Please help with ideas on stocking my bar (1 Viewer)

[Stephen L]

I just acquired a nice little bar setup that I added to my basement room/2nd HT. I'm basically a beer drinker and my wife occasionally drinks wine.I want to stock the bar with some nice choice hard liqour entertaining.Any ideas and choices for vodka, gin & tequila etc.
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Steve

 

[Alex-C]

Vodkas: Ketel-One, Stoli, Absolut but keep a bottle of Grey goose for yourself.
gin: Bombay Sapphire is a good commonly found gin. Tanqueray is a standard.
I dont know tequilas.
Also good to keep on hard, dry vermouth, triple sec...well, you probably have those, you only asked about gin, vodka and tequila.
you didnt mention Rum at all so I wont go there. There are many flavored vodkas too that are good, like if you enjoy Cosmopolitans than you can chose to get absolut rasperry.

 

[Oscar W]

Tequila = Herradura Anejo

- straight up or with a little Trip Sec, Rose's Sweet & Sour Mix & Lime Juice for Margarita's.....mmmmmmmm.....margarita's......brb, maybe, gotta go make somethin'

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My DVD's
[Edited last by Oscar W on October 13, 2001 at 11:36 PM]

 

[Clinton McClure]

And for the people you don't like, keep a bottle of Mad Dog 20/20.

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http://www.dvdprofiler.com/mycollection.asp?alias=mport_drivrCasa del Clint

 

[Mark Dubbelboer]

The beauty of alcohol is it'll store forever. So even if you don't drink an alcohol you can still buy it and keep the purdy bottles.
added to the list you compiled should be a decent bottle of scotch. you don't need anything too fancy but a bar wouldn't be complete without it.
plus a really nice wine rack will do wonders to making the place look snazzy.
if you ask me there's absolutely no difference between vodkas and tequilas it's all just a conspiracy...and unfortunately for you you did ask me
keep at least one light or dark rum in the bar as it's a popular choice liquor.
a nice shaker and a bottle of vermouth are also necessary. and don't forget some nice coasters...nothing worse than liquid rings on wood

 

[Oscar W]

woohooo!!!!

***burp*** gimme another shot!

 

[Kirk Gunn]

As being one who holds a certificate in mixology from a previous life, I can offer this advice:
Booze is like HT. There is good stuff, and there is bad stuff. Some people can't tell the difference, but some can. For those that can, they can be very discerning and loyal to their brands. You'll never please everyone. My neighbor loves Grey Goose Vodka at ~ 30.00 per liter. They were hosting dinner, so I thought I'd bring the mixings for martinis. The store was out of Grey Goose, so I picked up "The Tall Blonde" which was about the same price. Whoops !!!! He was very gracious about it, but suddenly his drink of choice went from martinis to margaritas....
While Saphire Bombay and top-top shelf tequila are wonderful, they will quickly put you in the poor house. Since you don't seem to drink too much liquor, it's a very poor return on investment. (who wants to pay a lot to watch your friends get buzzed on great booze ?) I'd suggest going "middle of the road" with the typical lineup:
Vodka: Smirnoff
Gin: Tanqueray
Rum: Bacardi or Mount Gay
Tequila: Cuervo Gold, Sauza or Margaritaville
Triple Sec: Hiram Walkers
Scotch: Johnnie Walker Red
Whiskey: Jack Daniels or Old Granddad.
Liqueurs: Kahlua, Baileys, Gran Manier (a little pricey, but a touch of class... typically just an after dinner snifter is all that's needed)
These are all much better than the typical rail liquors at bars, but are typically not over-priced. They will show you are discerning, yet down-to-earth.
Now...Once you get hooked on top shelf tequilas, start another thread, I love 'em all !!!!
Enjoy !

 

[Neil N]

As being one who holds a certificate in mixology from a previous life
"college boy"
Actually, I agree with Kirk, you don't need to spend a lot on the most expensive brands if that's not really your style. Just avoid the bottom of the line stuff. Experiment and decide what you like. A good book (or web site) on cocktails can give you some ideas on what to stock for mixers and such.
One suggestion, if you want something a little more expensive and possibly classy, is Benedictine. I enjoy it once in a while at least.
-Neil

 

[Chuck C]

If you wanna amaze your guests, keep a bottle of Everclear 190 proof....not to drink (You'd die), but to light on fire. You can top a drink off with everclear and serve up a flaming anything or you can pour liquid fire from one glass to another! Fun!
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Chuck
http://www.hometheaterinsider.com

 

[Scott H]

My bar:
Bacardi Light Rum
Bacardi Dark Rum
Beefeater Dry Gin
Maker's Mark Whiskey
The Balvenie 10 yr Single Malt Scotch
E&J VSOP Brandy
Didaronno Amaretto
Sauza Tequila Extra
Sauza Tequila Hornitas 100% Agave
Priviet Vodka
Grey Goose Vodka
Mixers:
Extra Dry Vermouth
Triple Sec
Grenadine
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[Mark Hayenga]

Tequila(s): Sauza Tres Generaciones, Patron, Don Eduardo
Mark

 

[Kirk Gunn]

Mark -
Have you tried Lapiz Anejo ? It comes in a blue pyramid bottle. Incredible stuff. A slightly nutty taste, but it is smooooooth. Check it out !
I enjoy Patron also, got a bottle sitting in the freezer right now !

