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Monday, June 24, 2013

Do-it-Yourself Home Bars

You can make a beautiful and functional home bar and not lift a single hammer or nail. Any table can become your bar if you set it up to function in that role. Selection of the bar table itself is important, but not as important as the accoutrement display that will its confirm status as a bar. Does this Spark an idea?

Establish the Bar

    Your selection of a bar table can be decided by availability or by design. If your options are limited, an existing sideboard or dining room buffet can become your bar. Locate your bar on a piece of furniture that is visually interesting, easily accessible and large enough to accommodate your display of liquors, wines, glasses and bar tools.

    If you want to use a special bar, look for a liquor trolley. These roll-in bars were quite popular in the 1960s and can be found used at garage sales and secondhand stores or new in furniture stores. You can find large tray tables, some that come with leather covered trays, or with mirror tops that make fabulous tables for wine.

Stocking the Bar

    Keep some liquor and wine bottles on display at all times. Your bar should contain brand name bottles of white liquors such as vodka--like the brand Grey Goose, a good gin like Tangueray and a light rum like Bacardi's. You should also have dark liquors. A good dark rum such as Myer's, a blended whiskey like Crown Royal and a single malt scotch like Glenlivet should also be included. You will want to purchase specific ingredients needed to make martinis, margaritas, or the house bar specialty drink.

    Purchase several good bottles of wine. A good brandy or cognac like Hennessy should also be on a well-stocked bar. Keep bottles and everything else displayed on the bar well-dusted.

Bar Service

    Your bar table should have a selection of both liquor and wine glasses. The bar should have both double old-fashioned and highball glasses suitable for serving most hard liquor drinks. You also want to be prepared for wine service, including red wine, white wine and champagne glasses. You might also want to include crystal wine decanters and brandy sniffers to round out glassware selection.

    You'll want to have some of the little additions that make drinks seem like they're from a real bar. Cut fresh lemons or limes when having guests over. Keep an assortment of olives, cherries, onions, tonic, bitters and soft drinks like Coke and ginger ale for mixers. Keep bar tools like bottle stoppers, spoons, strainers and shakers on your bar for it to truly functional for a bartender or individuals self-serving at your home bar.

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