Shuffling through this saggy economy has driven Heidi Blake to drink — at home, that is.
The Bronzeville resident, 25, started watching her pennies when the economy began to belly-flop, and she decided she didn’t want to drink away extra money by going out to bars. Not wanting to completely throw away her social life, Blake amped up her home bartending, which she first started toying with about three years ago.
“I became more serious about the subject when the economy started to decline,” Blake said. “Saving money is huge. A good bottle of tequila can run you around $30 to $60. That amount could easily be spent on one night at a bar. I’m not drinking a whole bottle at a time, so it lasts me much longer.”
Now Blake plays mixologist at home, hosting friends and family at her homemade bar — an IKEA cabinet filled with about 15 bottles of liquor — where she serves up her favorites (margaritas and tequila sunrises) about once a month.
Blake isn’t alone in making home the new hot spot. Although numbers tracking those who choose to booze at home are scarce, a look at spending suggests a large chunk of consumers nationwide have pared down their bar tabs. Fifty-five percent of consumers have cut back on going out to bars, according to market research firm The Nielson Company. And spending onspirits is expected to be down 5.2 percent from 2008 — to $178.6 million — according to industry research firm IBISWorld.
Martin Adamczyk, founder of Consummate Cocktails, a company that provides bartenders for private events, said he and his colleagues have seen a slight increase in the number of students in their bartending classes. Adamczyk offers classes for beginners on the basics of bartending and classes for experts on liquor varieties.
Starting your own bartending operation doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive, according to experts who spoke with RedEye.
“You really don’t need to invest a lot of money to get started,” said Charles Joly, who works at The Drawing Room in the Gold Coast. “You just need the basics.”
That means getting your hands on a base set of liquors — gin, rum, vodka, tequila, whiskey and cordials — along with basic glassware, a shaker, a muddler, a jigger, a long bar spoon, a tiny measuring cup, a hand-held citrus squeezer and a good book of drink recipes.
And as for a spot where the mixing magic will happen? No need to put together a whole bar.
“What was it that Hemingway said about being a writer? That all you need is a well-lit, clean space? Same thing goes for making drinks at home,” said Tim Lacey of The Drawing Room. “A counter will do as a work surface.”
Joly adds that you don’t need to worry about getting your Long Island iced tea or mojito exactly right the first time around.
“There are hundreds of ‘misses’ before you nail the perfect drink,” Joly said. “When cooking, you may work on a recipe for hours and have it flop. With cocktails, you are looking at only five to 10 minutes before you achieve your result.”
Whether mastering a martini or splashing in some variety with a gimlet, don’t forget that becoming a cocktail connoisseur is not just about the taste, but the experience.
Joly’s advice: “Remember to really have fun with it.” Andrea Stanley is a RedEye special contributor.
Nice equipment
These are the must-have tools for starting your own home bar, experts told RedEye.
— A.S.
1. Shaker
2. Strainer
3. Long bar spoon
4. Hand-held citrus juicer
5. Muddler
6 . Ice tongs
7 . Paring knife
8. Cutting board
9. Small measuring cup — 1/2 ounce to 2 ounce
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Rookie mistakes
If you’re thinking of setting up your own bar at home, avoid these beginner’s mistakes.
— A.S.
Being sloppy with your booze
“Where you store your liquor is important,” says Martin Adamczyk, founder of Consummate Cocktails in Old Town. “Avoid direct sunlight and fluctuations and temperature. It will just ruin your liquor.”
Clueless over juice
Charles Joly, who works at the Drawing Room in the Gold Coast, says using store-bought juice in place of freshly squeezed also is a novice mistake.
Choose your booze
Want to set up a home bar? You’ll need the basics. Here are a few booze brands to fit all budgets — from cheapskates to high rollers — recommended by The Drawing Room’s Tim Lacey. A.S.
Vodka
Svedka $14
North Shore $34
Stoli $53
Gin
Brokers $18
Plymouth $23
Martin Miller’s Westbourne Strength $55
Whiskey
Old Overholt Rye $14
Blanton’s Bourbon $50
Ritten-house 23 $165
Cognac
Landy’s VS $22
Pierre Ferrand Ambre $45
Pierre Ferrand Selecion des Anges $150
Tequila
Milagro Silver $20
Casa Noble Reposado $53
Don Julio 1942 $102
Rum
Ron Botran $20
Flor de Cana $35
Ron Zacapa $40
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3 for all
Test your love of the sauce at these mixology and tasting sessions.
Spice-and-ice drinks
Where: Nacional 27, 325 W. Huron St. 312-664-2727When: 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday
Prefer your sippers with a kick? Nacional 27 mixologist Adam Seger shows you how to work spices such as Szechuan peppercorns and ground fennel into drink recipes during the March installment of his Happy Hour Cocktail Class. Watch Seger make the Mango-Ginger-Habanero Daiquiri and the Chadwick, then taste them for yourself and go home with a copy of the recipe. Reservations required. $15
Tiki drinks
Where: Drinks over Dearborn, 650 N. Dearborn St. 2nd Floor, 312-337-9463When: 6-8:30 p.m., March 24
Ready for rum-based concoctions? Mixologist Angie Jackson and portfolio mixologist Debbi Peek from Bacardi USA demonstrate making tiki drinks. Take home recipes for the classic drinks perfect for a day at the beach. Reservations required. $30
Specialty cocktails
Where: Nacional 27, 325 W. Huron St., 312-664-2727
When: 6-9 p.m., Wednesday
A tequila tasting and guacamole demonstration features two specialty cocktails (Ruby Red Paloma and Honeydew Margarita), samples of tequila and passed appetizers. Reservations required. $20
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