Sick of hefty tabs and crowded bars? Host a cocktail party for your friends, family or colleagues from the comfort of your own home! .
If you ask us, anyone can be a mixologist. If you ask a mixologist they may have a different answer... but if you are your own audience, we say go for it! From classics like a margarita or martini to more festive cocktails with flair, you and your guests can be sipping on something delicious in no time with an at-home cocktail kit.
We rounded up some tips on crafting your own cocktail with essential supplies and ingredients to get you started. You’ll be a pro in no time.
Essential Craft Cocktail Kit Supplies
- Shaker: First you’ll need to start with the most important tool for any bar kit, a shaker. You can choose between a Boston shaker or a Cobbler shaker. The Boston shaker consists of two pieces, a metal tin base and a pint-size mixing glass. The Cobbler shaker is made up of three-pieces, a metal tin base, a cover with a built-in strainer, and a lid. The Cobbler shaker is typically a better option for beginners because of its compactness. If you're in a pinch and don’t have either option on hand, grab a mason jar or any other container with a lid that you can use to shake your ingredients.
- Jigger: A jigger is basically a fancy shot glass that allows you to precisely measure your ingredients. The standard and most useful option is a jigger with 1-ounce and 2-ounce measurements.
- Hawthorne Strainer: If you are using a Cobbler shaker you already have a built-in strainer so you won’t need to buy another one. If you are using a Boston shaker you will need a Hawthorne shaker. You’ve likely seen this item used by your favorite bartender - it fits nicely over the top of the metal tin with a coil spring around the edge to ensure no ice or pulp gets into your beverage.
- Hand Juicer: While some people may see this item as non-essential, if you want to level-up your at-home beverage of choice, grab a hand juicer. There’s no easier way to elevate your beverage than with some fresh squeezed lime, lemon or orange juice. Trust us.
Essential Craft Cocktail Ingredients
While your ingredients list will vary depending on your cocktail of choice, we recommend sticking with what you know. If you aren’t entertaining there’s no reason to have a huge grocery list of ingredients for your at-home bar. Grab these essential items on your next booze run.
- Spirit of choice: Choose between vodka, gin, whiskey, light rum, or dark rum. One or two of these will do!
- Something sweet: Preparing a simple syrup at home is insanely easy. All you need is equal parts boiling water and sugar. Once you get that mastered, feel free to add fruits, herbs, or spices to your boiling water to get a little more flavor in your cocktail. Other options for sweeteners include agave, honey, or even maple syrup.
- Citrus: While they aren’t the star of the show, lemons and limes are almost as important as the spirit in your cocktail. As mentioned before, we recommend using fresh fruit and your hand juicer for the best flavor.
- Soda water: This is a very important ingredient to have on hand when crafting your own at-home cocktails. Soda water can act as a great filler and will add a refreshing fizz to your drink.
- Ice: While this may seem obvious, we round out our essential ingredients list with ice. You will never want to run out of ice when mixing your favorite cocktail. It’s important for both the preparation and presentation of your cocktail!
Ready to host your own virtual cocktail party? Leave the hard work to Vino Di Vino. Our Cocktail Tasting Kit includes 2x pint (375mL) and 1x flask (200mL) bottles of spirits plus required mixers. We offer everything from classic and brunch to seasonal cocktails and everything in between so you’re sure to find a kit you and your guests will enjoy.
Visit a Boston area Vinodivino Store Today!
Get in touch with our team to get started!
