Bar Stocking Basics

The first bottles to buy for home bartending

By Evan Meade, 2024-11-12 04:28:48, updated 2024-11-27 01:59:48

As someone who has been interested in cocktail mixing and recipe development for a couple years now, I have gradually accumulated a wide array of bottles on my bar cart. While this represents a significant total investment, I've been able to spread the expense out over time by strategically building out my collection to be able to make the widest selection of drinks out of the fewest inputs.

I will summarize what I've learned from the process by listing out the most essential bottles and tools that I would acquire first if I was starting over from scratch, along with the cocktails they enable you to make. While some of these cocktails are definitely better than others, they are all at least good, and even depending on peoples' different tastes I think anyone could find a drink they really like off of this list.

While I haven't done the math precisely, at a rough approximation I bet that even if you had literally nothing in your kitchen, you could get everything on this list for less than $400 (as of November 2024). And with the exception of a little citrus and a few syrups, most of this stuff can last basically forever. So while there is some up-front investment, there should be very little waste even if you only make drinks occassionally. And again, feel free to buy just one bottle at a time; there's plenty you can make with just one bottle of gin and different combinations of mixers, citrus, and sugar.

And for another rough approximation, most of these drinks below are going to effectively cost about $3-$4 each. Not only is this less than basically any bar (even during happy hour), but the quality of the drink should be far higher too. Plus, quite frankly, it's a really easy way to appear cool and tasteful to your guests when hosting.

Three final disclaimers before we get into the drinks. First, there will be no discussion of glassware here, as that is a whole other can of worms. Use whatever you like; even out of a red Solo cup, your perfectly balanced Gold Rush is going to blow away any frat party connotations attached to the vessel. If you do have glass glassware, almost any drink will benefit from being served in a chilled glass, so feel free to pop them in the freezer at least a couple hours before making drinks. Second, I am admittedly a gin enthusiast, and as such this list leans heavily on that universe of cocktail recipes. I have tried to include more breadth in my list, but just know that that blindspot is there. Third, there is no real discussion of technique here; there are plenty of videos (shout out Anders Erickson) you can watch on how to shake, stir, and strain cocktails. Instead, today we are focused on ingredients and recipes.

Okay, now to the shopping!

Equipment

There really isn't much you need in the way of equipment for making cocktails. Half of these things you can probably already find in the average kitchen, and even a regular spoon can be substituted for a barspoon if needed (although it's somewhat clumsy).

The main notes I would give are to get a tall jigger with good internal markings, and get a 2 tin metal shaker, not one of those little Cobbler shakers which are prone to getting stuck. I've included a couple links to ones I like, but I have no connection to any product listed in this article; they aren't even affiliate links or anything.

1. Jigger (Amazon)
2. Shaker tins (Amazon)
3. Hawthorne strainer (Amazon)
4. Barspoon (Amazon)
5. Fine mesh strainer
6. Kitchen scale (1g precision)
7. Peeler
8. Knife
9. Cutting board
10. Juicer

Ingredients

On to the actually drinkable parts of the drinks. I've grouped the ingredients into broad categories, and only the last one has any kind of perishable shelf life. Note that there are some bottles (not listed here) which do require refrigeration after they are opened; the general rule of thumb is if it is wine-based or less than 15% ABV, you should keep it in the fridge after opening, and even then only for maybe 2-4 weeks before it oxidizes and tastes off. But if you're ever in doubt, just google your particular bottle.

One bottle which is a great hack is Pierre Ferrand's Dry Curacao. This sits somewhere between a triple sec and a curacao (both are types of orange liqueurs), so you can use it in any recipe which calls for either and get a pretty good result.

As for the other bottles, get just about anything you like above bottom shelf. Some simple drinks like a gin & tonic are going to vary widely based on the spirits you put into them, but other drinks which are less spirit-forward will be impacted less by a good vs. great liquor. All that to say, fancy bottles are great, but they are more of a refinement than a necessity.

