Liquor, where to start?

[murkrow]

I'm sick and tired of beer.

I've been listening to James Bond audio books and I want to be able to order a wide range of mixed drinks to fit my mood and surroundings.

I need someone to instruct me on the ways of simple mixes.

[clueless]

Try Barlenders.

[Beat]

Your bartender should be able to help.

I'm not into liquor.

[Oberon]

Liquor, where to start?

Wherever she tells you. :D

[Samuel De Mazarin]

If you want something solid, that does the trick, and doesn't taste overwhelmingly like something you pay $100 for at the perfume counter, try a simple gin and tonic. The best gin is probably Bombay Sapphire.

There are always the vodkas... a college staple, nowadays... Stolichnaya's good, but Grey Goose is the best... there are some newfangled vodkas (Skyy) which have hints of lime, orange, strawberry, etc. flavoring, which may suit your taste. Purists would obviously have none of that. Have it with a tonic or orange juice or a variety of other mixes... I like mine in straight shots.

Classic tequila shot, lime and salt. Always an excellent punctuation point during a night of drinking. Jose Cuervo will do. Nothing more need be said.

A light liquor is Bailey's Irish Cream... I enjoy mine 1-part milk, 3-parts B's I.C. It's more of a "I don't bloody care what anyone thinks it tastes like something from bloody Starbucks and I LIKE it and NO I'm not a fucking alcoholic.... where's that bloody bottle? What? It's finished? Already? Damn thing runs out quicker than excuses..."-drink than a real dyed-in-the-wool liquor.

Others... a jack and coke... Jack Daniels, a whiskey, and coca-cola... whiskeys and their cousin bourbons are an acquired taste, though... I doubt a beer drinker would take quickly to them.

With many of these drinks there are many ways to have them... straight or on-the-rocks is always an option, but I recommend starting with mixes first... particularly when it comes to whiskeys, bourbons, cognacs...

This isn't a very original or comprehensive list... but it's a start... and it works for me!

The other option is to just to just look behind the bartender, check out the bottles, don't be shy to ask a couple of questions (bartenders, when not very busy, are usually good talkers and everyone likes to talk about his/her own profession) and ask for a recommendation. EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS but make sure you're sober enough to get back home.

[Wyst]

Be a man and try whiskey. Add a cigar and you'll smokin'. Hah.

[Oberon]

Unlike Samuel, I recommend bourbons; just don't start at the bottom. Buy a pint of Wild Turkey or George Dickel and blend it with soda to start. These are smooth enough to drink over ice or straight up if you wish.

Avoid Jack Daniels. Technically not a bourbon but a Tennessee Whiskey, it isn't as smooth as the bourbons I mentioned, and costs more than George Dickel.

[MacGuffin]

If you want something solid, that does the trick, and doesn't taste overwhelmingly like something you pay $100 for at the perfume counter, try a simple gin and tonic. The best gin is probably Bombay Sapphire.

There are always the vodkas... a college staple, nowadays... Stolichnaya's good, but Grey Goose is the best... there are some newfangled vodkas (Skyy) which have hints of lime, orange, strawberry, etc. flavoring, which may suit your taste. Purists would obviously have none of that. Have it with a tonic or orange juice or a variety of other mixes... I like mine in straight shots.

Classic tequila shot, lime and salt. Always an excellent punctuation point during a night of drinking. Jose Cuervo will do. Nothing more need be said.

A light liquor is Bailey's Irish Cream... I enjoy mine 1-part milk, 3-parts B's I.C. It's more of a "I don't bloody care what anyone thinks it tastes like something from bloody Starbucks and I LIKE it and NO I'm not a fucking alcoholic.... where's that bloody bottle? What? It's finished? Already? Damn thing runs out quicker than excuses..."-drink than a real dyed-in-the-wool liquor.

Others... a jack and coke... Jack Daniels, a whiskey, and coca-cola... whiskeys and their cousin bourbons are an acquired taste, though... I doubt a beer drinker would take quickly to them.

