The 21 challange

[markovitch]

so I just turned 21. hurray, now i'm not committing a felony for a good drink. Egullet has netted a nice group of dedicated imbibers, so I'd like to tax their knowledge a bit.

I've a bar in my house for a while (i unearthed it in the basement of a house i was gutting) but it holds a little less than rose's lime, shaker, jigger, strainer and glassware. here is the challange: I want to stock my bar, well. I have acquired enough taste in booze to (1) not look like too much of an idiot on this forum, and (2) not wish to ingest any sub-par booze. $25 a bottle or less, every major type (gin, vodka, bourbon, scotch, tequila, rum etc). If you were me, what would you buy?

edit: ya know, for a linguist, i should learn about my own damn language

Edited March 31, 2004 by markovitch (log)

[beans]

I'm guessing you've had your fair share of samples of various spirits already.

Perhaps suggestions would be easier if you list a few of your preferences. I think most suggestions should fit within your price range, but one or maybe two will be a bit of a splurge and/or a treat for a few extra dollars.

Sweet? Smokey? Complex? Flavourful?

What do you tend to like? What do you think you'd really enjoy trying?

[markovitch]

I was actually hoping for people to suggest based on their personal tastes: along the lines of 'if i were to do it i'd by a, b, c, d etc.' I could do a decent job on the project on my own, but that wouldn't be interesting. I'm new enough to liquor as a flavor/taste experience to jump on something i've never heard of on the suggestion of someone with experience (like an egulletteer) but not on my own.

maybe its too tall an order. oh well.

[CheNiPenso]

My picks, and by no means a comprehensive nor authoritative list:

Bourbon: Maker's Mark or, if available, Woodford's Reserve

Vodka: Ketel One

Gin: Tanqueray or, if you can swing it, Tanqueray TEN. I also love Junipero, but unless you happen to live in the SF Bay Area, skip it.

Rum: Mount Gay, but you'll also need some Bacardi for cocktails that call for white rum

Tequila: Gotta admit, I don't go there. But my tequila friends stick to El Tesoro, which might be out of range for you.

Vermouth: Martini & Rossi or, if available, Vya. Or both, if you can manage it -- they all come in handy. Sweet and dry, natch!

Campari. Period. But I'm partial to negronis and Campari & sodas.

Scotch is too hard to call -- to beans' point, it has everything to do with your tastes. I stock both a $30/bottle variety and one considerably more upmarket.

I recommend perusing the recent Q&A with Gary & Mardee Regan, especially this thread to help dig deeper into this issue.

* Edited to fix pesky link code

Edited April 1, 2004 by CheNiPenso (log)

[drcocktail]

OK, you firmly want this, and you set the stage. If it is cocktails you want to be versatile with, getting past the base liquors will be easy. Everything everyone yet said is so, but here's an overview, then the zinger:

Gin: You'll want 5: Dry and light of juniper (like Bombay Sapphire or Tanq 10)

Dry and heavy of juniper (Boodles)

Sweet(er) and heavy of juniper (Tanq)

Genever, the Dutch gin. Be the first on your block.

And Plymouth. In cocktails they all have their places. Once you determine you DON'T need one, you can drop it and sub one of the others.

Vodka: Agreed with CheNiPenso. Maybe also a good harsh vodka for drinks requiring a kick.

I don't use flavored vodkas so I can't advise about them. If you want to do other than historical cocktails, though, you'll need several varieties. Aquavit is also advised but optional. I like Linie but also have Aalborg for that drier character.

Bourbon: Agreed with CheNiPenso, but those are both relatively delicate Bourbons. You might also want the equivalent of the bonded whiskies of old. Old Forrester bonded, or Wild Turkey 101 would fit the bill. Other good inexpensive Bourbons are Old Charter 12 year and Evan Williams.

Rye Whiskey: Drier than Bourbon. Many early recipes (Old Fashioned, Sazerac spec rye) Old Overholt is a cheap, good rye. If I want to be REALLY dry about it, I also keep Rittenhouse Rye around.

Brandy: Good to have a serious domestic brandy around, and a Cognac of no better than a VSOP grade (we ARE talking cocktails here and the better grades are certainly electives).

