Posted by Krista Moon on Sun, Apr 17, 2011 @ 09:58 PM
There is nothing better than feeling the sunshine and summer breeze while relaxing with a cold cocktail out on the patio. At night, the sound of the crackling logs on your deck fire pit and a view of sparkling stars is the perfect accompaniment to a beer and good conversation with a friend.
You don’t have to miss out on a beautiful summer day being confined inside while preparing snacks or beverages for your guests. A backyard bar is a convenient way to entertain friends and family on great weather days or evenings when there is no good reason to be cooped up inside the house.
As an added benefit, the outdoor cocktail station can also be supplied with snacks and refreshments for children, and you’ll have the advantage of placing yourself in a position to keep an eye out for their safety while they play in the backyard.
Backyard Bar Basics
An outdoor cocktail station can be a portable, stand-alone unit or incorporated into your outdoor kitchen as a drop-in unit. Whether your outdoor cocktail station or backyard bar is part of the construction of your new home, or an addition to an existing patio or deck area, there are several considerations that are crucial to address before you start any project of this type. Simply put, most of the considerations have to do with water supply and drainage, supply of electricity, and convenient functionality. Regardless of the scope of your project, the planning is similar in many ways to the things you think about in planning your kitchen in your house!
Small details can make or break the enjoyment and function of an addition or change to a back yard deck or patio design. Here are some basics to think about as you begin to plan your backyard bar:
- Decide whether the end product requires a water supply
- Decide whether the end product requires a fluid drainage system
- Decide whether the end product requires a gas supply
- Assume that every project will require access to electrical outlets
- Every project will require a plan for lighting (whoops - more electricity!)
- Every project will require a plan for protection from inclement weather:
- Falling rain (or snow)
- Off season cold
- Side driven wind and rain
- Unplanned pooling of water from any cause
Posted by Krista Moon on Sun, Mar 06, 2011 @ 12:06 PM
You can find traditional bar rails for your home bar for sale at Home Depot, Lowes, and Rockler.
If you are looking for a different type of bar rail profile or want more options for materials, you can check out some millwork companies. Price for bar rail from a millwork company will vary greatly depending on the type of material you use, the profile style, and if it is standard or custom for them. Here are some examples to help you estimate a cost for your project: (price is per foot, as of January, 2011)
Barn Door Lumber, Hemlock, MI www.barndoorlumber.com
- Red oak: $13.75
- Cherry: $18.69
- Hard maple: $14.33
- Yellow poplar: $8.41
- Ash: $11.43
Specialty Woodworks of Peoria, Peoria, IL www.woodworksofpeoria.com
- Red Oak - $16.41
- Poplar - $13.33
- Hard White Maple - $23.12
- Cherry - $27.36
- African Mahogany - $26.91
- Ash - $15.33
- Walnut - $24.12
- Alder - $17.56
- Hickory - $19.69
- Knotty Pine - $19.70
Don't forget about the Corners of your Bar Rail. If you want rounded corners, that can easily run you between $80-$200 per corner piece in addition to the straight pieces.
Posted by Krista Moon on Sat, Feb 26, 2011 @ 09:01 PM
An end cap for your home bar is a piece of wood shaped to fit the end of the bar rail. Some companies sell end caps for their particular bar rail molding, but not all.
The end cap should cover not only the unfinished end of the bar rail, but also the unfinished ends of the construction pieces of the bar top (see unfinished end pictures below). The end cap covers the unfinished straight end of the bar top construction pieces up to the point of the bar rail.
A piece of laminate or veneer to match your bar rail wood type can be glued to the unfinished end, then routered or fine-cut to match your profile; then use a matching straight piece of the laminate in place of the end cap to cover the bar edge in the same way.
If your bar is not a cabinet, but is a straight line unit without end pieces, then, rather than use bar rail end caps, a flat vertical panel of wood or other material that matches or complements the front piece of your bar can be added to the ends. You will want to cut the end piece long enough to cover up to the edge of the finished bar surface. A piece of corner or straight molding can then be glued in place to cover the union where the end meets the bar top surface to achieve that finished look. The addition of the end panel will also eliminate any wobble that a straight-line bar top might have.
