Top shelf on a student budget

[cptjeff]

Originally Posted by Allen

I live in East Europe so we get lots of cheap alcohol

) at $ 20-ish you get good whisky(J&B is about 23$ for a 750 ml bottle, Jack Daniels and Johnie Walker Red Label are cheaper as far as I know). Personally, I prefer rum, Havana Club would be my brand(sucks if you're american though), you can get that quite cheap.

Hmm, I wonder how much that would would run me in Canada. I'm already planning a trip or two to Ottawa this year...

 

[srendam]

Originally Posted by amnesiac

my student liquors as of the last 4 years were (NYC prices)

gordon's gin - ~$25 for 1.75
tanqueray and hendricks are closer to $30 for 750ml but depending on the mood I would splurge if it meant eating eggs for a few more meals.

tito's vodka ~$20 1L
svedka and sobieski are very polarizing but around $20 for a handle i think, haven't bought in a while - honestly, 20 y/o vodka snobs are the people that deserve the nikolai you keep in an empty grey goose bottle. Being marginally from texas i'd say go with tito's though.
Dripping Springs $20 1L a new vodka I see around texas a lot, trying to follow in the footsteps of tito's except they distill 20 times (tito's is 8 i believe) - I think it might even be better than tito's but I need to try more to let you know, and i'm not a vodka fan anyway.

wild turkey rye and 101 bourbon (the rye is much better but the 101 bourbon has a place in my heart. also, in my experience, guys that like jack, which i never have, like to do shots of wild turkey) - $20 1L
buffalo trace - should be $20, comes out to around $25 usually
evan williams - better than jack and just as legitimate for getting drunk on when camping - $20 for 2L special at my favorite store, usually around $15 1L otherwise
Elijah Craig - preferable camping whiskey - $20 1L
Old Grandad 101 and 114 - $20 and $25 respectively
Jameson - a lot of girls will only drink jameson and makers mark whiskey - ymmv I personally really like it - $25?

mt gay rum $20 750ml
still haven't really found a good rum...

I don't touch tequila

I hosted a lot of people and made a lot of gin and tonics, Tom Collinses, manhattans, mojitos, and juleps but mostly tom collins because i love lime.

Rum, whiskey and vodka will cover pretty much everyone except for scotch drinkers but scotch drinking college students can bring a bottle to the party (and they will if they must). Otherwise, just stock up with coke, diet coke, limes, limes, limes, mint, tonic, seltzer, bitters, cranberry, oj, olives, triple sec in case someone brings tequila (i hate tequila), vermouth and you're good to go.

Also, Crate and Barrel has the best cheap glassware that really isn't that much more expensive than plastic cups assuming you're not throwing keggers with your "top shelf student booze."

And these huge pitchers are really handy to have around. Premix the first round of house drinks.

Screw "top shelf," most bars suck at cocktails and selection anyway. Focus on quality low-mid range liquors that are possibly more obscure and make drinks people don't usually try, being interesting is more important than knowing what to buy to look like you have money. Spend it well and spend it where it counts. Most students are so used to crappy mixed drinks anyway so have a menu, make it limited but appealing to a variety of tastes, and learn as you go.

I really miss hosting parties...

hit the nail on the head