How to build a Victorian bar cart

Victoria’s distillers make some of the most creative, expressive spirits in Australia – and stocking your home bar with local bottles doesn’t just support makers, it opens the door to better cocktails at home.

Here’s our guide to creating a functional and beautiful Victorian-stocked bar cart, based on what you like to drink.

Step one: start at the source, your local distillery

Whether you drink Rye Manhattans or Limoncello Spritzes, the first place you want to hit up isn’t the bottle-o but a Victorian distillery. Whether you’re at a distillery door or drinking at your local bar,  there’s plenty of opportunity to taste the wide range of spirits this state produces, from whisky, to gin, rum, vodka and even the likes of rakia, absinthe and schnapps. When something stands out as delicious for you, you’ve got the star and base of your bar cart. When you buy locally, you’re not guessing at a flavour profile or how best to enjoy the spirit. You can ask the maker, how do you drink it? What cocktails does it shine in? What flavours were you trying to express? 

Now you’ve got a spirit and idea of how it works best. Here’s everything else you’ll need.

Step two: stock up

Vermouth

One thing Victoria has more of than distilleries? Grapes. This wine country is rich with fantastic vermouth options to compliment your Dry Gin Martinis, Negronis and Sweet Manhattans. 

Buy a local sweet vermouth if you want to make: Negronis and Manhattans.

Buy a local dry vermouth if you want to make: Gin or Vodka Martinis or add to G&Ts for a delicious twist.
Look out for: Maidenii or Causes & Cures

Bitter Aperitivo
Thought only the Italians understood the power of a post-dinner amaro or Spritz before dinner? Victorian producers have made this category their own, with delightful results. A must-have on any good bar cart.

For Spritzes and Negronis look out for: Imbue BitterSweet Aperitivo, Marionette Bitter Curaçao, Saint Felix Bitter Citrus Aperitivo or Noble Bootleggers Terroso Amaro.

Orange Liqueur 

Where would cocktails be without orange liqueurs? There’d be no Mai Tais, Sidecars, Cosmos or Margaritas for a start. Luckily Victoria is home to some incredible award-wining liqueur producers. 

Look out for: Otways Distillery Orangecello, Marionette Orange Curaçao

Cocktail Bitters

Often referred to as the salt and pepper of bartending - Victoria has a plethora of flavours to add to your Old Fashioneds and Whiskey Sours. 

Look out for: Beechworth Bitters Company and Mister Bitters

Mixers

Tonic for your gin, ginger ale for your rum, and sparkling wine for your spritz — don’t forget the power of a great mixer on your cart. Buy quality local mixers in small format to ensure you’re never caught out having to sip a flat Cuba Libre. 

Look out for: Capi and Strangelove

Pantry staples

While these won’t sit on the bar cart, all your fresh ingredients like lemons, limes, mint and eggs all add up to make your repertoire now in the hundreds of cocktails. 

Step three: make drinks

What you could make

With one bottle of Victorian gin you could make the following with this bar cart:

• Martini and variants such as a Martinez
• Negroni
• Gin sours such as a Clover Club / White Lady
• Corpse Revier 
• Pegu Club
• Breakfast Martini
• And of course a great Gin & Tonic. 

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