Whether your goal is to impress a friend, entertain your guests, or simply enjoy a drink made by you the way YOU like it, a well-stocked home bar is a must. And most importantly, it’s a lot of fun.

There are a lot of misconceptions on home bars. Money and space are two understandable downsides: both spirits and glasses cost a fair amount of money, and storage space at home is never enough. Therefore it’s easy to feel that the task of building a home bar from scratch is daunting to say the least.

The truth is, stocking a home bar can be affordable and simple, if you know where to start.

If you’re just getting started, my golden rule is this start from what you like. If you enjoy a good Negroni, start from a decent gin, a good vermouth, and Campari. And Old Fashioned glasses. If you also like Manhattan’s, add a whiskey and cocktail glasses to your collection. The presence of cocktail glasses in your home bar will also justify the purchase of a shaker. It’s a marathon, not a sprint.

Here is my comprehensive guide on how to build the ultimate home bar. Enjoy!