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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Poll favorite boozy drink
So, we've established hardly anyone likes PSL but most DC nesties 
the alcohol.
Please list your favorite boozy drink (you can select by category--wine, hard liquor, martini, frozen fruity girly beverage, beer--or seasons if you prefer b/c I know none of you has just one! lol.)
If it's a mixed drink, please post a recipe so that other DC nesties can give it a try. Also, if you have a specific brand/label that, in your scientific research, is heads above the rest, please post that too!
Re: Poll favorite boozy drink
Since I'm one of the big boozers... I'll start....
I looooooove hard cider - Magners is my favorite, especially during this time of year.
I'm definitely a beer girl, and prefer craft IPAs, though if we are somewhere fancy I'll always order a pear vodka with club soda.
And of course I'd never turn down good champagne, prosecco or cava. Yum.
Wine - As a group, California Zinfandels are probably my favorite wines. I also really like Syrahs. Both are big, fruity reds, and you can find good versions without spending a ton of money.
Beer - I'm not a huge beer person, but I like Fat Tire and I'm very glad it's finally available on the east coast! My favorite beers tend to be Belgian. Delerium Tremens is high on my list.
Mixed drinks - I could write a book about my favorite cocktails. Some of my favorite classic drinks:
French 75
Mai tai
Sidecar
Gin and tonic
There's a drink called the Perfect Pear that I think is the perfect fall drink:
Gin -- I did a gin & tonic taste test a while ago, with about 6 different gins, and my favorite was Tanqueray 10, followed closely by regular Tanqueray and Tanqueray Rangpur (which has a hint of lime, which is nice in a g&t). Personally, I am not a big fan of Bombay Sapphire, but I know it's extremely popular. I thought it wasn't as smooth as the others. Another interesting gin is Hendricks, which has a hint of cucumber. Broker's gin is also a good neutral, gin.
Tequilla - My favorite is Herradura. This stuff is amazing. Better than Patron silver, which used to be my favorite.
Rum - I tend to like Puerto Rican rums, but I need to do another taste test of these soon.
I'm with you on ciders. I prefer an unfiltered one like they serve often in England & I'm still searching for that state-side. I think Samuel Smith (available at WF) is pretty good, though.
I like all sorts of beers. If I had to pick a favorite just to drink, it'd probably be Pyramid Apricot Ale. Fat Tire is a new favorite, though.
For sparkling wine, I
Freixent (sp?) demi-sec cava. Also very highly ranking is St. Hilarie Blanchette. We visited where that was first made in our last trip to France. It's the champagne method...that pre-dates champagne. Love it when monks make booze!
Lately I've been all about liqueurs. St. Germain on ice is nice for a little after dinner drink for me. There's a ginger liqueur I've been eyeing at the ABC store to try...
Overall, though, gin & tonics are my stand by drink no matter the weather. At home I like to make it with Cintronelle gin & a splash of lavender syrup along with a squeeze of lemon.
Bourbon - Manhattans made with any top brands - up. Usually Makers Mark will do, though I love Buffalo Trace, Knob Creek, etc.
Also bourbon - Jim Beam and diet Coke is my nightly cocktail.
Wine - Savignon blancs from the Marlborough region of New Zealand.
Beer - the hoppier, the better, though I have discovered that there is such thing as too hoppy, where I feel like I'm drinking flowers.
Wine- I like white wine. A good standby is the Espiral Vino Verde from Trader Joe's but I also like pinot grigios (Ecco Domani) and sparkling whites of all kinds.
Hard Liquor- I'm a vodka girl.
Here are some favorite recipes
Vodka Cider (this is amazing for Fall)- I have no idea but it tastes exactly like spiced cider
2 shots (3oz) Absolut Orient Apple
12 oz ginger ale (diet is fine)
splash of cranberry juice
My own custom creation:
1 part Absolut Berri Acai
2 parts Minute Maid Pomegranate Lemonade
1 part lemon lime soda
Martini- Lemon drop, made with Ciroc or Ketel One.
I don't drink beer but I appreciate the Woodchuck Pear Cider.
Stand up for something you believe in.
These sound amazing.