With many of these drinks there are many ways to have them... straight or on-the-rocks is always an option, but I recommend starting with mixes first... particularly when it comes to whiskeys, bourbons, cognacs...

This isn't a very original or comprehensive list... but it's a start... and it works for me!

The other option is to just to just look behind the bartender, check out the bottles, don't be shy to ask a couple of questions (bartenders, when not very busy, are usually good talkers and everyone likes to talk about his/her own profession) and ask for a recommendation. EXPAND YOUR HORIZONS but make sure you're sober enough to get back home.

Unlike Samuel, I recommend bourbons; just don't start at the bottom. Buy a pint of Wild Turkey or George Dickel and blend it with soda to start. These are smooth enough to drink over ice or straight up if you wish.

Avoid Jack Daniels. Technically not a bourbon but a Tennessee Whiskey, it isn't as smooth as the bourbons I mentioned, and costs more than George Dickel.
That's all good and I second Oberon's addition of bourbon. The only thing I'd add is don't waste expensive gin on G&Ts. There's no need, you won't taste the difference through the tonic and lime.

[Samuel De Mazarin]

That's all good and I second Oberon's addition of bourbon. The only thing I'd add is don't waste expensive gin on G&Ts. There's no need, you won't taste the difference through the tonic and lime.

Depends on how much tonic you put in... I usually ask the bartender to "give me a gin with a splash of tonic"... takes the edge off for me... but then again, I'm not a connoisseur.

[pure_mercury]

<------ Blanton's bourbon, neat. Makes Wild Turkey and Jim Beam look like turpentine. High alcohol content, too.

[Oberon]

There are quite a few high-end boutique bourbons out there now, but I know nothing about them. Sadly.

[BryNTP]

Question for the bourbon drinkers out there. I have been going through a 7&7 stage here lately. I was talking to someone and they mentioned that Seagrams 7 was a crap bourbon and that is why it is usually found mixed. Thoughts? Also, they mentioned a good cheap bourbon is Makers Mark.

[MacGuffin]

Question for the bourbon drinkers out there. I have been going through a 7&7 stage here lately. I was talking to someone and they mentioned that Seagrams 7 was a crap bourbon and that is why it is usually found mixed. Thoughts? Also, they mentioned a good cheap bourbon is Makers Mark.
Makers is pretty good.

[Oberon]

Seagrams 7 Crown technically isn't even bourbon, but a blended whiskey. Its most popular usage is in whiskey cocktails, and in that role I believe it's found its most appropriate niche. It makes a pretty good Manhattan, but I don't recommend it for drinking straight up.

[pure_mercury]

Makers is pretty good.

Yeah, that is a good one. Maker's and Woodford Reserve and Knob Creek are probably my usual bourbon drinks. They are the best of the bourbons that are at almost every bar these days. Heaven Hill is probably my favorite cheap bourbon. I once drank a liter of it, and, well, it was a rough night.

P.S. Oddly enough, for being a big whiskey fan, I can't stand Southern Comfort.

[alicia91]

I suggest a vodka martini with blue-cheese stuffed olives. For a sweeter (but still refreshing) summer drink try a Mojito (rum, lime, club soda and mint - I think).

[Beat]

How about Brandy?

First (and only) time I ever got completely blackout, wake-up-puking TRASHED was off of severely cheap Brandy. Never again. Never a god damn gain. http://www.b9board.com/images/smiles/011.gif

[Oberon]

How about Brandy?

First (and only) time I ever got completely blackout, wake-up-puking TRASHED was off of severely cheap Brandy. Never again. Never a god damn gain. http://www.b9board.com/images/smiles/011.gif

My first time was with an unholy bourbon-like evil spirit called "Fighting Cock."

They don't call it the kickin' chicken for nothing.

[Eileen]

I'm a vodka collins girl. Lemony and refreshing.