Also, for the mixers, I try to get them in the tiny bar cans wherever posible in order to reduce waste and save space in my fridge. Keeping them chilled will also help them retain more carbonation when you eventually open them.

On the topic of citrus juices, I wouldn't juice lemons more than an hour ahead of using them and limes no more than 30 minutes ahead. After this point, they begin to taste off.

For syrups, most recipes assume you are adding parts by mass, but if you don't have a scale, just measure them by volume. Though, long term, I do recommend a small kitchen scale for precision and repeatability.

Bottles

1. Gin
2. Angostura bitters
3. Bourbon
4. Dry Curacao (Pierre Ferrand)
5. Blanco tequila
6. Vodka
7. White rum

Mixers

1. Soda (Topo Chico, refrigerate)
2. Tonic (Fevertree, refrigerate)
3. Coca Cola (refrigerate)

Misc. (Shelf Stable)

1. Agave
2. 20% saline solution (1 part salt to 4 parts water, by mass)
3. Luxardo Maraschino Cherries
4. Salt (for rim)
5. Sugar (for rim)

Misc. (Perishable)

1. Lemons
2. Limes
3. Simple syrup (1 part sugar to 1 part water, by mass, refrigerate)
4. Honey syrup (3 parts honey to 2 parts water, by mass, refrigerate)
5. Mint leaves
6. Rich demerara syrup (2 parts demerara sugar to 1 part water, by mass)

Recipe List

Below is a list of some of the drinks you can make with these ingredients. I say "some" because the world of cocktails is wide and I am probably forgetting (or just not aware of) some which could also be made from these components. So consider this more of a jumping off point which can be supplemented with your own research.

Highballs

1. Gin & Tonic
2. Tom Collins
3. Vodka Soda
4. Vodka Tonic
5. Vance Rickey
6. Chilton
7. Ranch Water
8. Rum & Coke
9. Cuba Libre

Strong Drinks

1. Old Fashioned
2. Margarita
3. Pegu Club
4. Long Island Iced Tea

Citrus and Sweetener

1. Tommy's Margarita
2. Daiquiri
3. Gimlet
4. Lemon Drop

Feat. Honey Syrup

1. Bee's Knees
2. Gold Rush

Feat. Mint

1. Southside
2. Mojito

Bonus: One More Ingredient

Here are a couple recipes which you can almost make with the list above, but require just one more ingredient. This shows how having the bar basics gets you pretty close to making a lot of other stuff not on this list. Each drink in this section has the missing ingredient listed next to it along with whether or not that missing ingredient requires refrigeration

1. Sloe Gin Fizz (Sloe Gin)
2. Lion's Tail (Allspice Dram)
3. Black Russian (Coffee Liqueur)
4. French 75 (Sparkling White Wine, refrigerate)
5. Intro to Aperol (Aperol, refrigerate)
6. The Ellison (Cucumber, refrigerate)
7. Cosmonaut (Raspberry Jam, refrigerate)
8. Army & Navy Cocktail (Orgeat, refrigerate)
9. Bramble (Creme de Mure, refrigerate)

Recipes

Here are the recipes for the actual drinks listed above in alphabetical order. Apologies for the lack of citaitons, but most of these are well-established classics whose recipes are fairly standard, though some ratios are slightly adjusted to my own tastes.

Army & Navy Cocktail

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz orgeat
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish: lemon twist

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass. Express lemon (i.e. squeeze lemon peel) over cocktail and discard. A very unique gin sour with a light tiki vibe.

Bee's Knees

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 oz honey syrup
• Garnish: lemon wheel

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass. Garnish rim with lemon wheel. A great intro to gin drink, where the botanicals can shine, but is still very palatable to the uninitiated.

Black Russian

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 oz coffee liqueur
• Garnish: Luxardo Maraschino Cherry

Stir for approximately 30 seconds. Strain into a glass with ice and garnish with a cherry. This is a bit of a harsh drink, but maybe someone likes it.

