STOCK YOUR BAR WITH PICKS FROM DRINK DOCTORS PAUL TANGUAY AND TAD CARDUCCI OF TIPPLING BROS.
Shake up your home bar with tips from drink experts and Mercadito Hospitality Partners Tad Carducci and Paul Tanguay
1. muddler, Bar equipment: $65.95; Cocktailkingdom.com Japanese barspoon with fork and “Get yourself some cool Japanese barware, like bar spoons and mixing glasses. You’ll make your mixologist friends jealous.”
2. Wells; Spices: start at $3.24, The Spice House, 1512 N.
Thespicehouse.com “Try cayenne — it’s used in the Devil’s Claim [cocktail] at Tavernita — or Vietnamese cinnamon, which is used as garnish for the restaurant’s ‘Irie’ Big Nose.”
3. Vintage glassware: starts at $5, P.O.S.H., 613 N.
State; Poshchicago.com “Scour the shelves of antique shops for vintage glassware and barware.”
4. Bar furniture: stool, $695, 1850 W. Grand; Ur
banremainschicago.com “Grab some vintage industrial bar stools at Urban Remains.”
5. Bitters: start at $5.99; Store.theboozehound.com “Perfect for spicing up your classic cocktails or your very own concoctions.”
6. Tippling Tuesday: seminar, $25, Mercadito, 108 W.
Kinzie; Mercaditorestaurants.com “Join us at Mercadito for Tippling Tuesday, a weekly educational seminar that broaches all topics in the world of beverage. You’ll learn a little something and get to shake some cocktails. You might also be asked to get up and dance.”
7. Vintage cocktail books: prices vary, Myopic
Books, 1564 N. Milwaukee; Myopicbookstore.com
8. Koval Distillery: tour, $10, 5121 N. Ravenswood; Koval-distillery.com
9. Chicago Honey Co-op: 6 oz. honey, $7, Logan Square Farmer’s Market, 3111 W. Logan; logansquare
farmersmarket.org “There’s no better place to grab your fresh fruits, vegetables and spices. Also, source out some locally made honeys and vinegars.”
10. Death’s Door: gin, $35.99, Printers Row Wine
Shop, 719 S. Dearborn; Printersrowwine.com “Stop by Printer’s Row Wine Shop to peruse their selection of artisanal, craft spirits. Great shop to start building your bottle selection.”