How to Create a Home Bar

As COVID-19 travelled across the globe at a fast pace, it forced many people to stay at home. As pubs and various other spots to meet up with your friends and family closed, this ignited a spark for many homeowners to create a home bar in the comfort of their homes.

Home bars increased in popularity around the world and especially in the UK. A company named Online Spirits Retailer Clink revealed 2.7 million households in the UK have created their unique home bar since the first national lockdown in March 2020.

Why are home bars popular?

Home bars are increasing in popularity because you can have the characteristics of going out with your friends and family to the pub but in the comfort of your home. Home bars are a place to relax and a great social point. 

Creating your home bar

Firstly, pick the right location for your home bar. This can be converting your garage, summerhouse, shed etc. Picking the perfect location is essential so you don’t regret it in the future. Now decide if you are going for a small home bar or a big one.

Secondly, make sure the budget is reasonable and not to go too much over. When creating a home bar, many homeowners have their budget set and spend most of it. The average cost of a bar is £400 plus. Some may offer stalls and seats with the bar also. Then to consider the price of the drinks that you’d want, owning a home bar can be expensive but worth it. 

Home bars come in many shapes and sizes to fit perfectly where you want them to. In the budget, this can include the drinks, furniture and decorations for your bar depending on the theme.

Many companies offer home bars for reasonable prices. There are also guides on how to make your home bar from scratch by The Family Handy Man. 

Thirdly, consider the theme of the home bar, the list of possibilities is endless. Companies like Two fat blokes offer personalised bar signs along with various other items like beer mats and novelty stickers. Adding personalised bar signs to your home bar makes it unique and personal to you. 

Many homeowners either go for a Tiki bar or traditional pub theme. A tiki bar is decorated in a Polynesian theme, which serves exotic cocktails. It Is called a Tiki bar because the term Tiki comes from Maori mythology. 

Lastly, enhancing the look of the home bar. A popular choice for many is adding LED coloured lighting to the bar. This also works well with stools and sofas depending on the location of the bar. Then the drinks of your choice, along with a place to store them. A popular choice is a shelf behind the bar with the drinks on show. Also, with the drinks adding beer openers, cocktail shakers etc. 

Types of cocktail shakers for a home bar

A cocktail shaker is a quick and efficient way to blend cocktails quickly and doesn’t require lots of time.

There are 3 main types of cocktail shakers. The first one is the Cobbler shaker. This is a large metal tin that has a tightly fitted lid and a smaller cap. When equipped together the lid fits on perfectly. For newcomers, the cobbler is the best for a home bar because they get colder quicker.

Secondly, the Boston shaker is the original design for a cocktail shaker but takes the longest to learn and requires the most skill. Similarly, to the cobbler, this shaker is made from metal and is referred to as the “Cheater tin”. The Boston shaker is the easiest to clean and makes cocktails a lot faster.   

Lastly, the French cocktail shaker is like the cobbler shaker, but without a strainer or lid. The French shaker is a two-piece shaker that needs more of the bar strainer. Many people who have used this shaker prefer it as it is more stylish, simpler to use and simpler to clean. Although, the shaker is harder to find and more expensive.