PrintCheap(er) Drinks: Tips For Enjoyable Drinking Without Going Broke
It’s tax time, and once you’re done sweating over the paperwork and writing out your check, you could probably use a drink. Ah, but there’s the rub—the IRS just walked away with your wallet, there’s a recession staring us in the face, and, to top it all, the real estate market is peeking into the abyss. At times like these, it’s hard to saunter out of the liquor store with a $50 bottle of scotch in your hand when within a few months it could turn out to be worth more than your house.
But that’s okay (well, it’s really not, but let’s pretend it is for now)—you can still have friends over for a perfectly satisfying and relaxing drink without cracking into the kids’ college fund. Here are a few ways to accomplish this (beyond the patently obvious "drink less"); be sure to join us in the comments section with any ideas you have.
- Change your brands: Obvious, yes, but it’s one of the first places where you can save. If you’re accustomed to unwinding with a glass of Laphroaig—around $66 a bottle in my area—it may be time to reassess lower-priced single malts such as Glenfiddich, which weighs in around $40.
- Change spirits: This may call for a greater shift in tastes and habits, but ultimately it could be the most rewarding. Let’s take that glass of scotch: basic single malts tend to start in the $35 range, depending on where you live, and the price rapidly escalates into the $50, $75 and beyond stratosphere for anything beyond the most basic. The situation is similar with cognac, and with decent tequila. But take a walk around the liquor store, and you’ll find excellent spirits that are still true bargains: satisfying and sippable bourbons start a good $10 to $15 cheaper than scotch, and except for the absolute top-of-the-line, the super-premium bottles top out at a price-point where scotch and cognac are just starting to get respectable.
- Discover rum: Premium rums are astonishingly cheap when compared to similarly aged spirits such as whiskey and cognac, with sippable rums starting in the low $20s. Even better, the quality and range of excellent sipping rums has taken off in recent years, and some truly exceptional rums can be found for about the same price as a basic single-malt scotch or reposado tequila—think Ron Zacapa Centenario 23 Anos, which retails for around $35; or Barbancourt 15-year-old, which goes for around $40. Explore the rum category, and walk out with two bottles of top-of-the-line spirits for less than what you’d pay for a single bottle of mid-range cognac.
- Embrace the cocktail: You don’t always have to break out the good stuff when guests come over, as long as you employ a little creativity. Cheaper, premium brands make wonderful cocktails (in many cases, they work a lot better than the higher-priced super-premiums), and you can prepare a wonderful drink for a fraction of the price of a glass of straight spirit. For instance, instead of opening that $40 bottle of Macallan, try mixing some Manhattans: you can pick up a bottle of Rittenhouse bonded rye—a double-gold winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and one of the best bargains out there—for around $15, plus a bottle of decent sweet vermouth for another $6; toss in some Angostura bitters—$6 for a bottle that’ll last for years—and you’ve got perfectly respectable drinks for a crowd for much cheaper than what you’d spend on a single bottle of good scotch.
- Mix cheaper cocktails without compromising quality: Good tequila and triple sec can be heart-stoppingly expensive, so instead of serving margaritas, switch to daiquiris: Cruzan, Brugal and Flor de Cana all offer excellent white rums in the $15 or less region; add some fresh lime juice and a little laughably cheap sugar, and you have a classic, equally respectable daiquiri.
That should get you started; what are your suggestions?
About the author: Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.
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22 Comments:
Poor man's sangria - or as its referred in Spain Tinto Murano:
Orange Soda (i use diet - you know....girlish figure and all) and red wine. Any red wine - squeeze a bit of lemon to "freshen it up" and you WILL be asked for the recipe - guaranteed.
Dolcezza at 3:23PM on 04/09/08
. . . maybe Tinto de Verano? I used to get those in Salamanca.
unless I'm dumb and can't remember what murano means. . . sigh.
unarata at 3:29PM on 04/09/08
When mixing cocktails, avoid using higher end products, especially vodka. It's pretty tough to tell the difference between a Grey Goose chocolate martini and a Smirnoff one.
mustardbear at 4:02PM on 04/09/08
I believe there was a Wall Street Journal article in which the proprietors of premium vodka had difficulty picking out their own product in a taste test. I think Smirnoff actually scored the best.
bobbob at 4:32PM on 04/09/08
It was seville where I learned it- and I could be dumb - which is why I say Poor Man's Sangria :)
Dolcezza at 5:10PM on 04/09/08
Or just make your choco-mint-mango-tini without the added expense of vodka to begin with. It'll still taste the same . . .
TMFIII at 5:14PM on 04/09/08
If you're into simple mixed drinks (a liquor + a cola, say), then you need to go get your self some Old Overholt rye. It is just good, honest bourbon, and it mixes great with ginger ale (Blenheim is awesome).
maxwell_h at 5:49PM on 04/09/08
There's also the "Brita filter your medioce vodka" trick
adrockuw at 8:36PM on 04/09/08
Hey, if you're just looking for neutral spirits (and that's really all vodka is, anyway), buy a liter of Everclear, add a liter of distilled water, and you've got yourself 2 liters of (in effect) 95 proof vodka for under $20. Good for mixing, if not for sipping.
curmudgeon at 12:52PM on 04/10/08
Hey! Let's not create extra demand for Rum in the market! I really enjoy my bottles of Zacapa and Zaya at their current prices.
turbowombat at 12:57PM on 04/10/08
@adrockuw--Since it's recommended you filter three times using a new filter each time, the cost of the Brita filter negates the cheaper vodka.