Calvados: French apple brandy. great to have, many cocktails calling for it are quite tasty. It isn't wholly necessary unlike...

Applejack: Pure American apple brandy spirit, kinda like an apple whiskey. I use it in lots of cocktails and it subs ok for Calvados in about 80% of cocktails calling the latter.

Eau de vie: For cocktails you can limit yourself to a select few that are called for more often: Kirsch, Framboise, barack palinka, Poire William ought to hold you. Slivovitz for that little extra. Mirabelle is just overkill.

Rum: In simplistic terms, you'll need 4: A white rum (take your pick), a "medium" or "gold" rum (Mount Gay or far better, Brugal), a dark rum (Myers's, Pampero, or Bacardi 8 - again, this is cocktails here), and Lemonhart 151 proof Demerara Rum.

Tequila: 3 kinds, others better to advise you on the brands: 1 blanco, 1 reposado, 1 anejo.

Mescal: Entirely elective. Can be great in cocktails but rarely used that way.

Irish Whiskey: Only used in a few cocktails because of its dominant influence - which can get a bit skunky when mixed with other flavors - but you'll want to make Irish Coffees, right? I like John Power for straight and honest, but always have Black Bush around for the more cultured experience. (Said with a faint smile - as is the whole post).

Scotch: Cocktails, right? Famous Grouse is a good, solid, inexpensive blended Scotch. If you want a larger selection move to the single malts. Others can advise on brands, but let's just say a range from light to smoky, Macallan to Laphroig.

Cocktail wines: Vermouth: Dry vermouth: Noilly Pratt is fine. Sweet vermouth: I 2nd Vya and add Carpano. Local and easy: Cinzano. You'll also need Sherry. They make many different kinds, many different brands. Shades of E.A. Poe, I can make do with a single bottle of Amontillado. Creme Sherry if you INSIST on sweeter. Don't forget Port! A single bottle of Ruby Port will serve you well. For sipping save your $ and choose a better Madiera for less. And the jewel of your crown: Champagne. As it is used in mixed drinks, a poor one will show through. Better spend a little money on this one. Cliquot is great.

Bitters: Angostura, Peychaud, orange bitters, Campari, Amer Picon (which you can't get so substitute Torani Amer) and Fernet Branca. You can make almost anything calling for bitters now. For the last 3%, peach bitters. Amer because not making Picon Punch in the summer would just be WRONG. And that also brings to mind Pimm's #1 which you certainly don't want to be without as the mercury climbs. Fernet, well maybe you can skip Fernet. It's in a number of cocktail recipes, but mainly with overdrinking/overeating stomach suffering through a shot of this is a miraculous cure. You could use Unicum too.

OK. The above is the EASY part. What really give you cocktail versatility are the liqueurs and mixers. That's a MUCH bigger list. Or should I stop now?

--Doc.

(Edited because -go figure- I forgot the aquavit and the Pimms.)(And agin fur spulling)

Edited April 1, 2004 by drcocktail (log)

[markovitch]

thanks guys. This'll be a paycheck by paycheck, gig by gig project (the pennies trickle in slowly in college, as i'm sure you all know/remember well), so if ya'll want i'll keep my purchase record in this thread as it builds. I bought two of the Regan's books online, so with luck i'll soon know to which drinks Drcocktail is referring soon.

Markovitch's quest for a stocked bar in college,

1. Tanq 10 (3/31/04)- Tanq is my preferred Gin from the standard top-shelf three (Tanq, Bombay, Bombay saph), so I upgraded.

1. M & R dry vermouth

[JAZ]

I wouldn't think of Tanquerey 10 as an "upgrade" from the regular Tanquerey (despite the more expensive price) so much as a different style. Much less juniper, which is preferable for some drinks, less so for others.

[Lan4Dawg]

just a suggestion but you should find out what the folks that you tend to invite over to drink w/ you prefer. Assuming that they are the ones that will be drinking fr/ your bar the most. It would be a waste to buy a bottle of Wild Turkey to find that 75% of the folks you know drink Maker's--or vice versa.

