As threatened... Bloody Marys!

mtn said:

I prefer screwdrivers to bloody mary's. Actually, I prefer the breakfast beer. 

Screwdrivers and Bloody Marys are my go-tos.  I enjoy good ones and have never had a bad one.

For an extra kick, substitute ouzo for the vodka in a screwdriver.

Stampie said:

In reply to z31maniac :

PS - My favorite vodka is rye based.  Any other vodka nerds out there?

Definitely also think rye vodka is best.  Yes, it is supposed to be a neutral spirit, but life just ain't fair that way.

Sobieski is the best, because it hits all of the marks: it is rye, it is inexpensive, it is smooth, and it is Polish.

In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :

Glad I'm not the only one who feels that way. I used to be a Ketel One snob then got a little older and realized "Just because it's expensive doesn't mean it's great."

z31maniac said:

I do like a good Rye whiskey in a Manhattan vs Bourbon for the spiciness. 

The Manhattan was originally made with rye whiskey. That is the correct spirit.

Stampie said:

PS - My favorite vodka is rye based.  Any other vodka nerds out there?

It depends a lot on the country of origin and the production laws there.

The U.S. requires all neutral spirits (e.g. Vodka) produced in the U.S. to be distilled to >190 proof (95% ABV).

The flavor description on the side of our vodka just reads, "It's vodka."

Other countries have different standards, and many do not have a minimum standard it has to be distilled to first, so you are actually able to get more character notes from your source into the distillate.

Similarly, you can't really copy what Scottish distilleries are doing with barrel aging because the U.S. requires all whiskies to be aged in "new charred oak containers". No using ex bourbon or sherry barrels here.

Beer Baron said:

z31maniac said:

I do like a good Rye whiskey in a Manhattan vs Bourbon for the spiciness. 

The Manhattan was originally made with rye whiskey. That is the correct spirit.

Good to know!