Home Bar Rules - How To Get The Energy Alchemy Right

Home Bar Rules – How To Get The Energy Alchemy Right

For those who love the art of entertaining, a properly stocked bar is a must have. Having a cocktail amongst friends after work can create an atmosphere of leisure or calm your nerves before a big event.

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Starting a bar may seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re starting from scratch, but it doesn’t need to be. Learning the basics should be fun and having a suitable bar is a great way to encourage gathering with those who are important to you.

Your bar is a way to express to your friends, family, and neighbors your tastes, likes, and dislikes. For example, sharing one of your favorite drink recipes is a great way to bond, especially if you can include some snazzy history or fun facts around the recipe. What you stock and how you stock equals why you make the drinks you do because you personally like them. Plus, this is a great way to come together.

Here’s the thing, more than ever before folks are living isolated lives. Rarely do people get together as they once did. Many get up, go to work, and then come straight home, dodging any RSVP’s or invitations for fear they may not feel like going. Unfortunately, many people repeat this cycle again and again only furthering their isolation. According to Mel Robbins, author of The 5 Second Rule, rarely, if ever, will you really feel like doing anything. But, what harm is it to run over to a neighbor’s house, or a friend down the road to share in some conversation and a good scotch?

Here are three guidelines to help you get the energy around your bar right so you actually enjoy it and use it:

Don’t create a full working bar from scratch. Stock what you like and what you are good at- and don’t pick spirits you think will impress people.
Start small. It’s not necessary to go out and buy 30 different things so that you have what everyone likes. Choose your favorite things and get really good at two or three recipes that you can share with those you love.
Your bar’s biggest customer is not your neighbor or your friends, it’s you! So, stock liquor that you really enjoy and will use often. This helps you to really enjoy it and feel excited about it. If it’s stocked full of stuff you don’t like you’ll rarely use it.

I would also recommend that you buy some recipe books. Experiment with different recipes and find the ones you really like, then become the expert in those drinks. There is nothing better than being known as the person who makes a mean Manhattan or the smoothest Martini. Here are some of my favorites: