Stir & Strain

bar accessories

Halloween & Autumn Bar Cart Styling

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Oh my gourd! It’s time to get that bar cart styled – for Halloween!

Halloween and Autumn Gift Guide 2017 // stirandstrain.com

If you don’t want to drop some dollars on a fancy punch bowl but still want to impress your friends, hollow out a pumpkin! Plop it on your bar cart! Pour in whiskey (or check below for some recommended recipes)! Stir it up with a skull spoon! And serve up your punch in some gothic goblets. Or some very Fall coppery glasses. With glow-in-the-dark eyeball ice cubes of course. Come November 1st you’ll need only add some decorative wheat stalks, and remove the eyeballs, and your Autumnal bar cart is DONE.

1. Black Glass Goblets 2. Copper Low Ball Glasses 3. Glow-In-The-Dark Eyeball Ice Cubes 4. Koval Millet Whiskey 5. Pumpkin 6. Copper Skull Bar Spoon 7. Infinity Bar Cart 8. Copper Drink Stirrers

Looking for some SPOOKY//Fall cocktail inspiration? Take a look at some of our favorites from our cocktail friends!

Catch up on all the gift guides here!

{Now Closed} Giveaway: The Art of the Bar Cart and The Bar Cartist Tool Set

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Giveaway: The Art of the Bar Cart and bar tools // stirandstrain.comAdulting is hard. Adulting is paying bills. But being an adult means you no longer can keep your booze on the shelf next to the cereal and red plastic cups are not appropriate when you’re having a date over. Enter the bar cart.

Giveaway: The Art of the Bar Cart and bar tools // stirandstrain.comBar carts are classy, and practical. And, if you’re like me, an excuse to change things up every season (or holiday. See here. Here. And here.).

To help with your styling, and to give you some drink ideas, Chronicle Books just released The Art of the Bar Cart. And guess what? We’re giving away a copy. Take a peek at some of these gorgeous shots! I kinda want one for every room in my house. We can all agree that a shower bart cart is, or at least should be, a thing? Right?

Giveaway: The Art of the Bar Cart and bar tools // stirandstrain.com Giveaway: The Art of the Bar Cart and bar tools // stirandstrain.com Giveaway: The Art of the Bar Cart and bar tools // stirandstrain.com

But wait! To help you with your styling endeavors, I’m also giving away a barware set from The Bar Cartist. The Stirred Gold Bar Set is the right tone for all of your upcoming holiday parties. It’s a little glitzy, but still reserved. The set contains a professional double jigger, cocktail picks, muddler bar spoon, hawthorne strainer and crystal mixing glass.Giveaway: The Art of the Bar Cart and bar tools // stirandstrain.com

So let’s all be adults and set up a proper bar cart, or even a little table and tray (that counts too), with a little inspiration from The Art of the Bar Cart and our holiday-ready cocktail set. Enter below and get up to 11 entries to win. Open to US residents only. Giveaway ends October 16, 2017. Good luck!

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Gift Guide: Father’s Day 2017

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Unless that tie rack comes with booze…think again.

Fathers Day Gift Guide 2017 // stirandstrain.com

For the bookworm Dad: booze books. For the stylish Dad: booze cufflinks. For the junk food Dad: beer and pretzel ice cream. For the outdoorsy Dad: a pocketknife to hand carve a muddler. Oh, and also a plaid flask (duh). For the goofy Dad: bourbon socks. For all the rest of the Dads: whisk(e)y. And you should probably throw in a Negroni finger stirrer because… well, your Dad knows a joke for that too.

1. Call Me Old Fashioned print 2. Coolhaus Beer and Pretzel ice cream 3. Rum Curious 4. The Bloody Mary Book 5. Bourbon socks 6. Cocktail cufflinks 7. Opinel pocket knife 8. Speyburn Single Malt Scotch Whisky 9. Gaz Regan Negroni Finger Stirrer 10. Plaid flask

Catch up on all the gift guides here!

Gift Guide: Mother’s Day at the Beach and a Giveaway!

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Mom wants to be sipping cocktails on a beach somewhere. She does not want to hear about this guy you met on Tinder (or maybe she does? Does he have a job?).

It’s always last minute with you kids. Did you forget it was Mother’s Day Sunday? I did too. Oops. Let’s take Mom on a mini vacay this year. Bring the unbreakable wine glasses, some fancy napkins and a giant sunhat, because…. rosé all day. Throw in some tasty cocktails and let her lounge around reading about beach cocktails, while at the beach.

To sweeten the deal, you can WIN a copy of Beach Cocktails AND score a $50 gift card to Mouth.com to buy Mom some chocolate, or some booze. Probably best to get the booze. Just head over to our Instagram and tag your mom, or a friend, in the comments. Winner will be announced Friday at 8pm PST.

1. You and Yours Sunday Gin 2. Rosé All Day hat 3. St. George Spirits California Citrus Vodka 4. Corkatoo Corkscrews 5. Beach Cocktails book 6. Bendiware Unbreakable Glasses 7. Fruitlab Orange Liqueur 8. Champagne Napkins

Catch up on all the gift guides here!

Festival Ready Bar Cart Styling (it's a party for your booze)

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If you’re anything like me, scrolling through endless Instagram photos of kids out at a festival, profusely sweating and pretending to smile at the camera, you’re SO happy you didn’t wait in line 45 minutes for a watered down margarita. You get to drink yours with 2 ounces of top shelf booze in front of the air conditioning. You win.

Still miss that 104° heat? Make your home bar into your own oasis. Here’s how…

Do they even serve alcohol at these festivals? Who cares! You have a well stocked bar cart at home. Throw up some cactus photos, maybe in #milleniumpink and match your glasses to that desert vibe. Crochet. There has to be lots of crochet things. A hanging chair to sip cocktails in? YES! And maybe some hanging crochet fruit baskets to match. Add in some tassels and some leather fringe. And if your festival look veers off in the electric art dream in the desert, might I suggest uranium glow-in-the-dark mixing glasses and colorful rainbow ice cubes? You can always use that glow stick to mix a few drinks with too.

1. Desert Distilling Vodka 2. Blush goblet 3. Cactus Print 4. Hanging Chair 5. Tassel Swizzle Sticks 6. Manila Bar Cart 7. Leather fringe flask 8. Cactus tumbler 9. Arette Tequila 10. Glow-in-the-dark mixing glass 11. Rainbow Ice Cubes

 

Catch up on all the gift guides here!

Green & Gold Bar Cart Styling

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It’s March. It’s almost spring. Let’s refresh that bar cart with a little smattering of green and gold. Lucky Charms cocktail garnish optional.

Thank your lucky (edible) stars we’ve been scouring the internet for some new bar cart items this month. First, skip the green beer and get yourself some green liqueur instead. Now that you’re adulting, a gilded bar cart is much prettier than a cardboard box. Next, grab yourself some equally pretty gold jiggers and a functional pitcher (for like, water or holding straws). And OK, yes, you can have ONE novelty glass. And a stir stick or two. And if you insist, some mint bitters for that adult Shamrock Shake you secretly want.

1. Shamrock Glass 2. Gold Cheers Stir Stick 3. Green Glass Pitcher 4. Gold Jigger 5. Edible Gold Stars 6. Mint Bitters 7. Bar Cart 8. Green Chartreuse

 

Catch up on all the gift guides here!

Valentine’s Day Bar Cart Styling

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Turn down the lights, turn up the music, and put a little something sexy on… your bar cart.

A well stocked bar cart is essential for setting the mood. Sure, you’ve got the booze (ahem, maybe some chocolate whiskey too?), but don’t forget the accessories! Some glittering coasters and cups look awful nice against a roaring fire. And nothing says love more than hand squeezing some limes, except maybe some heart shaped drink stirrers? Want to go over the top? Perhaps you need a pink neon sign proclaiming your love (of cocktails) to hang over your freshly adorned bar cart.

1. Chocolate Whiskey 2. Glass Citrus Juicer 3. Blush Decanter 4. Hammered Brass Coasters 5. Gold Wine Opener 6. Neon Cocktail Sign 7. Copper Mule Mug 8. Feelin’ Tipsy Drink Stirrers 9. Beth Kushnick Bar Cart

 

Catch up on all the gift guides here!

New Year’s Eve Bar Cart Styling

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Tiny bubbles…. or big golden bubbles. Whatever your type of bubbles, don’t forget to put some out on your bar cart this weekend. Here’s how we’re styling ours!

Gold? Check. More gold?! CHECK! We’re jazzing up our bar cart for NYE with a couple of glittery touches, plus, bottles and bottles of good champagne. Disco ball stirrers? Yasssss! Let’s put a stake in 2016 cause we are DONE WITH YEAR.

1. Pop Fizz Clink Napkins 2. Disco Ball Drink Stirrers 3. Brass Hand/Gun Corkscrew 4. Metallic Rimmed Champagne Coupes 5. Faceted Cocktail Shaker 6. Gold Wine Glass Numbers 7. Olympus Bar Cart 8. 2009 Louis Roederer et Philippe Starck Brut Champagne

 

Catch up on all the gift guides here!

{Now Closed} Giveaway // The Ultimate Stocking Stuffers

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Our last giveaway of the year is JAM PACKED with lots of treats to go into your stocking. From mixers to bitters to cool bar tools, we’re including everything you need to up your cocktail game this holiday season. And the best part? A gift card to use on Mouth.com to stock up on, you guessed it, booze. Or you could also buy food to go with your drinks. It’s up to you.

We’ll have gifts from The American Juice Company, American Heirloom cocktail accessories, Cocktail Crate, 18.21 Bitters, Barbarian Bar Tools, Monin Syrups, Owl’s Brew, Taza, and SO MUCH MORE!

We’re only running this giveaway until Friday midnight PST so you just have a few days to enter! Check out the options below to get up to 8 entries for a chance to win this stocking full of cocktail magic and a $50 Mouth.com gift certificate. Good luck and Happy Holidays!

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Holiday Gift Guide: Stuff It Real Good (the stocking stuffer gift guide)

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You’re going to need a bigger stocking this year.

Remember, bottles of booze fit nicely into stockings. As do magazines (about booze), gummy bears (filled with booze) and cocktail kits (for making booze). Up your cocktail party cachet with some boozy playing cards, and don’t forget the fancy glassware! Pineapples are still a thing, so throw a couple of shot glasses in that stocking. Infused ice cubes fit too! And maybe a key chain that yells I like fancy drinks!

1. Cocktail Hour Playing Cards 2. Fancy Drink Key Chain 3. Ardbeg Uigeadail Single Malt Scotch 4. Pineapple Shot Glasses 5. Imbibe Magazine (click for more details and a super subscription price!) 6. Stainless Steel Cocktail Picks 7. Homemade Gin Kit 8. Baby Champagne Gummy Bears 9. Saturn Rocks Glass 10. Veuve Clicquot Paris Arrow Bottle 11. Vincent Bartender’s Hand Salve 12. Hot Toddy Cocktail Kit 13. Herb & Lou’s Infused Ice Cubes

 

Catch up on all the gift guides here!