How To Set Up A Home Bar For New Year’s Eve

The New Year will be here in just a few short weeks, and every New Year’s Eve party should have a proper home bar. Even if you don’t drink, you should be well prepared, and well stocked with spirits for your guests. How else are you going to toast the New Year? Let us guide you through the simple steps of setting up a bar in your home, with all the must-have essentials.
 

The Bar RTA-Newport-Solid-Black-Granite-Top-Wine-Island-Vintage-Mahogany

Before you gather up your tools, you need to designate a place in your kitchen for your home bar. If your home is lacking a built-in wet bar (a separate bar area with a sink) or an elevated bar-top counter space, there are simple ways to improvise. In a large kitchen, set aside some room on the kitchen counter (Preferably near the ice maker), or on the kitchen island. If you don’t have a built-in island, consider purchasing a freestanding kitchen island. TheRTAStore offers a wide selection of beautiful and functional kitchen islands to suit your needs, including wine islands and carts. If you are dealing with a smaller kitchen, a portable kitchen island or cart is a great solution (and a hot trend thanks to Mad Men)!
 

The Tools

Start by topping your bar with a festive tray to corral your bottles, and store your tools in a drawer or cabinet below. Keep glassware, cocktail napkins, and a bar towel handy. You will also want access to a trash bin. Other tools may include:
 
• Cocktail Shaker
• Jigger (to measure the volume of spirits, syrups, and juices to pour into your cocktail shaker)
• Corkscrew
• Citrus Press
• Paring Knife
• Bar Spoon
• Strainer
• Muddler
Cutting Board
 

Glassware

The glassware you will need depends on the drinks you are planning to serve, and may include:
 
• Wine Glasses (Red and White)
• Highball Glasses (Bloody Mary, Gin and Tonic, Gimlet)
• Lowball Glasses (Whiskey-Based Drinks, Anything On-The-Rocks)
• Cocktail Glasses (Margarita, Frozen Drinks)
• Champagne Flutes (New Year’s Necessity)
• Martini Glasses
• Shot Glasses
• Beer Glasses
 

Spirits

There are a handful of spirits you should have on hand to mix the most popular drinks, including:
 
• Gin
• Whiskey
• Tequila
• White Rum
• Dark Rum
• Vodka
• Champagne
 
You should also have a variety of dry and semi-sweet wines, and a good selection of beer for your guests.
 

Mixers

For the most popular cocktails you will need:
 
• Soda Water
• Tonic Water
• Ginger Ale
• Cola
• Lemon-Lime Soda
• Fruit Juice (Orange, Grapefruit, Cranberry, Pineapple)
• Tomato Juice
• Fresh Lemons, Limes, and Oranges
• Course Salt and Pepper
• Sugar
• Fresh Mint
• Cocktail Olives
• Hot Sauce
 
Now that you have the know-how to set up a home bar for your New Year’s Eve party, you should get familiar with some popular cocktail recipes. Visit your local library or bookstore, or surf the Internet and plan your drink menu before you shop. And don’t forget the ice. Cheers to 2016!
 
 
At TheRTAStore we help make your dream kitchen a reality with RTA (Ready To Assemble) cabinets, Pre-Assembled cabinets, and accessories with the same (if not better) quality you would find at any retail store but for a fraction of the price. Stop by our website or give us a call and let one of our friendly kitchen designers help make your kitchen dreams come true!