I also forgot that I love Pimm's Cup. Especially my recipe:
Pitcher of Pimm's Cup1/2 English cucumber, sliced (do NOT use a regular or pickling cucumber. Flavor is too strong)
1 lemon, sliced
2 c Pimm's No. 1
1.5 cup lemonade
1.5 cup ginger ale
-Put lemon & cucumber in a pitcher. Add Pimm's No. 1 and let marinate at least 6 hours. Better if longer, though, longer.
-Add the rest of the ingredients just before serving. If desired, add a "fortifying" shot (or two! or more!) of gin!
Wine- I like milder reds. For whites, I like Pinot Grigio and the occassional glass of Sauvignon Blanc or Riesling (more summer time wine). And, every time I go to Jaleo I have a glass of Cava.
Beer- Fat Tire was brewed where I went to college so it is nice to have it local now. I like most wheat beers and I had a pumpkin ale last weekend that was pretty good. We seem to have whatever seasonal Sam Adams beer in our house most of the time.
Liquor- not a huge fan but I do like a good Bloody Mary or a 007(Citron Vodka, 7 up and a splash of OJ). Yum.
ditto WNW on where to start
i like a great cocktail, wine, beer, and cider. love the ciders in england *sigh* last weekend we had leinenkugel sunset wheat and that may be my new favorite beer. more complex than wheat beers usually are. the blueberry beer at trader joe's is pretty awesome too.
i'm a new fan of bourbon so i've started making sangria and other cocktails with it. jim beam devil's cut is especially good (and not expensive). my bff's husband who is a scotch afficionado was impressed with its smoothness.
this is my new favorite sangria:
http://cheekydid.blogspot.com/2011/07/cheekydrinks-vanilla-bourbon-sangria.html
i PPH st-germain with cava or better yet this way: http://cheekydid.blogspot.com/2011/09/cheekydrinks-anniversary-cocktails.html
as you can see, i've been on a vanilla/bourbon/grapefruit kick this year:
ruby red sparkler4 oz of bourbon2 oz of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice2 tablespoons of vanilla sugargrapefruit bittersrose cava (i used brut)dissolve the vanilla sugar in the bourbon and grapefruit juice, add a few dashes of grapefruit bitters. pour 1-2 oz of the mixture into a champagne flute. top with cava and garnish with a thin slice of grapefruit.
well i can't post the recipe b/c it's a family secret, but my dad's eggnog is absolutely to die for. perfectly frothy, and the liquor is hidden by the scrumptiousness of the nog. don't drink too many before getting up! during the holidays, friends and family ask them to just leave it outside if they aren't going to be home (b/c, the visit is for the nog anyway, right? LOL)
i also love homemade margarita's: equal parts freshly squeezed lime juice, tequila and triple sec with a splash of cointreau on top. (depending on the sweetness of the limes, you may need to add a few drops of agave)
for day to day, i love a good cabernet, pinot noir, prosecco or riesling. i'm currently drinking a few (prosecco mostly) from TJs that are super cheap (under $10) and really good.
i also
a good bloody mary, especially the ones served at brunch at busboys and poets. yummy!
I like a little bit of everything
Wine: California zins, Oregon Pinot Noirs, Marlborough Sauv Blancs
Beer: Looove wheat ales and this time of year pumpkin ales.
Cocktails: Not a huge cocktail drinker, actually but do like the occasional fancy drink. DH has been making key lime martinis a lot lately (vanilla vodka, Ke Ke key lime liquor and Licor 43)
wine: I like fruitier reds (zins, syrah, etc.) and slightly more obscure whites (gruner veltliner; falanghina is an Italian white I love).
liquor: Vodka and tonic is my go-to bar drink when I don't want to read a cocktail menu. Preferably Chopin or Shakespeare vodka if it's available. (DH loves Ciroc, but I won't drink it.) I love almost anything with tequila (especially if you can actually *taste* the tequila), and I honestly like the taste of good ol' Cuervo more than Patron or anything fancy that I've had so far. Double espresso vodka is a good straight up shot.
I'm not much of a beer girl. I tend to aim for Belgian white ales or others that are less beer-y.
Is that Domaine de Canton? I freaking LOVE that stuff. You should definitely buy it if you like ginger.
