For The Love Of Port

Last night I had a hankering for a Margarita, done top shelf until I started making it and realized I had run out of Grand Marnier. That didn't stop me from continuing to make one and enjoy it though As I sipped it I was curious as to what other members here like to drink other than wine and Port. So what do you like to sip other than Port and wine?

Here are mine:
Dark beers are a given
Love a good Bombay Sapphire Gin and Tonic
and a well made top-shelf Long Island Ice Tea (with very little sweet and sour)

Depending on my mood I'll drink most beers, I prefer the darker, chewier ones but any good beer is fun. The whole Micro-Brew thing has elevated beer to a whole new level, too.

For cocktails, Bombay Sapphire Martini in a 6:1 ratio, preferably with jalepno stuffed olives--shaken or stirred until very cold. Beefeater's is a good choice as well (Hendrick's is too floral and Tanqueray, not a fan). Sometimes just pour the gin in a tumbler with ice, no vermouth and some olives. Also fond of Bourbon Sidecars and Manhattans (Not "perfect"). I always have a nice bourbon or two around for sipping.

Gin and tonics in the summer. For these I use Gordon's Dry Gin--IMHO it makes the best gin and tonic hands down. The nicer gins are just too elegant to stand up to the tonic. Got to have a generous squeeze of fresh lime, too.

I like all of the traditional mixed drinks such as margarita, Long Island Ice Tea (traditional with just alcohol and a splash of coke), martini, Irish Coffee, etc.

While I like and drink all of the traditional drinks, I like to give new restaurants tests. The drink test has guidelines like this:

• Not a Margarita, Mojito, or Martini (drinks that are too heavily relied upon)
  No Tequila
  Something that is NOT on your printed drink list (this should be the bartender’s creation)
  Don’t tell me what it is or what is in it until I try it
  If asked, once in a while I’ll add either not excessively sweet or not excessively sour/bitter

As one might imagine, there has been some very interesting drinks that have passed through these lips. There was only been one time when the drink went back, because it was just a margarita served in a tumbler.

Fan of Bourbon and Scotch. I also enjoy some Cognacs although I am more particular on the brands.
Aged Rum is another thing I enjoy, and I make a mean mojito.

Depends on mood and season. I certainly drink a great variety of beers, although my current tendencies are favoring barrel aged and sours. I just recently bottled a foreign export stout aged in a Merlot barrel for 17 months with cherries. Tasty. I also have on draft an English olde ale aged in a whiskey barrel, and have another one of those aging now in barrel. Just brewed a black IPA to go into a Bourbon barrel in a month or so.

In warmer times I'll drink margaritas, mojitos, etc. Tequila on its own is also a fine sipper. On a recent trip to New Orleans I had some Bourbon based cocktails as that seemed a local favorite.

I do like a good gin and tonic as well, but haven't had one in a while. A year or two ago some friends hosted a gin tasting. I think we had about twelve different gins. I tasted them straight up and mixed. Mixed there was no correlation with price and enjoyment. Straight up there was a weak correlation.

Beer, lager and the occasional Malt Whisky. If I'm by a pool on holiday in a hot place I might have a G&T.

Root beer, Tequila, Beer, Caiparinha, LIIT

Phyllis D wrote:I like all of the traditional mixed drinks such as margarita, Long Island Ice Tea (traditional with just alcohol and a splash of coke), martini, Irish Coffee, etc.

While I like and drink all of the traditional drinks, I like to give new restaurants tests. The drink test has guidelines like this:

• Not a Margarita, Mojito, or Martini (drinks that are too heavily relied upon)
  No Tequila
  Something that is NOT on your printed drink list (this should be the bartender’s creation)
  Don’t tell me what it is or what is in it until I try it
  If asked, once in a while I’ll add either not excessively sweet or not excessively sour/bitter

As one might imagine, there has been some very interesting drinks that have passed through these lips. There was only been one time when the drink went back, because it was just a margarita served in a tumbler.

I'm sure you get some very interesting drinks from time to time with those parameters.

Roy Hersh wrote:LIIT

What's that?

Andy Velebil wrote:

Roy Hersh wrote:LIIT

What's that?

Long Island Iced Tea?

Just about anything really!

Beer for sure. Like Andy I'm a fan of dark brews but I keep an open mind. I sort of homebrew beer with a few of the guys I used to work with. It's done at a place that has all the setup for it and the results have been pretty good. We have a summer ale in the vat at the moment.
I don't mind a bit of cider either, also single malts either neat or on ice. I'm starting to get into aged rum as well and intend exploring this in a bit more depth.
I always keep a bottle of Gin on hand for a G&T and have everything needed to make a Long Island Iced Tea as well.
And for Non alcoholic drinking - I like good tea and coffee. I recently moved to a new client site and discovered an excellent coffee roaster and cafe 2 minutes walk down the road so I was well pleased with that!

Guinness
Dark 'n' Stormy
Margarita
Mezcal
Any Chinese Restaurant Cocktail

Just got some Grand Marnier so it may be time for a margarita

And here we thought you bought that to mix in with your Ruby Port.

Roy Hersh wrote:And here we thought you bought that to mix in with your Ruby Port.

It pairs better when mixed with Pink Port to make Derek's favorite drink called the "Grand Pink"

Once in a blue moon, cognac (if that qualifies).