Barman’s bible: Which one do you live by?

“Alcohol may be man's worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.”

― Frank Sinatra

Whenever I get into a conversation about drinks, mixology, or general booze, there is always one question that comes up – “How did you get into craft cocktails?”

To be honest, I was sick of drinking vodka & cranberry. I don’t know if it is some unwritten rule somewhere that every young lady at the bar should always order “vodka cran”, but I for one was over it! Now I had always known that other drinks were out there like martinis, gin & tonic, and an array of rum drinks, but I was always too scared to order them at the bar. (No one wants to pay $7 for a drink and then not like it)

So I did what any other millennial would do, I looked up cocktail recipe books on Google and ordered one off of Amazon. But lets be clear, I didn’t order just any book, I ordered the PDT Cocktail Book – and I LOVE IT! 

I know that every mixologist or bartender has his or her preference, but I am completely smitten by this book. Not only does it provide me with amazing recipes but it also includes history on the drinks, tips for setting up your own bar, and a killer index so you can look up drinks by ingredients. (Check out the photos below for examples) Taking the time to sit down and read it cover to cover is what truly inspired me to take the plunge into craft cocktails. 

Now if you don't have the time to dedicate yourself to a cocktail book, there are other options out there. I am a subscriber to Imbibe Magazine and I can testify that it is worth the subscription fee. It is nice to "shake things up" every once and a while and pull out a new recipe to try from the magazine. Not to mention they have their own app!  
So that is why I pose the question to you, what barman’s bible do you live by? Is it PDT’s or Imbibe? I want to hear your thoughts!

Inside look of PDT's

10 Ingredients for a Killer Home Bar

 Hello everyone! 

As my first blog post, I thought it would be appropriate to go over what I feel are 10 most necessary ingredients when stocking a home bar. Now just to be clear, there are five base liquors you need to cover first before expanding into ingredients and mixers. I have listed my favorites below.

5 Base liquors:

1. Vodka (Grey Goose)

2. Tequila (Don Julio)

3. Gin (Hendricks)

4. Bourbon (Eagle Rare)

5. Rye - Can be substituted for a blended scotch depending on flavor profile (Sazerac 6 year)

Once we have the basics covered, it is time to get into the fun part of craft cocktails! The ingredients are what I consider to be essential for stocking any home bar. This list also assumes that you have garnishments (maraschino cherries, orange and lemon zest) and a variety of juices (lemon, lime and OJ) on hand.

10 Crucial ingredients & mixers:

1. Sweet Vermouth

2. Dry Vermouth

3. St. Germain

4. Maraschino Liquor

5. Benedictine

6. Simple Syrup

7. Campari

8. Aperol

9. Bitters

10. Absinthe

So now that i've listed the ingredients, you're probably wondering what brands I use with my own mixology, right? See the image below for a little taste of what my own home bar looks like!

I am interested to hear what everyone else considers to be the "key ingredients" for their own home bar. Were there any mixers I missed? Feel free to leave your thoughts and feedback in the comments below!