Tips to Create a Well Stocked Bar for Christmas
With Christmas just around the corner, now is the ideal time to prepare your home for the best time of year. A key element of hosting a memorable Christmas gathering is ensuring your bar is well stocked with all the essentials to keep your guests satisfied. Whether you’re entertaining family, friends, or colleagues, having a variety of spirits, mixers, and garnishes will allow you to create a range of crowd pleasing cocktails. Within this post we walk you through the must have ingredients that will make your bar a hit this Christmas, all of which you can conveniently purchase from Fletcher Drinks.
Essential Spirits
The foundation of any great home bar is a solid selection of spirits. Make sure you have the basics, along with a few festive favourites, to cover all tastes.
Vodka
Versatile and smooth, vodka is a staple in many classic cocktails like martinis and cosmopolitans. A quality vodka is perfect for creating festive drinks such as a cranberry vodka punch or Christmas Moscow mule.
Gin
No Christmas bar is complete without gin. Whether your guests prefer a simple gin and tonic or a more elaborate cocktail like a Negroni, having gin in your bar will ensure you can cater to different preferences. With a range of flavours, from classic London dry to botanical blends, you can offer a variety of taste experiences.
Whiskey
For the whiskey enthusiasts at your party, stocking both bourbon and Scotch is a great idea. Whiskey is a favourite in the colder months and can be used to make warming drinks like an Old Fashioned, whiskey sour, or even a festive whiskey eggnog.
Rum
Both light and dark rum will help you create tropical cocktails with a Christmas twist. Rum is key to making mojitos, daiquiris, or a Christmas spiced rum punch, ideal for warming your guests during the cold winter evenings.
Tequila
Tequila is a must have for making margaritas, but it also works well in festive cocktails like the Christmas Tequila Sunrise or a Mexican style hot chocolate with tequila.
Liqueurs
Don’t forget to stock up on popular liqueurs, such as Cointreau, Baileys, and Amaretto. These will add extra depth to your cocktails and are often used in festive drinks like a Baileys coffee or Amaretto sour.
Mixers to Keep on Hand
A great bar setup isn’t just about the spirits, it’s also about having a range of mixers to create the perfect balance in your cocktails. Here are the essentials:
Tonic Water
Perfect for gin and tonics, tonic water is a must have for your home bar. Stock up on both regular and light tonic water to cater to different tastes.
Soda Water
Great for whiskey highballs or as a lighter alternative to other mixers, soda water is a refreshing option.
Lemonade
For a sweeter touch, lemonade works well in drinks like vodka lemonades or tequila spritzers. It’s also a great non alcoholic option.
Coca Cola
A classic mixer, coca cola is ideal for rum and cola cocktails or whiskey and cola.
Fruit Juices
Cranberry, orange, pineapple, and lime juices are essential for festive cocktails. Cranberry juice, in particular, is a great choice for Christmas drinks, adding a seasonal touch to your cocktails.
Ginger Beer
Ideal for Moscow mules or dark and stormy cocktails, ginger beer adds a warm, spicy note to many festive drinks.
Garnishes to Elevate Your Drinks
Adding garnishes is a simple way to take your cocktails from good to great. Stock up on the following items to add that finishing touch to your Christmas drinks:
Citrus Fruits
Fresh slices of lemon, lime, and orange are essential for many cocktails. They can be used to garnish gin and tonics, mojitos, or whiskey sours.
Mint
Fresh mint is perfect for mojitos and adds a fresh aroma to your cocktails.
Berries
Cranberries, raspberries, and cherries not only add flavour but also a festive pop of colour to your drinks.
Cinnamon Sticks
Perfect for stirring into festive cocktails like mulled wine or spiced rum drinks.
Sugar and Salt
Essential for rimming glasses for cocktails like margaritas or sweet Christmas drinks.
Stock Your Bar with Fletcher Drinks
Creating a well stocked home bar doesn’t have to be difficult. With a few essential spirits, mixers, and garnishes, you can impress your Christmas guests and keep the party going all night. Fletcher Drinks offers a fantastic selection of spirits, liqueurs, and mixers to help you get ready for the festive season. Shop now to ensure your bar is fully stocked in time for your Christmas celebrations or speak to our experts via the live chat feature on our website about more home bar Christmas essentials.
