During lockdown, we all missed the pub. We longed for spending those sunny May afternoons in the beer garden, surrounded by friends and family. But we all played our part in protecting the NHS, and our loved ones, as we battled the Coronavirus. As we look ahead to the winter, we may find ourselves spending more time indoors, bringing the pub experience once more into the safety of our homes, our kitchens, garden, and front room.

The Equipment

A plumber can’t fix a tap if there’s no tap to be fixed. Having a great home bar means putting all the right equipment in it. It’s part of the fun of being a home mixologist. He Spoke Style list their top 10 essential home bar tools, and we agree with them all. Jiggers, strainers, spoons, mixing glasses, tins, peelers and muddlers are all great tools for your bar. Don’t forget too your optics, ice buckets, shakers and strainers. Ascot Wholesale can supply everything you need to get your bar up and running.

The Style

Once you’ve got the equipment, how are you going to set the scene and layout your home bar? We adore this, mounting optics on a pallet; something one of our warehouse pickers, Dave, set up in his garden shed:

Optics in Shed

The Booze

Now this is the fun part – you’ve got the gear, you’ve gathered your group of six, and now it’s time to channel your inner bar-tender and start making some great cocktails. Here’s our favourite three recipes that we think you’ll love too.

White Russian

Ingredients

2tbsp Vodka, 2tbsp coffee liqueur, 2tbsp single cream

We love this one from our friends over at Olive Magazine because it’s so simple. There’s just one step: fill an old fashioned glass with ice, then pour the vodka, coffee liqueur and cream in and stir until combined before serving, and enjoying!

Cosmopolitan cocktail

Ingredients

45ml lemon vodka, 15ml triple sec, 30ml cranberry juice, 10ml lime juice, ice. Then for the garnish, you’ll need orange zest, or a lime wedge on the rim of the glass.

Championed by BBC GoodFood, this staple cocktail is a great chance to practice your shaking skills. The first step is to shake all the ingredients in your cocktail shaker with ice and strain it into a cocktail glass.

Then, to make the garnish, hold a 3cm round piece of orange zest 10cm above your cocktail and *very carefully* wave it over a lit match or flame. Bend the outer edge in towards the flame so that orange oils are released.

Moscow Mule

Ingredients

Vodka, Ginger beer, Lime Juice

No cocktail list would be complete without this gem. As explained on A Couple Cooks, you’ll want to serve this one in a copper mug. You won’t need to spend much time mulling over the instructions for this one, simply pour the ingredients into the mug, add ice cubes, and garnish with a lime. That’s it!