Drink Up: Creating A Stylized Bar Cart

With summer right around the corner, it’s time to prepare for all those cookouts & parties that you will be having throughout the next few months. Start planning now, by creating your very own bar cart so that you are prepared for your first get together. You can create your very own bar cart in these 3 simple steps.

1. Find a cart.

         This is probably the most important and most challenging part. First, decide if you want your cart to have wheels, or to be stable. Next, go to your local yard sales and consignment stores if you want to do a little DIY project to make your cart fit to your style (Spray paint it, add wheels, see below for some inspiration). Or, you can find various carts online in all different styles. Target for example, has a wide selection of affordable carts.

2.     Get the Liquor and the tools.

For a complete bar cart, pick up a bottle of your favorite brand of the following liquors: Gin, Vodka, Bourbon, Whisky, Scotch, Tequila, Rum, Sweet Vermouth, Dry Vermouth, and Triple Sec. Also, for a more heavily stocked bar cart, you can add a bottle of white win, red wine, champagne, and beer. 

                 

Get the garnishes and the mixers: Lemons, limes, cherries, orange slices, olives, tonic water, club soda, ginger ale, tomato juice, simple syrup, and grenadine. 

Don’t forget the tools: ice bucket, whiskey stones, shaker, jigger, muddler, strainers, whisky Spoon, corkscrew, and bottle opener.

Lastly, is the glassware. You’re going to need tall glasses, short glasses, martini glasses, red wine glasses, white wine glasses, shot glasses, and champagne flutes.

3.     Add some personality to it.

 This is the fun part. Find some small decorative items that add some personality to your bar cart such as patterned straws, flowers, a mixology book, a cute tray, or a chalk board to put your drink menu on.

Remember: This is your bar cart, so cater it to your needs and your guest's desires. Although I have offered a complete list, all of the above are not necessary, it is just a list of guidelines for you to follow to create your perfect bar cart. Maybe you don’t even want an alcoholic bar car… How about a lemonade & iced tea cart? Pick a car that fits the lifestyle of you and your guests.

Written by: Nicole Noonan