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What's a gotta have ...

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    What's a gotta have ...

    In your home bar, either equipment, or booze?

    #2
    A clear ice maker

    Comment


      #3
      Well, I don't have a home bar per-se, but as a home brewer, I would be hard pressed not to have a keg dispensing setup. Something to be said for the coolness of pulling a tap handle on a beer tower and dispensing your own beer into the pint glass! I used to use what they call picnic taps, but my daughter got me a beer tower that I installed on top of a 2 keg mini fridge this summer, and its a nice setup. I have 2 mini fridges now with 2 kegs on tap in each one.

      That said, dealing with beer kegs is not for you unless you have a way to move them around, both in and out of the car/truck and in and out of the fridge. Dealing with the kegs I use (old Pepsico 5 gallon ball locks from all over the country) is one thing. Dealing with commercial kegs is another, as those tend to be of either the 7.75 or 15.5 gallon variety. I moved a 15.5 gallon keg of beer into the back of my Yukon, dead lifting it by myself, and paid the price for a week or two. I don't move more than 5 gallons of beer at a time any more!

      If not serving from kegs, and instead serving bottled beer and wine, a nice under the counter beverage cooler would be nice for storing the bottled beer and white wines. And a bottle opener mounted behind the counter next to it of course!
      Last edited by jfmorris; November 18, 2019, 03:03 PM.

      Comment


      • jfmorris
        jfmorris commented
        Editing a comment
        If you have friends with a micro brewery, and they are licensed to sell for off-premise consumption, having a tap or two could be a cool thing, if they are willing to deliver and install the kegs for you. Obviously those kegs would be at commercial prices, versus my home-brewed prices. Making my own beer costs me anywhere from $20 to $40 per keg, sometimes less if I am re-pitching yeast versus buying new yeast. The amount of grain and hops is the driving factor of course.

      • mnavarre
        mnavarre commented
        Editing a comment
        We charge around $80 for a 5 gallon keg from the brewery, depending on the beer. That works out to around $2 a pint, so not terribly cost prohibitive, but not as cheap as home brewing.

      • jfmorris
        jfmorris commented
        Editing a comment
        mnavarre $80 for a brewery keg (surprised you have 5 gallon kegs) is dirt cheap. Here in Alabama we have a 3 tier system that really drives costs up, and while breweries can sell growler fills for off premise consumption, I think the fact that kegs have to go through a 3 tier system drives the cost - we would probably spend $120 or more on that same keg here, because the state and distributor both have to take their cuts.

      #4
      Bourbon. Then more bourbon. Maybe some scotch, vodka, gin, tequila. Cognac for the wife (at least my wife). Then another bottle of bourbon...

      OK, some corkscrews and wine glasses for the winos that show up, brandy snifters, beer glasses. Mixers like little cans of juice, small cans of soda, an ice bucket.

      And bourbon

      Comment


      • texastweeter
        texastweeter commented
        Editing a comment
        all of y'all shut up and pass me another bottle. What's a guy gotta do to rent a glass around here. HouseHomey Huskee
        Last edited by texastweeter; November 19, 2019, 10:53 AM.

      • bardsleyque
        bardsleyque commented
        Editing a comment
        not a single bottle of beer?

      • klflowers
        klflowers commented
        Editing a comment
        bardsleyque, not one beer but a couple of cases. I thought that went without sayin...

      #5
      A massive offset pit with a horizontal section and a vertical section to hang meats. LSG will make it for me one day, when I am sure I will not be moving to another house. I only wanna move that beast once!

      Comment


      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        You're hired as my pitmaster while I mix up some tasty libations inside!

      • HouseHomey
        HouseHomey commented
        Editing a comment
        Huskee Need a prep cook for the pit master? Apparently I wash dishes too.

      #6
      A really good cocktail shaker and/or set in conjunction with a mixology book.
      I prefer Mr. Boston mixology books and always make drinks as explained if you over serve you ruin the drink even something as simple a rum and coke.

      Comment


      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        Very true. Just like salting a brisket, go by the recipe first, then make subtle changes next time if needed. I'm guilty of the "eh, just a little bigger slish of this..." and it's not as good.

      #7
      My personal thoughts on some 'gotta haves'

      a set of at least 4 of each:
      • martini glasses,
      • rocks glasses,
      • wide red wine glasses
      • standard white glasses, and
      • either snifter or glencairn glasses.
        • Then all your bases are covered for whatever folks want to sip on and to be honest if nothing else it feels better drinking the spirits in their proper glass.
      • a good shaker.
        • I like the cheaper plastic see-through kind with graduation marks- easy to use and be more consistent with, but my wife hates when I use it she likes the fancy copper one she bought me.
      • optional- a few ice ball molds. Don't settle for just ice cubes if you're an on-the-rocks person. I am not so I list it as optional, but my wife insists they are better.
      I didn't list any recipe books/charts since you can google them last second. Write down your favorites as time goes on. I think good gear is more important at startup.

