Articles
Bar Mirrors: Essential Bar Accessories
by admin on Feb.22, 2009, under Articles
Every bar in a club has mirrors. Aside from the fact that bar mirrors add depth to a room and complete the bar experience, they set the atmosphere the moment you step into the room. Is your bar a modern one? Or is it inspired by The Wild Wild West? If you want a 1950’s look, bar mirrors can help you achieve that look.
Types of mirrors to choose
Wall bar mirrors and bottle mirrors are the two major types of bar mirrors today. The first one is the typical of mirrors you see in bars, those large wall-mounted mirrors with a goblet rack atop. The second one is the smaller type of mirrors that sit beside a bottle of wine. Below are bar mirrors that you could consider buying:
1. Classic, wooden frame bar mirrors – These bar mirrors either have an opaque mirror or have a clear mirror but is emblazoned with a white, opaque logo or name of the maker, like Guinness or Budweiser. Some have floral designs at the edge of the mirror, while some have vintage patterns. Whatever the design on the mirror is, the classic type of bar mirrors always has a wooden frame. Frames are usually made from walnut and are etched with intricate designs and patterns. They come with more expensive price tags.
2. Custom-shaped bar mirrors – Typically made of stainless steel frames, these bar mirrors are perfect for owners who want a more modern look for their home bar.
3. Small, brand-emblazoned bottle mirrors – Bottle mirrors are created to highlight an expensive bottle of wine, scotch or whisky. They are usually as tall as the type of liquor they sit beside to. Most of the time a bottle mirror has a logo or brand name of a wine emblazoned on it.
Bar Mirrors For Sale
Time to heighten up the bar atmosphere
Isn’t it nice that with your home bar, you could finally offer something special and extra to your guests aside from the usual coffee, tea or beer? A bar allows you and your guest to enjoy spirits and cocktails in the privacy of your own home. If you would want to put something extra to your home bar and make the liquor and cocktail drinking experience more fun and enjoyable, buy bar mirrors. It will complete the look and set the ambiance.
Mixing 101: 3 Pieces of Must-Have Bar Equipment
by admin on Feb.18, 2009, under Articles
Mixing drinks need skills, artistry and a nice set of mixing equipment. You wouldn’t go far without having the must-have bar equipment to get you shaking and tossing bottles in the air and pouring in great-tasting cocktail drink in sexy tall glasses. The following are the must-have bar equipment:
1. Bar Starter Sets – This is the basic set to serve beer, scotch and wine: corkscrews, measures and dispensers, bottle openers, pourers, large mugs, bottle coolers, ice buckets, straws and bar towels. These are the basic must-haves that your bar can’t live without.
2. Cocktail starter sets – Since you have a bar, your guests expect that you can serve chilled margarita and other cocktails. For women who love sweet-tasting drinks to go with their dinner, you should have these bar equipment to get you started with cocktail mixing: shaker tin (preferably stainless), shaker glass, muddler, cocktail strainer, twisted mixing spoon, jigger measure, bottle pourers (stainless for easy cleaning), bar knife and paper cocktail umbrellas.
3. Flair materials – For extra effects, and for you to serve cocktails with the flair of a pro, you must add these materials to your growing list of bar mixing equipment: flairco bottle, flairco blade, lighter and a match. Flare up your drinks for that added flair.
Where to Buy Bar Flair
Buy individually or in set
There are bar, cocktail and flare set available in glassware and kitchenware stores. With a set, you are ready to do drink mixing in your home bar.
However, not all of the equipment in a starter set are of good quality, most of the times, stores mix and match high-grade and low-grade equipment to come up with an affordable starter set. If you are serious with drink mixing and would like your equipment to work on the long haul, buy equipment individually. The process may be pricier, yes, but you can rest assured that what you bought are of quality and would last long.
When you finally have these bar equipment in your home bar, don’t forget to practice your bar mixing and juggling skills. You may break a couple of bottles and bars and spill drinks and throw away bitter concoctions during the learning stage, but you’ll definitely be the center of attraction once you master the skills.
Brewing Your Own Beer
by admin on Feb.15, 2009, under Articles
Brewing your own beer is easy; it’s just like being in science class and doing a little experiment in the lab. Below are the basics of brewing your own beer from home:
Prepare your lab
Believe it or not, beer is made from these 4 main ingredients: (1) malt, (2) hops, (3) specialty grains and, (4) yeast. You may buy them separately or in kits. You may add sugar if you don’t have enough malt.
Prepare the equipment in your beer brewing ‘laboratory:’ (1) large (10 gallon) food grade plastic pail with lid where fermenting is done, (2) a siphon hose that you’ll use for beer transfer from pail to (3) plastic bottles with cap, (4) a clamp to the siphon hose to prevent spillage and (4) a hydrometer for temperature checking during fermentation.
The Process
1. Sanitize, brew and bottle. These are the three, basic processes of beer brewing. When the processes are followed to a T, you can expect great tasting, freshly brewed beer.
Sanitizing is the first and most important process in beer brewing. You shouldn’t miss this. In fact, you should be extra careful during the clean-up stage. If you can sterilize your bottles, you should do so. For larger containers like the plastic pail, you can sanitize it using acid-sanitizer that assures no after-taste.
2. Beer cooking is simply doing a simple ingredient mixing and cooking. Let the pail stay closed with a lid during the fermentation process. Open the lid up occasionally to add more ingredients and stir the contents once in a while. After which, leave it for 6 days; your pail of beer is ready for bottling.
3. Use plastic bottle containers for home made beers. They won’t break and are readily available in stores. If they are bought brand-new, they don’t need sanitizing as they are pre-cleaned or pre-sterilized even before they are sold in stores.
Let’s drink to that
Now that your handmade beer is ready, it’s time for some party. Even if it taste good and it’s easy on the pocket, its alcohol content can really give a kick.
