Setting up a Small Bar?!
What are a few types and brands of liquor to have on hand!? I'm not looking to go all out but I want to have a bit of a selection!. Obviously Vodka, Rum, Gin, but what brands would be recommended!?Www@FoodAQ@Com
Answers:
If you want to have a well stocked bar and not look like you skimped you should have one of the following brands for vodka!. Ketel One, high mid range price, but worth it!. Grey Goose, too expensive and make you look like a snob!. Stolichnaya, a very good quality for the price!. Absolut, a standard, but dated!. Less expensive brands are Smirnoff and Finlandia!.
I would choose Ketel or Finlandia!.
Rum has several very different varieties!. Malibu is a coconut flavored rum and moderately priced!. Meyer's is a dark, sweet rum and also moderately priced!. Bacardi is a clear rum and again, moderately priced!.
If I were to get one, it would be Meyer's Dark!. It will mix with coke, orange juice pineapple juice and tonic!.
A gin drinker is more finicky!. They usually like it straight in a martini!. Beefeater, Tanqueray are the two most popular and reasonably priced!. I recommend Beefeater!. It is not too pretentious and will make a fine martini!.
Don't forget scotch!. Johnny Walker Red is a fine blended scotch whiskey and will impress your guest without breaking your budget!.
Bourbon has many varieties!. There is Wild Turkey 101 which is very strong and I would not suggest serving to guests!. Old Grand Dad is fine!. Jack Daniels is a bit different than conventional bourbons and will not substitute well for bourbon!.
Whiskey you should stock is either Seagram's 7 or V!.O!. Both are fine and available at a good price!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I would choose Ketel or Finlandia!.
Rum has several very different varieties!. Malibu is a coconut flavored rum and moderately priced!. Meyer's is a dark, sweet rum and also moderately priced!. Bacardi is a clear rum and again, moderately priced!.
If I were to get one, it would be Meyer's Dark!. It will mix with coke, orange juice pineapple juice and tonic!.
A gin drinker is more finicky!. They usually like it straight in a martini!. Beefeater, Tanqueray are the two most popular and reasonably priced!. I recommend Beefeater!. It is not too pretentious and will make a fine martini!.
Don't forget scotch!. Johnny Walker Red is a fine blended scotch whiskey and will impress your guest without breaking your budget!.
Bourbon has many varieties!. There is Wild Turkey 101 which is very strong and I would not suggest serving to guests!. Old Grand Dad is fine!. Jack Daniels is a bit different than conventional bourbons and will not substitute well for bourbon!.
Whiskey you should stock is either Seagram's 7 or V!.O!. Both are fine and available at a good price!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Really depends on the money you want to spend, but if you want nice brands without shelling out a ton of dough, plus ones that are popular!.!.!.
Vodka - Ketel One or Belvedere
Rum - Bacardi but also Captain Morgan is popular
Gin - either Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire
also - you may want to get a bottle of whiskey!.!.!.like Jack Daniels or Canadian Club!.
From there I would think about a good bottle of tequila (Cuervo if your friends are big drinkers, if not invest in a nicer one like Patron) and of course Jagermeister is popular!.
You might also want to pick up some vermouth to make martini's, plus some triple sec and lime juice for some other mixers!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Vodka - Ketel One or Belvedere
Rum - Bacardi but also Captain Morgan is popular
Gin - either Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire
also - you may want to get a bottle of whiskey!.!.!.like Jack Daniels or Canadian Club!.
From there I would think about a good bottle of tequila (Cuervo if your friends are big drinkers, if not invest in a nicer one like Patron) and of course Jagermeister is popular!.
You might also want to pick up some vermouth to make martini's, plus some triple sec and lime juice for some other mixers!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
The first question you need to answer for yourself is your budget constraints!.
I take it you haven't already established favorites!.
If what you think you will mostly do is make mixed drinks: Gin & Tonic, Vodka Collins, Rum & Coke-- I'd go cheap!.
If you're serving drinks straight (or nearly so, like martinis), you want good booze!.
I'm more of a Gin drinker than Vodka (even for bloody mary's) and my favorites are Bombay or Tanqueray!. (In bloody mary's, most won't taste the difference with cheap gin or vodka!.
Flavored Vodkas are hot these days!. I particularly like the Espresso Vodka that I believe Smirnoff makes!.
Brandy would be a good thing to round out your selection and handy for a number of recipes if you cook!.
Scotch would be great for those who like the stuff!. Generally not my thing, but some single malt Scotches have tempted me!. According to my wife who lived in Scotland many years, Isle of Jura is nice if you can find it!. Glenfiddich and Glenmorringie are good standards!.
Jack Daniels would be an obvious pick for whiskey, and I believe they are graded by the color of the label!. The price will tell the story there!.
