At the age of 21, there are many things to experience to learn about alcohol safely. However, going to bars frequently and buying $3 drinks can add up— wasting your money can be a dreadful time. Starting your bar at home is the way to go because it saves money, and it’s fun to be the bartender at a house party.
Although starting a bar at home can be expensive, it’s easier if your supplies are stacked. Through making drinks for my friends and learning new things about having a “bar” in my apartment, I have gathered a list of everything you need to start your bar at home.
1. Pick a space in your apartment.
Before buying supplies, it may be best to find an area in your apartment to put your bar. I am using a corner counter with a cabinet above. If you don’t have a place you like, you can find a bar table on Facebook Marketplace or another thrift store. You can also find a table at Target or another store if you prefer a new piece of furniture.
The space and furniture you choose will determine the number of supplies you need.
2. Getting the supplies
This is when the process may become more pricey, but if you buy in bulk it won’t be as bad because you won’t have to pay for alcohol frequently.
- Decor & Alcohol Rack
- To set up the area, you might want a bottle rack. This is optional, but your bottles may be more organized this way as opposed to scattered across the table. You can also add any decorations that you like. It can be a sign with a quote or a ceramic bottle- whatever your heart desires. You can find these items at stores like Homegoods, TJ Maxx, Target and plenty of online stores.
- Mixers, Bottle Pourers, Shot Glasses and Glasses
- The central part of a bar is the drinkware. First, you will need a drink shaker or mixer. This helps mix drinks well when required, and also, it’s fun to shake while doing fun tricks for no reason. An optional choice is drink pourers. This helps counts the ounces of a shot when required for the drink’s recipe and can be found on Amazon. Then you will need shot glasses and drink glasses. Again, there are plenty of options on Amazon that can match your style.
- Drink Accessories
- This means condiments for drinks such as grenadine, margarita salt, lime or lemon juice, syrup and other items you may need for specific beverages. Grenadine and lime juice are needed often, so I recommend buying a giant bottle or a two count of the items. I recommend looking up a recipe book or list that you can go off of when wanting a new drink.
- Alcohol
- The most important part of owning your bar is having a variety of alcohol. Not sure what alcohol to purchase? Think of drinks that you or your friends enjoy and go off of that. Tequila and Whiskey are a good choice because both have a lot of recipes that can be enjoyable for most people. I would also get a large bottle of alcohol, so you don’t need to keep taking trips to the store. The best advice would be to get alcohol types that you enjoy or are willing to try. Get a variety of different ones too, and don’t forget the wine!
3. Have fun
Have fun with this experience! It gives a great reason to host parties or be a party favorite because people know you are good at mixing drinks. Make sure to drink responsibly and do your thing.