[EffEmDoubleyou]

I like Irish whiskey or bourbon. The Irish I tend to drink straight with a few drops of water, the bourbon I'll often have with Coke unless it's a good brand, then I'll have it straight sometimes. If I'm feeling like a sweet-ish cocktail, I'll add a little splash of grenadine and a cherry to my bourbon and Coke.

I'll drink other liquors from time to time, but I absolutely never have gin or Scotch. They're simply unfit for human consumption. :D Blech!

As opposed to someone who posted earlier, I think whiskey is a natural choice for a beer drinker looking to explore liquor. Many of the ingredients and flavors are the same, and the classic boilermaker is a good example of how they work well together.

[pure_mercury]

I like Irish whiskey or bourbon. The Irish I tend to drink straight with a few drops of water, the bourbon I'll often have with Coke unless it's a good brand, then I'll have it straight sometimes. If I'm feeling like a sweet-ish cocktail, I'll add a little splash of grenadine and a cherry to my bourbon and Coke.

I'll drink other liquors from time to time, but I absolutely never have gin or Scotch. They're simply unfit for human consumption. :D Blech!

As opposed to someone who posted earlier, I think whiskey is a natural choice for a beer drinker looking to explore liquor. Many of the ingredients and flavors are the same, and the classic boilermaker is a good example of how they work well together.

I agree. I am a big fan of craft beers and high-end bourbons. They go well together (until you've had too many, of course).

[locke]

Straight dark rum. Arrrrrrr...... :ninja:

[locke]

No one's taking my bait, so I'll just talk to myself.

Straight dark rum. Arrrrrrr...... :ninja:

That's not a pirate, that's a ninja.

It's a crafty pirate, and I mean that in both senses of the term.

Wha?

It's a pirate disguised as a ninja OR a pirate I crafted from a ninja.

I'm drunk by the way.

[locke]

And I think I've discovered my signature.

[Jack Flak]

That's a pretty fuckin' good signature. I don't know if it's worth five dollars, but it's pretty fuckin' good.

[prplchknz]

my room mate got a bottle of bacardi watermelon rum, and I tried some. It was good. Then again I like watermelon flavored stuff and rum, so that makes sense. I bet it would taste pretty good in strawberry pop.

I've also been drinking gin & tonics reacently and my room mate tried some and she liked it. though I have to have extra lime in them or else I find them undrinkable

[whatever]

Hendrick's gin and tonic with a spear of cucumber... it's really the only gin I find worth drinking and it doesn't taste the least like something you would clean the toilet with ;)

Dark rum with ginger ale- a dark and stormy- hard to get a bartender who knows what that is in the midwest :dry:

Fernet and coke- kind of bitter and earthy, but addictive once you get used to it :drool:

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of premium vodkas- not enough character for my tastes. I've always been pleased with a glass of Stoli with a large splash of olive juice and a handful of olives- I love dirty dry martinis- and there's NOTHING better than vodka olives :wubbie:

[Noel]

Whiskey/Bourbon
Makers Mark
Elijah Craig
High West
Knob Creek

[LadyJaye]

Perhaps this thread should be retitled : " All Whinos! Tell Me What You Got in Your Paper Bag!"

:D

[ajblaise]

It doesn't matter what liquor you choose, for you, it's all down from here.

Sick of beer, why not smoke weed?

[locke]

Perhaps this thread should be retitled : " All Whinos! Tell Me What You Got in Your Paper Bag!"

:D

"Nothin' inna bag but vomit, offisha... I shwear...."

[LadyJaye]

"Nothin' inna bag but vomit, offisha... I shwear...."

You can keep your bag then. lol

I'm just...gonna..... go....waaaaayyy over ... here.....

[Trinity]

This thread makes me all warm and fuzzy inside :rolleyes:

[Beat]

I rather hate liquor.

[Geoff]

I'm sick and tired of beer.

