Going out for happy hour is one of the easiest and most common ways to meet up with friends after a long day of work. While I love scoping out new bars with chill vibes and specialty drinks, sometimes opting for an at home happy hour can be just as fun. Mixing drinks at home gives you the freedom to try as many new concoctions as you wish and is usually easier on the pockets. An at home happy hour saves you from the extra costs of needing to Uber to and from your destination and solves the problem of New York City drink prices. To get you set up for a proper home happy hour, there are five things you need to ensure lovely drinks and perfect ambience.
Glassware Set
Your set of choice may vary based on your drink of choice. If you know your at home happy hour will be sticking to champagne cocktails, opt for flutes. Tall flutes are are classic, but go for stemless if you’re like me and love the aesthetic. Marie Coupe cocktail glasses will give you more freedom with your drinks; you can throw any liquor in here with matching garnish and feel like you’re sitting at the trendiest rooftop bar.
Mixers
We all can’t be ‘straight no chaser’ types. Mixers are just as essential as the liquor you have on hand when it comes to mixing up delicious cocktails. While soda and juice can get the job done, you’ll want to keep the classics on hand, as well. Common drinks like margaritas call for triple sec or orange liqueur. Tonic water, cranberry juice and orange bitters will also serve you well. If you want to fully stock on mixers and give your guests the real bar feel, you’ll need:
- Triple sec
- Tonic water
- Sparkling water
- Cranberry juice
- Orange juice
- Orange bitters
- Club Soda
- Cola
- Ginger Ale
Liquor
It would be pretty difficult to serve cocktails without actual liquor. Your home happy hours is in your control. You can choose to serve one drink and make pitchers for people to pour or allow guests to request drinks of their choice. Some fun, simple options include sangria, mimosas, or margaritas. If your plan is to give guests the freedom to create any drinks, you’ll need a wide range of alcohol including:
- Gin
- Voda
- Rum (Light)
- Tequila (Blanco)
- Whiskey
- White Wine
- Red Wine
Equipment and Decor
Crafty cocktails require some simple equipment even if you’re spending happy hour at home. A shaker and bar spoon make shaking things up easy and help bring out the best flavors in the drinks you’ve concocted. Some practical items like a corkscrew, bottle openers and cocktail napkins will also serve you well.
To keep the vibes fun and upbeat, you may want to add a little decor to the space. When I think of happy hours, I think of warm string lights, flowers, and a cute bar cart to really pull off the look.
Garnish
After pulling everything together to make your happy hour a mood, you need the the sprinkles on top, or maybe just a lime. Slice lemons and limes to toss on top of your drinks or place them neatly on the rims of your class. Keep salt on hand for margaritas. Some additional garnishes include maraschino cherries, fresh mint, and green olives, all very in expensive.
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Danielle Fontus
Ooo. I’m inspired!