Yes! Do you drink it straight up or do you mix it with something? If I can find a few uses for it, it might push me over the edge.
i've had domaine de canton in champagne cocktails, i love it!
i've had domaine de canton in champagne cocktails, i love it!
i've had domaine de canton in champagne cocktails, i love it!
You can drink it by itself, over ice. I also like it mixed with rum. Ginger + rum = yum. My husband has made other cocktails with it, too.
My favorite boozy drinks are the ones with booze in them...lol.
If I had to pick favorites they would be:
White wine, especially Albarino and Sauvignon Blanc
Champagne/cava/sparkling wine
Sangria
Martinis (my favorite martini is at a restaurant in Phoenix - it's a watermelon martini with a gummy worm in it)
Margaritas (on the rocks with salt)
Beer - love lagers and IPAs. The higher the alcohol content the better
But I'm not opposed to kicking it with a 30 pack of 'Stones or some of the "champagne of beers" (Miller High Life)
When I go out and order mixed drinks, it's always rum and coke.
I like to try craft beers with my DH but I really like to drink wine. Unfortunately, not as much as I'd like to lately (why is that? I'm not sure.) What wine? Anything cheap. I buy Tisdale at my local Food Lion. It's like 4 bucks a bottle and for cheap wine, it's good. I love Rieslings and Clean Slate is my fav.
I don't mess around with liquor much anymore (Jose and I had a bad college experience) but I can stand to drink (and enjoy) Firefly Vodka with lemonade. I've never made it, but you just pour the Firefly over ice and mix with lemonade. Doesn't even taste like vodka so extremely dangerous.
We should hang out , I only love Tanqueray and that pear drink sounds awesome!
Wine: I pretty much adore any German Riesling. Relax (Schmitt Soehne) is my favorite (and, hello, it's under $10 at Total Wine).
Beer: I'm not very picky, but am very much a beer girl. I don't like the "girly" fruity ones though. Just give me a beeeeeeer. (Note: I do not appear to be a beer girl. This always surprises people.)
Cocktail: If I'm somewhere tropical, it's gotta be the pina colada. Otherwise, I'm pretty boring with just a rum and coke. Mount Gay Rum is my favorite, but probably because we drank it like water on our honeymoon in Barbados. Some of their varieties can only be sold in Barbados though... guess we have to go back!
Scout
Chocolate Blog!
I'm not a big drinker, and I really don't like wine or beer that much (don't take my nestie card!) I tend to like drinks where you can't taste the alcohol, so I much prefer mixed drinks, but I do love cider. (Magners!!
Kiahj!)
If I drink wine, it will be a white, and beer it will be something lighter like Corona.
Mixed drinks - I will never EVER turn down an amaretto sour or something made with Malibu rum.
Mmm, booze. Sorry I'm late to the party!
I don't drink beer, at all, so I'll skip that.
Wine: like Artslvr, I also love sauvignon blancs from the Marlborough region of New Zealand. Cloudy Bay and Whitehaven are favorites. I also like Adelsheim pinot gris (Oregon), pretty much any red produced by Duckhorn (merlots and blends, mostly), Sonoma zinfandels.Schramsberg sparkling. For cheap sparkling, I like Zardetto prosecco and Brut Gruet (from New Mexico). There are so many . . .
For cocktails, I mentioned last week that I recently discovered St. Germain and really like it. We tried a bunch of cocktails last weekend (thanks for the rec, cheekywife!). One that I really like is called the Honey Badger.
Honey Badger
1 oz St. Germain
1/2 oz. honey syrup (like simple syrup, only with honey instead of sugar)
squeeze of lime widge
add all to cocktail glass
top with sparkling wine (I recommend Mirabelle, a cheap version of Schramsberg)
Tonight we're trying more of cheeky's grapefruit/gin/St. Germain concoctions!
TTC #2: BFP 12/17/11, m/c 1/7/12 and D&C 1/12/12
baby blog/cooking blog
hope you love it!
i will have to try the honey badger, that sounds lovely!
i've been hooked on jaume serra cava - $7 at whole foods (brut, extra dry, and rose, all $7!)