I've been listening to James Bond audio books and I want to be able to order a wide range of mixed drinks to fit my mood and surroundings.

I need someone to instruct me on the ways of simple mixes.

Surely with the James Bond audio books, it'll have to be a vodka martini, shaken not stirred!

[LadyJaye]

I'm a beer person, myself. A nice dark beer, like St. Paulie Girl Dark or Guinness Extra Stout.

[Metamorphosis]

I'm a beer person, myself. A nice dark beer, like St. Paulie Girl Dark or Guinness Extra Stout.

Dark beer totally dominates. There's a brewery by us that makes an awesome one. I want to try some Dark Lord imperial stout, though.

[LadyJaye]

Dark beer totally dominates. There's a brewery by us that makes an awesome one. I want to try some Dark Lord imperial stout, though.

I knew I liked you. :D

What's the name of the brewery?

[entropie]

Hassz aniyowne seehn miy glahzssehs ?!?!?!

http://blog.michael-bidinger.de/wp-content/uploads/frau_besoffen.jpg

[Metamorphosis]

I knew I liked you. :D

What's the name of the brewery?

BJ's brewery/restraunt

Although, I'm pretty sure it's contracted out to St. Arnolds. Not positive, though.

:yes:

[Beat]

I haven't ventured far into the land of dark beer. In fact all I've tried is Guiness on draught. It has a very interesting taste.

My faves are New Castle brown ale and Anchor Steam, a San Francisco beer. :cheers:

[entropie]

How can you drink a beer that is called "New Castles Brown" ?!

[Beat]

Oh, a half pint of Harp lager and Woodchucks cider is tasty too... ;)

[entropie]

you are scary !

[Metamorphosis]

I haven't ventured far into the land of dark beer. In fact all I've tried is Guiness on draught. It has a very interesting taste.

My faves are New Castle brown ale and Anchor Steam, a San Francisco beer. :cheers:

Beers like Shiner Bock and Sam Adams Black Lager are going to probably be smoother than Guiness if you're not used to the dark.

[Beat]

How can you drink a beer that is called "New Castles Brown" ?!

I drink a beer called "Newcastle brown ale". I accidently made two words of it in my post above.

I drink it cuz it's delish.

[entropie]

sry sir, didn't see your style per se :D

[Beat]

you are scary !
Haha. WTH are u talking about?

But yeah, I am scary... 80

[Trinity]

I'm a beer person, myself. A nice dark beer, like St. Paulie Girl Dark or Guinness Extra Stout.

Wow! Thread just got better :nice:

[Trinity]

I drink a beer called "Newcastle brown ale". I accidently made two words of it in my post above.

I drink it cuz it's delish.

:yes:

Good stuff!

[entropie]

And to you.. God suff prooost *hicks* *taumel* Wo hab ich das scheiss auto geparkt ... *hicks* ?!

[Beat]

*Points in the direction of the drunk thread.*

[whatever]

McEwans for a good starter on darker beers, though the alcohol content will sneak up on you... it's rather smooth for a darker beer in general.

Arrogant Bastard Ale is rather pleasant if you like dark ales already, and I'm still rather fond of Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter :wubbie:

[prplchknz]

I just tried Smithwick's the other day and I think it's my new favorite beer.

[rhinosaur]

In my opinion, a glass of good rum is fantastic. You don't even need to chill it, just drink it neat. The Captain Morgan spiced rum is good value, as is Bacardi Especial, and Bacardi Reserva. Good flavors on all of those. If you're willing to spend a little more, you can get a more sophisticated taste with an Anejo aged rum, but in my experience they're not usually worth the price, unless you're entertaining and want to look fancy by having a fancy bottle with a fancy name.

Gin would come in second place for me, then tequila. Fruity shit after that, then vodka and whiskey in next-to-last and last places, respectively.

Edit to add that I prefer a good beer over any kind of hard liquor.

[pure_mercury]

McEwans for a good starter on darker beers, though the alcohol content will sneak up on you... it's rather smooth for a darker beer in general.

