Help me get mah drank on!

January 10, 2009 8:17 AM

Free top-shelf bar party tonight + inexperienced drinker - what should I get?

I'm not a bar partier, so I don't know of many cocktails. But every year we go to this awesome party at Ruth's Chris and I get so excited about the top-shelf open bar. Then we get there and... I'm stumped, and end up ordering things like wine, because I don't know what else there is.

I like salty things (dirty martinis sound intriguing, and I've always been a fan of bloody marys). Ditto anything with cream or chocolate in it (ala Bailey's). Not such a huge fan of fruity drinks, unless they're very sweet. Fizziness is laudable. I dislike it when I can clearly taste alcohol.

Oh, and I'm not looking to get wasted *too* very quickly. :)

What should I order?

posted by GardenGal to food & drink (39 comments total)

I'd suggest a Manhattan- whiskey and vermouth.
posted by dunkadunc at 8:24 AM on January 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

this page has a list of drinks containing Bailey's
posted by mpls2 at 8:25 AM on January 10

Seconding the manhattan. While I prefer them half and half sweet/dry vermouth, stick with the sweet vermouth on your first outing.

That's also easier, since that's how they usually come anyhow.
posted by vernondalhart at 8:26 AM on January 10

I should probably add that I don't like anything even slightly bitter, which rules out things like gin and tonics, or grapefruit flavors.
posted by GardenGal at 8:36 AM on January 10

don't listen to these people who tell you to get these gross drinks for old people (i'm looking at you, manhattan). get yourself something sweet and tasty, examples:
amaretto sour - sweet and delicious, or you can go for the more adult whiskey sour
top shelf margarita, on the rocks - i love tequilla.
soco and lime, on the rocks - yum
white russian - the adult chocolate milk, official drink of Dudes everywhere
anything with baileys in it - yum^2
posted by Mach5 at 8:46 AM on January 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

If "dirty martinis sound intriguing" and it's an open bar - why not just order one and try it? You've got nothing to lose if you're not spending money on it. I once turned an open bar at my stepbrother's wedding into a chance to have myself a little single-malt Scotch tasting, since they had three or four different ones available - each time I went back for a drink I ordered a different Scotch.
posted by dnash at 8:58 AM on January 10

Margaritas with grand marnier are nice
posted by Not Supplied at 9:10 AM on January 10

My drink bias tends towards herbal and tart flavors, with an additional love of good bourbon and scotch, but here's what I'd try:

If you can, get a Jasmine. You will meet God on the first sip. And you say you're an inexperienced drinker, so please don't throw something at me for stating the painfully obvious, but if you do (and you should!) try that dirty martini, make sure it's made with gin -- none of that pansy ass vodka masquerading as a martini. You say you don't like gin and tonics because of the bitterness, so do be aware that the bitterness comes from the tonic, not the gin.

Other fantastic drinks include a sidecar (make sure it's made with cointreau, not triple sec), or a whiskey sour.
posted by amelioration at 9:11 AM on January 10

Seconding top-shelf Margarita on the rocks. Yummmmmm. I'm so jealous.
posted by marsha56 at 9:12 AM on January 10

Sweet:
Cosmopolitan
Lemon Drop
Amaretto is an almond liqueur; sweet and nutty: Amaretto drinks
Like coffee flavor? Irish Coffee is good.
Or a Black Russian: vodka and coffee liqueur. Add cream and it's a White Russian.
There are also a lot of Martini variations that don't have the strong alcohol taste (as it's covered by other flavors). My favorite is a well-made Chocolate Martini or an Espresso Martini.

And if you still can't decide, I've discovered a lot of great drinks just by chatting with the bartender. I tell them what kind of flavors I'm in the mood for, and a good bartender will be glad to recommend something. It's a fun way to try something new!
posted by TochterAusElysium at 9:29 AM on January 10 [1 favorite has favorites]

my personal favorite: The Red-Headed Slut.
It's Jagermeister, peach-schnapps, and cranberry. Don't let them put Crown in it!

Mixed right, it's one of the best drinks...
posted by QueerAngel28 at 9:29 AM on January 10

If you don't like it when you can taste strong alcohol, don't order a martini. It's straight booze, and no amount of olive juice will change that.

