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The Wet Bar > The "Bar" Essentials - "Booze Glorious Booze"

Growing up, I would always marvel at my parents bar selection and gaze wonderfully at the beautiful green peppermint schnapps bottles, the statuesque Galiano bottle and the infamous Black tower wine bottles and dream of someday myself, having the grooviest home bar around. Not until my early teens did I realize that a concoction made from these same bottles would give me the greatest hang over of my life and help me realize that their may be a proper way to serve a drink without the dizzying blindness associated with drinking your parents "Jungle Juice" So now that I am much wiser, and having worked behind bars for close to 20 years, I can definitely guide anyone on how to properly stock a bar with the essentials so as to save them from the embarrassment of not being able to make a proper old fashioned or burnt martini.

Let's start with liquor basics, below you will find a dozen essential bottles every bar should have to make 95% of all cocktails known to man. You don't need to spend a ton of money on premiums either.

• Vodka: Preferably Russian but not necessary. This is a staple so if your going to buy 2 of something, we recommend this. Some nice product includes; Stolichnaya, Smirnoff, Absolut, Belvedere, Chopin, Greygoose, & Kettel One

• Gin: Any English dry gin will do. This is a staple for the classic martini so have enough on hand. Some product recommendations include; Beefeater, Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Hendricks & Tanqueray 10

• White Rum: Great white Caribbean rum is essential to any bar. Bacardi makes a fantastic product.

• Dark Rum: Think Cuba Libra and you must think Dark Rum. Essential to Mai Tai's & Planters Punch. For tropical, exotic drinks think Havana Club, Bacardi Dark, Appleton's & Captain Morgan's. You can add Spiced rum too but it isn't an essential yet

• RyeWhiskey: Canadians love their Rye Whiskey, so should you! It is a staple with mixed drinks and a great warmer upper on cold evenings. Some people say mixed with sugar it can cure a cough (or at least help you sleep!). Canadian Club & Seagram's VO are two of the more famous brands

• Tequila: Mexican tequila is outstanding. There is clear and yellow. Clear tequila mixes with cocktails well and yellow tequila will sip deliciously and works for the occasional shooter. Look for Sauza, Cuervo & Patron

• Coffee Licquer: An essential because of its versatility in coffee drinks. Also known as Kahlua or Tia Maria, mixes great with vodka.

• Irish Cream: This licquer works well on its own and is a staple in coffee drinks. Baileys Irish is the better known brand for sipping. If mixing then any Irish Cream licquer will do. Great with Kahlua

• Brandy: A Good bar brandy is a staple in any Spanish Coffee. Champagne cocktails & Brandy Alexander's are but a few of the many drinks made from brandy

• Triple Sec: If you are making Cosmopolitans or margaritas, you had better stock some triple sec.

• White vermouth (Dry): Essential for martini lovers, try the most popular brand of Martini Rosso

• Red Vermouth (Sweet): Mixes well with Rye and various juices. An Essential in a Manhattan & the Rob Roy. Try Cinzano.

Others: There is a whole list of other essentials below but add these over time and you will eventually have an outstanding home bar

Cointreau

Campari

Créme de Cacao

Grand Marnier

Blended Scotches: Chivas Regal, Johnny Walker, etc...

Single Malt Scotches : Oban, Glenfiddich, lagavulin

Bourbon Whiskey: Jim Beam, Wild Turkey

Jack Daniels: This is Sour mashed Whiskey, not to be confused with Bourbon

Créme de Menthe

Apple Licquer

Banana Licquer

Peppermint Schnapps

Galiano

There you have it, the Bar essentials for your home. Feel free to substitute as you see fit and experiment a little. There is a wide range of infused vodkas available today and don't forget about some great flavored licquers out there. Have fun and enjoy. Bottoms up!

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