Shaven, Not Stirred

[Teppy]

I'm planning to give away about 1000 alcoholic shave ice/snow cones at Burning Man, two weeks from now. I won't have access to fresh produce, but I'm using high quality powdered flavors (TropicalSno). I'll be doing classic drinks including margaritas, daiquiris, etc.

I'd imagine that cheap vodka (Potter's, at $10/1.75L) won't make a difference in taste.

What about rum - will the difference between very cheap rum (Potter's $12/1.75L) and something in the $20 range be noticeable?

And finally, Tequila - $17 for good old Potter's, $25 for Cuervo Gold, or $?? for something better?

BTW - any eGullet folk going to Burning Man? I'll be in the 9:00 Plaza, camped with Enlightenedville.

[haresfur]

Although it may go against the standard cocktail-wiener wisdom, for such an event, I go with cheap booze and fresh juices/flavors if at all possible. No one is going to care about the nuances of the taste - if they could even tell in the hot dry air and with the ice. I think the flavoring will make all the difference. Some citrus wedges or even bringing in a few planters with fresh mint would be fantastic. When I went to a Rainbow gathering, the load of fresh fruit that someone packed in was definitely the high point.

[ChickenStu]

For rum, I would spring for something along the lines of bacardi, little bit nicer.

Tequila is in one of those categories for me with gins and bourbons where quality makes a huge difference. It is, unfortunately, the most expensive to get into the good quality stuff. Maybe shoot for a cheap silver?

As for vodka, you can always just run it through a brita 10 times.

...then again you are giving these away to a bunch of people who are already probably pretty tuned up, so it may make no difference at all.

Edited August 19, 2010 by ChickenStu (log)

[Kent Wang]

The trouble with fresh fruit is that you have to haul it back out. The limes might get stinky, or get desiccated so quickly so that they don't, or you could burn them.