Black Tie Beverages

[FreezerBurns]

When in a black tie social setting with the "VP" types of your company and the time for drinks arises, what would one order to not only fit in, but supercede the expectations of everyone involved?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

 

[Jim]

Club soda.

 

[FreezerBurns]

Club soda.

This is an interesting suggestion... What is the rhyme, reason, explanation behind it please? Is this the typical selection for an up-and-comer in a firm/company? Is the idea to remain stone cold sober in the presence of superiors? Or is it to confuse the sam hell out of everyone in the room?

 

[TimmyBoston]

Jim has a good suggestion, Club Soda, make sure it has a lime as well. This will appear as if you are drinking G&T's (always an elegant drink) and you will have your wits about you.

If you want to go the alcoholic route, IMO, nothing looks classier than a Martini.

 

[Noebie]

1) a martini (gin or vodka, up with olives or a twist - no freaking "appletini" drinks or whatever)

2) a manhattan

3) a slug of whiskey - this could be in the form of scotch or bourbon or irish on the rocks - or mixed with water - or possibly soda - but NOTHING SWEET - no jack and coke, 7 and 7, etc.

safest choice will be scotch and water in a highball glass, with a twist of lemon

if they've got dewars, so much the better

 

[bearbear]

scotch speaks class and refinement, but i'd stick with the club soad and lime, anyone decides to buy you a drink, you can put back a gin and tonic without offending them. This also provides the added bonus of keeping you well hydrated, allowing your body to process the alchol much more effeciently, keeping you sober longer.

Avoid more than 2 or 3 drinks in a night.

 

[airplanedoc]

While on a Scotch Whisky tour in Scotland, it was suggested that if it was not worth ordering by name, it was not worth drinking. I feel it applies to all whisky or (ey).

That is a tough question. Have to be careful not to upstage the VP or drink when not appropriate. Best bet is try and find out what he drinks, and order something similar or equal. If you are not very familiar with that particular drink, do a bit of studying upso you have a rudimentry knowlege of that particular drink.

You don't want to order a particular Scotch to try and impress the VP then have him start up a converation about different Scotches your like and dislikes, and you know little or nothing them and look like a idiot. Same applies to any beverage.

AD

 

[castlecraver]

my rules:

It'd better be brown or clear. and unless it's a strained cocktail, I highly recommend rocks. You'll take in the alcohol slower, and your breath won't smell as strongly of it as it would if you drank neat. Whiskey rocks is always in style -- it's manly, uncomplicated, and looks good in your hand. And be sure to order by brand if you can see the bottles.

Two-part mixed drinks at most. Keep it simple. You don't want people waiting around and scratching their heads when you order a slightly dirty, in-and-out, half-and-half martini with a dash of bitters. G&T's are perfectly fine, as are Manhattans and Martinis. Scotch and soda. You get the idea.

As long as you keep it "classic" and simple, you can't really go wrong. Drinking club soda with lime is a fine idea if you're concerned about getting too "loose" around folks you're trying to impress, but if the same folks are drinking alcohol and you're in a setting where they'd be able to hear your drink order, you're likely going to want to get an alcoholic drink as well.

 

[FreezerBurns]

While on a Scotch Whisky tour in Scotland, it was suggested that if it was not worth ordering by name, it was not worth drinking. I feel it applies to all whisky or (ey).

That is a tough question. Have to be careful not to upstage the VP or drink when not appropriate. Best bet is try and find out what he drinks, and order something similar or equal. If you are not very familiar with that particular drink, do a bit of studying upso you have a rudimentry knowlege of that particular drink.

You don't want to order a particular Scotch to try and impress the VP then have him start up a converation about different Scotches your like and dislikes, and you know little or nothing them and look like a idiot. Same applies to any beverage.

AD

That's excellent information, which is why I asked the original question. I'm looking for something which would make me "fit in" without having to describe my thoughts on "qualities of scotch." I typically order a Gimlet.

 

[SRock]

my rules:

It'd better be brown or clear. and unless it's a strained cocktail, I highly recommend rocks. You'll take in the alcohol slower, and your breath won't smell as strongly of it as it would if you drank neat. Whiskey rocks is always in style -- it's manly, uncomplicated, and looks good in your hand. And be sure to order by brand if you can see the bottles.

Two-part mixed drinks at most. Keep it simple. You don't want people waiting around and scratching their heads when you order a slightly dirty, in-and-out, half-and-half martini with a dash of bitters. G&T's are perfectly fine, as are Manhattans and Martinis. Scotch and soda. You get the idea.

As long as you keep it "classic" and simple, you can't really go wrong. Drinking club soda with lime is a fine idea if you're concerned about getting too "loose" around folks you're trying to impress, but if the same folks are drinking alcohol and you're in a setting where they'd be able to hear your drink order, you're likely going to want to get an alcoholic drink as well.