I believe in getting the best that you can afford, but I also believe in being an educated consumer. In some instance such as vodka, "the best" is really not determined by price. How is one clear, odorless, nuetral flavored spirit supposed to distinguish itself from the other clear, odorless, nuetral flavored spirits? The price of vodka really reflects the cost of the pretty bottles, the slick marketing campaigns and what the market will bear. The actual cost of producing vodka is the least of the factors affecting its price. Caveat Emptor.
wookie at 1:14PM on 04/10/08
myopenbar.com...that's how i drink for cheap, but you have to be willing to put up with the other wise guys that got the same idea
billyburgwife at 2:34PM on 04/10/08
C'mon!!! You lost me with the first one. Glennfiddich as a replacement for Laphroaig!?! I am a fan of both, but it's apples and oranges.
nickinc at 4:11PM on 04/10/08
@nickinc--I think it's all in how you read that bit of advice. He doesn't say Glenfiddich can replace Laphroaig, he just says it might be time to reassess the virtues of the less expensive choice.
wookie at 7:23PM on 04/10/08
You can also just switch where you shop - like gas prices, liquor prices go up and down DRAMATICALLY depending on the location of the liquor store. The wine I usually buy is almost $10 less if I buy it outside the city. I'm not saying you should find the sketchiest liquor store you can, just maybe try to find a less expensive town, or suburb if you live in the city.
embolini9 at 11:08AM on 04/11/08
I've pulled a few good free drinks cause of dontspendadime.com
Big Wheels at 1:15PM on 04/12/08
As for really great sippable rum I always go to Mt. Gay Extra Old for $35 - $40 a bottle or Cruzan Single Barrel Rum for $25 - $30. Both are complex and flavorful.. great for sipping on the rocks.
My go-to affordable bourbon has always been Maker's Mark and for under $25 a bottle it is well worth every penny.
As for Gin, I have found that Boodles is usually a few bucks cheaper than Tanqueray and frankly, i think it makes a better G&T.
mrMatt at 1:37PM on 04/12/08
@embolini9: "You can also just switch where you shop - like gas prices, liquor prices go up and down DRAMATICALLY depending on the location of the liquor store."
While this is generally a decent suggestion, some states have regulated liquor prices via the Liquor Control Commission (Dept of Labor & Economic Growth). Many readers do not have the luxury of simply "shopping around" for better prices. Good article.
abc123 at 2:26PM on 04/12/08
I'd like to return to the Glenfiddich v. Laphroaig debate. To say that Glenfiddich (a smooth highland malt) is a possible subsititute for Laphroaig (a smokey, strong island malt) is wrong. That doesn't mean, though, that there are now cheaper substitutes to look for. Probably your best bet for a cheaper substitute would be Bowmore (which also hails from Islay). It goes for around $40.
AHolland at 9:20AM on 04/14/08
I had several nice crystal decanters for years, but never used them. Four years ago we moved and I set up a self service bar in the dining room. I used my decanters on a cart with a mirrored top. They look great! I got some very nice pewter nameplates to hang around them and I filled them up. I have bourbon, scotch, gin, vodka, rum and cognac. When company comes over I direct them to the bar. I also use a crystal ice bucket with silver tongs and a small crystal water pitcher. People make their own drinks in my heavy bottom crystal glasses and only ask me for whatever mix they need. I don't deceive them about the brands; if asked I answer.
Bourbon, Jim Beam Black; Scotch, Famous Grouse; Gin, Bombay Sapphire; Vodka, Sirmnoff Triple Filtered; Rum, Bacardi Select Dark; Cognac, Hennessey. I'm rarely asked about the brands and when I am it's usually to offer a positive comment. This approach allows me to purchase the larger containers which generally offer a better price per ounce. I figure I save at least $600 a year on liquor; more than enough to buy a few decanters if my friends hadn't given me any. By the way I drink all the brands on the rocks or with a splash except the rum. That's with coke or tonic.
Jimjam at 11:35AM on 04/14/08
nickinc & AHolland: good points. As wookie pointed out, my intent wasn't to say that Glenfiddich is just like Laphroaig, just cheaper, but that at a time when you're tightening your belt, sometimes it's necessary to shift off the favorite tastes and onto something still pleasing, but cheaper. AHolland's recommendation of Bowmore as a more appropriate substitution for Laphroaig is better than my Glenfiddich example; thanks for suggesting that.
Paul Clarke at 11:44AM on 04/14/08
Sometimes you can find a good deal on your favorite spirit by checking listed sales at liquorliker.com. It might be worth a stop at a store that's a bit out of your way, if you've got several bottles to buy, and you're saving $5-6 on each bottle.
mkuehn at 10:08AM on 04/15/08