How To Build A Zero Waste Home Bar: An Earth Day Special
The trick to reducing generation of waste at your home bar is to minimise the disposable products you use to craft drinks. Creating a zero waste home bar requires time and sustained effort because such a bar builds over a long period of concentrated investment in bringing together ingredients and mixers that help you craft cocktails without having to throw anything into the garbage bin.
So when you want to commit yourself to building a home bar that eliminates waste, you need to put in considerable long-term effort with consistency and diligence.
Reducing the waste you generate at a bar means contributing in your own small way towards protecting your ecology. And when you eliminate waste altogether, you are also inadvertently putting every element of a fruit or herb to use in the creation of a cocktail. This effectively extracts all the flavour possible from these ingredients. Not only is this hack friendly towards the environment, it also makes your drinks incredibly tasty.
Read on below for a guide to build a zero waste home bar over a sustained period, complete with eco-friendly hacks, ingredients and cocktail recipes:
Use Reusable Glassware
One of the best ways to eliminate waste at your home bar is to stock up on glassware that can be rinsed and racked to be used again at your next party. Instead of sipping on drinks served in disposable containers, invest gradually in wine and rocks glasses and champagne flutes made out of quality materials that can last a long time. Also source decanters, shakers, muddlers and other barware made of stout materials so they can be part of your bar for years.
Locally Produced Spirits
The next important element of a home bar is spirits that promote local distilleries and breweries. This is a more abstract way of helping to minimise waste but you will be cutting down on the resources it requires to bring a spirit to you from a distant brewery. Opt for small batch beers and wines produced in ways that create minimal waste. These are also delectable liquors that highlight local flavours which in turn boosts regional biodiversity. Purchasing locally produced spirits also gives a shout out to small, homegrown businesses.
Don’t Throw Out Herb Stalks
Generally, when you use mint springs as garnish, you tend to throw out the herb stalks. And when you use freshly squeezed lime juice, the leftover lemon skin is tossed into the dustbin. At a zero-waste bar, you can use such elements to decorate your drinks in creative ways. Instead of opting for an elaborate garnish, use these leftover items to make your drink pop and to cut down on waste. The stalks and leftover flesh of such citrus fruits pack a lot of flavour so they can be easily used to add a flavourful textural layer to cocktail concoctions.
Use Peels And Scraps For Infusions
Another way to use fruit peels and scraps is to prepare aromatic infusions which can be added to spirits to elevate their flavours. You can use peels of citrus fruits like oranges and limes and even pineapples and peaches to prepare sweet and sour syrups and stalks. These can then be added to mulled wines or liquors that are in turn stored away in airtight containers. Once the flavours steep into the spirits, they create complex infusions perfect for building cocktails.
Upcycle Barware For Decor
While decorating your bar, look no further than what is already available to you in the liquor cabinet to add an aesthetic touch to this portion of your home. You can turn utility tools like wooden muddlers and vintage shakers into decorative items to adorn your bar or use empty liquor bottles to make shattered bottle art or glass bottle chandeliers. Upcycling barware would mean eliminating glass and wood waste, taking you a step closer to crafting a beautiful zero waste home bar with a rustic touch.
