Booze
 

Sip or slam, for peace or party -- alcohol is often a wonderful thing.

Beer? Delicious. Any good local brews? I worship Tampa's own Ybor Gold, created in a brewery in the local bar district and distributed to Tampa area stores. Enjoy imports? Newcastle was the old college standby, but I'm not sure why. Tales abound of mysterious states that have no regulation on alcohol content in beer and of rediculously high proofs, but these are merely legends in the state of Florida.

You're a hard liquor person? Outstanding. I'm still searching for good recipies and am always confused by what appear to be novelty drinks -- 99 Bananas, Sour Apple Pucker, and various infused rums. Do peole really purchase this stuff? I also heard a small rumor that 43 is not readily available in most places and, if true, I pity the rest of the country. You have no idea what you're missing when you combine this blend into ginger ale and produce what tastes exactly like a light cream soda.

The weekend rapidly approaches! Unusual recipies or suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Beer - Guinness is my favorite draft and Corona is my favorite bottle. I also like Woodpecker Cider on tap when I'm in the mood - tastes like Granny Smith applejack to me and I love Granny Smith apples.

Liquor - I like so many and my favorite changes on a weekly basis. The most interesting liquor that made it to the top recently was The Elixir of Dr. Roux - an herbal liquor that, for lack of a better description, tastes like Chartreuse. My all-time favorite, I suppose, is Bombay Sapphire. Thankfully, I'm not a Scotch fan since the prices on the really good Scotch are through the roof. I also like some of the really good Mexican Tequilas like Herradura. Every now and then, I'll buy a bottle of Jager or Yukon Jack.

I don't know why but while I never experiment with beer (Guiness or Corona), It may take over a year before I've bought two of the same liquors.

Good topic!!

My all-time favorite, I suppose, is Bombay Sapphire.

G-Gin? Oh, no... just thinking about it makes the stomach protest. I'll stick to the card game of the same name, instead.

Scotch is weird to me and everyone that drinks it states that it is an "aquired taste". I've tried to aquire it, but I don't even get close before the group consuming it and urging me to try it begins acting snooty. It tastes like smoke smells! Its around that time that I go back to hugging my bottle of Amaretto.

Speaking of gin, I'll state right now that there are two other evils in this world: Goldschlager and Jagermeister. If you've ever been truly sick and it wasn't due to a virus, it is almost certainly blamed on either of these two liquids. Stay away, far away. Recently I saw someone actually mix these two to create a super nauseating drink.

I ran like hell.

Domestic MacroBrewed Beer: MGD, Michelob

Domestic MicroBrewed Beer: Too many to list but among them are Sam Adams and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Imports: When I was in college I loved Watney's Red Barrel but you can't find that anymore, Newcastle Brown Ale, Guinness, John Smith Lager, Fosters, Kirin Ichiban Shibori, etc.

I'm not a fan of Dutch, German, or Canadian Beers.

Hard Liquor...

Mixed...

I like Captain Morgan's Spiced Rum & Coke

Straight...

Patron Tequila

My favourite drink? Vodka tonic, twist of lime. I personally prefer a 1 to 1 ratio of vodka to tonic, but case seems to like a 1 to 3. By twist of lime, I don't mean lime juice so much as I mean the essential oils from the peel (although a little juice is certainly acceptable).

I love wheat beer, my favourite is Sunshine Wheat, by a microbrewery call New Belgium based out of Fort Collins, CO.

Captian and coke.

I have never managed to acquire a taste for beer, despite my multiple attempts at it. My tongue rejects it like a bad kidney, and after the gag reflex fires a couple warning shots, I cease the effort.

I used to drink straight vodka or tequila on occasion, but like so many before me, I had a bad tequila experience. Since that day, I still have a hard time drinking any alcohol straight. It was a very unpleasant experience for which my tstomach has never forgiven me.

My staple has long been the Long Island Iced Tea, because it has a smooth flavor, but it's potent. I need A LOT of alcohol to even begin feeling it, though I don't know why... I'm not that big a dude (about 5'10", and 175lbs).

