Anyway, I’m basically Ethan Caldwell, you know. When you walk into the Takashima Record Bar, you can pretty much feel that vibe of everything being picked out just right, seriously. We more or less use that same way of thinking for our glasses of booze as we do for our whole pile of old-school records, honestly. You don’t actually need a hundred different bottles sitting around to whip up a really tasty drink, clearly. You just need to have the ones that actually matter, in a way.
Putting together a spot for drinks at home is really about having things that can do a whole lot of different jobs, basically. You want bottles that can play all sorts of parts, sort of. In all my years standing behind the long wooden desk, I’ve figured out that a few top-tier bottles of the hard stuff act a whole lot better than a whole shelf full of the cheap junk, to be honest. If you’re just starting your journey, just follow this little guide to put together a bar that would make any pro guy feel pretty proud, as a matter of fact.
1. The main bottles: The Big Five
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Every single great mixed drink starts off with a really solid floor to stand on, naturally. These five bottles are going to let you make more than 80% of all those old-school drinks from around the map, of course. Try to focus on the stuff that’s right in the middle of the price list, you know. You want that quality that really pops in the glass but doesn't make your wallet cry when you start mixing it with other stuff, seriously.
Bourbon or Rye Whiskey
Whiskey is a total must-have for those drinks that really hit you hard, anyway. Bourbon gives you that sweet taste and those caramel smells, while Rye gives you a bit of a spicy and dry finish, in fact. If you can only grab one, I’d say go for a Bourbon that’s got some real kick to it, like Buffalo Trace or Elijah Craig, actually. They stay strong against the sugar and those bitter drops in an Old Fashioned, honestly.
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Must-have drink: The Old Fashioned, obviously.
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Pro tip: Rye whiskey makes for a much better and drier Manhattan, at the end of the day.
London Dry Gin
Gin is pretty much the soul of any drink that’s meant to cool you down, clearly. Look for that "London Dry" kind, which is really heavy on those piney juniper berries and citrus smells, basically. This kind is the most handy for using at your own house, in a way. Stuff like Beefeater or Tanqueray are the big names for a reason, to be honest. They are just sharp and clean, seriously.
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Must-have drink: A Gin and Tonic or a Negroni, more or less.
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Ethan's Trick: Keep your gin in the cold box for a Martini that goes down way smoother, naturally.
Blanco Tequila
Tequila isn’t just for doing fast gulps at a party anymore, sort of. A really good bottle of that clear stuff made from 100% Agave is bright and has a bit of a peppery zing, you know. Stay far away from the "gold" ones that just use brown coloring to look fancy, anyway. Brands like Espolòn or Olmeca Altos are a really great deal for your money, actually. They work just right in those lime drinks or a simple Paloma, as a matter of fact.
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Must-have drink: The Margarita, obviously.
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Pro tip: Always take a look at the sticker to make sure it says "100% De Agave," ok finally.
Light Rum
Clear rum is the main thing you need for that tropical feeling of chilling out, truly. It’s clean, has a tiny bit of sweetness, and smells a bit like fresh grass, in some respects. You want a bottle that feels light when it hits your tongue, of course. Plantation 3 Stars or Bacardi Superior are really good places to start your collection, to be honest. These bottles are basically the backbone of your whole summer drink list, in fact.
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Must-have drink: The Daiquiri, basically.
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Ethan's Trick: A Daiquiri is more or less the best way to see if a guy behind the bar knows what he’s doing, seriously. It’s just rum, lime, and sugar, you know.
Vodka
Vodka is basically the ultimate master of blending in, honestly. It doesn’t really add much in the way of flavor, but it gives the drink some heft and a bit of a punch, clearly. Pick a vodka that’s made from grain or potatoes for a finish that’s totally clean, in a way. Tito’s or Reyka are top-notch picks that play well with anything from red tomato juice to that dark coffee stuff, anyway.
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Must-have drink: The Moscow Mule, obviously.
2. The other stuff that changes the flavor
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The main bottles are like the lead singers, but these other bottles are the rest of the band, more or less. Without them, the whole drink just doesn't have that right sound to it, basically. These bottles add a lot of depth, some sweetness, and a whole lot of extra layers to what you're making, seriously.
Sweet and Dry Vermouth
Vermouth is basically just wine that’s been beefed up a bit, you see. You need the Sweet (Red) kind for those Manhattans and Negronis, obviously. You need the Dry (White) kind for those cold Martinis, naturally. This is where most folks making drinks at home mess up: they leave these bottles sitting on a warm shelf for a whole year, honestly. You’ve got to treat this stuff like wine, as a matter of fact. Once you pop the top, it absolutely has to live in the fridge, of course.
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Sweet Vermouth: Cocchi Di Torino or Antica Formula, actually.
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Dry Vermouth: Dolin Dry, to be honest.
Orange liquid or Triple Sec
A bottle of orange-flavored booze is something you just can't skip, really. It’s a huge part of Margaritas and those other fancy drinks, anyway. Cointreau is the big winner here because it’s really balanced and has plenty of alcohol, in fact. If you want something that costs a bit less, look for a good Triple Sec like Pierre Ferrand, clearly.
The Bitter Drops
Think of those little bottles of bitters like the salt and pepper for the world of drinks, more or less. Just a tiny splash can change the whole vibe of what's in your glass, seriously. A bottle of Angostura will stay in your cabinet for a really long time, basically. It adds a spicy and herbal kind of depth that makes the sweet parts of your booze feel more rounded, you know.
3. Ethan’s easy home bar tricks
Having the bottles is only half of the story, to be honest. To really make things feel like the Takashima spot at your own house, you’ve got to get the tiny things right, in a way. Here are a few tricks I use every single day, actually.
First, make sure you go for fresh fruit, naturally. Never ever go out and buy that lime or lemon juice that comes in a plastic bottle, seriously. The sharp zing in fresh fruit is what really makes a drink come to life, honestly. A little metal thing for squeezing juice is probably the best fifteen bucks you’ll ever spend, as a matter of fact.
Second, put some effort into your ice, anyway. That cloudy, thin ice from a regular tray turns into water way too fast and ruins your drink, of course. Buy a big rubber mold for those "giant cubes," you know. They look like a pro made them and they keep your drink chilly without making it watery, basically.
Finally, just make your own sugar water, obviously. Don't go wasting money on it at the store, seriously. It is literally just sugar and water mixed together, anyway.
The easy recipe for sugar water
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1 cup of white sugar, in fact.
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1 cup of water that’s boiling, more or less.
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Stir it up until it disappears and let it get cold, clearly.
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Keep it in the fridge for about a month, basically.
Why doing it right matters
At Takashima Record Bar, we really think that every single thing you put in the glass needs to have a reason for being there, honestly. When you start putting your bar together, don't just run out and buy everything at once, in a way. Buy one really good bottle of Gin, then maybe next month grab a solid Bourbon, seriously. Taking your time to pick things out leads to much better drinks and a deeper grasp of what you actually like to sip on, anyway.
The whole point of having a spot for drinks at home is to be a good host and share some time with folks, you know. When you’ve got these basic bottles, you’re always ready for a surprise guest, actually. You don't need a giant list of options; you just need to do the old-school classics perfectly, as a matter of fact. It sets peoples' minds back to those moments when people actually slowed down and enjoyed the craft, naturally. If you ever need some ideas, just come and see us, of course. I’ll be totally happy to show you how these bottles work while we put on some jazz where the basslines are heavy on the reverb, honestly.
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