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Pregaming the holidays
posted October 20, 2012 10:04 AM   RSS | iCal | +googleCal

Sat November 17 at 4:00 PM, Greg Ace's house
4414 SE Center St, Portland, OR, USA (Map & Directions)
Let's do the long-awaited, much-discussed cocktail tasting meetup - Nov. 17, at Greg_Ace's house.
People can bring the liquor and ingredients for their favorite mixed drink, and/or maybe some food or snack of some sort. Spreadsheet available online for listing food, liquor/ingredients, etc. so that we can coordinate and avoid ending up with, say, 5 bottles of Grenadine left over.

NOTE: Bringing food or drink or both is NOT required! If all you're able to bring is yo' bad self, then please come anyway.
posted by Greg_Ace to Meetup (46 comments total)

I'm a definite maybe for this. It all depends on my work schedule.
Of course I could always request the day off.
posted by nickthetourist at 11:54 AM on October 20, 2012


Maybe shoot for Saturday the 17th?
posted by Greg_Ace at 4:37 PM on October 20, 2012


Maybe shoot for Saturday the 17th?

Set a time and I'll make the request.
posted by nickthetourist at 10:52 PM on October 20, 2012


Please make this after 11/6? Please? I will need booze badly.
posted by dersins at 12:05 AM on October 21, 2012 [1 favorite]


Hang in there dersins, booze is on the horizon. (17th sounds good)
posted by curious nu at 8:39 AM on October 21, 2012


Agreed!! (To all the above)
posted by fiercekitten at 1:43 PM on October 21, 2012


This sounds great!
posted by Specklet at 4:09 PM on October 21, 2012


17th sounds good! And, as for location, I'm not going to argue with your house (and it's super nice that you offer). I'd like to host a meetup sometime soon, but at the moment I'm still priming, painting, and otherwise recovering from some construction work. Some future meetup (rockband? crapgrass? boardgames? movie night?) will be mine, though!

I'll have to think what my favorite cocktail would be. I'm not much of a mixologist, so some of the things I drink at home are:

gin and tonic
gin martini
white russian (with soy milk)
margarita (on the rocks)

I can certainly bring some specialized glassware that doesn't get much use.
posted by Secretariat at 7:51 PM on October 21, 2012


Uh. And upon reading the tags, yeah, I might take the bus to this one.
posted by Secretariat at 7:51 PM on October 21, 2012


Yeah I added the "DUI" tag to help remind ourselves that we probably don't want to get utterly potted - not without the bus or a designated driver to get us home, anyway. But just in case, I do have a couple of air mattresses and extra blankets in the spare bedroom if someone really can't make it home. 'Cuz I'm thorough like that.

One idea I has was that rather than serve each other a bunch of full-sized cocktails, whoever's in charge of each recipe could make 4 servings or so, or about enough to fill a Mason jar (I have plenty of those), then split that up between many smaller glasses (which I also have) so we can all get a taste of it before moving on to the next one. If someone really likes a particular one, they can always go back to the jar for another helping. Sort of like we did with the whiskey tasting way back when in other words, and we managed to keep ourselves together pretty well that time.
posted by Greg_Ace at 12:09 AM on October 22, 2012 [1 favorite]


Batch mixing is a great idea.

And ice, lots of ice to make sure those cocktails get to drinking temperature. (Unless you're going to be really crazy and share a room-temperature cocktail.)
posted by Prince_of_Cups at 2:16 PM on October 22, 2012


mmm, tepid gin! :P
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:33 PM on October 22, 2012


Event confirmed.
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:38 PM on October 22, 2012


I've got 12 glasses that are large enough for ice plus a few swigs of cocktail, and 12 slightly smaller ones that would still be big enough for any non-iced beverages....depending on the turnout, those will probably be enough. But of course they wouldn't necessarily be the "correct" container (for martinis, for instance), so if that matters to you and you've got special glassware you're willing to schlep to the meetup, feel free!
posted by Greg_Ace at 6:45 PM on October 22, 2012


I can't guarantee we'll be there (we will try!), so here are some cold weather gin-based cocktail recipes, in case anyone needs inspiration.
posted by Specklet at 12:53 PM on October 23, 2012


I'm going to try and make this! It'd be fun to bring something Aquavit-centered, it being the holidays and all, but I've never had it in a cocktail. So it might be rusty nails (but with all you scotch snobs...!)
posted by Lutoslawski at 6:35 PM on October 23, 2012


Spreadsheet started so everyone can, if they wish, see if someone else lists an ingredient they'll need, and memail them to coordinate purchases to help avoid the aforementioned "we'll never use all that!" scenario.

Somebody help me with seat-of-the-pants guesswork: as far as trying to determine how big a batch to mix up of a drink so that everyone gets at least a taste, how many "tastes" could be made from a normal cocktail serving - two? four? Assuming "three" for the sake of argument, and going by the historical meetup attendance average of 12-16 people, that would mean making about 4-6 full size servings....

Overthinking a cup of bean liqueur
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:28 PM on October 23, 2012


Alternatively (and at this point no doubt risking exasperated eye-rolls and cries of "Just shut up you bloody twit! We hate you now!"), each of us could simply set out the ingredients for our chosen cocktail and perhaps a 3x5" card with the drink's recipe, and let people do whatever the hell they want.