Posted by Krista Moon on Sat, Feb 19, 2011 @ 09:55 AM
How you want the corners of your bar rail to look is an important consideration when choosing your bar rail material and profile style.
The most simple and least expensive way to handle the corners of
your bar rail is to create miter joints by cutting two parts of rail at an angle and joining them to form a corner. Bar rail can be beveled to create either 90-degree joints or non-perpendicular joints.
Radius, or rounded, corners and curved bar rail definitely add beauty and style to your home bar. The radius corner profile has
to match the rest of the bar rail. Not all millwork companies have the Large Shaper Cutter or CNC machines necessary to create the corner pieces on hand, which can make them slightly more difficult to find. Millwork companies that do create radius corners often have limited bar rail profiles and materials they work with.
Some millwork companies will do profile matching for custom bar radius pieces. As you can imagine, this option will increase your time spent and the cost of building your home bar. It could be worth it if you can swing it!
Cost of Bar Rail Corners
Bar rail corner pieces can easily cost $80 to $200 each depending on the type of wood you are using and the company you are working with. The following is a list of some companies that sell bar rail corners based on a brief Internet search. It is important to make sure that the corner bar rail profile matches the rest of your bar. You might consider calling a couple of local millwork companies in your area to see if they can help you as well.
Posted by Krista Moon on Fri, Feb 11, 2011 @ 10:56 AM
The range of different styles for the bar rail profile is endless, and the width and depth of the rabbet joints vary to change the contour of the bar rail.
When choosing your profile style, one important consideration is whether or not you will be eating at the bar regularly. A profile with a lip where it joins with the bar top is great for keeping drinks from spilling onto the laps of your guests, but it can make eating at the bar uncomfortable. If you plan on eating at the bar a lot, consider installing a bar rail that provides a flat surface across the entire bar top. 
The Bull Nose profile is a great choice if you want the bar top to be flat all the way across.
Match the Bar Rail to the Bar Top
Your bar rail should match the style and décor of your bar top. Your choices for your bar top are vast, and include things like: granite, glass, laminate, ceramic tile, copper, corian, marble, stainless steel, epoxy and resins, and custom artwork.
Contrasting colors and materials can make your home bar look really sharp, so don’t be afraid to mix and match. For example, you could combine a granite bar top with a wood bar rail, copper with stone, wood with a brass bar rail, or tile with a vinyl bar rail (like at the old Eagle’s Clubs). If you go with a wood bar rail,
you could choose to contrast a Red Mahogany stain with a lighter Cherry color. If you decide to go for a more modern look and use a material like glass or granite, you might not even need a bar rail.
The vast majority of most bar railing is made out of wood. The bar rail can have a dramatic effect on the whole look and feel of your home bar, so choosing the highest quality of wood is important. It is perfectly acceptable to limit higher-grade wood to the key focal points of your home bar, and use lesser grade for the rest of the bar. Brazilian cherry is very popular right now, but mahogany, maple, oak, poplar, and ash also make good choices (just to name a few).
If you can’t afford your desired material for the whole bar, consider using it just for the bar top or bar rail only. These are the showpieces that will truly make your home bar special.
Download the ebook to learn more about choosing a bar rail profile, bar rail materials and tips on how to match the bar top, mitered vs. radius bar rail corners, how to finish the ends of the bar rail, and purchasing a bar rail
Posted by Krista Moon on Thu, Feb 03, 2011 @ 09:57 PM
Most bar rails are a solid wood product molded from a single piece of wood; and the bar rail profile (side view) shows the contour of the bar rail.
In order to achieve the downward slant of the traditional bar arm rest, the bar rail has two offset cuts called rabbets. A rabbet (also known as a rebate) is a recess or groove cut into the edge of a piece of machineable material, usually wood. The rabbets are often used so that the bar rail becomes the mechanism to join the top of the cabinet to its sides, and to attach the back of the cabinet. The width and depth of the rabbet on a bar rail will vary depending on the profile you choose.