Arrogant Bastard Ale is rather pleasant if you like dark ales already, and I'm still rather fond of Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter :wubbie:

All of the Samuel Smith's beers are great. I always get at least one of them when I go to The Foodery and get a Mix-a-Six.

The Foodery, Philadelphia (http://www.fooderybeer.com/)

It's like Candyland for drunks.

[EvanTheClown]

To the OP:

Mixed drinks I'm likely to have at any given party
Screwdriver: a little vodka in a glass of orange juice
White Russian: Kahlua, Cream(or milk), vodka
Jagerbomb: a shot of jagermeifter with a little bit of red bull

[prplchknz]

I just found out that they legalized absinthe in chicago. I want to try some, but I kinda want to get a group together to do that, plus it's expensive. Not too mention I know very very little about absinthe, so I would prefer to try it with someone who knows what to get and how to mix it.

[pure_mercury]

I just found out that they legalized absinthe in chicago. I want to try some, but I kinda want to get a group together to do that, plus it's expensive. Not too mention I know very very little about absinthe, so I would prefer to try it with someone who knows what to get and how to mix it.

To the best of my knowledge, all absinthe that is legal in the United States has to have a low thujone content, which was supposedly the psychoactive ingredient. That has been debunked to an extent, but the thujone/wormwood levels have been controlled for a long time. Some people have tried to pump up the legal absinthe with active wormwood, but that can make you super-sick. Caribou Cafe in Philadelphia is a restaurant in Center City that is done up like an early-20th Century Parisian cafe, and they serve absinthe (where you pour the water over the sugar cube and make the absinthe green and cloudy), but it is not psychoactive. It will get you drunk quickly if you keep drinking it, though. Stuff is strong.

[Beat]

Yeah, from what I've read the psychoactive ingredient in Absinthe won't even make you hallucinate. Absinthe is simply just a really strong alcohol that will screw you up.

[Metamorphosis]

It's nothing to write home about. It just seemed like a really strong drink to me (which is what it is). And as far as I know it's not illegal to purchase for personal consumption anywhere in the U.S.

[Beat]

Yeah, pretty sure it was recently legalized throughout the whole U.S.

Don't really care though, liquor FTL.

[gopher]

I'm sick and tired of beer.

I've been listening to James Bond audio books and I want to be able to order a wide range of mixed drinks to fit my mood and surroundings.

I need someone to instruct me on the ways of simple mixes.

Even with simple mixes, get your wallet out...

My wife and I have gotten into Liqour over the last couple years, but have really started branching out lately. Oh, and find a good lime supply...

The best ones recently, given the heat of summer and all, are mojito (rum, lime juice, simple syrup, mint leaves, and soda water - play with it until it tastes good to you) and gin and tonic (gin, tonic, lime wedge - again to taste). They just have a simple freshness to them and you can tweek them to your specific taste/tolerance for alcohol. Rum is great, but you usually have to get some sort of juice and other liqour for mixing, or just go with the rum and coke. There is so much out there, you just have to start making that investment into the stuff that you add to the liqour, like grenadine, Rose's lime juice, Bitters, sweet and sour, various juices (check out pomagranite in place of cranberry...). Oh, and Triple Sec goes with a lot of stuff. We don't do tequila too often, again mixed with other stuff. There are also a lot of options for soda water to help change the flavor. It isn't really flavored, but it has the essence of lime or lemon or orange. Very good...

Then, there are so many different types of each liqour. We have had Gin Night with a few different types to find the one we like. We have also had Rum Night and Tequila Night. We tried Vodka Night, but I couldn't tell a difference.

Tuaca in the hot tub on a brisk night, even in the snow, is great.

[EffEmDoubleyou]

I have a bottle of regular wormwood absinthe as a souvenir from my time in Canada, but I don't know if I'll ever open it. It's better as a conversation piece, and I hate the taste of licorice/anise.

