Nightcap time:

--> Dailuaine 1974/2005 46% Berry's Own (Berry Brothers & Rudd)

chic fil a peach shake

I have a friend that is coming to stay with me for a week. She likes kinda girlie drinks (no whiskey or gin - only vodka or rum based). I need recommendations for Vodkas since I basically no nothing about them. I am sure that Marc and Jim can name a few. Are potato vodkas supposed to be the best? Also, if any one knows any good recommendations for vodka drinks, that would be much appreciated!

Hey Shelly, I used to drink vodka pretty often for awhile there and I usually bought Ketel One, Chopin or some obscure potato vodka. Right now, I would either buy Chopin (potato) or get a Charbay flavored vodka like the Meyer lemon, pomegranate, red grapefruit or blood orange. They are flavored with real fruit, as they explain here: http://www.charbay.com/VODKAS.aspx

I actually think that she would love many of your gin cocktails and may even learn that she doesn't have to limit herself...just sayin'.

As for vodka cocktails, the vodka tonic is obvious, but tasty, but here are some real cocktails to consider:

Triomphe Cocktail

1 1/2 oz Vodka

3/4 oz Lemon Juice

1/2 oz Yellow Chartreuse

1/2 oz 1-1 Simple Syrup

Shake well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lemon peel.

Yokohama Cocktail

1 Dash Absinthe

1/6 Grenadine

1/6 Vodka. (1/2 oz Awamori)

1/3 Orange Juice

1/3 Dry Gin

Shake well and strain into cocktail glass. [she'll never know she's drinking gin unless you tell her! You could also just double the vodka]

Madras Cocktail

1 1/2 oz vodka

3 oz cranberry juice

1 oz orange juice

1 lime wedge

Pour all ingredients (except lime wedge) into a highball glass over ice. Add the lime wedge and serve.

Cape Codder

• 2 ounces vodka
  
• 2 or 3 ounces cranberry juice cocktail
  
• 1/2 ounce lime juice
  
• club soda
  
  
  
  Glass Type: Collins glass
  Instructions
  
  
  Pour vodka (or white rum) into a Collins glass, add cranberry juice cocktail, the juice of half a lime (some leave this out,) and a couple of ice cubes. Top off with club soda or seltzer (some leave this out, too, doubling the cranberry; we don't). Garnish, if you wish, with a slice of lime and/or a sprig of mint.
  
  Madras Cocktail
  Mix 2 ounces vodka and 2 ounces OJ in a Collins glass, slip in a couple of ice cubes, and float 2 ounces of cranberry juice; serve with a stirrer and, if you wish, a wedge of lime (people like something to play with).
  
  Moscow Mule
  • 1/2 ounce lime juice
    
  • 2 ounces vodka
    
  • 4 to 6 ounces ginger beer
    

  Mike Romanoff

  [*]2 ounces vodka

  [*]1 teaspoon Cointreau

  [*]1 teaspoon apricot liqueur

  [*]1 ounce lime juice

  [*]2 dashes bitters

Suggestions for rum drinks:

Grog - 2 parts rum, 1 part simple syrup, 1 part key lime juice, cinnamon, water, ice

Rum Swizzle - same as above, but with 3 dashes peychauds, 1 agnostura instead of the cinnamon

replace water with shaved ice for rum slushie

I have a friend that is coming to stay with me for a week. She likes kinda girlie drinks (no whiskey or gin - only vodka or rum based). I need recommendations for Vodkas since I basically no nothing about them. I am sure that Marc and Jim can name a few. Are potato vodkas supposed to be the best? Also, if any one knows any good recommendations for vodka drinks, that would be much appreciated!

Looks like Al has the drink suggestions for Vodka covered. My goto potato vodka is Luksusowa. It is as good as any other potato vodka I have tasted and it is actually pretty inexpensive. I like the taste of potato vodka better, especially straight and chilled or in a Vodkatini.

I also like to make green peppercorn flavored vodka. I take about 30 green peppercorns and place them into a large mason jar. Put in a bottle of vodka (I generally use Russian Standard) and let sit for 12-24 hours, the longer it stands the more peppery it tastes. Then pour the vodka back into it's bottle, cap it back up and place into the freezer. Excellent for sipping on hot days and makes an excellent Bloody Mary.

Pepsi.

Thanks Al, Dan, and Jim, for the suggestions!

I like my alcohol with flavor Shelly.. but I would pick a classic potato vodka myself... sorry no recommendations.

That's ok, you tried. I heard that you might like to sip a bit of scotch every now and again.

I heard...

HA!

Minkoff!

mountain valley spring water

Holy Mayberry provisions Batman!

Sub in a Minkoff and a Lion Heart for those jerry cans, sharpen your shovel, and we're ready for Capetown on Acid!

Edited August 5, 201114 yr by Voltron

Holy Mayberry provisions Batman!

it was a sad, sad realization when i discovered, to my horror, that the WFs in Mayberry didn't have my poison of choice.

Edited August 5, 201114 yr by 909

Sub in a Minkoff and a Lion Heart for those jerry cans, sharpen your shovel, and we're ready for Capetown on Acid!

I think the jerry cans are that color for a reason. How much red would you need to add for the (un)desired effect.

"... may lead a person to misinterpret their actual level of intoxication"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodka_Red_Bull

or maybe something Swiss?

I guess a whole one per jerry can. >

Stella Artois for lack of better options. On the plus side, I am sitting on a patio at my hotel for the weekend and my brother who lives in LA is coming over for a beer or two. My oldest nephew is getting married at my brother's house in Woodside, which should be an interesting test run for my oldest niece/goddaughter who is getting married in Mayberry next summer.

Thought I would give Chianti a shot, '01 Cantina di Montalcino Riserva. Doesn't suck.

Avery Maharaja Imperial IPA

Jason Fields & Kevin Sheppard / Tröegs / Stone Cherry Chocolate Stout from Stone's 2011 Collaborations series...

I'm not big into Cherry beers, but this would be great poured over ice cream:)...

Baird / Ishii / Stone Japanese Green Tea IPA from Stone's 2011 Collaborations series...

beer's worth trying for $3.99...proceeds go to Japanese Red Cross Society...

Abbey Monk's Ale. The Monastery of Christ in the Desert in Abiquiu, New Mexico claims to be the only American monastery brewing and selling beer- in the tradition of the Belgian monks. Pretty darn good, too!

http://christdesert.org/Abbey_Beverage_Company/index.html

Edited August 6, 201114 yr by jvlgato

2oz Herradura Anejo tequila + 3/4 oz Clement Creole Shrubb orange liqueur + 1/2 oz lime juice margarita. This does not suck.

Hi Shelly. My favorite vodka is Tito's Homemade Vodka. It's relatively inexpensive and is distilled near you in Austin, TX.

Ken,

I have some Tito's in my freezer but haven't tried it yet. I shall open it up and try it.