That said, I love dirty martinis. If you want to try one and have somebody readily available who will drink it if you don't like it (this shouldn't be too hard), go with Grey Goose for vodka or Bombay Sapphire for gin. Ask for blue cheese-stuffed olives, if you like blue cheese (I'm assuming you like olives since you're interested in a dirty martini).

You may find the cosmopolitan to your liking. It's vodka, Cointreau (orange peel liquor), cranberry juice, and a squeeze of lime juice, served in chilled in a martini glass with a lemon twist. It's a strong drink, but cranberry juice and lime juice do a wonderful job of masking the taste of the booze, so it tends to be very popular in the "I like a strong drink [martini] but don't like the taste of strong booze" crowd.

The recommendation for a top-shelf Margarita is a good one, but don't be fooled into thinking anything with "Cuervo" on the label is top shelf. Your bartender will have a recommendation, as tequila selections can vary. The best, most widely available tequila in bars is Patron Silver, and it supposedly makes a great margarita, though some would scold you for not drinking it straight (but whatever, drink what you like).

For Bailey's drinks, it's hard to beat Bailey's, Kahlua (coffee liqueur), amaretto (almond-flavored liqueur), and coffee. If amaretto is not your thing, Frangelico (hazelnut) is also excellent. I've known this drink as "Cafe Magic" but don't know how widespread that term is, if the bartender will recognize it, or what you might get if you order it by that name...so if it sounds tasty, write it down.

The suggestion of the White Russian is a really good one. It's a smooth, creamy drink that goes down well. You may prefer milk to half-and-half or cream, in which case you should tell your bartender. I personally like White Russians with soy milk, but bars that stock it are few and far between.

Try a mojito. It's made with rum, muddled mint and lime, sugar, and lime juice. They're delicious, and though made with sugar shouldn't be too sweet if properly prepared. The sugar is mostly included to take the sour edge off the lime juice.

The perfect person to ask this question of, though, is the bartender serving you. Assuming it's not too busy and you have 5 minutes to spend talking to him/her (you may be socializing or whatnot, so this may not be possible), ask them this exact question. They may have a specialty or favorite cocktail that is right up your alley.
posted by baphomet at 9:29 AM on January 10

mach5 - I do love me some white russians!

dnash - I will try the dirty martini. But I want to try everything else too! :)

amelioration - I am intrigued by your Jasmine god. What's in it? And as for the dirty martini, wouldn't the flowery aromatics of gin taste weird with olive juice? I had just assumed it'd be made with vodka.

marsha56 and Not Supplied - I didn't know regular restaurant bars were typically able to make margaritas - I thought you had to have a special ice machine or something? Mmm grand marnier.
posted by GardenGal at 9:34 AM on January 10

Try a Lady MacBeth. It is port (a fortified wine) & champagne so you get tastiness & bubbly goodness.

I agree on trying a top shelf margarita with Grand Marnier or Cointreau they are delicious. GM, Cointreau and Triple Sec are all orange flavored, but Triple Sec is of distinctly lower quality. Don't forget to ask for a salted rim. Most, but not all, bartenders will either do it automatically or will ask if you want it and it makes a martini much better.

Don't hesitate to try a dirty martini, but do be aware that it is a strong drink. If you try a martini of any sort consider Hendrick's gin if they have it. It has a slight, but not overwhelming, cucumber flavor to it. I couldn't stand gin until I tried Hendrick's and now I drink martinis on a regular basis.

As far as Manhattens go... That wouldn't by my first recommendation for you. Not by a long shot. Of course I am a scotch drinker and feel it is sacrilege to mix scotch with anything other than a drop or two of water.
posted by thekiltedwonder at 9:51 AM on January 10

You don't need a special machine to make margaritas. They're a mixture of tequila, triple sec (or Cointreau), citrus juice (usually lime and lemon), and sugar, shaken and then served straight up or on the rocks. Now, if you want a margarita-flavored Slurpee, you need a blender.

