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Thread: Building the perfect bar

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    Senior Member witt's Avatar
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    Default Building the perfect bar

    OK I know this is off topic, and if Chuck deletes this I understand.

    Although I do not drink much in the way of liquor(normally I only drink beer) for some reason I feel the need to build a well stocked bar. My goal is to be able to be able to fix most common types of drinks for anyone that may come to visit.

    Since I do not know a lot about different liquors, I am asking for suggestions on what I need to buy. As far as a budget goes, I think I will try to keep it below $200. Then I may gradually add to it until I am done.

    One more question does liquor go bad after a certain time ? Thanks for any suggestions.

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    God/dess
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    Chuck, some of the best strip clubs I know are dancer apartments with basic bars in some corner. This is on topic, right at the core of the subculture.... My first $20 of suggestions: vodka, orange juice, tomato juice, and a container of Lemon Lime Gatorade powder.

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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    Witt I cant be of much help but Im sure some of the more classy posters can fix you up with good info. Beer works for me. Somehow I cant picture any of my Harley buds rolling up to my place asking for a martini shaken not stirred LOL
    Once again I have embraced my addiction and have put off the moral dilemma to another day.

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    Featured Member Prester_John's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    I hate to tell you, but 200 dollars do not go a long way in terms of stocking up a bar. You can get all the essentials no problem, but they are usually the "rot gut" essentials.

    You need to have at least the following - 3 kinds of vodka, 2 kinds of gin, 3 kinds of rum, 2 kinds of tequila, 2 kinds of blended scotch, 2 kinds of bourbon, 3 kinds of whiskey, 5 kinds of liquers, and 5 kinds of cordials. You also need some "flavoring" liquors, like Triple Sec, Sweet and Dry Vermouths, Blue Curacao etc. They are liquors that people do not normally drink by themselves, but are added to other drinks for flavoring.

    The only liquor that goes bad is liquor that has a product like milk or cream in it (like Bailey's). Otherwise its safe (hey remember that 50 year old scotch is just that.. 50 years old).

    I have been a bartender going on 12 years now. If you would like to avail yourself to what I have learned, I offer it to you, no charge

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    Senior Member witt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    Thanks for the responses so far. I guess in my ignorance I do not understand why you need different types of the same liqour. Won't a Jack and Coke taste about the same as Southern Comfort and Coke ?

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    Featured Member Prester_John's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    Thanks for the responses so far. I guess in my ignorance I do not understand why you need different types of the same liqour. Won't a Jack and Coke taste about the same as Southern Comfort and Coke ?
    Nope. It wont. Southern Comfort and Jack Daniels are two different things (Soco being very sweet, actually).

    You might not think that an Absolut Vodka and Tonic tastes any different than a Stoli Vodka and Tonic, but to someone who drinks it, it does. If you want a bar that is "Fuck it, its my bar, you drink what I give you", then by all means, get only one of each. If you want a bar that generally caters to the likes of your guests, you really should get a bunch of different types. Remember a gin drinker can tell the difference between one gin and another, and generally doesnt like any others but what he/she likes.

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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    RE: Southern Comfort... I had a Sicilian Kiss for the first time this weekend. Southern Comfort and Amaretto. Very good. LOL.
    When the man says, "I do," it is the happiest day of her life.-Al Bundy

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    Senior Member witt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    This may cost more than I had planned. It does sound like first $200-$300 will just be a beginning. What would you buy to start with ? The most basic items that I could do the most with and stay under $300. Then I will add to it later.

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    Featured Member Prester_John's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    Witt - Just go to the local liquor store and price compare. The more expensive it is, generally the better quality. There are three catagories liquor falls into (some places have more, but every place has these three levels) - "well", "call" and "top shelf". Well Liquors are the bottom of the barrel - cheap and not very good (although sometimes they aint bad). Call is a step above, sorta itrim. Top Shelf is the best stuff.

    I will use Vodka for example. Well vodka is usually horrible stuff. Barton's Vodka seems to be the standard around here, although my bar uses Karkov Vodka - which is just as bad. The next level is the ever present Absolut - which in reality is better than the well stuff, but not by much. You then have even better stuff, which truly can be classified as good. Smirnoff and Ketel One fall into this. Finally you have the Top Stuff - Belvidere, Grey Goose and Chopin. If I were to pick three vodkas for your bar, I would go with Absolut, Ketel One and Belvidere.

    Hope this helps.

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    Veteran Member coolshot's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar


    Nope. It wont. Southern Comfort and Jack Daniels are two different things (Soco being very sweet, actually).

    You might not think that an Absolut Vodka and Tonic tastes any different than a Stoli Vodka and Tonic, but to someone who drinks it, it does. If you want a bar that is "Fuck it, its my bar, you drink what I give you", then by all means, get only one of each. If you want a bar that generally caters to the likes of your guests, you really should get a bunch of different types. Remember a gin drinker can tell the difference between one gin and another, and generally doesnt like any others but what he/she likes.
    lol as a long time cola drinker(up to 2liters a day) i can totally relate to this I can pick the differences out in coke, pepsi, safeway select and even between diet coke and diet coke caffine free.

    but alcohol wise u could serve me whatever. For example my favorite alcohol is vodka but I drink it rarely like 6 times a year. I cant tell which brand it is like sky,absolut,stoli whatever cus its mixed with red bull, cranberry or grapefruit.

