Home bar essentials: Everything you need to make cocktails yourself

• Every drink has a glass it should be served in.

  From left to right:

  Wine glass

  Martini glass

  Shot glass

  Coupe (for shaken cocktails or champagne)

  Highball

  Old fashioned/ rocks glass

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• Gin

  Vodka

  Bourbon

  Scotch (in a decanter if you’re into that sort of thing)

  Vermouth, both sweet and dry

  Bitters

  Recommended

  Cynar or Amaro, or any bitter digestif

  Campari, for Negroni’s

  Tequila

  Dark rum

  Aperol

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• Eyeballing it works for a rum and coke, but not for a more complicated concoction with more than two ingredients. A double jigger measures 1 1/2 ounces on one side (a full jigger) and 3/4 of an ounce on the other.

  This nice one from Williams-Sonoma is $7.96.

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• You can use a tabletop juicer if you want, but we love a good hand-held tool. No pouring required.

  Norpro makes a nice stainless steel juicer.

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• Many concoctions call for a dusting, either of lemon, lime, nutmeg or a host of other delicate flavors. Using a grater allows for a nice even amount of fine particles.

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• You need a muddler when a cocktail calls for herbs (hello mojito!), fruits or crushed aromatics. We like a wooden muddler because it’s more natural,or seasoned, than a metal or rubber muddler.

  Try this one from Oenophilia.

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• You need this for obvious reasons. Get a shaker that’s insulated – your hand will thank you when it’s not frozen.

  Get this affordable model at Williams-Sonoma for $35.96.

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• If you prefer a stirred cocktail — and if you do, might we suggest the 50-50 gin martini (1/2 gin, 1/2 dry vermouth, olives or 1-2 drops orange bitters) — you need these three ingredients: a pint glass (measurements optional, but handy), a bar spoon and a cocktail strainer.

  You can get fancy with these tools – check out this strainer from Swissmar – but any tools will work.

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Want to make great cocktails at home? Here’s what you need.