Food & drink · Home bar
Home bar starter budget.
Enter how many bottles you want and what they cost, then add tools and glassware to see the setup cost, the yearly running cost and the cost per drink.
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How much does a home bar cost
Setup cost = (bottles × average price for each group) + tools + glassware. Running cost depends on how much you pour: drinks per year = drinks per week × 52, spirit used = drinks × pour size, bottles per year = spirit used ÷ bottle size, and restock cost = bottles × the price of a base spirit. Cost per drink = bottle price ÷ bottle size × pour + mixers.
Worked example. Five base spirits and three liqueurs at $35, two vermouths at $18 and two bitters at $15 is $346. Add $60 of tools and $80 of glassware for $486 to start. Three cocktails a week with 45 mL of 40% spirit is 156 drinks a year, 9.4 bottles of 750 mL or $328, plus $156 of mixers: year one costs $970. Each drink costs $3.10 to make. The prices are examples.
The standard-drink side. Each 45 mL pour at 40% is 1.06 Canadian standard drinks (Health Canada: 17.05 mL, 13.45 g). Three a week is 3.2 standard drinks a week. CCSA’s guidance lists 2 standard drinks or less per week as the level where you are likely to avoid alcohol-related consequences, and says the risk rises with each additional drink.
The restock figure assumes every bottle bought is priced like your base spirits; liqueurs, vermouth and bitters last much longer and are not restocked here.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to stock a home bar?
With the default list at the example prices, bottles are $346 and tools and glassware another $140, so $486. Change the counts and prices to match what you would buy.
What bottles do I need for a home bar?
There is no standard list. The default here is five base spirits, three liqueurs, two vermouths and two bitters, which is a common starting point you can change.
How much does each drink cost at home?
Bottle price divided by bottle size, times the pour, plus mixers. In the example that is $3.10.
How many standard drinks is a cocktail?
A 45 mL pour at 40% ABV is 1.06 Canadian standard drinks. Many cocktails use more than one pour.
Sources
Opened
- Health Canada: Low-risk alcohol drinking guidelines: A Canadian standard drink is 17.05 mL or 13.45 g of pure alcohol.
- CCSA: Canada's Guidance on Alcohol and Health: Lists 2 standard drinks or less per week as the level where you are likely to avoid alcohol-related consequences, and says risk rises with each additional drink.
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Scope
Drink responsibly. Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health (CCSA) puts 2 standard drinks or less per week as the level where you are likely to avoid alcohol-related consequences, and says risk rises with each additional drink. Never drive after drinking, and follow your local rules on serving alcohol. This tool is arithmetic, not medical or legal advice. Prices and the starter list are examples.