To install a traditional bar rail, you will need an 
unfinished structural bar top underneath the finished top. The finished top needs to be offset from the structural top to match the depth and width of the rabbet joints. The lower rabbet of the bar rail adjoins the lower structural top, and the upper rabbet of the bar rail adjoins the finished top.
If the angle cut between the rabbet joints is long (as in wider arm rests), then you will need to add a third support piece of wood, or shim, at the upper rabbet and attach this third piece to the finished top of the bar cabinet.
Download the ebook to learn more about choosing a bar rail profile, bar rail materials and tips on how to match the bar top, mitered vs. radius bar rail corners, how to finish the ends of the bar rail, and purchasing a bar rail.
Posted by Krista Moon on Thu, Dec 02, 2010 @ 10:23 AM
The last thing you want to do when you have invested so much in to your home bar is to end up having to serve wine in a coffee cup (we've all had it that way before, haven't we?). Picking out glassware for your home cocktail station seems like it would be an easy thing, but there is a huge variety of types and styles to choose from. The types of glassware you need depends on the types of drinks you like to make.
Bar None Drinks put together an excellent overview of the types of
home bar glassware to consider. They suggest getting at least some of the glasses in the
basic section for minimal service, and for a little more style, consider expanding into the
optional section. If you can afford it, try to buy quality glassware that makes a nice "ping" when you tap it.
Basic Home Bar Glassware
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Highball Glass: You can use this for mixing almost any drink. A good stand-in for similar looking glasses.
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Old Fashioned Glass / aka. Lowball or Rocks: For shots of alcohol over ice primarily, also for smaller drinks.
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Red Wine Glass: Use for red or white wine (if you don't have a white wine glass), or water.
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Shot Glass: Guess we don't really have to explain this one. Might buy a few extra of these, people tend to get a bit rowdy after continual use...
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Optional Home Bar Glassware
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Beer Mug: For beer or beer-shot combinations.
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Beer Pilsner: This is traditionally for beer, but works well for serving large margaritas and the like.
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Brandy Snifter: What can we say?
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Champagne Flute: The best way to serve champagne. The bowls allow the fizziness to escape too quickly. Nothing worse than flat champagne...
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Cocktail Glass: You can use this for serving many different cocktails. In a pinch, you can also use it for serving martinis, but you should really get true martini glasses (no picture available).
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Collins Glass: For drinks that require something a bit larger than an old fashioned glass. These look good when frosted before serving.
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Cordial Glass: Generally for concentrated liqueurs...
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Irish Coffee Glass: This makes almost any coffee or other hot drink look good. Generally garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings or cinnamon.
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Parfait Glass: Similar to the irish coffee glass, is generally used for drinks with ice cream or fruit in them.
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Pousse Cafe Glass: Usually used for layered drinks.
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Sherry Glass: Again, what can we say...
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Sour Glass: use for sours
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White Wine Glass: A bit smaller than red wine glasses with a slightly different shape to the bowl.
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Check out the Guide to Choosing a Home Bar Design. The objective of this paper is to guide you through the process of choosing a home bar that suits your budget and meets your unique entertainment needs.
Posted by Krista Moon on Sat, Nov 20, 2010 @ 01:52 PM
Looking to stock your home bar with ingredients for some interesting specialty drinks to serve at your Thanksgiving dinner? Here is a compliation of 18 fun Thanksgiving Cocktail recipes. Happy Thanksgiving!
1. Chilled Pumpkin Latte
1 ounce Blue Ice Vodka
¾ ounce coffee liqueur
¾ ounce DaVinci Pumpkin Pie Syrup
Build over cubed ice in a 12- to 14-ounce Collins-style glass.