Great advice Pat. Unless you are enlisted in the military then the snobby crowd expects you to get hammered on cheap liquor, LOL.

 

[Dubbya]

While on a Scotch Whisky tour in Scotland, it was suggested that if it was not worth ordering by name, it was not worth drinking. I feel it applies to all whisky or (ey).

That is a tough question. Have to be careful not to upstage the VP or drink when not appropriate. Best bet is try and find out what he drinks, and order something similar or equal. If you are not very familiar with that particular drink, do a bit of studying upso you have a rudimentry knowlege of that particular drink.

You don't want to order a particular Scotch to try and impress the VP then have him start up a converation about different Scotches your like and dislikes, and you know little or nothing them and look like a idiot. Same applies to any beverage.

AD

The part about "upstaging" only applies if the boss orders his by name.

If you aren't much for the flavor of alcohol stick with Club soda and lime/lemon juice. If someone insists on ordering you a drink, and the distaste for alcohol is present, order a Crown and Ginger Ale with Lime. It tastes like a soda with a bite and you won't offend your host.

The key, when drinking with the boss, is to keep to only a few drinks and imbibe slowly. This applies even if the superiors are a pack of lushes. Then have a Gin and Tonic every third and fill in with Sprite.

That last part speaks to my life experiences in the automotive sales industry. There's a lot of hard drinkers in that group. Staying sharp and pretending is better than getting hammered and making a fool of yourself. It's better to tell the funny stories than to be the butt of them.

 

[kvanhorn]

My current drink obsession:

Brandy Sidecar

1/2 oz. Brandy
1/2 oz. Triple Sec
1/2 oz. Lemon or Lime Juice

Combine all the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice, shake well and strain into a cocktail glass.

I get it on the rocks. Better with lime than lemon.

(Notice that it's just a margarita with brandy instead of tequila)

 

[TimmyBoston]

Great advice Pat. Unless you are enlisted in the military then the snobby crowd expects you to get hammered on cheap liquor, LOL.

Just because it's what you do Rob doesn't mean it's what you are expected to do!

 

[aodenkou]

Order the club soda with a lime as suggested, but be discrete when you order. My father owned a bar and nightclub, I have owned a nightclub, and I can tell you there is nothing better than keeping your wits about yourself while others lose theirs. I do not always follow my own suggestion...... and I know how it has caused me problems.

 

[dpm802]

scotch speaks class and refinement, but i'd stick with the club soad and lime, anyone decides to buy you a drink, you can put back a gin and tonic without offending them. This also provides the added bonus of keeping you well hydrated, allowing your body to process the alchol much more effeciently, keeping you sober longer.

Avoid more than 2 or 3 drinks in a night.

And avoid mixing and matching alcoholic beverages. No matter what everyone else is drinking, you should stick to one and only one drink for the entire evening, regardless of the quantity you consume.

Consuming different whiskeys and wines is sure to make you much drunker than you want to be, if it doesn't make you flat-out sick. If you're at a Black Tie affair with your bosses, this is not a good time to behave like a pledge at a frat-party.

And the club soda idea is a good one. No one will think any less of you if you choose not to drink. If they press you on it, just say "I'm taking some allergy/cold/sinus/headache medicine, so I can't have any alcohol with it. Thanks, anyway."

 

[dpm802]

and I can tell you there is nothing better than keeping your wits about yourself while others lose theirs.

"IF" by Rudyard Kipling.

http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_if.htm

 

[GreatDane]

Bourbon with a max of two ice cubes. Drink slowly.

 

[airplanedoc]

Two-part mixed drinks at most. Keep it simple. You don't want people waiting around and scratching their heads when you order a slightly dirty, in-and-out, half-and-half martini with a dash of bitters. G&T's are perfectly fine, as are Manhattans and Martinis. Scotch and soda. You get the idea.

Excellent advice, I went on a business trip with a guy, who played "stump the bartender" evertime he ordered a drink. I was never so glad to get back to the plant in my life.

Keep it simple.
Straight or on Rocks Crown Royal, Jack Daniels, x brand of scotch upper middle of the road
Mixed Drinks G&T, Martini, Manhattan, Rum and Coke

AD

 

[SRock]

Just because it's what you do Rob doesn't mean it's what you are expected to do!

Actually, I'm not much of a drinker. I can probably count on one hand the number of alcoholic beverages I have each year. However, I do know many that do just this!

 

[RichGem]

Depending on the crowd this may come across as either refined or euro-snob, but how about:

Campari w/ soda* (no rocks) with a twist of orange
(* soda water that is)

It's a little bit of an acquired taste and is more of an pre-dinner drink, but it's also fairly light on the the alcohol.