Most of the time I end up making mixed drinks and martinis for my wife and I. One of her favorirte drinks uses Apple Pucker: the Apple Martiini (1 part vodka, 1 part apple pucker, and dash of Sprite seems to be the best). I also often make Chocolate Mudslides, and we have the ingredients for a variety of Cosmopolitans, Midori Sours, Amaretto Sours, and more. My bar still needs some stocking though, so we can have a little more variety available. I mean to get some Gin, Rum, and a few others. Probably some more sweet-drink types of things, like the makings for a Banana Split, because that's what Britt prefers.

One drink I enjoy is the El Presidente at Chili's restaurant (minus the salt). Good stuff.

My staple has long been the Long Island Iced Tea, because it has a smooth flavor, but it's potent.

Long Island Ice Tea -- ah, that is some good stuff. Since every version I've had had is slightly different than the previous, may I ask what you put in yours?

I keep wanting the ability to make them at home, but I don't look forward to spending the $100 minimum just to purchase the many bottles of liquor needed for this drink.

Long Islands are only made one way (Former Bartender) but they taste differently according to the skill of the bartender. I never had a complaint about long islands, but that may be because they were too drunk. The bar I worked at last used jiggers with 5/8 oz rather than 1/2 oz so they were getting a lot of alcohol.

Collins Glass w/ ice

EXACTLY 1/2 oz each

Vodka
Gin
Rum
Tequila
Triple Sec

1 1/2 oz Sour Mix

Spash of Coke (enough to give it an iced tea color)

Stir well and add a lemon slice garnish


Note: To make a Long Beach Iced Tea replace the Sour Mix with Cranberry Juice, the Coke with 7up/Sprite, and the lemon wedge with a cherry.

Thanx Radar!

But I have to ask:

What kind of gin do you recommend (while vodka is vodka, gin is most definitely not gin if you know what I mean :-)

And, how do you make sour mix??

ABC store (a Virginia thing)... here I come!

Ummmmmmmm, long island iced tea and NFL playoffs.

Huh -- always thought ABC was a Florida thing. Regardless, if they are the same, ABC sells damn near everything!

I'm a chocoholic, but for booze.

Radar's Long Island recipe is dead-on. As for sour mix, you can buy it, but it doesn't taste as good. Here's how to make some, but it only lasts in the fridge for five days or so:

1. Whisk one egg white until frothy.
2. Stir in one cup of sugar.
3. Add two cups of water.
4. Add two cups fresh squeezed lemon juice.
5. Stir all ingredients well.

I disagree about all vodka being vodka, and you'll know what I mean the next day when your skull is splitting. As for Vodka, I'd suggest Fris. But that aside, I'd recommend Tanquerey.

I'm not a gin drinker and even I'll have a T&T (Tanq & Tonic) on occasion.

I really like Grey Goose and Even Skyy, as far as vodka goes. Grey Goose makes an especially nice vodka tonic.

Vodka!
Ketel One

Jameson has been taking the frosty edge off here lately. Medicinal.

I've been leaning on the Cutty Sark here. There are much better Scotches but if you plot price vs flavor its a maximizer... I'm a Tangueray guy with gin although Bombay is fun for a change up.

Kitsune, ABC in VA is the Virginia Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. You can only buy liquor in ABC stores (though you can buy beer in grocery and drug stores).

We have a similar system in PA called the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board. The stores are known as Wine & Spirits Shoppes, though most folks I know call them the "state stores."

The only difference between the two states seems to be that liquor in VA is slightly cheaper.

I hate the PLCB. But it's easy to get around if you live near a neighboring state. Philadelphians go to NJ, DE or MD.

Now, as far as my drinking preferences...

Domestic: Michelob family of beers, Bud Light, Rolling Rock, Yuengling

Micro: Schlafly's Oatmeal Stout (brewed and sold in the St. Louis area)

Import: Guinness (preferably draft), Corona, Moosehead, Newcastle, Harp

Liquor: wine (preferably Cabernet Sauvignon), vodka (Smirnoff or Stoli), Bailey's, Kahlua, whiskey (Seagram's VO)

Mixed Drinks: Margarita, Purple Hooter, Gin & Tonic, Vodka Tonic

Bizarre. I wonder what the connection is, as FL doesn't have such a named department. A number of stores sell liquor, and they aren't "state stores" as I remember from visiting PA. "ABC", here, just happens to be the name of a chain of liquor stores that often sell some difficult to find things, including the lovely Tennet's lager.

