Best Cocktail Gifts: For the At-Home Bartender or Mixologist

It’s no secret that I’ve been in love with learning how to mix up delicious cocktails and exploring different mixology flavors and techniques.  And I’ve amassed quite a few different gadgets and pretty things that make it easier and more fun. 

So if you have a budding home bartender in your life, here are some of the best cocktail gifts and fun gift ideas to inspire, enable, and make them smile!

Make it happen

Every at-home mixologist needs good tools, so if you’re starting with the best cocktail gifts you have to start here.

Cocktail shaker – It seems weirdly hard to find one I like, but this one is practical and beautiful, and has become my go-to shaker.  Bonus, it’s a bit bigger than most so it can very easily make 2-4 drinks at a time (DON’T JUDGE). 

An all-in-one kit for the beginner – Never a bad thing, if you’re really dealing with a less experienced home bartender then this has everything they’ll need to get started!

Cocktail mixing glass – I got this several months ago for those cocktails that you don’t shake, and I think it’s so pretty.  Whip yourself up some of my Rye Port Manhattans and enjoy!

Cocktail strainer – This has been a more recent addition to my collection, but it really comes in handy for pulp, ice, herbs, and more.  I love the OXO brand for just about all kitchen gadgets.

Muddler and bar spoon – These both make things so much easier.  Why??  I don’t know, but they do.  I thought that you could just kind of smash fruit with a fork to muddle it.  Turns out this is soooo much better!  

Pretty gift bar tools set – My best friend turned me onto several adorable gift sets from Pretty Useful Tools.  They have so many fun gift ideas, from these cocktail tools to a hairpin grenade to fascinating utility sets.

Serve it up

I’ve become obsessed with beautiful glassware lately…SERIOUSLY it’s becoming a problem.  My cabinets can’t take any more!  But once you see how the right glass can really make a cocktail shine and set the mood, you’ll never go back.  Here are a few lovely gift ideas for different types of cocktail nerds.

Retro coupe glasses – How do you resist a beautiful traditional coupe glass?  I picture Ginger Rogers swilling champagne out of it, and then see how perfectly it offset my Basil Gin Gimlet.  Heaven.

Modern martini glasses – So here’s the thing…I just *legit* cannot manage to drink out of a traditional martini glass without spilling.  Enter these modern ones, with far less tipping involved.

Nick & Nora glasses – Named after the booze-soaked characters one of my favorite old time-y movies, these are true classic elegance…yet feel modern.  Throw a martini in there, add a twist, and you’ve got a winner. 

Modern geometric – These are just so cool looking…modern, with some sparkle.  Perfect for a simple whiskey on the rocks or something fancier.

Tour martini glass – I have no idea why this is called a “tour” martini glass but in my mind it’s what a martini glass SHOULD be.  Vintage and modern at the same time, and large enough to hold a proper drink.

Whiskey decanter – I don’t actually have this one yet…I’ve had my eye on it for a while.  It was hard to settle on a decanter that was beautiful and luxe-looking but not boring and stuffy.  My taste runs to what I tend to call modern classic, and I love this interesting kind of glacier or iceberg-inspired look. 

Pretty coasters – There are so many cool options, it’s hard to know where to start.  You’ve got these geode coasters, realistic fruit slices, or a DIY resin coaster kit, for starters.

Adorable reusable cocktail picks – These might be a stealth winner for best cocktail gift.  I’m so in love with these cute cocktail skewers, and there are so many to choose from (5 or 6 different packs)!  I’ve been using the pineapple one a lot lately, but the owl and octopus might be my fave.

Enhance it

Bitters – There are so many different bitters to choose from that I never know where to start!  You can obviously go straight up the middle with Angostura, Peychaud’s, etc.  But chances are your home bartender has those already.  So go outside the box with these.

Amarena cherries – I am obsessssed with these.  I just want to eat them constantly.  

Ice cube trays – Once you go ice ball you’ll never go back.

Or go kitschy with a gemstone tray or this Titanic & iceberg tray (“gin & Ti-tonic”).  Yes, I have both of these, and yes, I love them!

 

Inspire the next round

Beautiful print of cocktails – I have a beautiful watercolor-type in my office at work that says “Call me old fashioned”

Cocktail recipe book – Everyone needs a good cocktail recipe book (or two), and there are sooooo many to choose from.  If you’ve got a music fan in the house, this “Booze & Vinyl” is a beautiful and cool option.  Or go for a more straightforward “I’m Just Here for the Drinks”.

Fun cocktail recipe book “Gone with the Gin” – These make such fun gift ideas!  There’s also “Tequila Mockingbird”, and more, so you can decide whether to go the classic film or classic literature route.  I may or may not have just ordered one for myself…

So whether the home bartender in your life is a novice or a near-pro, I’ve got you covered with so many of the best cocktail gifts you can find…taking you from the tools of the trade to cocktail art that will make them thirsty.

Use all this fun new gear to tackle these boozy recipes:

• “Preservation Punch”
• Classic “Army and Navy” Gin Cocktail
• Bourbon Milk Punch
• Rye Port Manhattan
• You might also like: The Kitchen Tools I’m Obsessed With

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