Stocking your home bar can be a daunting task. Sure, you could just cobble together a selection of hand-me-down bottles from your parents’ liquor cabinet and house party leftovers. But we really don’t recommend it—that’s how you end up mixing Manhattans with vermouth so old it could have graduated college and gotten a PhD in tasting terrible. Nor do we recommend dropping a mere $50 on a slew of plastic bottles with built-in grips for easy over-pouring. Instead, opt for one of our curated shopping lists (complete with bottle recommendations), designed for three different budgets.
Average Cost to Build a Home Bar
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Average Cost
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High Cost
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Low Cost
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$8,000
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$22,500
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$500
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The Seasoned Drinker: $400
This isn’t your first rodeo. You’ve mastered your classic cocktails and started cultivating a rep among your friends as the go-to bartender. It’s time to upgrade the basics and expand your bar. Here well add mezcal, and a wider selection of amaro and bitters. This setup opens the door to drinks like Negronis, Mojitos and Margaritas.
Primary Spirits
- Blanco Tequila – 1800 Silver ($25)
- Dark rum – Ron Flor de Caña ($33)
- Bourbon – Four Roses Small Batch ($30)
- Vodka – Tito’s Handmade ($20)
- Gin – Citadelle ($25)
Bonus Bottles
- Reposado Tequila – Espolón Reposado ($19)
- White Rum – Brugal Especial Extra Dry Rum ($19)
- Mezcal – Fidencio Clásico Joven ($35)
- Rye – Templeton ($32)
Modifiers (choose two)
- Campari ($28)
- Fernet Branca ($22)
- Amaro Montenegro ($22)
- Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao ($32)
- St-Germain ($27)
Bitters
- Angostura ($10)
- Peychaud’s ($10)
- Orange – Regan’s ($10)
- Plus one of the following:
- Celery – Fee Brothers ($20)
- Chocolate – Scrappy’s ($20)
- Tiki – Bittermen’s ($20)
- Mole – The Bitter End ($20)
Vermouth
- Dry – Cocchi Americano ($15)
- Sweet – Cocchi Vermouth di Torino ($15)
The Beginner Bartender: $150
For the first-time home bar builder, it’s essential to start with the basics: the five main spirits, two types of bitters and two shades of vermouth. It’s that simple to get started—just one quick liquor store run. If $150 seems steep, just consider how much you spend over the course of a couple nights at the bar, and the cost of imbibing at home will seem like couch change in comparison. This setup is the bartending equivalent of learning the E, A and D chords on a guitar: it equips you with everything you need to master 80 percent of the classics. Pick up some fresh fruit and whip up some simple syrup and your horizons get even bigger.
Primary Spirits
- Blanco Tequila – Pueblo Viejo ($17)
- Dark Rum – El Dorado 8-Year Cask Aged ($20)
- Whiskey – Wild Turkey 101 ($20)
- Vodka – Wodka ($19)
- Gin – Gordon’s London Dry ($13)
Bitters
- Angostura ($10)
- Peychaud’s ($10)
Vermouth
- Dry – Dolin de Chambery Dry Vermouth ($10 for 375 ml)
- Sweet – Dolin de Chambery Rouge Vermouth ($10 for 375 ml)
A Well-Stocked Bar for Under $100
FAQ
How much does it cost to stock a home bar?
How much does the average home bar cost?
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Bar type
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Average total cost*
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Prefab dry bar
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$1,000 – $5,000
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Prefab wet bar
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$2,000 – $12,000
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Custom dry bar
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$5,000 – $15,000
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Custom wet bar
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$10,000 – $30,000
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Is it worth having a home bar?
How much does a home bar cost?
However much money you have to spend on creating the perfect home bar, you’ll need to start with the basics. We’ve come up with a grocery list of essentials you’ll need to stock your home bar depending on your budget. Tools (~ $50-$70. Low end if you stick to the first 4, high end if you get all the gadgets) Glassware (~ $100-$200.
How do you stock a home bar?
How to stock a home bar is as much about the home as the bar liquor list. When it comes to your home bar, start by thinking about what you want on hand, and then think about your guests, and what they’ll enjoy. A home bar can be as personal as you’d like. What does a full bar include?
Should you have a fully stocked bar at home?
There’s no point in having a fully stocked bar at home if you don’t know how to use it. Whether you’re having a party or just a night in, knowing how to make the perfect cocktail is essential. You’d never want to have guests over and just send them behind the bar to make something themselves.
How hard is it to stock a home bar?
Now, stocking a great home bar is really not that hard to do. It is just based on how much you can afford to spend, and how large you want your arsenal to be. If you have a lot of money to blow and want a top notch bar with the finest curated liquors, then by all means, go forth (also, let’s be friends).