2. Pumpkin Pie Martini
4 parts Blue Ice Vodka
1 part DaVinci Pumpkin Pie Syrup
Cinnamon Sugar
Add Blue Ice and Pumpkin Pie Syrup to a cocktail shaker, shake well and strain. Garnish with an orange slice and pour into a cocktail glass rimmed with cinnamon sugar.
3. Apple Pie
1 1/4 oz Blue Ice Vodka
3/4 oz Tuaca Liqueur
1/2 oz Sweet & Sour
Fill with Chilled Apple Cider
Build in order over ice in a 12 oz glass, garnish with a lemon slice, a long cinnamon stick, and a straw.
4. Gingersnap
½ part ginger brandy
1 part spiced rum
4 parts eggnog
Crumbled gingersnaps
Put your gingersnaps in a blender and grind until you have cookie crumbs. Use the cookies to rim highball glasses. Mix the eggnog, rum, and brandy in your glasses. Serve with an intact gingersnap for dunking.
5. Vanilla Cranberry Cape Cod
1 1/2 oz. vanilla flavored vodka
Red cranberry juice
Lime wedge and fresh cranberries for garnish
Fill a tumbler glass with ice and add ingredients. Spear a couple of fresh cranberries and a lime wedge with a cocktail pick to place in the glass as a garnish.
6. Hot Hazelnut Cider
1 gallon apple cider
2 Bartlett pears, washed, cut into wedges
4 cinnamon sticks
1 Teaspoon ground ginger
Franjelico Hazelnut Liqueur
Place cider, pears, cinnamon sticks and ginger in a large pot. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove cinnamon sticks. Keep cider in pot over low flame on stove for guests to help themselves. Or place cider in a round chafer over low flame with a ladle and mugs nearby on buffet table. Set a bottle of Franjelico Hazelnut Liqueur on the side for the grown-ups to add to their drinks.
7. Carmel Pumpkin Pie
2 tablespoons graham cracker crumbs
1-1/2 ounces milk
1-1/2 ounces vanilla vodka
1-1/2 ounces Bailey’s Crème Caramel
1-1/2 ounce spiced pumpkin liqueur
Cinnamon stick for garnish
Whipped cream for garnish
Dip the rim of a martini glass in water and then dip in graham cracker crumbs. Combine milk, vodka, crème caramel, and pumpkin liqueur in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into prepared martini glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a dollop of whipped cream.
8. Mayflower Martini
6 parts vodka
2 parts dry vermouth
Olive
Combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker with cracked ice and shake well. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with olive and mini American flag.
9. Sage Mojito
Juice of 1 lime
2 mint leaves
2 sage leaves and 1 sage sprig for garnish
1 oz. simple syrup (recipe below)
2 oz. light rum
Club Soda
Add juice, mint, sage and syrup into a tall glass. Crush mint and sage using the back of a spoon or a muddler. Fill glass with crushed ice and add rum. Fill remainder of glass with club soda and stir. Garnish with a sage sprig.
Simple syrup: combine equal amounts of sugar and water in a small saucepan. Heat until boiling and sugar has dissolved. Cool and transfer into a cruet or bottle.
10. Pumpkin Spiced Margarita
2 oz Camarena Reposado Tequila
1 can pumpkin puree
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
2 cups water
½ oz orange liqueur
Juice of ½ a lime
Make a pumpkin simple syrup by combining pumpkin puree with brown sugar, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and water in a saucepan over low heat. Stir for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, cool and strain. Combine the juice of half a lime, Camarena Reposado Tequila, and 2 oz pumpkin simple syrup. Shake well and serve on the rocks.
11. Berry Thankful
2 ounces Baileys Original Irish Cream
8-9 raspberries
Crushed ice
Place 4-5 raspberries at the bottom of a rocks glass and lightly muddle them. Top with crushed ice. Add Baileys Irish Cream. Garnish with three speared raspberries.
