Having a well-stocked and sufficiently equipped bar cart is one of the indicators of a grown-up, adult apartment these days. Gone are the days when a half-drunk bottle of wine and case of beer on top of the fridge cuts it. It’s time to mature, responsibly.
You never know when an impromptu cocktail hour might pop up or you’re going to have a group of liquor aficionados over for dinner with very specific tastes. No matter what your drinking habits are, a bar cart is also a stylish and functional piece of furniture to have in your living or dining room. It can hold all your fanciest liquors, mixology kits, playing cards or even the fancy coasters you only pull out for special occasions.
Equally important as your liquor choice on your bar cart is how it looks, and we’ve found a liquor brand that accomplishes both tasks at once. Haus is a line of Apératifs made with herbal roots and botanicals that’s low-ABV and designed for casual sipping throughout a classy evening.
Apératifs are low-ABV liquors that have been a part of the European drinking culture for years — if you’ve ever had a Campari or Aperol Spritz you’ve had an Apératif. They’re light and tend to have a layered flavor profile of fruity, effervescent bubbly tastes that vary from sweet to bitter and everything in between.
Apératifs can also taste like anything, so you can buy different types for different moods or alcohol preferences. Haus has a Citrus Flower flavor that’s lighter and fruity as well as a Bitter Clove bottle that’s inspired by whiskey and amaro.
They’ve also got a new Ginger Yuzu bottle that’s bold, fragrant and takes a modern twist on the ancient roots of ginger.
The difference between Haus liquors and other brands is the ingredients. They oversee every part of the process at their ranch in Northern California, from growing the ingredients to distilling the liquid, bottling it and shipping it right to your door.
The founders were sick of waking up with gross hangovers caused by sketchy additives and excess sugar in what they were drinking, so they cut them out. They replaced them with real, farm-to-bottle ingredients like elderflower, star anise, raw cane sugar and cloves.
Their vision centers around a liquor you can sip casually with friends, enjoy for the social ritual and feel good about putting in your body.