Bramble

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 1/4 oz simple syrup (fat, i.e. slightly more than)
• 1/2 oz creme de mure
• Garnish: lemon wheel, blackberry

Shake gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup with a little crushed ice until melted. Pour into glass and fill with crushed ice. Pour creme de mure over top. Nestle lemon wheel and blackberry into ice and serve with a straw. A bit drier than you'd expect, with a floral citrus nose and a bit of sweetness on the finish.

Chilton

• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 2 lemons (juice of)
• 4-6 oz soda
• Garnish: salt rim, lemon wheel

One of the few "classic" cocktails originating from Texas. Rim glass with salt and fill with ice. Add vodka and the juice of the lemons to the glass. Top with soda and garnish rim with a lemon wheel.

Cosmonaut

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 1 heaping barspoon raspberry jam

Shake 8-10 seconds and fine strain into glass. Drier than you'd expect, but with some jammy depth up front and a sour finish.

Cuba Libre

• 2 oz white rum
• 4 oz Coca Cola
• Garnish: lime wedge

Build over ice and garnish rim with a lime wedge to be squeezed in before drinking. The little bit of acid makes a surprisingly large difference.

Daiquiri

• 2 oz white rum
• 3/4 oz lime juice (fat, i.e. slightly more than)
• 3/4 oz simple syrup

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass. Easy, sweet drinking.

The Ellison

• 1 1/2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2 dashes angostura bitters
• 4-5 mint leaves
• 6 thin cucumber slices
• Garnish: thin cucumber slice

Put mint then cucumber in tin and muddle lightly. Shake 8-10 seconds. Fine strain into glass and garnish rim with cucumber. A much layered version of a gimlet.

French 75

• 1 oz gin
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2-3 oz sparkling white wine
• Garnish: lemon coil

Gently pour wine into glass. Shake remaining ingredients 8-10 seconds and strain into the glass along the side. Hang lemon coil on rim. A twentieth century celebration classic, very Gatsby.

Gimlet

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• Garnish: lime wheel

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass. Garnish rim with lime wheel. A solid drink, but slightly flat in my opinion compared to its variations (e.g. the Southside).

Gin & Tonic

• 2 oz gin
• 4 oz tonic
• Garnish: lime wedge

Build over ice, add lime wedge to rim. Some people like 6 oz of soda instead, but I feel like this washes out the botanicals of most gins.

Gold Rush

• 2 oz bourbon
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 oz honey syrup
• (Optional) Garnish: dehydrated lemon wheel

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass. Optionally, garnish with dehydrated lemon wheel. Similarly to the Bee's Knees, a great introductory drink for bourbon where the spirit's unique flavors come through but in a restrained way.

Intro to Aperol

• 2 oz Aperol
• 1 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 1/4 oz simple syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish: lemon twist

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass. Express lemon (i.e. squeeze lemon peel) over cocktail and garnish rim with it. A mix of citrus notes with a lightly bitter finish, great for introducing folks to bitter forward drinks in an accessible way.

Lemon Drop

• 2 oz vodka
• 1/2 oz triple sec (or dry curacao)
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz simple syrup
• Garnish: sugar rim

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass with sugared rim. Quite sweet in the way that you will regret the next day.

Lion's Tail

• 1 1/2 oz bourbon
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz allspice dram
• 1/4 oz rich demerara syrup
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish: lime twist

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass. Express lime (i.e. squeeze lime peel) over cocktail and affix to rim. A fun sort of autumnal drink, but with not quite as much depth as I would hope for, in my opinion.

Long Island Iced Tea

• 1 oz vodka
• 1 oz white rum
• 1 oz gin
• 1 oz blanco tequila
• 1 oz triple sec (or dry curacao)
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz rich demerara syrup
• 3 oz Coca cola
• Garnish: Lemon wedge

Shake all except the coke for 8-10 seconds and pour with the ice into a large glass. Garnish rim with a lime wedge. This one packs a deceptively strong alcoholic punch in a tasty package.

