OT: Cocktail Versatility Advice

Submitted by JeepinBen on

TL;DR - What's your most versatile mixer/ingredient?

Full story: The wife and I are headed to a "Stock the Bar" couples shower this weekend and I'm more of a "beer & wine" guy than a liquor drinker. As is the groom-to-be (we're good friends). He mentioned that part of what he's excited for with the Stock the Bar thing is getting more things to use when hosting, the ability to make cocktails when entertaining, etc. I plan to buy a bottle of Koval Whiskey (not sure what kind yet) http://www.koval-distillery.com/newsite/ as it's local and fancy enough, but I was hoping to get a couple of ingredients/etc. to go with it. Do I do a fancy bottle of simple syrup and some bitters? Or are there better suggestions out there?

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laus102

May 13th, 2016 at 2:47 PM ^

goes to vermouth.  Esp.  sweet vermouth.  It mixes very well with whiskeys... all kinds.  Blood and sand.. manhattans... etc.  Also martinis... 

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Gob Blueth

May 13th, 2016 at 3:27 PM ^

Some non booze items that are great to have:
Luxardo cocktail cherries. A really good ginger beer. Cool copper Moscow Mule mugs, not department store boring ones.



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seksdesk

May 13th, 2016 at 4:33 PM ^

is nice to have on hand for Moscow Mules. Or perhaps you could bring a mint plant as mint leaves are a swell summer garnish to have handy.

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BlueMan80

May 13th, 2016 at 6:10 PM ^

1)  There's nothing in the summer like a good mojito.  So, give them a mint plant and they'll have a core ingredient readily available.  We bought a mojito mint plant years ago (go to a good garden center to get one) and have mint ready every year.  Advise they may want to put the plant in a pot in the ground to contain it, beause mint spreads everywhere it can.

2)  If your buddy is a beer/wine guy like me, he'll appreicate "prepackaged" mixers like they have at Williams Sonoma.  They have 3 different handcrafted cocktail mixers and they are all good (blood orange satsuma, pom-blueberry and a yuzu one)  I usually buy a 3 pack of the small ones to make a cocktail for the wife while I drink yummy craft beer instead.  Just get them some rum and vodka as mix-with options.

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ghostofhoke

May 13th, 2016 at 8:54 PM ^

A lot of people won't spend money on bottles of liquer that can really help make interesting drinks in the vein of Vermouth, check out a bottle of St. Germain or Aperol. They can help really improve the variety of drinks he can make from his bar but he's not likely go out and spend the money himself. And forget the Koval, that stuff is absolute garbage. Go to Binny's and find a bottle of Smooth Ambler Old Scout or a Willett rye.



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Schrödingers Cat

May 14th, 2016 at 12:55 AM ^

Back when I was in college I used to bartend. I used to make my own simple syrup but I would infuse it with another ingredient depending on the cocktail. Mint for julips and mojitos, ale 8 for some bourbon drinks and even some fruit for some vodka and rum drinks. Just trying to be creative and offer something that my neighbors didn't have. It's really easy as long as you know how to boil water your all good.



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