liquor/wine - types/brands

Please help me with the brands of liquor for my eng party!

Vodka- Absolut or Finlandia or Smirnoff or ?
Gin- Tanqueray or Bombay Sapphire
Rum- Bacardi (light or dark)
Scotch- Johnnie Walker Black Label (Dad's drink)
Bourbon/Whisky- Jack Daniels or ?
Vermouth

Wine- I'll have Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio for whites and Cabernet and Merlot and Pinot Noir for red. Do I need a white Zin? I don't like it so I think that's why I am excluding it.

Beer- Amstel Light, Heineken, and either Corona/Bass/or other.

Please let me know what you think. After I get down which ones I have to figure out how much! Thanks!

My best advice to you is to try & find out what people like.

I would recommend Skyy vodka over Absolut, there is less aftertaste and less chance of a hangover for about the same price.

Gin all tastes the same to me, but I sell more Tanqueray than anything

rum is good - bacardi

JW Black is a great scotch for the price, and people recognize it

burboun-JD and Southern Comfort (if you think you'll use it)

only buy vermouth if you plan on making martini's manhattans, etc.

as for the wines, you might consider having a pinot and merlot; only have a white zin if you think it will be used.. or you can get a good tasting Long Island white zin for very little $$.

But again, you kow your guests taste so go with your instincts. The only thing I would add to the list is a bottle of apple puckers. Appletini's are VERY popular right now. also the puckers make a great shooter.

Sounds like you're ready for a real good party - have a great time!!!

I can tell you from being a (ex) bartender, which ones are most ordered.


Vodka-Absolut, although I love Grey Goose!
Gin-Tanqueray
Rum-Bacardi dark (its sweeter)
Bourbon-definately Jack Daniels

Beer-alot of people also like Coors
And alot of girls like White Zin although what you have sounds like enough even without white zin.

Just curious, what about Kahlua? and mixers?

Hey Jennbaby, where did you mix????


<---- also a former bartender recently retired from an 11 year tour

well I only bartended for 1 yr at a topless club in Queens and NO I was NOT topless (against the law to serve topless)

How bout you?

For mixers- I have club soda, tonic, ginger ale, coke/diet coke, oj, cranberry juice. Am I missing anything?

I think someone mentioned Kahlua- do I need Bailey's if I do Kahlua?

Anything I am missing?

Also- we are having 2 bartenders- is it tacky to use the 1.5L bottles of wine over the normal 750ml? They suggested we use 1.5 but I'm not sure.

Jennbaby- what beers are most ordered? I know I have to do Heineken as a lot of my guests like it- the light beer I am not sure of- I like Amstel but is Miller Lite a better one to go with? And should I do Bass/Corona/or other. This is an outdoor party that's right on the water so I thought Corona would be nice since it is kind of beachy.

Thanks for all your help!

lets see, there are alot of things you can use. have OJ on hand also and limes for the Coronas-yummy!

There are so many drinks but if you just want basics also have, peach schnapps, grapefruit juice, triple sec. Talk to your bartenders, who are they?

Kahlua & Baileys are 2 diff, I'd get Kahlua (have milk around).

Oh yeah, I am doing tequilla and triple sec too at request of the caterer. The bartenders are from the catering place- it's an indian restaurant in Garden City.

I have limes on my list- is there any need for wedges of lemon also?

JennBaby- you kick a-s-s - thanks for your help!

My suggestons:

Vodka- Grey Goose all the way (unless you are one of the people who are boycotting French products!!
Gin- Tanqueray & Bombay Sapphire are both good (I'm not much of a gin drinker but I prefer the Sapphire)
Rum- Bacardi (I prefer the light rum - they also have flavored light rums which are good)
Scotch- I don't drink it but Johnny Walker is very good
Bourbon/Whiskey- Jack Daniels is most common
Vermouth - don't drink regular martinis so I'm not sure

Wine- Almost any California chardonnay will be good (just because it's a little cheaper doesn't mean it's not good). Santa Margarita Pinot Grigio is my favorite.

I know you don't want a zinfindel (I don't like it either) but you may try a 'white merlot'. I know Beringer makes one and it's actually pretty good. That is a good choice if you want something that's rose.

Beer- I'm not a big beer drinker but lately I've been a big fan of Miller Genuine Draft and Michelob light. Heinken and Corona are popular choices also.

Good Luck!

DH and I would be very happy at your party...him JWBlack and me tangueray

at our eparty...the tangueray went like water...but i guess it depends on who is there...

my dad likes canadian club whiskey...but i'm not an expert on that one..


as for wines...i am a big advocate of LI wines...it gives the party a sense of localness-my sister just recently brought a bottle of Jamesport to our house...and it was FANTASTIC!!!