Bar Cart Tour

The bar cart is my favorite piece throughout the entire apartment—and not just because it holds all the wine. This stunning antique was handed down to me by my grandma, making it extra special. Apart from the booze, our bar cart holds many one-of-a-kind antique tumblers, shot glasses, and wine glasses that I will treasure forever. Read on to see which spirits and wines I always have on-hand and my favorite bar cart accessories.

Before jumping into the booze, let’s take a second to admire the bar cart herself. Isn’t she stunning? This piece used to be my dresser when I was very young, but we’ve both matured and she’s since transformed into my bar cart. The light, modern, marble top contrasts with the dark, antique wood, making this bar cart ultra intriguing and unique. Not to mention, how cool is the sage green striped backsplash? I have yet to see a bar cart with more personality than this one.

Hanging above the bar cart is this sleek black and white photo of a martini glass purchased from Home Goods. I’d say it’s a fitting piece for this area—don’t you think? I’m so happy our apartment came with this one navy blue wall. It’s the perfect pop of color and really makes the artwork and bar cart stand out.

Bar cart accessories

Whether you’re a beginner or expert, every bartender and cocktail connoisseur needs these mixing accessories on-hand.

Mixer: Not only does a mixer ensure a well-rounded drink, but it’s a cute decor piece to have on top of your bar cart. Home Goods and Target have plenty of mixers to choose from.

Cool cubes: When you serve a drink with cool ice cubes, it just tastes better! You can purchase ice cube molds anywhere. I recommend checking out Amazon or Target. I find that using these large cube- and sphere-shaped ice cubes keep your drink chilled longer and don’t melt as fast as ice cubes from your freezer.

Strainer: If your mixer doesn’t have a built-in strainer, you’re going to want one of these.

Jigger: I have a terrible eye when it comes to measuring a shot free-hand. To avoid making your drink too strong (or not strong enough), use a jigger.

Muddler: I originally bought a mortar and pestle to muddle mint and limes when making my world class mojitos. I don’t use this tool too often, but it’s nice to have on-hand. My marble mortar and pestle is from a local antique store and it’s the most beautiful set I’ve ever seen. Here’s a similar option at West Elm.

Mixing spoon: This is something I don’t have yet, but find myself needing every time I make a drink. Yes—you can use a normal dinner table spoon, but what’s the fun in that? These spoons are 12″ long, so they certainly come in handy when you’re making a cocktail in a taller glass.

The spirits

Tequila

Starting off our collection of spirits with Joey’s favorite drink of choice, tequila. As you can see, we have quite the variety. You may be wondering why one needs all of this tequila, but believe it not, each bottle is used for a different reason depending on the cocktail being made.

I’m no teacher of tequila, but allow me to break our collection down:

Mezcal: I describe mezcal as tequila roasted over a campfire because its flavor is super smokey. When I first tried mezcal, I had no idea why anyone would willingly drink this. But recently, I have grown to enjoy it. Mezcal is cooked in pits that are lined with lava rocks, wood, and charcoal prior to being distilled in clay pots—hence the smokiness.

Mezcal can be used in cocktails, but Joey and I usually sip this over ice or in a small shot glass. My favorite way to enjoy Mezcal is in a glass, rimmed with chili flakes. It’s a bold flavor that packs a fiery punch, but I promise it’s delicious if you love spicy drinks! The Mezcal we currently have in stock is Casamigos Mezcal Joven ($60) and Del Maguey Vida Mezcal ($34.99).

Blanco/silver tequila: My favorite tequila to make margaritas with is Patrón Silver or Corazón Blanco—you can’t go wrong with either.

Añejo: The priciest bottle of tequila we have is the infamous Don Julio 1942. We don’t regularly keep this tequila in-stock, but it’s Joey’s favorite kind and he solely drinks it on special occasions. If you’re looking for a similar taste to Don Julio 1942 without the crazy price tag, try Casamigos Añejo.

Hornitos Black Barrel tequila isn’t your average tasting añejo tequila. It has notes of caramel, wood, sugars, and oak, making it the perfect bottle to make an old-fashioned with.

