Mixing high-quality drinks at your home bar can be a challenge, but here are some methods to help step up your bartender game! You’ll be a master mixologist in no time when you use these tips. Som here’s how to become a better bartender at home.

Invest in Your Gear

The bottle opener goes without saying, but you should also have some other
equipment to stay on point. Keep a few cutting boards handy so you can prepare various cocktail ingredients and garnishes. Such as lemons, limes, berries, and exotic fruits when in season. Have a grater for the same reason to zest things up a bit. A cocktail shaker is probably a no-brainer and a julep strainer is another necessity. Now you’re on your way!

Use Premium Ingredients

There’s no substitute for quality. A good bartender will most definitely agree. The fact that you’ll be mixing your own ingredients is no reason to opt for cheap spirits, so get the good stuff, and stock up with a healthy supply of gin, whiskey, rum, vodka, and tequila, at least.

Don’t Neglect the Cubes

There are giant ice cubes, crushed ice cubes, ice shards, regular ice cubes, and even glow-in-the-dark ice cubes. So, what should you use and when? Of course, each type has its place and its best application. A professional bartender will agree that giant ice cubes are best with spirit-forward drinks, crushed ice works when you’re hoping for dilution (such as with a Mint Julep), ice shards are for adding a cool aesthetic, regular ice cubes are best when there isn’t a better option, and glow in the dark ice cubes are fun for festive party gatherings such as Mardi Gras or Fourth of July.

Perfect Your Citrus Twist

A good citrus twist is a perfect way to punch up a cocktail while adding extra flavor to the drink. It isn’t even hard to make! Here’s another bartender trick. All you have to do is take a citrus slice, then cut through one side of the peel to the rind on the other side. Remove the pulp from the rind and twist the rind into a spiral. The spiral will hold its curly shape, and no one will know how easy it was to make.

Get the Glassware Right

It can be difficult to know which drink goes in which glass. Getting this right is an absolutely massive step in upping your bartending ability and becoming a better bartender. Every glass was designed to do a specific job, so know your glassware and drink combinations backward and forward.

Cheers!

Now that you know how to become a better bartender at home, get behind your bar and start mixing. When you use these tips and get in some practice, you’ll be a professional in no time and your friends and family will be impressed with your newfound bartending skills.