The Alcohol Thread

I have become a margaritaholic. Fuck other spirits. Gimme mah blue margaritas......

What's people's opinion on Bushmills?

Which one? There's more than one expression.

edited 31st Dec '14 10:24:42 AM by Achaemenid

Bushmills Original.

Also, where should I keep whisky?

About the Bushmills: it's not bad for a young wiskey (in fact, it beats many a commercial gnats' pee). But, I usually like things a little older. Seven years, at the very least. Fifteen is where I hang when I can afford to. Twenty-five plus if I've got really, really bloody lucky.

About storage: out of direct sunlight and as much in the cool side of room temperature as possible — never in the fridge (unless you happen to live in the tropics and need a fridge to get down to 12/15°C).

edited 1st Jan '15 6:25:24 AM by Euodiachloris

Spirits are a lot less finicky than wine in terms of storage, but there are three things that will eventually damage the flavor due to chemical reactions; light, heat and air. Store them in the dark, somewhere that doesn't get too warm. Air conditioned or a cool cellar is best. Upright.

Once opened, you shouldn't leave it for that long. Air will deteriorate the quality of the whisky, unless you use one of those inert gas things to displace the oxygen. The emptier it is the faster you should go through it. If it's just a little down from the top it will last a month or more, but if it's under a third full you may as well invite a few friends around and finish it off.

Beware of ordering from the old, dusty bottles on the top shelf of a bar; those may have sat half-drunk for years.

Euo: not so much that the fridge will ruin the whisky, but that you don't want to drink it that cold, and it'll take way too long to warm up.

Keep the box it comes in, if it comes with a box. Store it in a dark, cool-ish place.

Bingo. There's nothing more depressing/fustrating than letting whiskey gradually reach a temperature where it's at its best.

Worse, suddenly plonking room temperature water on cold spirits (or, conversely, ice-cold water on slightly over-warm) isn't kind to most: it can screw with the volatiles.

Generally speaking, unless something brewed from grain is meant to be served on the rocks or in a hot drink, don't try to shock it. (Gins, jenevers, vodkas and other clear spirits have their own rules — some like a little shock or two... others, not so much.)

edited 1st Jan '15 6:31:21 AM by Euodiachloris

Fucking adore the stuff. Captain Morgan is my usual go to as a good rum that is reasonably priced, but a 12-year Diplomatico brew I had at a fancy whiskey pub is probably the best rum I've had to date. I'm also partial to Krakken and Mount Gay and have been meaning to try El Dorado, Rhum Barbancourt and a few of the Cruzan rums (Namely Black Strap but Cruzan rum is hard as balls to find just the regular stuff here, let alone the various varieties). I also don't mind white rums from time to time (Bicardi mainly)

But Bundaberg Rum, the most commonplace rum here, is absolute trash. Tastes like motor oil.

Rum and Absinthe are my beverages of choice so I really do like to try all the options available.

Generally I have my Rum with a Cola of some kind, but for a number of rums that's inadvisable. The nicer rums like Diplomatico are best when you can savour the flavours they offer. Just like some absinthes shouldn't be louched with sugar.

edited 2nd Jan '15 1:55:22 AM by PippingFool

Absolutely hate the taste which I why I don't drink it that often. I think I can count the number of times I've drank alcohol on one hand.

That being said I'd rather drink a Daiquiri over the other alcoholic drinks I've tried (spiked punch, wine) any day as if you stir it well enough you can barely taste the alcohol.

Can anyone recommend me a good rum that I can use for rum and Coke, or just a good rum in general?

Kraken.

Captain Morgan Original Gold or Black Spiced go nicely with coke. Certain white rums like Bicardi also pair quite nicely with cola in my experience. And Krakken is just wonderful with it.

edited 2nd Jan '15 1:54:37 AM by PippingFool

@Rosvo 1: In my opinion the best rum & Coke can be made with Cruzan Black Strap rum and Mexican-made Coke (it uses cane sugar, not corn syrup...better flavor). Get yourself a rocks glass, toss three ice cubes in, cover 'em with Cruzan and fill the rest of the glass with soda. Failing that (and if you're looking to just get hammered) sub out the Cruzan with Bacardi 151. :D

This leads me to a more general cocktail-making tip. If the cocktail recipe calls for a brand of soda, try to find the stuff made in Mexico; again, they make their soda with actual sugar rather than corn syrup and the flavor from the first is better.

Another wonderful drink...Vernor's ginger ale and rye whiskey. Any brand works, and as with most booze/soda cocktails one needn't go expensive with the liquor; I use Jim Beam Rye with this drink and it works just fine. Soda covers up a lot of subtleties, so unless the booze you're buying has a really robust flavor there's no need to drop extra scratch on something pricey if you plan on cutting it with some flavor of soda.

I've heard Cruzan Black Strap is excellent stuff from my boyfriend, who tried in the US and adored it. I would love to try it too, but there doesn't seem to be a single place that imports to Australia or at the least has international shipping.

It is excellent...best dark rum I've ever had. Works well in a rum & Coke too, because despite being full-flavored it is not too heavy. Also, it is awesome in hot buttered rum. :D

DS: I live in Finland.

There are a number of recipes out there for homemade spiced rum... or any other spiced spirit.

edited 2nd Jan '15 9:11:12 AM by Euodiachloris

You can get a decent selection of rums in Finland. There's less choice when it comes to Coke, though... (Still about a dozen brands of cola drinks, most with at least 3 varieties - but probably no Mexican cola.)

I'm not sure what sort of sugar cola drinks made in Finland (or imported to Finland) use. It might be cane sugar - I don't think European producers are as likely to use corn for anything as American producers are.

Cruzan, though, seems to be available only in the US. (I suppose specialty stores in other countries might carry it but the Cruzan site gives no indication of this.)

10 things not to do in a bar

Some bloke told me alcohol makes you have a belly. I went to check, and stuff is inconclusive and vague. So, we don't know.

Still, if one argument could make me quit alcohol, it'd be this one.

Although I find it hard. I dated a straight-edge girl for a while, and I just couldn't access my flirty self without alcohol. Is this normal, or have I come to rely on it as a crutch?

Alcohol doesn't give you a belly. Beer can, because beer contains a fair amount of calories (depending on the beer).

The tipping thing is an American thing, though the rest does hold true. What I've noticed people do is if they're at a club for a full night when they order a round of shots of some sort they will order an extra one for the barmen, as a tip.

As for your question, it's probably a bit of both, in that yes it's probably a crutch but it's likely also a very common one, the idea of Dutch courage exists for a reason.

Best Of: I'm pretty sure that Hartwall and Sinebrychoff, who are the local bottlers of Coke and Pepsi, use regular sugar made from sugar beets.