DIY Cocktail Bar for Spirited Nights
A quick, easy guide for the next time you and the gang get together.
This week, I’m excited to share a fun party hack - creating your own cocktail bar! But before we dive in, some housekeeping…
Starting now, you can expect the Meet Me at the Bar newsletter to grace your inbox every Thursday.
This scheduling change will ensure you're equipped with any and all hacks, recipes, and intriguing food for thought, just in time to kick off a tipsy weekend.
As someone who enjoys hosting, I’ve found no gathering is complete without delicious drinks. While I’d love to be whipping up cocktails for guests all night, I also relish fully immersing myself in the moment and having a blast (besides, the merrier I get the more chaotic the drinks become!).
The solution?
Enter a DIY cocktail bar!
If you’re entertaining a crowd with varying tastes, creating a DIY cocktail bar is a fantastic way to offer customizable drinks. This setup works wonders even for teetotallers who can whip up their preferred non-alcoholic blends. Plus, all the vibrant colors on display, from the mixers and garnishes, can take the spotlight.
Here are a few tips to get you started:
Spirits of Choice
A few months ago, I created a mini cocktail bar for a girl’s night in. The spirits we sipped on were vodka and rum. If colored spirits are preferred, options like arrack, bourbon, or dark rum work beautifully. Simplicity shines, so I recommend focusing on a maximum of three spirits.
Mixers, Syrups, and Garnishes
Based on the spirits we’d be drinking, I opted for juices like passion fruit, mixed fruit, orange, pink guava and strawberry, as well as peach iced tea, Sprite, and Coke. If you can, get your hands on any of the Monin mixes for more options. Go the extra mile and label all your bottles.
For garnishes, I had lime and lemon slices, halved orange slices, cucumber slices, mint leaves, and rosemary sprigs.
Pro tip:
Place herbs in a small jar filled with water so they don’t wilt all evening. I wished I remembered this but I didn’t, so my mint leaves ended up rather dead by the end of the evening!
Glassware and Tools
DIY cocktail bars will always need essential tools like a shaker, jigger, strainer, and mixing spoon. I also used lowball glasses but you can use whatever glassware you have on hand or match it to the bevs. If convenience is key, set up your DIY bar near the fridge or leave an ice bucket for easy access to ice.
Finishing Touches
Feeling a little extra?
Display step-by-step cocktail instructions on a board — make it as fun and visually appealing as you desire. Frame the instructions or paste them on a piece of bristol board.
Pro tip:
You can create a themed DIY cocktail bar, too, like a Gin and tonic, Margarita, Tiki, Bloody Mary, or Martini DIY bar.
Got more tips to craft a fun DIY cocktail bar or a question to ask? I’d love to hear!
Weekends gonna be boujee!!!
Thursdays just became a lot more exciting!