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The Home Bar

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Winter is coming, and as the days grow shorter and the nights get colder, the majority of the Northeast goes into hibernation mode. While there are still a number of local watering holes open for those looking for a libation, home bars are becoming more and more popular.

Just to be clear, by home bar I do not mean a bottle of whiskey under the kitchen sink. Nor do you have to go to the other extreme and serve drinks from a silver platter.

Home bars can be somewhere in between. They can be a fun way to delve into bartending without the stress of a crowd of people barking drink orders at you. As most bartenders will tell you, making drinks is the easiest part. Reading the crowd and being sociable while still efficient is the real trick. A bartender is first and foremost the host of the party, even in his or her own home.

After the end of Prohibition, bar carts became a popular way of entertaining. Today, with the popularity of craft cocktails, they are back in style. With the slew of winter holidays upcoming, what better way to show your guests a good time by surprising them with a perfectly-executed Manhattan or OldFashioned? From glassware to the playlist, a home bar allows you to curate the entire experience for your guests.

The first thing you will need to acquire is the bar cart. You can order one online but I suggest browsing thrift stores or “Take It Or Leave It” first. Finding an old cabinet or table to up-cycle can add a vintage look to your home bar. My wife and I turned an old armoire into ours. Thrift stores are also a great place to find glassware for your bar.

Two reference books very helpful for the bar enthusiast are “The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book,” by Frank Caiafa; and “Death & Co. Modern Classic Cocktails,” compiled by David Kaplan, Nick Fauchald and Alex Day. Each book does a great job of breaking down the components of a home bar, from tools to technique, and of course recipes. I like these books because they include classic cocktail recipes as well as updated modern spins on classic cocktails.

Death and Co., in New York, is one of the most celebrated cocktail bars in America. Since opening in 2006 it has spawned some of our favorite cocktails, like the Naked and Famous, and won multiple awards, including America’s Best Cocktail Bar and Best Cocktail Menu. I suggest getting both of these books before you buy any booze for your bar.

The next step is stocking your home bar. Stocking a bar can be very expensive. You want to start off with spirits you enjoy. I know I said earlier that the bartender’s job is to host the party, but it would be a shame if you weren’t able to get your favorite drink at your own bar.

No one is going to show up at your door at 12:30 a.m. trying to get a Midori Sour before last call. Start small and build your bar from there. Remember, it’s not an actual bar. Start with the basics. If you are a Manhattan drinker, start with whiskey, sweet vermouth and some Angostura bitters.

Your home bar should be ever-evolving. When buying spirits it is a good idea to think of all the possible recipes in that bottle. By adding sugar cubes, Luxardo cherries and an orange you are now ready to make an Old-Fashioned. If you take that one step further and add bottles of Campari and gin to your bar, you can now make a Negroni.

The idea is to maximize the number of drinks you can make without breaking the bank. By starting out with four staples – whiskey, gin, sweet vermouth and Campari – you can make a handful of classic cocktails.

It is important to note that this is just the very tip of the iceberg when it comes to making cocktails. The books I mentioned have a wealth of knowledge for those who are truly interested in diving into the world of craft cocktails. Take the time to read them.

You can take it to either extreme. If pouring a glass of nice Scotch and sitting by the fire is the extent of your home bar, that is fine, but if you are interested in making house bitters, shrubs, infusions and more, the possibilities are endless. ///

Kevin Stanton is an artist and graduate of MassArt, living and working on Nantucket. A bartender in Boston before he moved back to the island, he writes the “Drink” column for Nantucket Today.