Tonight, the selection is Bacardi "Long Island Iced Tea" in a bottle that came pre-made. Oddly enough, it advertises on the label that it has been made with Bacardi 151... which isn't in the recipe that Radar posted. Needless to say, it isn't very good. Yuck.

An interesting website for booze lovers everywhere.

Webtender

Check out the "In Your Bar" link...you can make more drinks than you think.

Brian

Probably no connection at all, other than the name and the fact that both sell liquor.

Some states still control their liquor operations heavily. I believe NH and UT have setups similar to VA and PA. It fucking blew my mind when I moved out East...back in MO, you can buy beer and alcohol pretty much anywhere.

2 years ago, I used to work for CVS in a trendy/touristy part of Philadelphia. One day, a guy came into my store, looking all confused and shit. He was from Florida and was having a hard time trying to find a place that sold beer. So, I had to go into the whole spiel of where to go if he wanted a 6 or 12 pack, where to go if he wanted a case, where to go if he wanted liquor and that the prices for all were pretty ridiculous.

I think that confused him even more...

Years ago while working as a cashier at a grocery store in Atlanta, I remember the rare but memorable occurances when someone would enter the store on a Sunday and attempt to purchase beer. They'd usually be from Somewhere, Florida or Mobile, AL. Most would understand when you explained to them that Georgia was backwards and didn't permit liquor sales on Sunday, but two people were extremely confused when they attempted to buy non-alcoholic beer on ChurchDay and the register refused it.

"It still contains alcohol, just a bit. Besides, the register won't let me."

"But--", they said, looking at me with huge puppy eyes and then would turn red with anger and start grumbling about blue laws. While I still don't think non-alcoholic beer is anything to whine (wine?) about, I understand their frustration.

It could have been worse, I suppose. I quickly found out that a number of counties in extreme North and South Georgia are completely dry. What a hell that must be. Those poor, poor people!

Florida does have, however, stupid laws regarding the container size. No, sir, you won't find any forties down here.

The City of St. Louis (home to Anheuser-Busch) passed a law about 4 or so years back that banned 40 oz. bottles of beer from being sold.

A-B's response? They started selling it in 32 oz. bottles.

MO had Blue Laws on shopping until 1987, and on alcohol until 1992. (The former is one of the few good things that John Ashcroft has done in his life--he was the governor of MO then.) Though I believe there are still a few dry counties in the SW corner of the state...crazy Bible-thumpers.

You want weird booze laws ?? In Paragould Arkansas ( where i live ) half the town is dry ( yeppers its split at ward 49 , like i know where the hell that is !!!) , exept the 3 places that are grand fathered in on the wrong side of that border. No booze sales on sunday so every body goes to MO ( 20 miles away , ) Booze on sunday , cheap cigs , and lotto tickets .
Most of the business are closed on monday as well , i still havent figuered that one out yet :confused: :confused:

Sycamore, you should have just told him "New Jersey".

I like beer, martinis, and single malt. I've occasionally had other stuff, especially when I'm on the road, but those are the main choices I keep coming back to.

Beer: mostly domestic microbrews and some foreign stuff, especially German. Micros that I've liked recently include Sierra Nevada, Magic Hat, and Dogfish. (I have a 6-pack of Dogfish Immort Ale that my wife picked up when I requested "something from Dogfish I haven't had yet" and found that it's twice as much as the rest of their stuff. So I need to try it & find out if it's justified.)

Martinis, I usually use Bombay Sapphire and Martini & Rossi extra dry vermouth.

Single Malt, I've been trying lots. I actually don't drink that much, so I usually get 2 bottles and that will last me for several months. I currently have a Bunnehabain which is nice, but I think my all-time favorite is Balvenie.

