The Rookie Home-Bar Mistake That Gives Everything A Chaotic Look

A well-stocked home bar is a wonderful thing. Not only does it allow you to mix up a variety of delicious cocktails, but when properly set up, it can also be a stunning piece of decor. But there is one common mistake that can quickly erase both the elegance and the efficiency of your cocktail station: overstocking.

When you make that first trip to the liquor store it is tempting to want to maximize your mixology menu with a wide variety of spirits and mixers, but you can have too much of a good thing. Trying to cram too many bottles into a small space creates a cluttered look that ruins the visual appeal. Beyond looks, too many options can also slow down your mixing. Sure, it is nice to have options, but rummaging through the collection looking for that one exotic liqueur causes an unnecessary slowdown.

Finally, a surplus of cocktail options can also lead to decision paralysis. It is a lot of fun to mix esoteric cocktails for your friends, but when the list of drinks you rattle off is too long, it can cause choice overload. This often means that your guests will either opt for something simple — like a whiskey soda — or just defer to your opinion. It is better practice to keep things simple with just the essential home bar liquors, a few common mixers and citrus options, and maybe a menu of a couple "house cocktails" you like to make.

To a large degree, what you need for any given cocktail party depends on the type of party you're throwing. Regardless, the goal should be to stock your home bar within your budget and only with what you need. Unless the party is all about gin drinks, you probably don't need to pick up 10 different styles of gin. But if you center your night around that one spirit, and make specific cocktails for each style, that would make for one heck of a party.

For the most part, you want a little something for everyone, and this can be done surprisingly easily. A clear liquor and a dark liquor is often enough to please a crowd, especially if you have a few cocktails in mind with different flavor profiles. A bottle of vodka or gin and a bottle of bourbon can be paired with a few additions to make all sorts of drinks. Read up on the best two-ingredient cocktails so that you know what mixers to buy, and then pick a few more complex cocktails using those same spirits so that you have something exciting to offer. This will keep your home bar simple and stunning, and ensure that you spend the night chatting with your guests, not rifling through a cluttered mess.