Home Bar Hacks

You have heard of Gorilla Marketing, 

now we show you Gorilla Bartending.

Following on from the great response we had received from our “Everything you need to create your First Home Bar” we thought you would love our “Home Bar Hacks”. Spirits Box will have you mixing up a storm, no matter where in the process you are, towards your perfect home bar.

There have been more than a few home bar cocktails, make it onto very well regarded cocktail lists. These drinks are often born out of the creative necessity of a friend’s kitchen at a house party, or surprise kick ons to you home (where who knows the last time a fresh food shop happened).

We’ve all been there; the “I have had too many shots to be using a knife right now” feeling in the bar/kitchen. Simply grab a vegetable peeler, peel (the citrus skin) and pinch (over the glass).

Can’t find your sleek spiral bar spoon? Trust me a normal spoon just doesn’t stir as well or have the same presentation elegance. Chopsticks to the rescue! They will easily chill and stir down any drink at the same time save on washing up as they have such a thin profile you can mix many drinks in the glass you’ll be serving them in.

Jam’s are amazing in cocktails; pre made, long life, and available in great variety. They are perfect for the home bar that doesn’t have room time or bother for an array of home made syrups. As well as having the built in bonus of being there for breakfast the next morning. 

When using Jams consider that the sweetness does vary between products, so add a little at a time (you can always add more, but once you’ve added sweetness you cannot remove it)

Maison Jars can be amazing substitutes for cocktail tins and often there are a few lying around in the back of your cupboards.  It doesn’t need to be Maison Jar either any Jar or bottle with a wide opening that will seal well will do the trick!

Another bonus is if you’re halfway to setting up your bar Hawthorne strainers fit easily into the opening.

Ok you’ve officially out of everything but sill want to impress someone by mix up a storm. There is a cocktail method called ‘pulling’  this is often used when needing to combine ingredients with varying viscosity without diluting them too much. To do this at home you get 2 cups pint size is ideal (red solo cups have also a treat in the past), add ice to one cup and pour the liquid only between the cups. Make sure to keep the ice on one side otherwise you will end up with the drink all over you and the floor.  Then serve your pulled drink either over ice or neat dependent on preference. This is a great way to make Red Snappers or Bloody Mary’s.

Can’t find your jigger in the bottom of your utensils draw? We would never recommend free pouring as it is so hard to balance your drink if you don’t know how much alcohol you’re starting with. Measuring spoons are an easy fix for this. Here is a quick break down:

Teaspoon: 5ml

Tablespoon: 15ml

¼ cup: 60ml

Yes it lasts for ages in the fridge, but you know sometimes you just weren’t organized enough to have some whipped up and ready to go. No pot sugar syrup is easy done. In a jar add 1 cup of sugar, and ½ a cup of boiling water. Swirl it around until it starts to dissolve. Then add ½  cold water, close the lid of the jar and shake like hell!

Its all done and already in the jar so you can store it straight in the fridge.

Now this one is definitely only suggested in a pinch (we very rarely suggest compromising on the quality of your ingredients). Espresso for your espresso martinis can be done with instant coffee, but you will still need a  good quality coffee liquor like Mr. Black. 

1 teaspoon of instant coffee

1 table spoon water

We suggest freezing fruit, brightly coloured fruit, with edible skins are best, but there are plenty of options. We like frozen grapes, strawberry, star fruit and citrus wheels (thickly cut) look great, keep the punch chilled, ad flavor as the night goes on and don’t over dilute the punch. 

Quality is always best, but sometimes you simply don’t have a full set of double tins and cocktail kit at whatever time you decided to spontaneously entertain. When you use quality ingredients (most spirits don’t go off) and reach for these simple solutions with confidence your guests will hardly notice the difference.

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