Originally posted by: GuideBot
You need a chrome or silver miniature bucket with miniature blocks of ice with a set of nice silver tongs for the ice. You need some wine glasses to hang above and then some short, stout glasses to enjoy something hard on the rocks. Then you need one of those clear crystal things to put some ambiguously amber hard alcohol into and sit out at room temperature to look classy!
A decanter, yes that is key, I didn't feel like my bar was complete until I had one!
OP here is what I have (still building, I need bourbon, a premium tequila/rum, and scotch):
bacardi light/dark
capt morgan's
bacardi 151
Malibu Coconut
polar ice vodka
grey goose
smirnoff black cherry
Smirnoff
Skyy
7
Crown Royal
Jack Daniels
Courvoisier VSOP
Creme de Cacao
Creme de banana
Creme de menthe
Blue Curacao
Butterscoth Schnapps
Root Beer Schnapps
Peach Schnapps
Gold Rush (cheapo goldschlager)
Jager
Rumpleminze
Grand Marnier
Chambord
Baileys
Kahlua
Disaronno
Frangelico
Midori
SoCo
Godiva
Dr Magilicuddy's French Kiss
Zen Green Tea Liquer
Apfelkorn Apple Schnapps
Peppermint Schnapps
Sour Apple Pucker
Jose Curvo Gold
1800 Silver
Tanqueray
Gibley's Gin
Sloe Gin
Molly Pratt White Vermouth
Molly Pratt Red Vermouth
Accessories/non-alch needs:
Pineapple Juice
Cranberry Juice
Sweet and Sour
Grenadine
Lime Juice
Lemon Juice
Maraschino Cherries
Olives
Shaker
Jigger (1/1.5 oz is my preference)
Pina Colada Mix (or cream of coconut and the other stuff to make one, mix is easier)
Club Soda
Tonic Water
Coke
DP
7 UP
Grapefruit Juice
I am sure I forgot a few things, but that's the basic jist. A lot of that stuff you can buy a 6 pack of small ones and it will last a LONG time. You will start to see what you and your friends use the most and get used to buying that more often.
Word of advice, a lot of that liqour is not used that much, unless it's a really bad financial decision get the 375ml on most.
For instance, most places Midori is $20 a 750, $10-11 a 375. Get the 375ml unless you raelly love midori.
As far as the cheap stuff (generic schanpps, triple sec, etc) I like leroux. I have leroux cremes (menthe, etc), blue curacao, triple sec, peach schnapps, etc. The only this I went "name brand" on like that was buttershots butterscotch schnapps, not worth it to skimp on that since it ruins my buttery nipples.
edit: I forgot OJ, how could I?
Well, it seems you aren't going to spend much so you will want to go with 1 type of each liqour only probably and cut a lot of the cordials like the flavored cremes, but once you get some more cash spend the money to upgrade, it is worth it once you can just chill with your friends at your place and spend $20 on booze for the whole group for the night rather than spend hundreds out at a bar.
If they are good friends make them chip in, too.