Margarita

• 2 oz blanco tequila
• 1 oz triple sec (or dry curacao)
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• Garnish: salt rim, lime wheel

Shake for 8-10 seconds and strain over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. Garnish rim with lime wheel. While this usually calls for triple sec, a dry curacao would work here as well, it would just be a slight bit sweeter than with triple sec.

Mojito

• 10-12 mint leaves
• 2 oz white rum
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz rich demerara syrup
• 3 oz soda
• Garnish: sprig of mint

Add mint to glass and muddle lightly, pulling it up onto the sides of the glass. Add ice to glass. In shaking tin, shake rum, lime juice, and syrup for 8-10 seconds, then strain over ice in glass. Top with soda water and stir lightly to combine. Serve with a straw. There are about a million different ways to make a mojito, this just happens to be one of the easier methods.

Old Fashioned

• 2 oz bourbon
• 1/4 oz rich demerara syrup
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
• Garnish: orange peel, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry

Stir for 20 seconds, then strain over ice in a glass. Express orange (i.e. squeeze orange peel) over cocktail and drop in to garnish along with a cherry. This is a highly debated cocktail with many different variations and techniques.

Pegu Club

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz curacao (or dry curacao)
• 3/4 oz lime juice
• (Optional) 1 dash Angostura bitters
• (Optional) 1 dash orange bitters
• (Optional) 2 drops 20% saline solution
• Garnish: lime wheel

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain into glass. Garnish rim with lime wheel. A fairly dry, zippy citrus drink. Kind of a grown up's version of a lemon drop: way less sweet, a bit stronger, and a bit more complex.

Ranch Water

• 12 oz bottle of Topo Chico
• 1 1/2 oz blanco tequila
• 1/4 oz lime juice
• Garnish: lime wedge

THE definitive Texas cocktail. Pour out 2 oz of the Topo Chico, then add the blanco tequila and lime juice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Rum & Coke

• 2 oz white rum
• 4 oz Coca Cola

Build over ice. A bit sweet and flat for my taste.

Sloe Gin Fizz

• 2 oz sloe gin
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• 2-3 oz soda

Shake all except soda 8-10 seconds. Strain into glass over ice and add soda, stirring lightly to combine. Very refreshing, jammy drink with citrus notes.

Southside

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 5-6 mint leaves
• Garnish: mint leaf

Lightly muddle mint in shaker. Shake 8-10 seconds and fine strain into glass. Slap mint leaf and float on top to garnish.

Tom Collins

• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 3-4 oz soda
• Garnish: lemon twist, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry

Shake all except soda for 8-10 seconds. Add half the soda into glass with ice, pouring off to the side of the ice. Strain cocktail mixture into the glass, and top with remaining soda again pouring off to the side of the ice. Express lemon (i.e. squeeze lemon peel) over cocktail and drop in along with cherry for garnish. Very refreshing and easy drinking.

Tommy's Margarita

• 1 1/2 oz reposado tequila (or blanco tequila)
• 1 oz lime juice
• 1/2 oz agave
• Garnish: salt rim, lime wedge

Shake 8-10 seconds and strain over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. Garnish rim with lime wedge. You can make it with blanco instead of reposado tequila and it will still be very good; it will just have a bit less "depth" than with the reposado.

Vance Rickey

• 2 oz vodka
• 1 whole lime
• 4-6 oz soda

A family recipe, similar to the Chilton but with lime instead of lemon; like a more lime-y version of a vodka soda with a lime. Fill glass with ice, add vodka, squeeze full lime into glass, and drop in remains. Fill with soda.

Vodka Soda

• 2 oz vodka
• 4-6 oz soda
• Garnish: lime wedge

Build over ice, add lime wedge to rim. Simple, clean drinking.

Vodka Tonic

• 2 oz vodka
• 4-6 oz tonic
• Garnish: lime wedge

Build over ice, add lime wedge to rim. Bit of a confusing order in my opinion, but different strokes for different folks.

Update 2024-11-26: Added the Long Island Iced Tea, which miraculously can be built with the bottles already on the list despite using like five different alcohols

Cocktails

bar equipment bottles recipe list beginner guide