A good home bar is one that has everything to hand. This makes it easy to prepare and serve drinks to your guests. So the right equipment is important, but does my home bar need a speed rail?
A well organised busy commercial bar will have a speed rail. However a home bar is never going to be as busy as a commercial bar. Having said that a speed rail can be very handy.
Does My Home Bar Need A Speed Rail?
A home bar doesn’t need a speed rail or speed rack. However, it would definitely benefit from having one. A speed rail organises your spirit bottles in one place keeping them all at hand. Serving spirits and mixers, or cocktails becomes a breeze with a speed rail.
It wouldn’t be seen as an essential bit of bar kit, that is until you have one.
What Is A Speed Rail?
A speed rail which is also known as a speed rack is a drinks bottle organiser. They are used in many busy bars to speed things up for the bartender.
Bottles of spirits, mixers and syrups are stored in a speed rail according to their popularity. So the drinks most used are at hand without seeking them out.
They are normally attached to the under counter behind a bar. This puts them a little below waist height right in front of the bartender. However they can be attached to any convenient surface or placed on the bar top.
They come in different sizes to fit as many bottles as needed and can be fixed side by side or double stacked.
A speed rail is organised either left to right or right to left depending on the bartenders preference.
Left to right might look like this
Gin – Vodka – Brandy – Whiskey – Rum – Tequila – Lemon – Lime – Pineapple
The right to left set up would be the opposite
Pineapple – Lime – Lemon – Tequila – Rum – Whiskey – Brandy – Vodka – Gin
What sprits are included and how they are organised is up to who is using the speed rail.
Is A Speed Rail A Good Idea For A Home Bar?
A speed rail is a great idea for a home bar. Whilst a home bar may not be as busy as a commercial bar, it could still benefit from a speed rail.
Having the spirits or juices you use most in a handy rack just makes life easier. You become more efficient behind the bar, and you will impress your guests.
A speed rail can be organised to accommodate a complete cocktail menu. Having the ingredients for your complete cocktail menu in front of you makes it simple.
Set your speed rail up close to your ice bucket and Garnish Station and you are set to make any drink quick and easy.
Things get even faster when the bottles in your speed rail have bottle pourers on them. A great professional set up in your home bar.
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What Size Speed Rail Should I get?
This will depend on how many bottles you want to keep in a neat organised way. If you just serve the basics like one spirit and a mixer then only get one that holds around six bottles.
However if you have a large range of drinks you serve on a regular basis, then a larger one may be better.
Small Speed Rail
A small speed rail will be around 22 inches (56 cm) long. This will hold around six standard bottles of spirits.
A basic Gin, Vodka, Whiskey, Brandy, Rum and tequila set up would work well with a small speed rail.
Made from stainless steel, so robust and easy to clean. Wall mounted for convenient placement behind any home bar.
Long Speed Rail
The longer speed rail may be around 42 inches (106 cm) long. It can hold around ten standard bottles of spirits.
This is better for a larger selection of drinks that are used or made regularly. So could easily house enough bottles to service a cocktail menu.
It is the same stainless steel material and can also be wall mounted. Although a longer stretch of wall will be needed.
Double Speed Rail
A double speed rail is ideal if you want to house a lot of bottles, but don’t have the wall or bar space for a long speed rail.
The double version stacks the bottles in two rows, one behind the other. The back row are higher than the front row so you can see all the labels.
At 32 inches (81 cm) long it can hold up to 20 bottles making this the biggest of the three. Perfect if you have a large cocktail menu or just want to keep all your bottles together in one tidy place.
Final Thoughts
Whichever type you go for, a speed rail is a great bit of home bar kit. Whether it is just to keep your bottles tidy, or so you can mix drinks faster.
You may become an expert mixologist or even end up competing in the Speed Rack competition. However that is only if you are female, because it is an all female competition.
Up and coming females in the cocktail industry compete against each other, whilst also raising awareness and money for breast cancer.
So does my home bar need a speed rail? No, it may not need one, but it is a perfect accessory for any home bar.
Rob is a passionate home bar and pub shed enthusiast with a passion for craft beer. With hands-on experience in designing and building his own home bar, Rob shares his knowledge, tips, and inspiration to help fellow enthusiasts create their own perfect space. Alongside the world of home bars and pub sheds, Rob also explores the diverse and exciting realm of craft beer, providing honest reviews to help you discover your next favorite brew. Join Rob on a journey of flavor, design, and craftsmanship right here on Home Bar Kit.