12. Cranberry Bourbon Spritz
2 oz ice
1 shot bourbon
2 shots natural, unsweetened cranberry juice
splash of Peychaud's Bitters
1/4 tsp agave nectar
2 lime wheels
ginger ale
Place ice in a rocks glass. Add the bourbon, cranberry juice, bitters, and agave nectar. Stir gently to mix. Squeeze one of the lime wheels into the glass and drop in. Top off with ginger ale. Garnish with remaining lime wheel. Toast the upcoming Thanksgiving season!
13. Pomegranite Mojito
2 lime wedges
5 sprigs mint
1 teaspoon sugar
3 or 4 dashes Angostura bitters
2 ounces light rum
1-1/2 ounce pomegranate juice
Splash of soda
Lime wheel for garnish
Place the lime wedges, mint, sugar and bitters in a glass and muddle. Add ice, rum and pomegranate juice. Stir, top with soda and garnish with a lime wheel.
14. Pumpkin Pie
1 part kahlua
1 part spiced pumpkin pie filling
2 parts coconut rum
4 parts cold milk
6 ice cubes
Garnish with cinnamon
Put everything but the cinnamon in a blender. Mix on high. Serve in graham cracker crust highball glasses and sprinkle the top with cinnamon.
15. Rosemary Pear Cocktail
6 to 10 Seckel pears
4 cups (32 ounces) vodka
1 cup sugar
12 fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) pear nectar
4 cups (32 ounces) sparkling water
Put enough pears into a 48-ounce glass jar to fill. Add vodka. Seal jar, and let stand at room temperature 2 weeks (up to 2 months).
Heat sugar and 1 cup water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add rosemary; remove from heat. Let stand 30 minutes. Discard rosemary. Let cool completely. Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 month.
Fill 12-ounce glasses halfway with ice. Add 4 tablespoons vodka, 2 tablespoons syrup, and 3 tablespoons pear nectar to each. Top with 1/2 cup sparkling water. Serve garnished with rosemary sprigs.
16. Turkey Trot
1 part bourbon
2 parts 7-Up
2 parts cranberry juice
Mix everything in a highball glass and drink on the rocks.
17. Royal Cider Grog
6 parts apple cider
1 part Crown Royal
Cinnamon sticks
Warm the apple cider in a mug. Top it with the Crown Royal and stir with a cinnamon stick.
18. Cranberry Cocktail
1 oz. Grey Goose vodka
1/2 oz. Chambord
3 oz. cran-raspberry juice
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add Grey Goose vodka, Chambord and cran-raspberry juice.
Strain and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with a frozen cranberry skewer.
Please remember to drink responsibly!
Posted by Krista Moon on Wed, Nov 17, 2010 @ 09:13 AM
Serving and mixing drinks at your home bar requires a variety of glassware, utensils, and accessories, all of which need to be washed after the party. There is also a steady stream of liquid that needs to be disposed of throughout the course of a party as your guests change their drinks. And don’t forget the little swig of beer that is always left in the bottom of the bottle or can that needs to be dumped before you can recycle.
Most home bars consist mainly of cabinets, which leads to lots of trips back and forth to the kitchen. Transforming your dry bar into a wet bar with a bar sink can significantly enhance your home bar experience.
Plumbing Considerations for your Home Bar Sink
If there is no plumbing where you want to put your sink, you need to consider the time and costs involved in tapping in to existing water lines and drains. If you have the time, skill, and inclination, you might want to tackle this yourself to save the cost of a plumber. The rest of us will have to call a professional to get an estimate so that we can budget accordingly. The cost to have a professional plumber do this will vary greatly depending on the layout of your home. Generally speaking, you are looking at about $100 per hour.
Types of Home Bar Sinks
A full kitchen sink is probably overkill for your home bar. After all, it is not like you are going to be preparing full meals there, or washing a lot of pots and pans. The goal is to avoid having to truck your bar ware back and forth from the kitchen.
Home Bar Sinks
The average home bar probably has a regular bar sink. There is virtually an unlimited variety of materials, sizes, styles and mounting options to suite your unique home bar theme. You can purchase a bar sink anywhere from $30 up to $800 or more.