Another drink to try is the sidecar (cognac, triple sec, and lemon juice) or the ladies' sidecar (cognac, triple sec, orange juice, and a dash of lemon juice). The ladies' sidecar uses less cognac and adds OJ, so it's sweeter and less potent than the original sidecar.
posted by brianogilvie at 9:53 AM on January 10

Oops, I missed Jasmine's recommendation of the sidecar. Sorry! I agree that Cointreau is better than triple sec, especially if you're not paying.
posted by brianogilvie at 9:56 AM on January 10

top shelf margarita, on the rocks - i love tequilla.

....with salt. yum. yum. yum.

marsha56 and Not Supplied - I didn't know regular restaurant bars were typically able to make margaritas - I thought you had to have a special ice machine or something? Mmm grand marnier.

The special machine makes frozen margaritas. There is a time and a place for frozen but this isn't one of them. Enjoy your top self margarita on the rocks.
posted by mmascolino at 10:09 AM on January 10

No suggestions, but we seem to have the same taste in drink so don't forget to come back and tell us what you had and what you liked!
posted by Iteki at 10:39 AM on January 10

My perennial favorite and the one that got me back into drinking cocktails is a whiskey and ginger ale with lime. I read somewhere that it's the original high-ball, and it's about as classic as you can get. Crown Royal is the usual whiskey of choice simply because it's nearly flavorless and inoffensive. The ginger ale covers the "twang" of the alcohol, the lime gives it a bit of fruitiness, the fizziness is nice, and it's also impossible to mess up.
posted by TheNewWazoo at 10:46 AM on January 10

If you like the juniper flavor of gin, get gin in your martini. If you don't, get vodka. I like Grey Goose.

When someone else is buying, I get a Grey Goose gimlet on the rocks. That's just the liquor with lime juice. Like a martini, it is also often done with gin or vodka, and you can get it straight up or on the rocks. Just specify which.

The thing with not liking a strong alcohol taste is that when you're using top shelf liquor, one often finds out to their surprise that one DOES actually like the taste of alcohol. Good liquor is milder on the burn and stronger on the deliciousness. So now's a good time to give very strong drinks a chance. Just sip slowly.
posted by lampoil at 10:46 AM on January 10

(I should add that if you want to order with panache, it's a "crown and ginger with lime"). :)
posted by TheNewWazoo at 10:47 AM on January 10

A couple of good suggestions here, but also a few I'd have to disagree with. I'm a huge gin gal and a lover of bitter or boozy tasting things. With that in mind, I'd be surprised if you like any kind of martini. No matter how dirty, it still tastes and feels like alcohol. For me, that's a perk. For you, I doubt it. Also, I think Jasmines are utterly marvelous, but they're very sour and quite bitter. They contain campari, one of the bitterest substances behind the bar. Again, that makes my mouth water, but it's not so much a starter drink (judging by the people I've served them to who've hated them).

A sweetish bourbon (like Maker's Mark) or Crown Royal and ginger ale is a very good choice. Vodka with sprite and a splash of cranberry would work. Amaretto or whiskey sours are a good idea as well. Particularly if the bar is a bit slammed, these are probably your safest choices.

If the bar isn't as nuts and the bar tender seems like a smart guy you can talk to and is making more complicated cocktails, sit down and have a chat. Tell him everything you told us up top and see what he comes up with. My mom, whose drink preferences are rather like yours and who thinks all the drinks I love taste like bug spray, recently had the opportunity to commune with just such a bartender in New Orleans. He made me a sazerac so beautiful I almost wept and whipped up for her something made of a whole muddled green apple, ginger syrup, lemon juice, tequila, and club soda that she said was the best drink she'd ever had in her life. A great bartender can almost read your mind. Obviously, don't try for this at a slammed party bar, but if you get the chance, it could change your life.
posted by mostlymartha at 11:09 AM on January 10

I had tastes like yours before I became a drinker (particularly of scotch - yum). The above suggestions are good, but for god's sake, don't get a Manhattan. I got one once, on a lark, since I was moving to New York, and it was vile. The waitress tried it, because of my strong reaction, to see if there was anything wrong with it.

The verdict: that was how it was supposed to taste.
posted by SirNovember at 11:22 AM on January 10

And as for the dirty martini, wouldn't the flowery aromatics of gin taste weird with olive juice? I had just assumed it'd be made with vodka.

There are many, many kinds of gin, and lots of them are not very flowery - they tend more towards the juniper-y end of the spectrum, and there is indeed something special that happens when pine meets brine. I personally think that cheese-stuffed olives are an abomination and don't belong within a mile of a martini, but people like what they like and it's all good as long as I don't have to drink it!

But truly, if you don't like the taste of alcohol, gin really may not be your thing (yet), as it's quite distinctive in flavor. I didn't start to appreciate gin until I was in my 30s (and I already liked different kinds of alcohol).

If the bar has gingerbeer (not ginger ale) and dark rum (I like Black Seal for this), order a dark and stormy. Delicious - not bitter, and goes down (far too) easily.
posted by rtha at 11:55 AM on January 10

I'm with ndash: if I were at a well-stocked open bar, I would be hitting the single malt scotch. However, if the bartender has fresh mint, you should try a mojito. It's a pleasant experience, and Ernest Hemingway, at least, considered it the best mixed drink.
posted by acrasis at 12:08 PM on January 10

I can't believe nobody has suggested simply asking the bartender for recommendations. Make friendly with him/her and just say you seem stuck in a rut and want to try some new stuff. This works best if they aren't incredibly busy but if it's slow I'd highly suggest this.
posted by Octoparrot at 12:18 PM on January 10

Christ. I can't believe you wrote "I dislike it when I can clearly taste alcohol" and people recommended a Manhattan, which is pretty close to straight-up whisky.

You might be interested in the various champagne cocktails, like a Kir Royale (a classic French aperitif made from creme de cassis and champagne).
posted by mr_roboto at 12:34 PM on January 10

thekiltedwonder: As far as Manhattens go... That wouldn't by my first recommendation for you. Not by a long shot. Of course I am a scotch drinker and feel it is sacrilege to mix scotch with anything other than a drop or two of water.

A Manhattan is made with bourbon or rye whiskey. If you substitute scotch for this, you're actually making a Rob Roy.

Also, blends aren't really good for much other than mixing...
posted by Brother Dysk at 12:40 PM on January 10

Also, with all the mojito-talk, I can't believe that nobody has pointed out that the mojito, while very good, is just a fruity tropical bastardisation of the liquid god that is the mint julep.
posted by Brother Dysk at 12:43 PM on January 10

I can't believe nobody has suggested simply asking the bartender for recommendations.

Oh, so what you mean is you didn't actually read those comments.
posted by baphomet at 1:05 PM on January 10

Wow, this is the best response to a question I've ever posted! I'm going to keep this one bookmarked and reference it every year!

I think the mojitos, champagne cocktails, and so many others are such good suggestions, I think I'll take this list with me and show it to the bartender. They're usually not very busy, and at a Ruth's Chris you can bet they know their stuff. Thank you, everybody!
posted by GardenGal at 1:05 PM on January 10

As an alternate solution, why not try a sidecar? Made with brandy, of course.
posted by ob at 4:22 PM on January 10

How top shelf? It's always fun to try "exclusive" drinks neat when their free, you know, the ones that you would never buy but look at in the package store - Johnnie Walker Blue, Remy Martin XO, Pappy Van Winkle 23, etc.
posted by mrmojoflying at 5:07 PM on January 10

Ramos gin fizz. Tip your bartender - it's not so easy.
posted by jet_silver at 5:11 PM on January 10

2nding MostlyMartha re. bourbon and ginger ale. Especially with a sweeter bourbon like Maker's Mark. Bourbon and ginger ale was my grandmother's drink and I absolutely love the smokey bourbon with the ginger ale. A good variation on this is to substitute rye for the bourbon - around here we like Templeton Rye. The rye variation tends to be less smoky than the bourbon.

More generally, remember that you can mix up the drink list fairly safely as long as you stay within the same general class of liquors. So, go ahead and get a bourbon drink, then a rye, then a whiskey and you'll be ok. Don't do tequila, bourbon, and then some fruity-ass sugary concoction with rum. You're just asking for it at that point.

Another fun option, but a dangerous one unless you watch what you're doing, is the whole class of champagne cocktails. One of my favs is a flute of champagne with a shot of Cointreau and a shot of brandy, garnish with an orange slice. Very elegant.