    So.... is it worth the expense to buy 3 kinds of each type of booze. Would a conosuir (sp) of alcohol spit it out and cry foul if he were served jack and coke instead of soco and coke? when i ask for a coke and its a pepsi one its chuged just the same.

    I guess my pallette isnt that refined for alcohol yet. My experience with alcohol is primarily based on kegs lol.Hell my hats off to ppl who can tell the difference from a carbernet and a merlot ???

    p.s. if i come to your house make it cola any will do
    whats a PL to do?

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    Featured Member Prester_John's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar


    lol as a long time cola drinker(up to 2liters a day) i can totally relate to this I can pick the differences out in coke, pepsi, safeway select and even between diet coke and diet coke caffine free.

    but alcohol wise u could serve me whatever. For example my favorite alcohol is vodka but I drink it rarely like 6 times a year. I cant tell which brand it is like sky,absolut,stoli whatever cus its mixed with red bull, cranberry or grapefruit.

    So.... is it worth the expense to buy 3 kinds of each type of booze. Would a conosuir (sp) of alcohol spit it out and cry foul if he were served jack and coke instead of soco and coke? when i ask for a coke and its a pepsi one its chuged just the same.

    I guess my pallette isnt that refined for alcohol yet. My experience with alcohol is primarily based on kegs lol.Hell my hats off to ppl who can tell the difference from a carbernet and a merlot ???

    p.s. if i come to your house make it cola any will do
    Cool - in my years of bartending someone like you has been proven to be relatively rare - and usually very young. The difference between young drinkers and older drinkers is that most younger drinkers (not all, but most) see drinking as a means to the end of catching a buzz and getting drunk - the particular vehicle is sort of irrelevant. Most older drinkers (not all, but most) know they will eventually catch a buzz whatever they drink, so they want to drink something that tastes good and is pleasing to their palate. Thus someone who just turned 21 could care less about what kind of vodka is in their vodka and tonic - as long as its vodka. A 40 year old has built up a preference for a particular kind, and can tell the different between his/her and other kinds.

    If Witt's intention is to build up a bar that really can cater to most of his friends, families and guests particular desires, it would only benefit him to remember that. He should also remember not to stress out about trying to please every single one, because unless you have every single type and brand of liquor in the world, that is impossible to achieve. Having a good selection will please most people.

    There is another reason why you want to have the better stuff around to have as a choice for your friend. The more expensive a liquor is, the smoother it is, because it has had more impurities brewed out of it. The impurities in alcohol are the shit that gives you that raging, puking hangover the next day. The longer they take to blend out the impurities, the cleaner it is, the less shit that goes into your bodies, and there is less of a chance for that hangover. You drink Barton's Vodka all night; you will be paying for it in the morning. You drink something ultra smooth like Chopin Vodka (expensive, yes, but smoooooth), you are far less likely to be incapacitated in the morning.

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    Featured Member Chuck149's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    I like Glenlevet single malt much better, especially the 50 year old stuff but at $65 a bottle, it kinda blows witt's budget to hell
    "when it comes to staying young, a mind-lift beats a face-lift any day" ~ Marty Bucella

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    Senior Member witt's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    Thanks for all the help. Last night I went out and spent about $250. I think have about 75% of the basics. I hope to finish with that this week. Then I can start adding some more top shelf brands.

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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    My two cents' worth: stick to common or best selling brands of liquor. Stick to best selling brands of beer. Get them at the best price possible. Then as you get more visits and know more about your guests tastes then offer a wider variety. Oh, and if your visits are from strippers then best of luck



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    Featured Member Prester_John's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    My two cents' worth: stick to common or best selling brands of liquor. Stick to best selling brands of beer. Get them at the best price possible. Then as you get more visits and know more about your guests tastes then offer a wider variety. Oh, and if your visits are from strippers then best of luck
    The problem with this is that what is "best selling" is a regional phenomena. I have worked in several bars in my life. The present one I work for goes through Dewars Scotch like it was water. A few years ago I worked at another establishment that had dust collection on the bottles of Dewars.

    Best selling doesnt always translate into being good. Absolut Vodka is one of the biggest selling vodkas in the USA - and thats mainly due to their marketing. People know the name, so they opt for it because its familiar. Yet in terms of quality, Absolut is not much better than house vodka.

    He should get some popular stuff, but he shouldnt limit himself to that right away. Thats my humble opinion anyway.

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    Featured Member Prester_John's Avatar
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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    I hate to keep agreeing with PJ, but I must, I must.
    Now now, we can't be having that, can we? If YOU keep agreeing with me, then god forbid that means that OTHERS will start agreeing with me. If that happens, surely we are doomed.

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    Default Re: Building the perfect bar

    If that happens, surely we are doomed.

    ...but at least we will have a great bar before we go. LOL.
    When the man says, "I do," it is the happiest day of her life.-Al Bundy

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