So today was very similar to driving a car with no gas. I was out late last night enjoying watermelon margaritas and a round of the Twilight drinking game (more on that later) and then woke up unconscionably early to attend Papermania with my dad, sister and aunt, THEN went to Guido’s, all with a case of post-drinking dehydration and little sleep. Well in the midst of all of this ordered chaos, I get a call from a dear friend with a project. She has recently purchased a bar and wanted advice on stocking it. The project basically consists of creating a list of necessary libations, as well as recommendations as to where to save or splurge on brand, and a general pecking order of importance so each necessary bar component can be purchased in order of necessity (we are young, broke and beautiful after all). She expressed concern that this was an unfairly arduous request in light of my dilapidated state but I assured her the challenge would both be fun and would provide me with a good blog article (This is where you come in neglected reader)
So here are my thoughts.
Necessities:
Vodka: Clear libation, distilled from fermented grains, potatoes, or fruits, with its origins in Poland and Russia. I think this is one of the first bottles that should be invested in. It’s taste is very subtle and therefore it mixes well with a number of things. So if this is the first bottle you buy it has the most variety of potential as well as the most mass appeal.
Investment?
The key question here is “do you like martinis?” (or Vodka Tonics, or any other drink where the Vodka is the predominant player) I ask because I do…like a lot. So for people like me a nice bottle of vodka (I prefer Chopin, which is made from potatoes) is a necessity. However, if you are not into your tini’s straight up and prefer them with fruit juice and some cheeky name (looking at you tart-tini) then there is no need to spend big bucks on a liquor you with then take pains to mask the taste of.
Whiskey: This is, at least to me, the next most important investment. Besides being my drink of choice, I find I use this a lot in cooking. They are either malted (made from malted barley) or grain whiskeys and there are a multitude of types. So I think it matters what you’ll be using it for when deciding what to buy.
Investment?
If you are not a big whiskey drinker I would opt for a bottle of a decent but relatively inexpensive brand like Jack Daniels, or even Jim Beam. These brands are good in something like a jack and coke but also good enough to quiet the rumblings of old-man drinkers like me. (Exciting side note, Jack Daniels is produced in a dry county in Tennessee and therefore cannot be sold in that county….I know!) If you are big into whiskey drinking I suggest a higher shelf bourbon, Maker’s Mark (my personal favorite) or Knob Creek. You could also consider investing in a good bottle of Scotch Whiskey, though I will admit ignorance here as I do not like scotch (too smooth). Scotch is generally distilled twice, and must be produced in Scotland to earn the official moniker “Scotch”. It is not something I would suggest buying though if you are not into it however, as scotch drinkers are like hipsters or Red Sox fans…..hard to please, and therefore you are better off not trying to please this picky crowd.
Rum: I have to admit I’m not a big rum drinker but if you like to mix drinks this is a necessity. Rum in the key ingredient in everything from mojitos to pina coladas. Typically made from sugar cane, I would definitely suggest investing in a decent bottle of the stuff. Most of what goes into a cocktail is light rum, like Bacardi. So this is a more or less mandatory buy
Gin: Gin is a tricky one. The key here is whether you like Gin. (Or again, do you like Martini’s? There is little in this world better than an ice cold Bombay Sapphire Martini) It has been my experience that a house without Gin isn’t usually a problem for most party goers. (I can’t think of a single person who claims Gin as their libation of choice). Gin derives its flavor from Juniper berries. And it is for this reason I caution you not to go cheap. Cheap Gin tends to taste suspiciously like Pinesol and is good in absolutely nothing. My suggestions are Tanqueray or Bombay. And if you are not a “Gin Person” I say you grab a small bottle (like the ones behind the counter at the liquor store) of one of these high-end brands to have on hand for cocktail emergencies.
Tequila: This is another necessity, derived from the Blue Agave plant. If you love Margaritas you should probably move this to the top of the list, but then again if you love Margaritas you probably already have.
Investment?
Tequila is one of those things you really should have, even if you aren’t crazy about it, because at some point you’ll have a guest that does. My advice is to grab a bottle of something like Jose. And for the love of God DON”T GO CHEAPER!!! Trust me. I had a bad experience. If you want to invest in better Tequila, I would still buy the Jose for mixing. I would also advise you to invest in a good Blanco (Like Patron) and try to get your hands on an reposado or anejo (the difference in color and taste comes from the length of the aging process)
Before I sign off I have one more important suggestion to make when stocking a bar. If you are not sure what to buy, don’t underestimate the power of the nip (which also sounds like an obnoxious turnaphrase used in a porn shoot). Stuck between two brands and can’t decide. Go buy a few little bottles (nips) and try them out. They usually contain one shot, and could even lend themselves to a “help-me-decide-what-shit-I-like” party. Remember that it is your bar and despite any efforts to make others happy with your selections it is still yours, you should by what YOU like and if your guests don’t like it they can feel free to drink at home.
I hope she will find this bare bones analysis helpful, as I hope you will too. I plan to come back with more detailed overview of each spirit as well as with some time spend on various “other” bar supply essentials.