But seriously, despite my obsessing about logistics, however the drinks are presented is fine; I'm sure it'll all work out. So I'll shut up now.
posted by Greg_Ace at 10:05 AM on October 24, 2012


I threw a party once where I set the liquor and mixers out in the kitchen, and recipes for doubles taped to the cabinet above, with the instruction: make a double, make a new friend.

and edit!
Lutoslawski, there is this recipe for an aquavit-containing cocktail that's been on menus in town for the past few years Norwegian Negroni.
posted by Prince_of_Cups at 4:44 PM on October 24, 2012 [3 favorites]


rtha and I will likely be in town for this.
posted by gingerbeer at 7:41 PM on October 31, 2012


I am new in town, and good at making absurd holiday-themed cocktails. I will definitely be there, with something weird to drink.
posted by jennyjenny at 8:11 PM on October 31, 2012


Ooooh. So maybe Norwegian Negronis (is that the plural of that?) it will be. Although...I have no idea what Cynar is.
posted by Lutoslawski at 11:37 AM on November 1, 2012


I don't know any cocktails, so how about some glögg?
posted by curious nu at 12:15 PM on November 1, 2012


I've got a half a bottle of parfait amour. I'll probably bring along a bottle of something else, but I'm not sure it'll mesh what ever else on the table to make a classic cocktail.

In name of keeping my liqueur relevant and encouraging experimentation, here are some general drink ratios:

Serious eats, more sour detail
flavor and balance considerations
posted by 0bs01337 at 8:36 PM on November 6, 2012


And indeed, gingerbeer and I will definitely be in town. I'm for sure showing up; she's a little more on the definite maybe end of things, depending on her work stuff.
posted by rtha at 12:07 PM on November 11, 2012


Kind of curious how long we think this might last. I'm not sure I'd be able to make it until late evening-ish.
posted by nickthetourist at 9:00 AM on November 12, 2012


I'm thinking of bringing bacon wrapped dates and/or livers. (not sure about a drink though.)
posted by vespabelle at 10:46 AM on November 12, 2012


nick: "how late" depends on the attendees. I don't have a problem with things going later if folks feel like continuing.

vespabelle: as long as you're not pondering some sort of liver-based cocktail, whatever you come up with should be okay. I don't think this will turn into a "my cocktail's fancier than yours" thing, so even if your favorite drink is a well-known standby like, say, rum and coke, that's fine (and hey, we even have some of Sibrax's Mexi-Coke still chilling in my fridge).
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:36 PM on November 12, 2012


Greg_Ace: "how late" depends on the attendees. I don't have a problem with things going later if folks feel like continuing.

We will probably check in with you mid-evening to see how things are coming along. Right now I'm thinking 9:00pm-ish.
posted by nickthetourist at 7:41 PM on November 12, 2012


We may need French Apple Cake. The recipe is staring at me.
posted by ansate at 9:05 PM on November 13, 2012


Mmm cake. I think I'll bring chex mix. And maybe pickles?
posted by Secretariat at 8:19 AM on November 15, 2012


chex mix

yesssssss
posted by curious nu at 9:54 AM on November 15, 2012


late to the party (zing!) but going to try very hard to make this. iffy.
posted by bhance at 3:13 PM on November 15, 2012


When I was at the store today I found some bunnies. Put 'em in the chex mix!
posted by Secretariat at 5:16 PM on November 15, 2012 [1 favorite]


Don't forget that you are coming to this!

Yes, you. YOU.
posted by curious nu at 11:34 AM on November 17, 2012


Update: chex mixed.
posted by cortex at 11:47 AM on November 17, 2012 [1 favorite]


Don't forget that you are coming to this!

Yes, you. YOU.

ME?

Okay.
posted by Tsuga at 1:34 PM on November 17, 2012


(I'll bring caipirinha fixings and some snacky snack TBD.)
posted by Tsuga at 1:37 PM on November 17, 2012


In preparation for the potential of many people coming, I went to the store IN MY NEW CAR and brought home a folding table and four folding chairs IN MY NEW CAR. I feel all grownup and mobile and stuff.
posted by Greg_Ace at 3:00 PM on November 17, 2012


So there's no way for me to get there by 4 (forgot it was so early!), shooting for 5ish
posted by churl at 3:33 PM on November 17, 2012


We'll be there in a bit, waiting for babby to wake from nap. It'll be his first meetup!
posted by Specklet at 3:51 PM on November 17, 2012


Thanks as always to Greg_Ace for hosting! So nice to see you guys! Sorry we had to leave so early, but when you're three months old seven o'clock is late!
posted by Specklet at 7:46 PM on November 17, 2012 [1 favorite]


That was excellent; many thanks to our host!

And it was lovely to meet the babby formed by MetaChat! Well, and his parents, who I guess had something to do with the forming.
posted by rtha at 9:39 PM on November 17, 2012


Great to see you rtha even if I didn't really get to say hi; thanks for coming out! And of course good to see everyone again this was a really pleasant time all around I thought.

Except when I totally inadvertently stole the arcade cabinet joke, I hate doing that! Please accept my sincere apologies

Anyways xoxo mefites sleep good
posted by churl at 9:53 PM on November 17, 2012


CHURL YOU ARE FOREVER MORE BANNED FOR JOKE-STEALING OFFENSES not really

Good to see both old and new faces.

Also someone left a nice canvas "The Goodies Co." shopping bag that I'll be glad to reunite with its human. Also also the blue Chex Mix Plus Bunnies bowl will mysteriously reappear at the next Game Day meetup.
posted by Greg_Ace at 11:18 PM on November 17, 2012


I thought it would be a little weird if I just dumped the chex mix on the counter and took the bowl- so I decided it was best to leave it.
posted by Secretariat at 7:47 AM on November 18, 2012



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