Top 15 Cocktail Party Essentials
Recreating your favorite beverages at home is awesome when you perfect the recipe, but it can be tricky to recreate that perfect drink. You probably realized that you need a few necessities before you throw a cocktail party.
Even if you don’t have a wet bar in your home, you probably already have the basics like beer steins, wine glasses, or shot glasses. However, if you stock your home with a few more tools, you’ll have the ability to wow guests with your drink-making abilities.
Here are the 15 essentials for your next cocktail party.
15. Water Filter – Don’t Let Tap Water Ruin Your Drink
Amazon
Can tap water ruin the quality of your at-home beverages? Absolutely.
It might not be the most obvious necessity, but a quality water filter should be number one on your cocktail party essentials list. Whether you are brewing a pot of French roast coffee or making frozen margaritas, the quality of your tap water will affect the end result of your beverages.
While tap water is safe to drink in most places, it may not taste like a fresh mountain stream. Bottled water isn’t 100% water? Look for the little print that says “with minerals added for taste.” Likewise, getting a water filter will remove the impurities but not the important minerals.
Look for a filter like the PUR filter that uses mineral filters to ensure that the flavor-enhancing minerals stay in the water.
14. Blender
Amazon
A blender is a staple in a well-stocked kitchen, but the difference between a good blender and a great blender means you can execute far more cocktail recipes with ease.
A high-powered blender like the Vitamix means margarita night is that much easier. With a 64-ounce capacity, say adios to making batch after batch of margaritas. They will all fit at once.
Although it’s an investment, this blender easily transitions from pina coladas and margaritas to making soups and breakfast smoothies.
13. Silicone Ice Cube Trays
Amazon
What’s more frustrating than trying to get ice cubes unstuck from a plastic tray? The plastic cracks and the ice cubes barely budge! That’s why silicone ice cube trays are a must for every cocktail party.
Not only can you make bigger ice cubes (which results in less watered-down drinks), but you can make a lot of ice quickly. By using food grade silicone, you’ll never have to worry about the questionable status of your plastic trays.
12. Whisker Dam Mustache Drinking Guard
Amazon
Sure, the well-groomed beard is fashionable these days, but a mustache covered in beer foam isn’t ever in vogue. The Whisker Dam can save any ‘stache-wearing man from frothy embarrassment.
The dam stops the head of the beer from sloshing onto the beard while he takes a sip. As a bonus, it also works on other frothy beverages like root beer floats or mocha lattes covered in whipped cream.
11. Freezable Wine Glasses
Amazon
Nothing slows down a dinner party like wine that isn’t chilled. Sure, gadgets exist for cooling wine, but what’s easier (or quicker) than a wine glass that cools your wine to the proper temperature?
Do you know what else makes dinner parties more enjoyable? Not confusing your glass with someone else’s glass. Multi-colored silicone bands make these cooling glasses easy to keep track of your own cup — another reason why these cups make the list of top cocktail party essentials.
10. Infused Cocktail Ice Cubes
Food52
These infused cocktail ice cubes are not only fantastic to add to your drink, but they make a great conversation starter at any cocktail party.
Each cube contains all the essential ingredients to make craft cocktails from the comfort of your own home. Drop a cube into your drink and get a delicious tasting cocktail every time.
How Infused Cocktail Ice Cubes Work
- Freeze a box of Herb & Lou’s Infused Cubes.
- Peel back the foil and pop out a cube when you’re ready to create your drink.
- Drop the cube into your spirit of choice or shake everything together to mix it up fast.
- Enjoy the cocktail.
9. Cocktail Ice Cube Trays With Lid
Amazon
Every home bar owner should have a set of specialized cocktail ice cube trays as they are an integral part of the cocktail making process. Even if you have one of the best ice makers, it always a good idea to have ice cube trays.
The size of the ice cube you use in a drink depends on the type of drink you have. For instance, an extra-large cube of ice should be used to chill down and Old-Fashioned. You’d want to use smaller ice spear in a cool fresh glass of G&T.
Because the silicone molds are fitted with a stainless steel frame, the ice cubes slide out easily into your cocktail. The matching silicone lid will also keep unwanted freezer smells from contaminating your ice.
8. Brass Pineapple Tumbler
Food52
Who doesn’t want to drink a pina colada out of a pineapple?
Not only is this pineapple tumble sophisticated, but it’s bang on-trend and will impress all at any cocktail party.
The 16-ounce, brass-plated pineapple tumbler is a stylish party centerpiece. Watch as your friends and family sip a homemade cocktail through the matching straw and see the delight on their faces at the novelty of drinking from a pineapple.
7. Shot Glasses
Amazon
If you are partial to an evening downing a shot or two, why not do it in style? These shot glasses are perfect for that.
Their sleek design make this set of shot glasses even more special. This shot glass set is decorated with 24K gold rim, and the bottom is filled with gold foil, luxurious and gorgeous.
6. Peugeot Baltaz Lever Corkscrew
Food52
There’s a standard home bar corkscrew, and then there’s a Peugeot Baltaz Lever Corkscrew. Opening a bottle or two wine to add to a cocktail will never be the same again. The Peugeot corkscrew is cleverly engineered so that you can unseal a bottle using only one hand.
You will be proud to have this chic corkscrew displayed on your drink cart for party guests to admire.
5. Champagne Saber
Food52
If you want to impress your party guest when opening a champagne bottle, this is the way to do it!
“Sabrage” is a technique invented by the French cavalry as a quick way to open a champagne bottle. You use a sword to shear off the top of the bottle with one swift swipe. Popping the cork may be easier, but to each to their own.
The technique is relatively simple to master with the right equipment. Use this champagne saber to wow your guests with your “Sabrage” skills. They will be sipping on their champagne cocktails and talking about it for years to come.
4. Cocktail Picks
Amazon
A cocktail pick or garnish pick is a crucial accessory needed for the art of cocktail making. Never mind using them for tiny sandwiches. These little stylish picks are essential to keep cocktail garnishes afloat.
The design is inspired by the nautical buoys and fishing bobbers, which is fitting because they aid in keeping olives adrift on as sea of spirit and mixers.
3. Moscow Mule Mugs
Amazon
These stunning reproductions of the original 1946 Moscow Mule mug will raise your cocktail party game. The tall looping handles make for easy use while the shiny copper sheen gives them a classy, polished look.
You’ll want to use these dapper mugs for more than the occasional cocktail. They’re beautiful to display on a shelf or on a drinks trolly.
2. Copper Boston Shaker
Food52
If you want the perfect Boston shaker to match your newly purchased Moscow Mule mugs, this is it.
The Boston shaker is the shaker of choice for many professional mixologists and bartenders. The beautiful hammered copper glistens while you shake up the perfect cocktail.
1. Smoking Cloche
Food52
If you’ve never experienced a smoked cocktail, you haven’t lived. You can now achieve that high-end smoked cocktail taste from the comfort of your own home.
Get out this smoking cloche to help get the party started and add a bit of extra infused va-va-voom to your bourbon or even a G&T.
The fun doesn’t stop at cocktails. You can enjoy infusing cheeses and meats in the smoker. Whichever foods you can cook in a smoker, you can give it a go in this smoke cloche.
Now that you’ve got your home bar fully stocked and your best cocktail recipes at hand, you are ready to hold the ultimate cocktail party.
Cheers!