Oh, and speaking of gin, I am reminded that I was exposed to the most incompetent bartenders ever at the conference I attended in San Antonio, TX this past September. One did not know how to make a whiskey sour, and one seemed to not know the ingredients for a martini. (I confess to being aggravated when I ask for a martini & they say, "gin or vodka," cause I don't consider those vodka things to be real martinis, but this guy didn't even get that far.)

They all knew how to make Margaritas, however, which were priced $1.50 higher than any other mixed drink.

I have a bottle of that Balvenie, and about once a year I have a finger of it to see if I'm a Scotch drinker yet. About once a year I put the bottle back resolved not to do that again.

The bottle is 10 years old now, and about half gone.

As far as the gin vs. vodka Martini, bartenders are supposed to ask. I generally don't ask if they seem to be older than 40. Older than 40 they want gin if they say "martini" and younger than 30 they usually want vodka.

I never allow a martini to touch metal (spoon/shaker) and I never shake a gin martini as not to bruise it. I also always give two olives unless they ask for more or less.

Went to dinner with some friends on Saturday night (we would have eaten in, but her husband came home loaded for bear, found something falling off the outside of the house which set him off further, and we thought it would be smarter to let him settle down, so out we went ...

Had beer with dinner ... one of the Dogfish speciality beers, the Midas Touch. It's based on a recipe found in an Egyptian Tomb, apparently. Fantastic balance of sweetness and hoppiness. Not very beer-like, more like a barleywine, actually.

Well, after we finished up and were headed back to the house, one of the girls said "mmmmm, Mead ..." in a very Homer Simpsonish way.

"Pull over," I screamed ... and jumped out of the minivan, which happened to be right in front of a State Store.

As I dashed in I annouced "Sir, I am having a Mead Emergency. I need some help because I keep forgetting ... is that a 'specialty' or a 'wine specialty'?"

Ended up with a very yummy bottle of Chaucer's Mead, which comes with the bonus pack of mulling spices, just in case you want to warm it. We didn't want to wait for it to heat up.

It was very sweet, which, of course, is what you expect from a fermented honey beverage, but was very nice indeed.

My beverage depends on the mood of the night. Quiet night with friends means Killian's Irish Red or Guinness (draft as well, Syc. Bottled Guinness is the tool of the Devil, nothing but). Not-so-quiet night with friends, Yuengling and Bacardi Silver. I've also got no gripes against Miller Light, Bud Light, Heinekin, Molson, or Bacardi O.

There's not a whole lot of culture around my campus. I mean, a good night by these people is considered to be when someone procures three kegs of Miller High Life. When I can get my hands on something custom-crafted, I dig a good Vodka tonic, Screwdriver, Rum and Coke (Captain Morgan and Vanilla, respectively) or a Courtberry (named after a friend of ours, made with Vodka Orange and Mike's Cranberry Lemonade).

This is going to sound weird, but for some reason, to me, I've always saw beer as a "man's" drink. Maybe it's because in my family, during parties, etc., it was the men always going to the cooler for a beer. Then, there are the commercials...very rarely do you see a woman getting a beer, chugging a beer, etc.

At any rate, I've never been the biggest beer drinker, but when I did drink, it was usually Coors Light, Corona or Zima (or was that a wine cooler? Heh.)

Mixed drinks: Went through a rum and coke phase..thought it was soooo "grown-up". :D Vodka (Skyy or Absolute) & OJ.

Liquor: wine, shots (mainly Schnapps, thanks to a friend who liked to get everyone drunk). ;)

Not necessarily. The Extra Stout bottles...now THAT was/is crap. The cans and draught bottles are pretty good though. Of course, nothing beats draft Guinness...

Most of the beer I prefer doesn't even HAVE commercials.

Also, while this may come as a big surprise ... I'm not one for girly drinks (except for a brief period in my younger days when I had a fondness for Fuzzy Navels, but I got over it).

I like my beer dark and my scotch and bourbon straight, thank you.

Then, there are the commercials...very rarely do you see a woman getting a beer, chugging a beer, etc.

I, for one, would like to see more women chugging beer. That would make my day.

You probably still wouldn't hear the standard low, long "post-chug belch" come from one, though.

