Stocking your at-home bar

[MadJohnShaft]

Clearly you are out of space.



I got a green Chartuse which is weird shit.

I also got an expensive rye whiskey for fun. Ain't tried it yet.

[MadJohnShaft]

here's a fun drink mix guide with all the basics, some of the online drink recipes sources include too many weird things - these are pretty good.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/06/12/dining/summer-drinks-generator.html?module=Search&mabReward=relbias%3As#/?id=negroni_0-0-0

[kokojones]

Try it with your rye in a Toronto.  I recently invented a Fernet drink.  It's a take on Fernet and Coke.  1 shot Fernet, 8oz coke juice of half a lime on ice with a float of cold brew coffee.

As far as what I keep around, Martin Millers gin, a mid grade vodka, 100% agave tequila.  usually have Heering, Pimms, Luxardo, curacao, triple sec. Benedictine.  I need to pick up some Campari, Chartreuse, and some absinthe.

Now THAT sounds like a beverage I can support.  Weird, medicinal bitters AND coffee?  Yup.

Sorry for being so negligent in a conversation is started.  6 weeks to go in nursing school had me -666% occupied. 

I finally picked up (i.e. Brooklyn Hemispherical finally made) some black mission fig bitters to mimick-at-home my favorite craft cocktail bar's variation on the vieux carré.  It took me 2 drinks to replicate it, but I decided on 1.5 barspoons of cherry Heering in place of the Benedictine and one dropper of fig bitters w/ one dash of Peychaud's.   Had 2 of that recipe and then 2 boulevardiers with Bulleit rye, Campari, and Antica Carpano vermouth. 

[kokojones]

I originally meant to mention that I'm engaged to get hitched next September.  I fully plan on hosting a stock-the-bar stag party.

I was ready to request a bottle of laphroigh and then a buddy told me he "hated" in favor of "younger" Macallans.  Whatever.  Beggars should not be choosers.  Please, give me delicious booze.

[Volume]

I general, Laphroaig is very different from Macallan. Laphroaig known for it's peaty and smoky taste, while Macallan is smooth and sweet, with toffee and marmalade flavours. Peronally I think the Laphroaig 10yo is overrated, it's very harsh, the older ones are excellent though. I the end it's a matter of preference, do you like smoke and peat or smooth and sweet.

[NCR600]

As far as Scotch goes, I've got the following on my bar:

Hellyer's Road Tasmanian 10yr old: Very honey and floral-y single malt from Tasmania. The barley supllier for Hellyer's road is currently producing a small batch of brewing malt that I'm very much looking forward to trying.
Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 12yr old, matured in sherry casks. Too sweet for my tatses
Balavenie 15yr old. Meh.
Glenfarclas 15yr old. Quite honeyed, but a bt harsh I prefer the younger Hellyer's Road to this.
Laphroiag 15yr old. Wow!
Ardbeg Uigadail. Double wow. A bit harsh, but a show stopper if you like super smoky, phenolic Islay malts.

[MadJohnShaft]

You need arms - a baseball bat, zip ties, pepper spray, surveillance,. Oxygen.

Start with the basics - black jack, Roulette, and poker. Watery drinks and watererier waitstaff. Only Romanian super models.

[nicster]

Volume, please tell me you live in Sydney and are willing to invite me over for a tasting.

As for me, I don't keep spirits in the house, other than a bottle of voddie in the freezer and a bottle of dark rum that's been in the cupboard for 5 years. There might be some shitty Scotch that's been there for 10 years as well. If I want cocktails, I go out to a bar. I can't remember the last time I made a drink at home. Maybe I need to get more grown up and start buying stuff that could be described as 'peaty'?

[Volume]

I'm sorry to say I live about as far away from Sidney as you can get, in Turku, Finland. The offer still stands though.

[mortlock]

I have beer and tequila..thats all you get if you are at my place..

[MadJohnShaft]

You need to buy one Vodka and one Blended scotch and a Makers whiskey.

[black]

Dorm Room vs. Home Bar.

Both are exceptable.

[mortlock]

I go old school..no pun intended..

[MadJohnShaft]

Toga!

[Beta Cloud]

all you high falootin' designer drinkers...pshaw.

here's my home bar-

[Beta Cloud]

^and there's just enough for me and MORTLOCK, so keep your filthy mitts off my giant tall boys.

[Beta Cloud]

Dorm Room vs. Home Bar.

Both are exceptable.

and maybe a tallboy for BLACK. but that's it.

[black]

I appreciate your taste, style and generosity.

Skål!!

[chille01]

When I last took all the bottles off the shelf to dust, they filled the entire kitchen table.  We did a quick bit of math, and figure there's probably upwards of $3K worth of booze there.  I used to keep all the top shelf stuff on the literal top shelf, until my girlfriend pointed out we live in an earthquake zone, so I moved all the expensive bottles to a low shelf where they only have a few inches to fall.

Most of the value in in scotch, but I've been branching out and developing my bourbon and rye pallet over the last year or so.  I'm also a big fan of value... bottles that are reasonably priced but still quite drinkable.  Tamdhu scotch, Cazadores tequla, Four Roses bourbon are all examples.  Maybe not the most refined versions in any of their categories, but good enough to feed to someone you're trying to convince to broaden their horizons, without wasting it if they don't like it.

I'm not much of a gin fan, but I keep some for those that are.  I keep some utility vodka (Stoli) for cocktails and Caesar's, as well as a nicer 100% potato vodka that I drink neat.  The same small distillery makes a Kartaufellschnapps (potato schnapps) that my girlfriend is crazy about.  On a recent trip to Cuba I had fun tasting all the top shelf dark rum, and ended up selecting a Santiago and Mulata to bring home. 

I'd say the basics you need for a good bar have been covered pretty well in this thread.  I must admit I'm terrible at keeping mixers stocked... I drink most things neat anyway.  If you're going to have any Canadians visiting, make sure you've got Clamato for those Caesars.  And Bailey's to Irish up the coffee on the weekends.

Someone here should school me more on bourbon.

[MadJohnShaft]

Nice !

I bought a lot of mixers and liquors some of which are not very good.

[Jor el]

Hey Shaft,

You have the fixin's/copper for a Moscow Mule ?

[black]

I do!


/wellequipped

[MadJohnShaft]

Yah - bought the copper mug a while ago.


Some visitors from Minsk gave me a bottle of Minsk Vodka - which was just terrible warm. Maybe once it's in the freezer it will seem better.

[black]

Seems to me chilled vodka goes down smoother than room temperature.
Low or high end stuff.

[deleted account]

Shaft, what are we stocking our at-motel bar with?