, or old fashioned:
This brings us to the rocks glass, also known as the lowball, whiskey, or Old Fashioned glass. This hearty staple is used for, you guessed it, Old Fashioned as well as the Sazerac, White Russian, Grey Hound, etc. These are likely to get the most use.
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The HIghball:
The highball glass is the last you will need. When you make a Pimms Cup, Tom Collins, Compari and Soda, you will reach for these long, elegant glasses.
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OTHER ESSENTIALS:
The GE Profile Opal is the icemaker of our dreams, producing up to 24 lbs of that gourmet crunchy ice a day. You know what I'm talking about? Not all ice is the same. The perfect little nuggets the Opal produces are just what you need for all kinds of cocktails and of course non-alcoholic goodies as well. It has a nice little water tank in case you don't want to connect a water line to it. You'll be calling this one Precious but be sure you have space on the counter for it, it's heavy and big. A little pricey? We also like Frigidaire's countertop model with a bigger capacity and smaller price tag.
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