For those us of who like their liquor brown and straight (don't read into that, please) like Wolf, I highly recommend Famous Grouse (very, very, very smooth, and only about $12US up here in a nort), or a Three Wise Men (and if anyone argues, that's Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, and Johnny Walker; adding Jose Cuervo to two whiskeys is just a BAD idea) which is also like drinking a little sip of heaven.
For beer: the Champagne makes a good chaser or for grillin' out on a hot day, but for good beers: Belgian Trappist ales (of the monkish variety, like LaTrappe, which come as high as 13% ABV!) or Aass, which I think is Norwegian and also is terrific.

Now do you really want to ruin a tourist's visit by sending them over there?

Sure you will. Come to Plastic Forks this year.

And I won't be the only woman doing so. You gotta watch out for the lawyer. She's a wildwoman.

I wonder if she'll try to top drinking the beer from between her boobs this year...

You never know with Maria. She is just like the song from The Sound of Music.

Speaking of Forks, where the fuck did Bitmap go?

I have no damn clue.

Haven't even seen the boy on IM in a while.

My guess is that he drank his way out of college or something. Or maybe he's actually "applying himself" to avoid parental ire.

I agree with you on the Goldschlager and the Jaeger, and would like to add Berenjaeger to that list. I can drink Jaeger (it tastes like Formula 44D) if I absolutely HAVE to, but Goldschlager is de debbil!! That shite's 104-proof! (the first and only time I ever drank it, no one bothered to tell my lil ol' 100 lb- butt that...I had five shots of it over an 8-hour period--otherwise I was drinking water--and I got sick as the proverbial DOG and hid in a dark room for the entire next day.)

Gin is pretty icky, too...vodka, to me, has an oily, greasy texture, and vermouth...ACK...that stuff tastes like freshly-mown grass smells (I tried a martini once....bleh)...and as for scotch...I've never tried it...I figure if you have to AQUIRE the taste for it, why bother?

One thing I'd like to try, though, is brandy. I'm a sipper, and brandy's a sipping liquid. I'd like to try the flavored ones. I like sweet wines, too, usually red.

Sidhe

I just dumped out 13 beers...man, that was hard. Although, they were rather old (most of them were from Forks, the rest were easily 2 years old).

Why risk skunky beer ... think of it as an excuse to buy new. :)

The difficulty of this action depends on the type of beer you just poured out. Example: spilling Tennet's by accident would make me weep, but turning a case of Miller Genuine Draft into the sink is soothing, somehow.

2 Coors lights and 2 Michelob lights from '02. 9 Yuenglings from last summer.

Not a big loss...

2 Coors lights and 2 Michelob lights from '02. 9 Yuenglings from last summer.

Lots of people seem to love the Mich Lights, but I've noticed they only taste good to me once I'm halfway "to the floor".

I live down the street from a Yuengling brewery and I think they even offer free tours -- I'll have to pay a visit sometime. The place is huge and I can't help but think it is located next to Busch Gardens for a reason. Hell, the logos would look exactly the same if you placed a giant red letter "A" behind the Yuengling one.

Yeah, the Yuengling brewery in Tampa is relatively new. IIRC, A-B has a brewery there as well.

My wife and I recently grabbed some Razberi Stoli vodka a few days ago, and that shit is good. Throw it in with some cranberry juice, a bit of Sprite, and crushed ice. Tasty. Also works well with a smidge of Cointreau.

I prefer Stoli Vanil and diet ginger ale or diet cola.

But the Razberi is pretty awesome too :)

Hey, that sounds good... I'll have to give it a try.

Razberi Stoli sounds good! I must try it, sometime. This past weekend I picked up some orange Denaka and was rather pleased, even though I really couldn't figure out what to put it in besides orange juice. It made a wonderful screwdriver, though!

I was also happy to see that Fris now has lime flavored vodka.

Are fruity drinks girly? I care not. They taste good, and that's good enough for me.

I'll still drink wine coolers and similar beverages if the flavor sounds good.

Hey, don't you have an MS ride to prepare for or something?

schnappes

whiskey

rum

( all mixed drinks )

hornsbys apple cider beer sometimes

Vendange Pinor Nor, nice light and refreshing. The only wine that dosn't taste like winos barf.