Sambucca is lovely if you like the flavor of anise (licorice)!.
My wife accuses me of drinking like an old woman (a!.k!.a!. her mother) but I enjoy Sherry - Hartley & Gibson's "full, rich dessert Sherry" is a best buy in my book!.
For more you might check out the Food & Drink section of Suite101!.com that I contribute to!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
I take it you haven't already established favorites!.
If what you think you will mostly do is make mixed drinks: Gin & Tonic, Vodka Collins, Rum & Coke-- I'd go cheap!.
If you're serving drinks straight (or nearly so, like martinis), you want good booze!.
I'm more of a Gin drinker than Vodka (even for bloody mary's) and my favorites are Bombay or Tanqueray!. (In bloody mary's, most won't taste the difference with cheap gin or vodka!.
Flavored Vodkas are hot these days!. I particularly like the Espresso Vodka that I believe Smirnoff makes!.
Brandy would be a good thing to round out your selection and handy for a number of recipes if you cook!.
Scotch would be great for those who like the stuff!. Generally not my thing, but some single malt Scotches have tempted me!. According to my wife who lived in Scotland many years, Isle of Jura is nice if you can find it!. Glenfiddich and Glenmorringie are good standards!.
Jack Daniels would be an obvious pick for whiskey, and I believe they are graded by the color of the label!. The price will tell the story there!.
Sambucca is lovely if you like the flavor of anise (licorice)!.
My wife accuses me of drinking like an old woman (a!.k!.a!. her mother) but I enjoy Sherry - Hartley & Gibson's "full, rich dessert Sherry" is a best buy in my book!.
For more you might check out the Food & Drink section of Suite101!.com that I contribute to!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
It does depend on your budget and the types of cocktails you are making!. I can give you some reasonably priced suggestions that most people will find acceptable!. Vodka: Smirnoff or Sky!. Gin:Beefeater, Whiskey: Jim Beam or Jack Daniels!. Tequila: Jose Cuervo Gold!.!. Rum: Bacardi Light!. These liquors mix well and stand alone straight nicely too!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
For Vodka: the best 'value' vodka is Stolichnaya, mass produced, reasonably priced, and far bettter than absolut, smirnoff e!.t!.c!. Stolichnaya is ranked quite highly for a good value vodka!. For premium vodka's, the ones drunk neat, I suggest Chopin, which is better than other 'pretentious' vodkas , and cheap in the US compared to AUS (its 30 USD I think, but in AUS like 50 USD!)
Rum: DO NOT BUY BACARDI!. Rubbish mass produced!. Havana club is reasonable value, easy to find and is decent!.
Gin: Bombay Sapphire and Tanquerray or overpriced, and don't have the backbone for a good martini!. Beefeaters is great in anything, but Plymouth gin is the best, plus its quite good value (according to tastings!.com- independent liquor review site), and I agree!. I've seen Plymouth in most good bars in Sydney!.
I'd suggest a decent bottle of Scotch, its very popular drunken over the rocks or neat; jonnny walker red label will do on a budget, but chivas regal, glenfiddich, e!.t!.c certainly ain't bad!.
Once you got the base liquors (rum, vodka, gin), you might want to experiment with what liquers you'd like!. Cointreau or Luxardum triple sec, is highly versatile and recommended!. Other liquers depend on your taste, and what you want to mix, its very subjective!.
Keep a supply of Tonic water, pineapple juice, tomato juice, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice and cranberry juice: these mix with pretty much any base!.
Remember balance sweet with sour, if its to sweet, a little lemon or lime works wonders!.Www@FoodAQ@Com
Rum: DO NOT BUY BACARDI!. Rubbish mass produced!. Havana club is reasonable value, easy to find and is decent!.
Gin: Bombay Sapphire and Tanquerray or overpriced, and don't have the backbone for a good martini!. Beefeaters is great in anything, but Plymouth gin is the best, plus its quite good value (according to tastings!.com- independent liquor review site), and I agree!. I've seen Plymouth in most good bars in Sydney!.
I'd suggest a decent bottle of Scotch, its very popular drunken over the rocks or neat; jonnny walker red label will do on a budget, but chivas regal, glenfiddich, e!.t!.c certainly ain't bad!.
Once you got the base liquors (rum, vodka, gin), you might want to experiment with what liquers you'd like!. Cointreau or Luxardum triple sec, is highly versatile and recommended!. Other liquers depend on your taste, and what you want to mix, its very subjective!.
Keep a supply of Tonic water, pineapple juice, tomato juice, lime juice, lemon juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice and cranberry juice: these mix with pretty much any base!.
Remember balance sweet with sour, if its to sweet, a little lemon or lime works wonders!.Www@FoodAQ@Com