You might also do a little research & find out what your boss, future father-in-law, friend fr/ whom you need a favor, et al drink on a regular basis. If g/f's father drinks Cutty then I would make certain that the scotch on the bar is Cutty or at least have it available just to score some points. Consider too whether or not it would be a waste to have Absolut or Grey Goose for a group that is just as happy w/ Barton's. I have friends who would find Macallan just another Scotch and would be happy w/ Inver House but at the same time I have friends that just returned fr/ six weeks of fly fishing and distillery visiting in Scotland for whom Glenlivet is "well Scotch". I keep a couple of decent single malts on hand for one group & inexpensive stuff on hand for the other.

Dr C. has a great list but I would place that under the "mother of all wish lists" ":^)

& would plan to build to that point gradually. Spend your money now on the basics and then work fr/ there. I have been in the bar/restaurant business for years & do not even have all that he lists on my bar! (although I do like the idea that some one else agrees w/ me that you must have more than one type of gin available for different drinks/tastes. People think I am nuts for having 4 different gins sitting out until they taste them side x side.)

[drcocktail]

Ooooh, and I hadn't even GOTTEN into the liqueurs - the bulk of my inventory! --Doc.

[cdh]

This topic reminds me of my first year out of college when I was living in NYC and every Friday was cocktail night at my place, followed by whatever amusements the city offered afterwards.

I started by keeping expectations low and invited people over for "cheap gin and tonics" and would stock a 1.75 of reasonably good, albeit cheap, gin, i.e. Seagrams or Gordons, neither of which will set you back more than $20 even today.

Then I started reading Hotwired.com's cocktail columns, and took inspiration each week to add something suggested there to my bar. The content is still around at http://www.cocktailtime.com, and it rotates, though nothing new appears there anymore, sadly. Make sure to read The Alchemist's column... Paul Harrington is well wise in the ways of mixology... wonder whatever befell him in the years since the new content stopped over there.

If you'd really like some suggestions, here are the highlights of my mixological evolution:

a mexican style lemon press- squashes citrus most satisfactorily. You'll look funny at most bottled citrus juices ever after... except in Texas where the Central Markets juice fresh citrus daily and sell it in half pints and pints. Rare, and to be encouraged elsewhere... makes an evening of cocktails so much easier on the host.

Seville oranges- only available in January and February. Sour like lemons and limes, make excellent drinks (and hollandaise sauces, etc).

Campari- you love it or you hate it, but you can't make a Jasmine (see cocktailtime) without it.

Orange bitters- took six months to get around to mail ordering a bottle from Rochester down to NYC, but such an excellent opener to a new world of cocktails.

Peychaud's bitters- Randomly stumbled across them while shopping in Balducci's and, having heard of them on cocktailtime, I picked them up. With them, my Sazerac drinking days began.

Pernod (or its relatives like Henri Bardouin) -- don't go here if you hate black jelly beans, but these Absinthe replacements (generically called pastis) are key to many tasty beverages if the anise flavor doesn't wack you out.

Maraschino- Luxardo in particular. A sweet syrupy liqueur derived from sour cherries and their pits. Adds a floral complexity to lots of drinks, and makes a nice dressing for a fruit salad. This is a key ingredient in my own signature cocktail of my own invention, the Homeskillet: 2 oz Bourbon (or rye if you're feeling dry), .5 oz good red vermouth (not Martini and Rossi...echhhh!), less than .25 oz maraschino (how much less depends again on how dry you like it) , and a dash or two of Angostura.

As to the base boozes, my advice is to experiment and find what you like. Sapphire and other "high end" gins are less interesting to me than good old Beefeater. Especially in a gimlet.

I'll second Doc's rec of Evan Williams for an affordably priced Bourbon, and also say that Famous Grouse is a great blended scotch for mixing cocktails with.

There are so many kinds of vodka out there that you have to experiment. Avoid the ones that smell like rubbing alcohol.. beyond that, figure out what you like.

Vermouths ar a matter of taste. M&R's Rosso tastes musty to me, so I say Echhh! and avoid it. I like Noilly Prat generally... Cinzano Rosso is tasty too. Haven't played with the really expensive ones like Vya... I'm just cheap when it comes to Vermouth.

Best advice is to take it slowly, find an inspiration, and let it guide you. I owe lots of my tastes and skills to cocktailtime... and can't think of a new site that is as good as the reruns that are still over there are.

Edited April 2, 2004 by cdh (log)

[markovitch]

a mexican style lemon press-  squashes citrus most satisfactorily.