Extra Añejo: San Matias Tequila has a tasting palette similar to bourbon. You can taste notes of chocolate, toasted almond, hazelnut, and florals. This bottle holds a distinct flavor that will definitely stand apart from the rest of your tequilas.

Vodka, Gin, and Rum

My top favorite cocktails are a mojito, Moscow mule, and bee’s knees—needless to say these three spirits are more my speed. Compared to Joey, I don’t fancy the finer things when it comes to alcohol. I wouldn’t say this collection of spirits is lower shelf, but rather middle shelf. You can buy all of these bottles for under $20.

Vodka: My favorite vodka brands when it comes to price and taste are Smirnoff, Absolut, Svedka, and recently Monopolowa. To me, vodka is vodka, so I don’t need to have multiple bottles of it on-hand at once like we do with tequila. My go-to happy hour drinks to make with vodka are Moscow mules, lemon drop martinis, and a berry basil vodka spritzer. Recipes coming soon!

Gin: I find myself liking gin more and more every time I drink it. It’s light, refreshing, and “grassy” (in a good way). In my opinion, it’s not as pungent or powerful as vodka. When I’m craving a cocktail that’s not super “in your face,” I typically reach for gin. A bee’s knees is a classic. I also enjoy a cucumber gin fizz and gin, water, lime—another simple drink that’s impactful.

Rum: I have yet to stumble upon a rum drink that’s as tasty as a mojito. A mojito has all my favorite ingredients: limes, mint, sugar, club soda, and of course, rum. If there’s one cocktail I could drink for the rest of my life, I’d without a doubt choose a mojito. I’ve been using Bacardi for my mojitos since I can remember—it never disappoints.

Whiskey, Bourbon, Brandy

I’m not going to lie to you, I’m not a book of knowledge when it comes to whiskey and bourbon. But, we do have a few nice bottles on our bar cart to choose from if anyone is craving an old fashioned, a mint julep, or a Manhattan.

Knob Creek Bourbon Whiskey: Our newest addition to the darker spirits family. Sip it straight to really appreciate the sweet woody flavors that this spirit has.

Maker’s Mark Whiskey: If I could associate this bottle with a season, it would be fall. Maker’s Mark has sweet vanilla and caramel notes that leave your tastebuds with a long warm finish. It’s a unique flavor that will for sure sweeten up any cocktail recipe.

E&J Brandy: Typically, brandy is served straight and neat at room temperature. But if you prefer to make a cocktail, I recommend making a Sidecar. It’s a sweet and citrusy beverage featuring lemon juice, orange liqueur, and brandy.

The wine

If it was socially acceptable to drink wine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, I would. Maybe I need to move to Europe? But seriously, when 4pm rolls around, I’m dancing my way to the bar cart to pour myself a hefty glass of wine.

Out of the booze bottles on our bar cart, Joey and I definitely drink wine the most. We love red blends and cabs. If you have any recommendations, leave a comment below—I love trying new wines!

To my surprise, Trader Joe’s has an impressive selection of wines. I’ve tried so many new wines from Trader Joe’s this past year and I usually end up repurchasing them a second time. My favorite wine at the moment is Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon. It may be basic, but it’s so good.

Misc. mixing must-haves

Don’t forget these next time you’re at the liqueur store:

Orange liqueur: A popular ingredient in several cocktail recipes.

Bitters: Helps bring out the different flavors in your drink.

Vermouth: Gives drink an earthy botanical flavor.

Glasses

Something that people may not know about me is that I collect antique glasses. I have a growing collection of wine, shot, martini, champagne, and rocks glasses that I’ve acquired from many antique shopping trips. My grandma and mom also have an amazing eye when it comes to antiquing and have contributed to my collection. I love the color and character these glasses add to our kitchen space. I always enjoy picking out which glass to use whenever I’m having a drink.

Along with antique stores, I get a lot of my glassware and other cocktail cups from Home Goods. I have a crazy amount of copper mugs for my Moscow mules and Joey has his collection of beer glasses inside the bar cart as well.

Below are a few of my favorite antique glasses from my collection: