Hey, Reader!
If you’ve been on a spring cleaning kick lately — same. I’ve been going through every cabinet, drawer and corner of my house, and it got me thinking: Most people remember to refresh the pantry, but the bar almost always gets skipped.
This year, I’m changing that. Beyond the obvious dusting and polishing of your space and tools, here’s how I’m thinking about a bar refresh for spring:
1. Your bar is a concept, not just a place.
At my house, that means...
- my bar cart and bar cabinet
- the vermouth and syrups in the back of the fridge
- the produce drawer
- my freezer stash
- and — full disclosure — a bitters collection stashed somewhere else entirely.
Your "bar" might look very different from mine, whether it's just one cabinet or a whole wet bar situation (jealous!). Regardless of your setup, a real spring clean means checking all of those spots, not just the obvious ones.
2. Toss what you’re not using.
If it’s expired, questionable or something you bought for one recipe two years ago and haven’t touched since, let it go.
Not sure if something’s still good? I have a post on how to store alcohol properly and which alcohol actually goes bad. (TL;DR: Spirits are probably fine but double check your liqueurs.)
3. Make a restocking list.
As you go, note what you’re running low on. Summer entertaining season is closer than it feels, and this is a good time to stock back up on the bottles you actually reach for — vodka, tequila, whatever your go-tos are.
4. Check your garnishes and fridge staples.
Go through the shelves on the door and your produce drawers, and toss anything past its prime — sad olives, old cocktail cherries, that lime you don't remember buying.
Spring is also a great time to prep ahead: I love zesting citrus before juicing it, then freezing both separately. The juice goes into my 1-ounce Souper Cubes trays (affiliate link) so it’s ready to use whenever I need it. Then I just shake a cube of frozen fresh citrus juice right into a cocktail!
And if you have simple syrup on hand, make sure it’s still good — check my post on simple syrup storage for everything you need to know, including how to freeze it for future use.
5. Don’t forget to check the freezer.
This is the one people really forget. Old ice can absorb freezer odors over time and subtly affect your drinks. Dump it, make a fresh batch — and toss the old cubes in a planter so the water doesn’t go to waste.
With a little attention now, your bar — whatever it looks like — will be ready to go the moment someone says, “Can I come over for drinks?”
And since Earth Day is right around the corner, it’s also a great time to think about using up what you have before buying more. This zero-waste cocktails post is a good place to start.
Cheers!
Susannah