I'll second Doc's rec of Evan Williams for an affordably priced Bourbon, and also say that Famous Gourse is a great blended scotch for mixing cocktails with. 

thanks for all the advice, man... I've got the limon press covered (growin up in tucson has some advantages)

I was trained well in the ways of bourbon, my older brother's best friend lived near me in high school and he was alway feeding me good bourbon and water until i demanded it straight...

Evan williams has always been my base bourbon. I like it more than most of the stuff to which it is compared. I spotted that one as a great cost/benefit bottle while ago.

I'm going to take this slowly, but i'll keep ya'll updated as this goes along.

Keep the recommendations coming! i'm going to buy some more stuff this weekend...

has anyone had three olives vodka? it seems reasonable and my GF really wants the shaker that comes with it.

~m

edit: ACCCCCCCCCCCCCHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH ay kant spel

Edited April 2, 2004 by markovitch (log)

[drcocktail]

CDH is wise beyond his years, if his cocktail/Wired comments attest correctly. Matter of fact, in his testimony, it's the one thing I'd find fault with. Paul Harrington did a great service to the cocktail revival, but I am inclined to believe the rest of the site -and cocktail writing staff- spread every bit as much misinformation as truth.

I too am fine with Beefeaters for the casual cocktail - or even the Martini. I really just wanted to illustrate the major difference in gins, there. One's choice can really inform one's drink! Even in something as rarified as rye whiskies, a drink made with Rittenhouse Rye and a drink made with van Winkle Rye are two entirely different animals. Both are good, just opposite ends of the spectrum.

Vermouths. All kidding aside, you will benefit from a good sweet vermouth. Carpano is my first choice, Vya, my second. As for dry vermouth, CDH and I agree. Noilly and back up with a bottle of Lillet blanc. You won't regret it.

One thing with which I must respectfully disagree is the maraschino liqueur. I much, much prefer the Maraska product to the Luxardo. here is a link.

Finally, I must note that you are getting some PARTICULARLY thoughtful answers to your question. I think that I see that you are respecting the experience behind them. Seems like it. You strike me as a good guy. Be careful not to indulge too deeply all at once. Ironic coming from me? Ubetcha!

As an aside - thanks, CDH, for the Homeskillet recipe. It sounds like a keeper!

--Doc.

Edited April 2, 2004 by drcocktail (log)

[cdh]

Thanks for the kind words, Doc. Just trying to give markovitch a place to start from.

As to the veracity of the cocktailtime writing, I am ambivalent about its value. Cocktails are one of the few places left in the world that a few tall tales and superstitions can still survive... I'm happy to let that continue to be the case.

Cocktails are an art, not a science, and all artists get a liberal serving of poetic license in my book.

If I figure out that some bit of lore is wildly inaccurate I'll note it for personal purposes, but I'll not try to knock any cocktail myth off of its pedestal... unless it contradicts a myth I like better.

[cdh]

Oh, and Doc-- I'll do my best to get my hands on some of the Maraska... The Pennsylvania liquor monopolistic behemoth does list a few "Maraska" branded products in the database. I'm betting that the Wishniak variety is what I'm looking for? It is listed as 62 proof, which makes it similar in strength to the antique Luxardo I have down in the liquor rack in the cellar. The newer stuff has dropped down in its proof to 50 or below, and just isn't as good as the antique...

[drcocktail]

I can't speak to Wishniak. I've heard of, seen refs to... Mainly maraschino is a liqueur of the maraska cherry. Company adopted the name. Luxardo: Italy. Maraska (company): Eastern Europe. NO one knows how to make eaux de vie like those Eastern Europeans! Used to be this guy in Marina del Rey had a still in his basement. From Yugoslavia. Made cherry, grape, peach eaux die vie. Best I ever had. So I use the same critical faculties on maraschino liqueur brands. Honest, at least for my tastes, Maraska wins!

--Doc.

[markovitch]

Finally, I must note that you are getting some PARTICULARLY thoughtful answers to your question. I think that I see that you are respecting the experience behind them. Seems like it. You strike me as a good guy. Be careful not to indulge too deeply all at once. Ironic coming from me? Ubetcha!

believe me, I've noticed. I wouldn't have asked such a thought provoking question to amateurs :) Ya'll are great and I'm very appreciative of all the advice. If i could repay somehow, I would. if anyone comes through portland, i'll throw a college cocktail party like you wouldn't believe. all kidding aside, i'm glad ya'll are here. My roommates sure look at me strangely when I buy nice booze, then they try the drink.

its the same think that happened when i started cooking for them.

oh, and i cracked open the tanq 10 tonight (its a weeknight, i know, but i had a reason to celebrate!). WOW. i had spent a good deal of time dissecting the differences between regular tanq and the bombays before, but tanq 10 is the smoothest gin i've had (so far). talk about thought provoking!

Edited April 2, 2004 by markovitch (log)

[beans]

I started to post my usual suspects that inhabit my home bar and realised much of it doesn't fall into the college budget, except perhaps some of the vodkas! Definitely a career hazard.

[marie-louise]

Even if you weren't on a limited budget, taking it slowly makes sense. Better to know how to make a handful of drinks well than have a shelf full of liquor and no idea what to do with it.

Summer's coming up-perfect your Margeritas, decide what gin's your favorite for Gin & Tonics, and by all means try out Negronis and a few other drinks w/ Campari.

PS That drink a week link someone posted above is pretty cool. This week's drink is a Zombie (referred to a "fern bar drink")-now THAT takes me back to my college days!

Edited April 2, 2004 by marie-louise (log)

[trillium]

believe me, I've noticed. I wouldn't have asked such a thought provoking question to amateurs :) Ya'll are great and I'm very appreciative of all the advice. If i could repay somehow, I would. if anyone comes through portland, i'll throw a college cocktail party like you wouldn't believe. all kidding aside, i'm glad ya'll are here. My roommates sure look at me strangely when I buy nice booze, then they try the drink.

Hmmm. Portland, you say? Maybe you need to come over to our place and taste what we've got... that might help you eliminate some of the things you don't like and it would be fun to know another cocktailer in pdx. We just emptied a few bottles before the move (Barbancourt, erm, some other rum and the Maker's Mark), but it's scary how many boxes we had to move full of booze bottles. And I have a stash of Seville oranges in the freezer...

My story is the same as cdh's, I cut my teeth on Wired's cocktail site (which was sold to someone else I think) except I was fortunate to have been living in the same city as the authors (some of whom were still tending bars). I've been slowly working my way through every featured cocktail in Paul Harrington's excellent book and it's been a fun and educational ride. You might try hunting it down through bookfinder or something. I think it's nicer to buy bottles as you need them to try different cocktails then to buy a bunch of stuff all at once.

regards,

trillium

[markovitch]

believe me, I've noticed. I wouldn't have asked such a thought provoking question to amateurs :)  Ya'll are great and I'm very appreciative of all the advice.  If i could repay somehow, I would.  if anyone comes through portland, i'll throw a college cocktail party like you wouldn't believe.  all kidding aside, i'm glad ya'll are here.  My roommates sure look at me strangely when I buy nice booze, then they try the drink.

Hmmm. Portland, you say? Maybe you need to come over to our place and taste what we've got... that might help you eliminate some of the things you don't like and it would be fun to know another cocktailer in pdx. We just emptied a few bottles before the move (Barbancourt, erm, some other rum and the Maker's Mark), but it's scary how many boxes we had to move full of booze bottles. And I have a stash of Seville oranges in the freezer...

My story is the same as cdh's, I cut my teeth on Wired's cocktail site (which was sold to someone else I think) except I was fortunate to have been living in the same city as the authors (some of whom were still tending bars). I've been slowly working my way through every featured cocktail in Paul Harrington's excellent book and it's been a fun and educational ride. You might try hunting it down through bookfinder or something. I think it's nicer to buy bottles as you need them to try different cocktails then to buy a bunch of stuff all at once.

regards,

trillium

sounds like fun, but not anytimes soon. I'm neck deep in school... it's going to be non-stop until the middle of May.

[babka]

it's not for cocktails, or even close, but I always keep a very good bottle of single malt scotch on hand...it lasts for years if you only break it out for special occasions, but believe me--when sh*t or joy hits the fan, and you're there to console or elevat the spirit, it marks the occasion.