Tacos v Enchiladas

[BiggDick]

¿Por qué?

[jhawks99]

I luv me sum Gran Centenario Anejo

[pdub]

¿Por qué?

Because it tasted bad.
Like someone spilled some wine into a bottle of Suaza.

For the same price you could probably get El Mayor or Olmeco Altos.
5-8 bucks more and you're looking at Espolon.

[BiggDick]

thanks for the recs.

my go-to for a night out lately has been a shot of good tequila and a pint of cheap beer. Leisurely sip both and see what the night brings.

Often, it brings tacos.

[ChalkRocker]

... and see what the night brings.

Often, it brings tacos.

lucky b*stard

[BiggDick]

sooo

does anyone bother to seek out tequilas that are "additive free?"

[Overlander]

sooo

does anyone bother to seek out tequilas that are "additive free?"

Like, lime juice?

[pdub]

sooo

does anyone bother to seek out tequilas that are "additive free?"

No.
I see out good tequilas.

[Overlander]

sooo

does anyone bother to seek out tequilas that are "additive free?"

No.
I see out good tequilas.

This.

When have a truly amazing tequila…you know it immediately

[KUTradition]

jfc

[BiggDick]

Yea, I was at the liquor store yesterday. Go to the tequila aisle and immediately feel a little overwhelmed by all the options. Look for dub's recs, El Mayor or Olmeco Altos. Don't see them. Do see Espolon, but have had it before and know it's good. It's the premium offering at a lot of bars, can get it pretty much everywhere, and I wanna try something new.

So I get on my phone real quick and search like, "reddit best budget tequila." Not trying to be cheap, but also don't wanna get all fancy for no particular occasion, just a low key Saturday watching alien abduction docs. Plus, I'd rather figure out that like $30ish dollar sleeper pick as a go-to rather than break the bank just cuz.

Reddit is quickly even more overwhelming. Holy shit there's a lot of options! But the things reddit keeps mentioning to look for are, 1000% de agave, and additive-free.

I then notice this one bottle...Real Del Valle. It has a little marketing info tag hanging around the bottle that says, "100% de agave, and additive-free." Maybe we're getting somewhere. It also has one of those in-store staff promotions hanging below it on the shelf like, "Dave's pick."

Around then, an employee walks up and asks if I need help. "Just trying to pick a good tequila without spending a ton." He says yea Real Del Valle is a good one. I ask if he's Dave. No, he's Mike, but he knows Dave and Dave drinks a lot of tequila so he trusts Dave's pick. Mike doesn't drink much tequila tho, mostly just Coors lite by the bucket. Fuck yea Mike! Wanna hang out some time?!

So long story short I get Dave's pick. Really really good for $27 bucks. A little bite up front, but not harsh, more in like a peppery way, and very light smooth finish.

Good rec Dave, thanks. We should hang some time. Mike can come too.

[BiggDick]

also have we ever discussed mezcal?

I'm pretty sure tequila is technically a type of mezcal. But tequila is made a little different, with I think the biggest distinction being tequila is cooked by steam, while mezcal is cooked more traditionally by smoke.

So every mezcal I've had, even good ones, ends up having a rancid smoky flavor to it. And tho they're otherwise the same booze, tequila manages to be among my most favorite liquor while mezcal manages to be among my least.

[ChalkRocker]

I watched a brief documentary abt a woman who has kindled a mezcal distillery in MX, and crafted a stellar rep. Unusual. The huge tub of product, as it matured, aromatic and odorous, took some muscle to move around. interesting.

I don't recall ever craving or refusing a shot of either tequila or mez, regardless of the label on the bottle.

But I'm a philistine in that regard.

[pdub]

I usually don't like drinking mezcal as much as tequila but i've had very good mezcal.
I will drink a tequila straight but typically prefer to drink a mezcal mixed with something.
I'm sure that might be a no no for some hardcore tequila/mezcal enthusiasts but i've found some delicious mezcal cocktails 'round these parts over the last decade.

[BiggDick]

I generally lean toward, if it has to be in a cocktail to enjoy then it's prob just not good to begin with.

I can still dig cocktails, don't get me wrong. But the whole reason cocktails became a thing was to mask the flavor of bad booze. Besides, like 90%+ of them are way too sweet.

If I do do a "cocktail," It's something simple. Like just club soda and lots of lime, if that even counts as a cocktail.

Palomas can be delish, but better with tequila than mez, and generally too sweet anyway.

Related, but I also think it's kinda silly to buy top shelf booze for mixing cocktails.

[pdub]

I generally lean toward, if it has to be in a cocktail to enjoy then it's prob just not good to begin with.

I can still dig cocktails, don't get me wrong. But the whole reason cocktails became a thing was to mask the flavor of bad booze. Besides, like 90%+ of them are way too sweet.

If I do do a "cocktail," It's something simple. Like just club soda and lots of lime, if that even counts as a cocktail.

Palomas can be delish, but better with tequila than mez, and generally too sweet anyway.

Related, but I also think it's kinda silly to buy top shelf booze for mixing cocktails.

I somewhat agree.
I think a number of the places i'll order cocktails from ( not often ) will use mid range booze for their drinks.
For instance, this weekend, went to a spot that had a manhattan with Bulleit, a martini with Titos, a Mojito with Bicardi ( meh ), a margarita with Herradura, a martini with Grey Goose and a sunrise with Don Julio.

Those are mostly boozes you could drink straight/on the rocks right there.

[BiggDick]

Yea.

The other side of that coin is, if a joint is gonna charge like $18 for a drink then I absolutely expect something better than the usual plastic-bottled well.

[pdub]

Exactly.

[BiggDick]

I was speaking more along the lines of like when Beaverfever gets some extra fancy bottle of bourbon just to then go make old fashioneds. Or mix it with Pepsi.

But, to each their own.

I don’t much care for the taste of tree bark either, but you do you, Beav.

[pdub]

I think a good bourbon is fine for a drink like a manhattan or old fashioned bc those are pretty alcohol forward drinks that depend mostly on the booze.

But I wouldn't use say a Woodford Reserve single barrel for a whiskey and coke.

I'll mix Makers ( but usually use Jack ) with coca cola, apple cider or ginger beer.
I'll mix Espolon or El Mayor with limeade.