The Booze Thread

[ice grillin you]

yeah dont pay attention to the hendricks description...its just trying to be different....it tastes like gin

[Susquehanna Birder]

A buddy picked up a bottle of Black Eagle bourbon at Total Wine a few weeks ago. It's pretty nice. Not a lot of distinguishing character other than its smoothness. Still, for $10 a bottle, it's seems like a great everyday sipper.

[Zanshin]

Figured I'd turn to the drinkers.

In a few weeks, we're going to be hosting a different sort of party than we usually do. I'm going to move the furniture and bring in some bar tables, have someone walk around with hor'dourves, have a live music, etc. I'll set up some sort of bar and do the usual been/wine/soda thing, but I was thinking of offering some cocktails with harder booze. I'm not set up to do a fully stocked bar, so what would you lushes recommend for that sort of thing?

[Diomedes]

The idea is to serve beer and wine, plus a selection of a couple particular cocktails (not a full bar)?  Is there a theme of any kind to this party?

[hbionic]

Know your audience. Who's going? Family, friends, clients? Get a feel for what people are into.

[phattymatty]

yeah or just print out a menu list of exotic named drinks that in reality aren't that exotic.

couple brown liquors, couple clear liquors and a bunch of mixers.

also do mojitos for the ladies.

[hbionic]

Like the:

'Ragin Cajun Spicy Jumbalaya-tini (regular red martini)
or

Urine of God (Vodka and orange juice)

or

Middle-Earth Artic River Blue (Ice+Vodka)

[Zanshin]

Thanks for the tips. Not really a theme, unless you consider making people keep their kids at home a theme. Maybe a bar theme, since that's the sort of vibe we'll go for, but I think the bar tables and music will help get to that.

[ice grillin you]

the important factor is are you trying to make real cocktails such as manhattans dackerys martinis brandy alexanders old fashioneds ect....or are you just trying to do rum n cokes gin and tonics

if you are just keeping it simple then get bottles of rum gin bourbon vodka and mixers coke...diet coke....ginger ale...tonic....soda...juices (orange cranberry and pineapple is what id do)...soda

if you are trying to get more intricate then in addition youll need brandy kahluah baileys sweet and dry vermouth...cointreau...bitters....sugar cubes...half and half...

probably will want some quality bar materials as well...a good muddler...a shaker...one of those hand held juicer johnsons...long spoon

dont forget plenty of lemons and limes....also need marachino cherries....ive seen people get cocktail onions but thats awful

most important of all the biggest mistake you can make is not getting enough ice...nothing more annoying than being at a party and running out of ice...when you think you have enough ice at the store get two more bags

[ice grillin you]

oh another nice touch is get some good quality plastic stirrers...and get the ones with one sharp end...that way people can use them to pick up the fruit and at the same time stir their drinks...cocktail napkins as well

[Tomahawk]

the important factor is are you trying to make real cocktails such as manhattans dackerys martinis brandy alexanders old fashioneds ect....or are you just trying to do rum n cokes gin and tonics

Not sure why I find that so funny since I'm all for phonetic spelling

[ice grillin you]

i couldnt properly spell that word without looking it up if my live depended on it...just one of those words ive never been able to get and gave up trying long ago

[Sgt PSN]

Figured I'd turn to the drinkers.

In a few weeks, we're going to be hosting a different sort of party than we usually do. I'm going to move the furniture and bring in some bar tables, have someone walk around with hor'dourves, have a live music, etc. I'll set up some sort of bar and do the usual been/wine/soda thing, but I was thinking of offering some cocktails with harder booze. I'm not set up to do a fully stocked bar, so what would you lushes recommend for that sort of thing?

If you keep all of the ingredients for a Long Island Iced Tea available, then you'll have your rum, tequilla, gin and vodka drinkers covered.  Oh, and your LIT drinkers will be happy as well.  All that's left is some whisky or bourbon and a variety of mixers and you've got everything you need.  Might want to grab some peach and/or peppermint schnapps for the ladies.

Oh, don't forget the mini umbrellas and the tiny plastic swords. 

Also, who is bartending this thing?  Or are you just setting the booze out and letting people make whatever they want?  If you've got someone covering the bar, then you might also want to print out some sort of "drink menu" since you're going to have a limited variety of alcohol. 

[Zanshin]

Cool. I'll most likely hire someone to do the bar, provided I can find someone who will work cheap ;-).

[Sgt PSN]

Find a local bartending school and ask one of the kids if he wants a little extra practice.  I'd offer no more than $50 for the evening and he can put out a tip jar.  You know your friends better than I do, so if you think they'd tip him handsomely, then I'd go lower than $50.  Also, be sure to put the word out in advance that a bartender will be present and even though it's open bar, the bartender is working for tips.