Even before we found ourselves hunkering down at home trying to flatten the curve of a global pandemic, home bartending was already a growing trend. Once COVID-19 hit, though, we were all living in a world of cocktail kits and mixology livestreams and tutorials on how to arrange your bar cart.

Of course, we’d always rather hang out at the bar with our favourite ’tenders. And we’re not going to attempt any of their more challenging concoctions anytime soon. (See Dangerous Drinks for some reasons why.) But circumstances have forced us to learn how to mix our own drinks—and along the way, we’ve discovered that making cocktails is a fun and sophisticated way to entertain (when we can, of course).

So in this issue of The Alchemist, we’re giving you the tools you need to up your home bartending game, starting with a look at the actual tools you need. We also share some serious “don’ts,” advice on how to make homemade vermouth, a roundup of classic cocktails you should know and our Tasting Panel’s picks for spirits to stock your bar. Plus we’ve created a whole section called “Home Bar” here on our website especially for home bartenders.

Better cocktailing starts right here.