      Comment


      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        au4stree klflowers I bought a couple of those Sam Adams glasses several years ago, loved them. Broke 1, still have 1, just used it couple days ago with a Stroh's.

      • klflowers
        klflowers commented
        Editing a comment
        Huskee, a Stroh's!!! I haven't even seen one of those for years. I have some Pabst Blue Ribbon at the house, but people are trying to treat Pabst like it is a craft beer or something. Gonna have to find a Stroh's, line it up next to my Mickey's.

      • Huskee
        Huskee commented
        Editing a comment
        klflowers Stroh's is a notch above the AAL lightweight lagers (trailer park beers, as I call them), it's a classic. It's a bit maltier though IMO. Flavorful, I am glad it hasn't met its untimely death as I'd thought. The company has gone through the wringer after the founding fathers died off, and it's been acquired by a conglomerate, but at least it's still out there somewhere.

      #8
      Hendrick's Gin and Cinzano dry vermouth.
      Last edited by CaptainMike; November 18, 2019, 04:27 PM.

      Comment


        #9
        Huskee by your list, I am only needing some nice on the rocks glasses. I have glencairn glasses, proper red and white, s well as snifters and martini. Really looking more on the booze side. But, can always equally up my game in bar essentials as well. My mix drink ability past scotch near, a dirty martini and a vodka tonic has no game what so ever.
        Last edited by Richard Chrz; November 18, 2019, 04:37 PM.

        Comment


        • Huskee
          Huskee commented
          Editing a comment
          On the booze side it's hard to reccomend specifics since it's all preference and taste. My favorite go-to bourbon that will work great neat or in anything is Buffalo Trace. Cheap so you don't feel guilty using it as a mixer, tasty so you can drink it neat, and worlds better than Jack or Beam. Beefeater or New Amsterdam 100 are my favorite gins for mixing since they are spicy enough to hold up to mixing and are not expensive either. Barrel proof rye, or at least 100 proof, is a good one...

        • Huskee
          Huskee commented
          Editing a comment
          ...(cont'd)...
          for an Old Fashioned or even a sour. A great rye for mixing is 1776 James Pepper, or Sazerac, both affordable and potent enough to stand up to a mix. Knob Creek Rye is another great one for mixing.

        • CaptainMike
          CaptainMike commented
          Editing a comment
          Shake up a Hendricks martini and it will change your life.

        #10
        Bourbon. Preferably 2 - I for mixing and 1 for sipping. Also, a shaker with a lid that doesn't leak.
        Last edited by Dewesq55; November 18, 2019, 05:22 PM.

        Comment


          #11
          With Christmas coming most distillers will be selling gift packs which include usually two glasses that suit there product.
          Good way to collect the proper glassware for serving.


          Comment


            #12
            Bombay Sapphire gin

            Comment


            • smokin fool
              smokin fool commented
              Editing a comment
              Tanqueray is my gin of choice, nothing wrong with Bombay.

            #13
            Argh! I have a really nice wooden bar that my dad bought for my grandfather when he was in the Navy. My dad let me have it and my wife took it over as an ornamental piece and for storing old videos even though we no longer have a video playing machine. I do get the bottom section for my booze. In exchange, she let me buy a beer fridge. So I can only answer that a beer fridge is a must.

            Comment


              #14
              Friends to drink with and bring the booze. Mostly bring the booze.

              Comment


                #15
                These days, the only thing my bar has or needs is a coffee maker, and the occasional bottle of water. But it has to be good coffee, not that mass market crap in the plastic tubs.

                Comment


                • smokin fool
                  smokin fool commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Excellent point on the coffee maker, many people like a good hot toddy.
                  A holiday tradition here is inviting friends over Spanish Coffee's on Boxing day night.
                  If they just want a Baileys or Kalua, even Irish coffee that's fine too.

                • texastweeter
                  texastweeter commented
                  Editing a comment
                  JBM for me, and Kona for my wife please.

                • smokin fool
                  smokin fool commented
                  Editing a comment
                  This time next month my wife will be sipping JBM on our annual trip down to the island.
                  I've never had the taste for coffee myself, lost it drinking coffee truck swill years ago.
                  While I make mean Spanish I think if I ever drank one I'd be up for three days.

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