At The Three Drinkers, we spend so much time thinking about different rums and all the cocktails to make from them, so it’s no surprise that we’ve noticed the same things popping up over and over.
Whether it be barware, garnishes or mixers, if you love rum as much as we do, these 7 things are a must for your home bar. After all, if you’ve always got them in the cupboard then you’re never far away from a drink that really hits the spot!
What Barware do you Need for Rum Cocktails?
Cocktail Set
Some cocktails will just require a light stir, others shaken and strained. If you’re experimenting with rum, then having a cocktail set that can do it all will make everything that bit easier. This kit contains a professional shaker that’s essential to any home set up, strainers to smooth out your mixes and much more. Also, you can stay on top of the notorious ‘home measures’ with the jiggers included ;) All in a fabulous gift box tube too!
Find here: £24.99
Rum Glasses
Traditionally, each cocktail has its own glass to match. The Poco Grande for a piña colada, the Collins for a mojito etc. If you want the ultimate experience, then spoil yourself with a beautiful glass for each of your favourite rum concoctions but to a certain extent (shh don’t tell anyone we said this!), a glass is a glass, right? A sturdy low baller for you drinkers who like your rum neat and a tulip shaped number for your cocktails will more than suit your rum needs.
Find here: £35 for 4 x Lowball / £5.50 for 2 x Hurricane
Which garnishes work well with rum?
Lime - Fruits for Drinks
Daiquiri, Pina Colada, Mai Tai, Mojito, the list goes on. Lime and rum go brilliantly, whether that’s the juice, zest or as a garnish. It’s by far the fruit that you’ll need most for your rum concoctions, so always have some on hand. For your garnishes, Fruits For Drinks’ lime bags are freeze dried and come in a resealable fresh pack that lasts for 9 months once opened, so you don’t need to worry about fresh limes going to waste. Lime = essential.
Find here: £7.99
Which spirits and mixers go well with rum?
Angostura Orange Bitters
Angostura’s orange bitters have become a staple part of many bartender’s inventories across the world, and there’s no reason your home bar should be any different. The rustic bottle contains an intense blend of Caribbean orange peel as well as infused spices like cloves, cinnamon and cardamom. You’ll find it coming into play an awful lot, whether that’s in a Zombie, a Rum Old Fashioned, or pretty much any pineapple rum cocktail or rum punch. It’s also great to liven up a simple rum and coke. They say nothing rhymes with orange, but rum certainly does...taste wise anyway.
ABV: 28%
Size: 10cl
Find it here: £8.50
Bob’s Vanilla Bitters
Another bitter you can rely on is Bob’s Vanilla Bitters. The rich vanilla takes those sweeter rum cocktails to the next level, accompanying the creaminess of a piña colada perfectly. It’s another one that can breathe new life into a simple rum and coke, and you’ll find it blends perfectly with the vanilla notes in many Caribbean rums. Yum!
ABV: 35%
Size: 10cl
Find it here: £12.74
Ginger Beer
Ginger is a magical match for the spicier rums, so a good ginger beer or ginger ale is always useful to have on hand. You’ll be able to knock out Dark ‘n’ Stormies like nobody’s business, as well as Caribbean Mules and all kinds of punches. Fever-tree has pulled together ginger from the Congo, The Ivory Coast and India to give a hot and root-y flavoured ginger beer and Franklin & Sons uses natural root ginger extract and sparkling spring water in their subtle, refreshing ginger ale.
Fever Tree - Size: 200ml // Find it here: 4 x £3.60
Franklin & Sons - Size: 150ml // Find here: 24 for £15
Cointreau
Cointreau is a fresh and fruity orange liqueur that you’ll see on many an ingredients list, and one you should definitely have ready to go. Mai Tai, Long Island iced tea, Rum sidecar, Daiquiri, we could go on. Cointreau and rum make for a pretty formidable duo!
ABV: 40%
Size: 700ml
Find it here: £22.99
If you’ve got all of the above then you’re well on the way to an impressive rum armoury, but let’s not forget that the star of the show is of course the rum itself. If you want to stock up on some of our favourite rums for under £30, go here! And to find out how to make all those rum cocktails mentioned above, click here!