[Noel]

The Rogue Brewery concocts Spirits! (http://www.rogue.com/spirits/spirits.php)

Spruce Gin (World's First Spruce Gin) - I had this one the rocks. And I've never really appreciated Gin just on the rocks. This Gin on the rocks well rocks. You get the flavour of Spruce with that distinctive Gin taste coupled with a smooth yet deceivingly alcoholic beverage. One of the best Gins I've had in my life.

Hazelnut Rum - When it first enters your mouth, you feel 'half' of the hazelnut flavour but once you swallow, you get the other 'half' of a smooth yet deceivingly alcoholic beverage like the Gin. The best Rum I've had in my life.

Their 'smoothness' by no means detracts from their richness - it just makes more damn drinkable.


Dark/White Rum - Pending examination.

[EvanTheClown]

I just found out that they legalized absinthe in chicago. I want to try some, but I kinda want to get a group together to do that, plus it's expensive. Not too mention I know very very little about absinthe, so I would prefer to try it with someone who knows what to get and how to mix it.

First off, there are no hallucinogens in absinthe. The wormwood thats in them was mistaken for having hallucinogenic effects when really in Van Gogh's time period when absinthe was at its peak, the chemicals they used to preserve the alcohol were contaminated and/or had some nasty effects.
Absinthe is only a badass alcohol because the herbal combinations in it give it both stimulant and dissociative properties while being incredibly alcoholic.

Place a fork over your cup. put 2 sugar cubes in the fork. pour absinthe slowly over the cubes into the drink.

Be warned, its gonna taste like minty licorice evil voodoo, but the side-effects of it are fun as hell.

[Beat]

Drank a Vanilla Porter brewed at a local brewery/restaurant here recently. It was pretty damn tasty I must say.

[kyuuei]

I'll share my personal favorites, as I too am not a fan of beer.

When I wanna get hammered with almost no hangover: Caribou Lou: Pineapple juice, Rum 151, and Malibu Coconut rum. Fucks you up quick, and it tastes awesome.. and since I get drunk really fast, there isn't enough alcohol to give me massive hangovers.

When I'm Chillin at the house with a buddy: The REAL southern Comfort: Rum and sweet tea. Real refreshing and cool with a kick.

When I'm chilling with my friends: Malibu Kamikaze: Triple sec, Sweet and sour, and Malibu rum. (Can you tell I like rum?) Real light drink, without being too francy and fussy and tastes a bit sweet so you don't drink it too quick lest you'd want to.

When I'm out at a restaurant and going to spend a lot on a drink anyways: Grass-skirts. (They're called all sorts of things, but they kind of taste like melon flavored margaritas with rum instead of tequila... I forget what's in em.)

When I'm bringing to the party: Strawberry Jello Shots. 10 oz Banana rum with a regular recipe of strawberry jello makes for a good night and tastes awesome.

Occasionally I do enjoy the Jack and Coke or Rum and coke, margaritas or shots, but those are my favorites.

[Metamorphosis]

When I wanna get hammered with almost no hangover: Caribou Lou: Pineapple juice, Rum 151, and Malibu Coconut rum. Fucks you up quick, and it tastes awesome.. and since I get drunk really fast, there isn't enough alcohol to give me massive hangovers.


YouTube - Tech N9ne - Caribou Lou (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41BdMAbH2kc)

[Kanamori]

To drink whiskey mixed with ice, or soda is to blaspheme your God... you'll regret it, just don't do it. Seriously, it makes buying anything expensive pointless. Talisker, Johnnie Walker, Glenmorangie, and Laphroaig are my favorites. IIRC, Talisker and Glenlivet are probably the best beginners if you're not sure you'd like whiskey... you can also get packs of small samples online.

[Midget]

I like all kinds of alcohol...when I'm drinking mixed drinks, it's usually G&T or gin & juice...or whisky. But lately I've just been drinking beer and wine. :p