 

[Anthony Hom]

Plus keep a bottle of Dom Perignon or Tattingers champaign (1994, if possible). You are suppose to keep them at room temperature until you are ready to drink them, then put it in an ice bucket to chill.
you never know when a special occasion commands a bottle of champaign. You can keep lesser ones, like Moet Chandon, Mumms or Perrier for regular occasions.
Also, have one bottle of Cognac, maybe XO, Remy Martin or Courvosier. (Maybe cigars, too if you smoke)
So you'll need an ice bucket for champaign bottles, too.
A second vote for no bar is complete without a bottle of Jack Daniels Bourbon.

 

[Matt Stryker]

I agree that you should go middle of the line if you are not a big liquor drinker, because it allows you to have a much wider selection for the same cost. Some ideas would be:
Tequila- Jose Cuervo/Pepe Lopez (it depends on whether this is for margaritas or for shooting, shooting usually requires a higher quality.
Vodka- Smirnoff 100 is good, and a real potato vodka if you develop a taste for it (most vodka is made from grain, not potatoes contrary to popular belief)
Bourbon- Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, or Fighting Cock. I'm a big fan of the Fighting cock, it is a bit stronger than the Jim/Jack and comes in a neat little box.
Scotch- Dewars, Chivas, or Cutty Sark will do nicely. Most scotch drinkers can make do with those, and you can really spend more than you need to on scotch.
Rum- Captain Morgan is a good midrange standard, and Mount Gay and Bacardi are also good.
Other great stuff to have on hand is Blue Curacao (great for coloring drinks), Midori, After Shock/Goldschlager (good for a slightly wilder party), Roses lime juice/grenadine, Dailys sour mix, a blender, and those little paper umbrellas.
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Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball.

 

[KeithAP]

Alcohol is all well and good but you have to get one of these things....

http://www.totallygross.com
-Keith

 

[Philip_G]

put in a soda gun and bag in box setup while you're at it. Then you can have carbonated water and various soda's for drinks

 

[Stephen L]

Thanks everybody for great recommendations.Well my wife and I did a little shopping and picked up spirits.Gin-Bombay Sapphire , Vodka-Skyy(I wanted Stoli but wife loved the blue bottle),Kahlua , Gran Marnier,Rum-Mount Gay . The toughest choice was the Tequila(I know zero about teq.) ,didn't think we be doing many shooters , just Margaritas so we picked up Margaritaville.Wow the tab added up fast but I'll still be grabbing StarWars PM tomorrow.Thanks again as it looks like it will be a little while outfitting my new toy.
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Steve

 

[SteveGon]

A buddy of mine would be apalled if one had a bar and no Irish whiskey! Break out the Jameson's!
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He thought on homeland, the big timber, the air thin and chill all the year long. Tulip poplars so big through the trunk they put you in mind of locomotives set on end. He thought of getting home and building him a cabin on Cold Mountain so high that not a soul but the nighthawks passing across the clouds in autumn could hear his sad cry. Of living a life so quiet he would not need ears. And if Ada would go with him, there might be the hope, so far off in the distance he did not even really see it, that in time his despair might be honed off to a point so fine and thin that it would be nearly the same as vanishing.
-- Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain

 

[Dax Scott]

Sorry kids, Jack Daniels isn't really a bourbon. It's close, but the charcoal filtering disqualifies it from being accurately called bourbon. (No disrespect to the Jack fans... in fact, single barrel Jack is some darn good stuff.)
Since bourbon is my drink of choice, I thought I'd throw a few suggestions out there. Something like Makers Mark or Jim Beam is fine if you're going to be mixing with Coke, but if you want some tasty bourbon straight up or on the rocks, take a look at Knob Creek or Evan Williams single barrel. Both of these are middle-of-the-road price-wise, but are quite good. If you want the ultimate, grab a bottle of Booker's - if you can find it. I usually don't see it around Chicagoland. Since I grew up in the heart of bourbon country (Nelson County, Kentucky) I can always find the good small-batch stuff when I go home to visit the family.
Cheers!

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Dax R. Scott - DVD Addict
Ask yourself... what would Ditka do?

 

[SteveGon]

Dax, you're makin' me thirsty! Bourbon on the rocks....mmm-good!
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He thought on homeland, the big timber, the air thin and chill all the year long. Tulip poplars so big through the trunk they put you in mind of locomotives set on end. He thought of getting home and building him a cabin on Cold Mountain so high that not a soul but the nighthawks passing across the clouds in autumn could hear his sad cry. Of living a life so quiet he would not need ears. And if Ada would go with him, there might be the hope, so far off in the distance he did not even really see it, that in time his despair might be honed off to a point so fine and thin that it would be nearly the same as vanishing.
-- Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain