[Wrathblood]

After moving, we hit the local ABC store to stock up on the basics and we brought a fair bit of various things in the move itself, but all things eventually run out which became clear while I was attempting to make a pitcher of Bloody Marys yesterday. After running through all of our remaining vodka, almost all of our rum, and a smidge of other relatively inoffensive things, I decided that it would be better to leave them a little weak than to start on the gin, suggesting that it was time to stock up.

Compared to NY where we used to keep the liquor in a box under a table, we've got an actual bar here with plenty of storage space. So, I'm starting the project of deciding what to get and am looking for suggestions. Feel free to chime in on things you'd like to see in a well stocked bar.

[Guinthel]

lick quor?
what is this i don't even...

[Wrathblood]

Its like beer, only more so.

[Ballack]

Scotch nothing says class about an in house bar than scotch.

A 12 year old single malt scotch... several is better.
An 18 year old scotch or two.
A 25 year old scotch for special occasions.

Other essentials:

Bombay Sapphire - makes Tanqueray taste like piss in a jar.
Ketel One - original (flavors are for college girls) Grey Goose is also acceptable depending on preference.
Captain Morgan - spiced rum is so tasty. Malibu for the non-spiced drinkers.
Seagram's - 7 and 7's are delicious
Some sort of tequila - only for the ladies though - as Katie puts it (The happy naked fun drink - for women, The angry punch your neighbor drink - for men)

Rail booze - gin vodka rum whiskey - for the drunks - never let them hammer down the good stuff.

Brew - keep a varied collection.

Microbrews - probably 3-4 different kinds (Great for those days when you just want a brew)
Something on tap - aka Miller, Rolling Rock, whatever - if you get Bud I will kill you myself. (For the have more than a couple days or when you can't tell the difference on the microbrews anymore.)

Obviously mixers for making all your classics - martinis, margaritas, bloody mary's, etc...

None beverage essentials:

Dice and Cup
Cards

Invite me over then - not that I drink anymore anyway six years in the sober tank.

[Efebo]

Tequila!

[Sobeyet]

I'm a big vodka drinker. My favorite's Stoli Elite, but it's a bit on the expensive side so not for everyday drinking. For more common purposes I usually go with Belvedere, Grey Goose is like water and should be avoided unless you're luring over college freshman girls. Hangar One is a good domestic vodka made in California if you can find it.

As far as single malts go, I usually prefer Macallan or Laphroaig. For blended scotch Johnny Walker Blue is nice, but very much a bottle you keep around for a while.

I'm not a big gin drinker, but as far as the mainstream brands go I'd second Bombay Sapphire.

Tequila-wise Patron Silver's in that mid-range of quality and is usually my mainstream favorite. On the higher end, Patron Platinum is nice, I like Tequila Ocho Single Estate.

Should always keep a few bottles of champagne around, my favorite mid-range is Veuve Clicquot (they make a nice rosé too) and Moet & Chandon.

And of course wine. Too many varieties to list, but some of the wineries I always enjoy are Sterling, Justin (Isoceles), and BV.

Oh and not a big beer drinker, but Captain Lawrence is an awesome microbrew that's made in Westchester county.

[Efebo]

ur tequila choises i have no idea those brands
Tequila Herradura Antiguo FTW

[Deceax]

Liquor:
Tequila - Herradura
Whiskey - Crown Royal, Seagrams 7
Gin - Beefeater, Bombay Sapphire
Cordial - Grand Manier (great drink to sip with a nice cigar)
Vodka - Makes me barf
Scotch - Not >40 so no recommendation

Beer:
Sweetwater 420 - gotta represent the local brewery!
Yuengling - Put me through college

Have a humidor with some Arturo Fuente Hemingways for when I come to visit.

[Sobeyet]

People in Mexico don't drink Patron? Weird. I know Herradura's a bit more traditional; I've tried both brand's Silvers neat, I prefer the Patron tbh. I haven't tried the high end Herradura, but if I'm going to drop 300 bucks on a bottle of liquor it's not going to be tequila.

[Len]

No Kahlua or Bailey's? For shame...

[Unholyfury]

I just had some buttery nipples a few nights ago. Shit was bomb! :3

[Wrathblood]

Excellent input, everyone. All being duly noted as I take stock of how much surface area I've got to work with.

Mrs Wrath is a rabid anti-smoker with a sharp sense of smell, and she still mocks me for the time ~12 years ago when I smoked a bunch of cigars at her cousin's wedding, drank a ton, then early the next morning had to fly a puddle-jumper (through strong turbulence) back to NYC. I spent the flight booting heavily, and then had to go straight into a job interview. Got the job, though they did ask if I was feeling ok (no, actually, I don't feel ok at all, but I don't think admitting to that will help me here). So, cigars and a humidor are probably out.

[Hecatus]

Humidor?

[Wrathblood]

Do bailies et al get funky if you dont refrigerate them?

[Deceax]

Quote

Humidor?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=humidor

[orodruin]

Sobeyet, on 21 February 2011 - 11:13 PM, said:

As far as single malts go, I usually prefer Macallan or Laphroaig.

These are heavy on the peaty side. I would recommend balancing a Laphroaig with something like a Glenmorangie 12 yr.

[Sobeyet]

orodruin, on 24 February 2011 - 05:25 AM, said:

These are heavy on the peaty side. I would recommend balancing a Laphroaig with BOX WINE. LOTS AND LOTS OF BOX WINE.

Fix't

[Wrathblood]

Update - ran into an unexpected complication. Shelves behind the bar are only 11" high which is a little higher than needed for glasses but too short for most bottles. A resolvable problem, I think, but demands further planning.

On the bright side, I'm in DC with the Wrathettes for the weekend which provides an ideal opportunity for scotch tasting in various ways.

[Wrathblood]

Shelves haven't been as big a problem as expected and 11" seems to be a relatively standard height for 750 ml bottles of various sorts of things. Wine/champaign bottles, single malt scotches, and higher end vodkas are the only things that seem to have "regular" size bottles taller than this, so they get to fight over the limited "top of the counter" space.

[Wrathblood]

Glennmorangie Quinta Ruban 12 year and Macallan year won the Scotch tasting. I think they off-set each other nicely.