Get into the spirit: Your guide to the home bar of 2023

What to stock, what to mix, how to serve and when to shake up something new. Here’s how to set up an epic bar for the next house party

Party tonight? Outsource the prep, by all means. Hire a cleaning service, get a caterer, even have someone plan the table setting and seating. Some tasks, though, are best left to the host, like who’s drinking what and how. Yangdup Lama, consultant, trainer and co-founder of Sidecar and Cocktails & Dreams; and Gunjan Pal, mixologist and corporate beverage head of The Chocolate Spoon Company, offer bartending hacks so the night is only as heady as it needs to be.

Keep a variety of alcohol ready and announce what’s being served. Yangdup Lama recommends gin and vodka for the younger crowd. (Instagram/@yangduplama)