How to Build a Martini Bar

BOTTOMS UP! HOW TO Build a martini bar

The martini is not just a cocktail; it signifies an entire movement within the drinking community. This “king” of all cocktails marvels in its simplicity and sexy image. The basic martini, made with gin, vermouth, stirred and served very chilled with an olive has become the catalyst from which countless varieties have evolved ranging from “perfect” to “dirty.” Not to mention the endless “martini” recipes from classic to modern varieties with some trends sharing only the type of glass that is used. Back in the day of style and sophistication, party hosts would prepare a big glass martini pitcher for their guests. Use these basic steps to build your own martini bar and have fun finding a new favorite in an old classic. Pandora some Sinatra and get ready for a glamorous evening.

What you’ll need: • Base spirits including gin, vodka, and soju • Vermouth along with bitters, Cointreau, and sake (optional) • Plenty of martini glasses, pre-chilled or displayed on ice • Stainless Steel shakers, strainers, jiggers • Martini pitchers with stir rods • Toothpicks, cocktail skewers and napkins, mini mister.

1Fill martini pitchers with chilled base spirits. Use quality ingredients for better tasting martinis. • Soju makes a great base spirit and is lower in alcohol and sugar. So you can drink more and with less guilt. Sake can also be used as a substitute for vermouth, which is too overpowering for some martini lovers. 2

Arrange your martini bar with glasses, ice for chilling, shakers, jiggers, bitters and vermouth. Your bar can be “buffet style” to allow people to build their martini as they move down the bar. Place a bottle of dry vermouth on the bar and also fill a mini-mister with the spirit to allow your guests to choose how dry their martini will be prepared. • Bitters were used in all the gin joints in all the world to bring a pleasant citrusy flavor to martinis. Try Regans’ Orange Bitters No. 6. For sweeter martinis, Cointreau can be added to the cocktail. Also, offer Rose’s Lime Juice, olive juice and Lillet. Check out the Perfect Martini Mister for a spritz of vermouth. homewetbar.com 3 The last section of your martini buffet should be the garnishing area. Present an array of all types of fresh ingredients including everything from okra to the traditional olives. The more options, the more fun. • Get creative with your garnishing options. Try jalapeno peppers, pickles, limes, oranges, cherries, pomegranate, pearl onions, stuffed olives, cucumbers, hard candies, cinnamon sticks, grated chocolate, vanilla beans, edible flowers, ginger, herbs like rosemary, cilantro, basil and mint. Don’t forget the flavored sugars for rimming the martini glass.

must mix

For a new twist on this old favorite create a Smokey Martini using Bombay East Gin. 3 Parts Bombay Sapphire East Gin 1/2 Part Martini Dry Vermouth Stir and serve in a Dewars 12 Year rinsed martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

ClaSSIC MarTInI

inGredients

2 1/2 oz. Bombay Sapphire Gin 1/2 oz. Dry vermouth Green olive or lemon twist for garnish Orange or Angostura bitters (optional)

PreParation

Pour the ingredients into a mixing glass filled with ice cubes. Stir and strain into chilled cocktail glass. Add a dash of bitters if desired and garnish with an olive or lemon twist.

A martini should be served cold, so chill everything. Stirring with ice will chill and slightly dilute the liquor making it more pleasant to drink. As is usually the case when it comes to a martini, preferences range from gently stirring, as to not bruise the gin, to shaking until small flecks of ice float atop the cocktail referred to as ice-skating on your martini. Over-shaking will cloud your martini and most agree this is not a good look for the king unless he’s dirty.

Since variations to the martini are so vast, placing recipe tent cards on your martini bar will inspire your guests to get creative. The most popular include:

Basic – gin, hint of dry vermouth, olive to garnish Perfect – equal parts sweet and dry vermouth. Vodka - using vodka in place of gin. dirty - add olive brine to taste. GiBson – garnish with onion in place of olive. dickens – no garnish Gimlet – Limejuice in place of vermouth. in and out – pour vermouth in mixing glass and dump out before adding gin. smokey – blended scotch in place of vermouth. VesPer – Vodka with Lillet, lemon twist, shaken not stirred. Auther Ian Fleming invented the drink in the James Bond novel Casino Royale. churchill – no vermouth.

FUN FACT

The amount of vermouth dictates the dryness of the martini, with less being more. Throughout history martini drinkers would joke about the driest way to enjoy a martini. In Churchill’s case he just looked in the direction of France; for other dry martini lovers, just whispering vermouth to the martini did the trick.