Get into the spirit: Your guide to the home bar of 2023

What to stock, what to mix, how to serve and when to shake up something new. Here’s how to set up an epic bar for the next house party

Party tonight? Outsource the prep, by all means. Hire a cleaning service, get a caterer, even have someone plan the table setting and seating. Some tasks, though, are best left to the host, like who’s drinking what and how. Yangdup Lama, consultant, trainer and co-founder of Sidecar and Cocktails & Dreams; and Gunjan Pal, mixologist and corporate beverage head of The Chocolate Spoon Company, offer bartending hacks so the night is only as heady as it needs to be.

Your guide to the home bar of 2023

• 
  Brush up on the basics.

  Pal says it helps to understand each guest’s preferences . Drink options are where first conversations with a guest’s spouse or Plus One happen so be attentive and open. Keep a variety of alcohols ready and announce what’s being served. “Depending on how enthusiastic you are, your alcohol collection could vary from being extensive to only the liquor you are partial to,” says Lama. “In India, whiskey is a must. And young people enjoy gin, so stock these two and some vodka, at the least.” Pal’s list also includes light and dark rum, tequila, vermouth (dry and sweet), and liqueurs. In addition to mixers (club soda, tonic water, cola, ginger ale, juices), keep extras on hand. These include fresh fruit, olives, cocktail onions, lemons, mint leaves and sugar or salt so it seems like a proper drink. Include non-alcoholic drinks: juices, infused waters, and herbal tea. “When you know what you’re serving and consuming, it makes hosting a better experience,” says Lama. “You can offer something unique every time.”
• 
  Show off those tools.

  To really stand out as a host, Lama recommends investing in good glassware, perhaps even a top-of-the-line refrigerator and high-quality ice moulds. “These can make or break the drink when you serve whisky or rum on the rocks,” he says. A Boston shaker, a stirrer and a mixing glass are enough to mix up most basic cocktails. “Most importantly, remember to keep your bar area organised,” says Pal. Keep glassware within reach, paper towels to mop up spills, a clear path to the kitchen to restock. No point ruining the evening’s buzz because someone misplaced the bowl of lemons.
• 
  Mix it up.

  It’s easy enough to put together a Bloody Mary, Screwdriver, and a G&T. Pal names a lesser-known fourth: Aviation (gin, maraschino liqueur, crème de violette). His other trendy recommendations are Negroni (gin, Campari, sweet vermouth) and Penicillin (Scotch whiskey with lemon juice and honey). Lama enjoys serving an Old Fashioned (bourbon flavoured with angostura bitters, sugar and an orange peel for garnish). And he, like a lot of people, loves the Mojito (white rum, sugar, lime, soda, mint) and Daiquiri (with light rum), Sidecar (brandy), and Margarita (tequila), all made in a similar fashion.
• Throw in a surprise.

  By the second drink, even the stuffy only-whiskey types might be open to something new. Pal recommends getting familiar with making a Dark ‘n’ Stormy. The classic cocktail from Bermuda “combines two simple ingredients, dark rum with ginger beer, to create a flavourful and refreshing beverage with a unique twist,” he says. Lama offers a trick for after dinner: Serve a selection of liqueurs as a nightcap. “Keep a good collection: Grand Marnier, Cointreau, and others at hand,” he says. “If you collect these during your travels to different parts of the world, you can share the story of that particular liqueur over an interesting conversation.” Just make sure everyone’s drinking responsibly and getting home safe.