DIY Cocktail Bar
the idea
Take the pressure off drinks service and help break the ice by providing recipe cards and ingredients for guests to make their own cocktails


the how
the why
This Idea
the why
party activities
ADVICE FROM A PRO
Matt’s tip
“I’d recommend setting up all the ingredients and equipment in a logical order so guests can work their way from one end of the bar / table to the other, step by step. For example:
Step 1: Set up a number of cocktail shakers and ice at the left hand end of the bar (you can pick up a set of 8 plastic shakers and measuring shots for around $28, see below).
Step 2: Next, arrange all bottles of the base liquor together, e.g vodka, gin, rum, whiskey , along with measuring shots
Step 3: Then arrange all the bottles of secondary liquors together, e.g liqueurs, vermouth etc, along with measuring shots
Step 4: Next, cluster together all the mixers, juices, syrups etc
Step 5: Then, group any garnishes, e.g fruit, salt rims, together at the end along with serving glasses and any decoration or styling elements e.g straws, cocktail napkins etc
Step 6: Finally, provide a drinks dispenser filled with water for rinsing and a lined trash can for disposing of ice from the shakers as the final step. Then use a custom text printable sign (below) to asks guests to ‘rinse and return’ their cocktail shakers to the starting point.
For larger numbers, you might want to duplicate each step working inwards from both ends of the table, with the final step in the middle, so that multiple guests can work their way along from each end at the same time to avoid lines and waiting.“
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