Here's mud in your eye.
posted by webhund at 5:11 PM on January 10

late to the party, but oh well...i don't care for white russians, but i love just the coffee liqueur and cream (ice optional).
posted by silkygreenbelly at 8:42 PM on January 10

So I ended up trying only two drinks, since it turned out I was supposed to drive home. Sigh. Ah well, it means I get to *really* look forward to next year.

I tried a chocolate martini, which was dangerously good and went down probably too easily, and an "extremely" dirty martini that was actually kind of gross after the first few sips. My husband persisted in continuing to sip it over the course of two hours and entertaining the table with wittily horrified descriptions of it. His metaphors included a pickled dead guy. Ah well.

Next on my list: sidecar and margarita. I figure even if I can't get these all in one night, I can at least shell out another few bucks the next time I'm at a restaurant and satisfy my curiosity. Thanks, all!
posted by GardenGal at 8:43 PM on January 10

For reference, "extremely" dirty martinis are not the way to do it, because nobody likes to drink straight brine really. Its supposed to be just a splash.
posted by baphomet at 11:24 AM on January 11

Following up with a thought I had yesterday but didn't have a chance to come back and post. And now that I see that you didn't care for the dirty martini I think this is still a good idea... Next time, try a "Vesper," which some also call a "James Bond Martini." It's the recipe given in the movie "Casino Royale," if you've seen it. 3 oz. gin, 1 oz vodka, 1/2 oz Lillet Blanc, shaken over ice and strained into a glass with a slice of lemon peel. It avoids the salty sourness of the olive brine from a dirty martini, and the vodka and Lillet balance out the dryness of the gin. (Lillet is white wine fortified with some herbs and stuff. It's also quite tasty on its own, well chilled.)

Another idea - this one may be harder to find in a bar, but if you feel like investing in some ingredients... It's called a "Left Bank Martini." 1 1/2 oz gin, 1 oz Sauvignon Blanc wine (really any basic white wine would do), and 1 oz St. Germain, which is a liqueur made from Elderflowers from the French Alps. St. Germain is a fairly new product (which is why I say this may be hard to find in a bar), but it's quickly becoming quite popular among serious cocktail folks. It's great stuff - I find it sort of sweet and citrusy, a bit of a grapefruit flavor but not bitter at all. Everyone I've made one of these Martinis for has loved them.

If you're new to liquor drinking (as opposed to wine and beer), you may find, like I did, that your tastes change over time. So keep an open mind, be willing to experiment. You mention a distaste for bitterness - which I understand, but an example from my own experience: the first time I had a Negroni (Campari, gin, and red/sweet vermouth, equal amounts of each) I did find it quite strong and bitter. Now, I adore them.

And finally, I simply do not get all the Manhattan hate-on in this thread. I'm gonna guess a lot of people have had crap Manhattans, because it's my favorite drink and I refuse to believe I have bad taste. That said - I really don't order them out in bars because the bars I'm usually at with my friends aren't serious cocktail bars and don't do them right. A proper Manhattan is 2 oz bourbon or rye, 1 oz red/sweet vermouth, and a dash of bitters, usually Angostura. It's that last bit that bars usually skip, sometimes even replacing it with the juice from the maraschino cherries. It should be good whiskey - I use either Maker's Mark or Buffalo Trace. It should also be good vermouth - and here's another chance for bars to screw up, because vermouth, being wine-based, can go bad, and it seems cocktails calling for red vermouth aren't as popular these days, so who knows how long that bottle of cheap red vermouth has been sitting behind that bar. An old bottle of Martini & Rossi will wreck a Manhattan - at home I use Noilly Prat Rouge, and I drink enough of them that a bottle hasn't got a chance of going bad.

Oh wait, one more idea for you - the "Rusty Nail." It's Scotch Whisky and Drambuie, which is a liqueur made from Scotch and honey. This is a great drink - not too common, I don't think, but easy to explain if the bartender doesn't know it by name, and the ingredients aren't uncommon. I don't know the origin of the name, but I find it odd because the name sounds like it should be a harsh tasting drink, and it's not. Strong, yes, but it's almost sweet - the honey from the Drambuie is a really nice flavor. (Heck, Drambuie on the rocks is great too.)
posted by dnash at 9:21 PM on January 11 [1 favorite has favorites]