Home Bar Cocktail Station Sinks
If you would like something more unique and modeled after a true bar, you should consider a cocktail station sink. These cocktail stations incorporate all of the same elements as a commercial bar line-up, but in designs that are specifically intended for the home. There are three options available: a Built-In, Drop-In, or Finished Top Cocktail Station.
Built-In Cocktail Station
A Built-In Cocktail Station is designed for the outdoor 
environment, and builds into an island, much like a built-in grill. Besides a sink, these cocktail stations include a bottle storage rail, a bottle well to have cold beer, pop, or juice right on hand, an ice bin for potable ice making it easy to make a variety of mixed drinks, a cap capture to make opening bottles a breeze, condiment cups to store your fruit accessories, and a drain board for storing your freshly washed glasses.
Drop-In Cocktail Station
Drop-In Cocktail stations can be used with standard style cabinets, and install similar to a kitchen sink. These cocktail stations offer the same functional features as the built-in style, but do not have the bottle storage rail on the front. Optional door-mounted bottle rails can be installed in the cabinet below for convenient bottle storage.
Finished Top Cocktail Station
This unique concept was designed for those who want their entire counter top to be stainless steel. The Finished Top Cocktail Station has a seamless appearance and offers all the same conveniences as the Built-In and Drop-In cocktail stations. Some options include a brushed stainless steel, or a jeweled finish that helps hides scratches. This cocktail station is completely configurable depending on your needs.
The Cocktail Station Sinks for your home bar range in price from approximately $900 - $2000 or more.
Check out the Guide to Choosing a Home Bar Design. The objective of this paper is to guide you through the process of choosing a home bar that suits your budget and meets your unique entertainment needs.
Posted by Krista Moon on Fri, Nov 05, 2010 @ 09:03 AM
Storing your wine in a wine cooler or using a wine dispensing system can help prevent your favorite wine from going bad. The goal is to ensure your wine ages properly so you can fully experience the wine’s complex flavors, aromas, and textures.
Wine is made from fruit, and we have all thrown out mushy apples or brown bananas. Wine will spoil if it gets too warm, or is exposed to the air. Sometimes the wine will undergo a second fermentation after bottling which creates a slight fizz, or the cork can be contaminated with microorganisms. Some of the signs of a bad wine include:
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- A moldy or musty smell like a wet basement
- A dessert wine taste (and it’s not a dessert wine)
- A paint thinner taste
- Fizz or effervescence
- The color is too dark for a red or too golden for a white
- The cork is slightly pushed out.
If you think you have a bad bottle, it is within your right to send it back or take it back to the store. I can’t think of any company that creates and delivers a perfect product 100% of the time, can you? Wineries expect that a certain percentage of their wine will be returned.
How to Store Wine Properly
The history of wine extends to the Neolithic period (8,500-4,000 B.C.) and the first glimmerings of civilization, and the people then stored their wine in cool, dark, humid caves. Interestingly enough, wine still ages best in an environment that mimics the conditions of a cave.
Temperature, lighting, and humidity are 3 conditions that need to be controlled in order to prevent your wine from going bad.
Purchasing a Wine Cooler
A wine cooler, or wine chiller, can keep your wine in the right environment so that it ages naturally and maintains its integrity. Before selecting a model you should have an idea about some of the basic features you need for your unique wine collection and home bar design.
- Maximum number of bottles you want to store
- Dual zone option for storing red and whites separately
- Storage location: countertop, wall mounted, freestanding, built in
- Viewing experience: labels facing forward or not, lighting, style
- Combined wine and beverage storage capabilities
Purchasing a Wine Dispensing System
If you want to keep your opened bottle of wine fresh for more than a couple of days, a wine dispenser can help keep your wine fresh for up to 3 weeks. The higher end models keep the wine refrigerated and use a gas like nitrogen or argon to displace oxygen away from the wine and limit its deteriorating effects.
At a minimum, get a good stopper and don’t leave your opened bottle of wine on the counter - put it in the fridge. The cold temperature will help slow the aging process.