New Year Party Fun

[Aevian Dreaklear]

Pher, not sure if alcoholic beverage advice should be placed in this forum or the general one so feel free to move this if ya want.

Anyhoo I'll probably be throwing down a New Year's Party at my apartment. Going to be your typical college throwdown party. Looking for any recommendations as to what to supply and serve. Especially looking for a trashcan punch recipe if anyone has any specifics for it. I made some last party and it tasted fairly bad but did the job. Total budget is $60-150, depending on how generous the people throwing this party, myself included feel.

[Sirensa]

Jungle Juice

3 parts Hawaiin Punch (can use Kool Aid, whatever)
1 part Vodka (can use everclear but I wouldnt unless you enjoy cleaning up puke)
Chopped and/or Frozen fruit (berries, oranges, pineapple, apples, etc.)

That's how we always made it. Very estimated recipe. Add extra booze/juice/fruit to taste!

[Spankes]

Sprite, Hawaiian Punch, Everclear.

[Aevian Dreaklear]

Also need champagne suggestion. Looking for two suggestions here. Looking for good cheap champagne to supply for a small group that will chip in. No sophisticated pallette or anything, so something that goes well for the masses and is very cheap. We're talking a crowd that doesn't give a rat's ass if it's champagne or sparkling white wine. I've heard something about dilluting it with some sorta lemony soda such as 7-up or Sprite to make it suitable for people's taste but how would I go about serving that?

Second suggestion is something for myself. Looking for what I suppose would be a mid range bottle of champagne. I personally don't care if it's champagne or sparkling white wine. As for my preferrence, I suppose I generally detest anything that is very dry.

Any suggestions for this or my first post would be greatly appreciated.

[archeiron]

Jello Shots

• 6 ounces Jello (large package)
  16 ounces Water (boiling)
  6 ounces Water (cold)
  10 ounces Vodka (Gin will work well for Lemon or Lime Jello too)

Mix the jello mix with the boiling water until the powder is fully dissolved and add the cold water and alcohol. Put this on a one inch deep tray and cut into squares.

Warning, this stuff is fatal as you will eat like a dozen of them thinking they taste good without thinking about the vodka inside.

[archeiron]

Also need champagne suggestion. Looking for two suggestions here. Looking for good cheap champagne to supply for a small group that will chip in. No sophisticated pallette or anything, so something that goes well for the masses and is very cheap. We're talking a crowd that doesn't give a rat's ass if it's champagne or sparkling white wine. I've heard something about dilluting it with some sorta lemony soda such as 7-up or Sprite to make it suitable for people's taste but how would I go about serving that?

Second suggestion is something for myself. Looking for what I suppose would be a mid range bottle of champagne. I personally don't care if it's champagne or sparkling white wine. As for my preferrence, I suppose I generally detest anything that is very dry.

Any suggestions for this or my first post would be greatly appreciated.

If you aren't worried about taste, just go to your local liquor store and get whatever is on sale (or cheapest) and don't even worry about what it is.

Personally, I wouldn't buy cheap fizz but *shrug* It gives evil hangovers if you drink a ton of it.

And come to think of it, try some of the jello shot receipes I just googled for you here

[Pherr the Dorf]

Booze is always welcome in my forum!

[Sylvus]

I once saw a guy use a beer bong to bong a whole bottle of cheap champagne. Needless to say, afterward he was unhappy that he did that.

[Aevian Dreaklear]

As far as the champagne went, we will probably have a glass or two once it hits midnight, that's about it. Rest of the night will be the other goodies.

[Aevian Dreaklear]

Booze is always welcome in my forum!

No recommendations from the Chef Daddy himself?

[Arundel Pajo]

Liqueurs de France online shop

Verte de Fougerolles 72 and Un Emile 68 Sapin are both particularly nice. Delivery is usually third or fourth day.

If you do not have the requisite accoutrements, then I might suggest one of the gift boxes. Guaranteed to spice up any party with class, drunkenness, and a touch of anachronism.

edit> Just noticed your budget, and you might not feel *that* generous to supply the masses with an order from LdF.

Trashcan punch is a good idea, yeah. Use good vodka. There is a real temptation to throw in a bottle of McCormick's since it's getting mixed with all that other stuff. Don't. You don't have to get top shelf vodka, but don't go ghetto, either. Something like Skyy or Absolut would be best for punch. The cheaper stuff just doesn't blend right and gets very harsh.

I would advise throwing it in a tub with a chopped up watermelon, perhaps some pineapple, strawberries, some orange juice, some Muscat wine, and whatever variety of punch you prefer. Myself - I use Kool-Aid.

[Sylvus]

I've always wanted to try Absinthe, how is it? Will I cut my ear off and send it to someone?

[Arundel Pajo]

I've always wanted to try Absinthe, how is it? Will I cut my ear off and send it to someone?

It's actually my drink of choice. It looks quite expensive, but you have to consider how many drinks you get out of a bottle (you dilute it). It winds up being about as much per drink as a nice scotch.

Taste-wise...well...it's an acquired taste. It helps some if you like black licorice, but that's not necessary. It's flavored mostly with anise and wormwood. Anise tastes a lot like licorice, but is smoother and more herbal. The other herbs used in the distillation present themselves more in the finish. Un Emile 68 Sapin, for instance, has a wonderful finish that lingers for a long time in the mouth and is reminiscent of a meadow. Sort of earthy.

You dilute at a ratio of about 1 part absinthe to 4 parts water. The water must be very cold, and dripped very slowly. This seems nitpicky, but the colder and slower the water is added, the more essential oils precipitate from the liquor. That's what gives a prepared glass its cloudy color (louche). Sugar is optional. The liquor is quite strong, too...at about 138 proof for some of the brands.

There is a large discrepancy in brands out there, too. Avoid anything Czech. Go for French. It's distilled differently rather than being a greasy oil-mix. It's much smoother and tastes better. Generally has higher alcohol content, too. Spain is alright, but Spanish absentas have a very one-dimensional, sweet taste. Sorta like the "Boone's Farm" of absinthe. Brands I'd suggest: Un Emile (any variety - these are the best on the market), Verte de Fougerolles, La Fee, Lasala, Francois Guy.

As far as effects? Well. You get drunk. That's really about it. The drink got a bad rap back at the start of prohibition simply because people were drinking so much of it. The so called "absinthism" was largely just delirium tremens. You won't see things, you won't cut off your ear, and you won't go nuts. It's just a drink with a good old-time feel. The myth is just that - a myth.

That said, if you have ever noticed that you have different "drunks" from different liquors, you will notice that here, too. Most of the herbs used are natural stimulants, while alchohol is a depressant. This gives you a slight push/pull feeling. Many people describe it as being drunk without feeling that drunk - you're sort of self-aware. It's very subtle, though.

Every so often, you do get what are referred to as secondaries...but they're rare. Quite rare. I think I can count the number of times I've experienced it on one hand. Generally, you just get sort of fascinated by things.

That's the long and short of it. It's a good drink. Classy, refreshing on a hot day, anachronistic, and refined. Hope that helps.

[archeiron]

Another tip for something that my friends and I used to do for parties is as follows. Unfortunately, it is more a summer party trick but I thought I would share it anyway.

1. Buy a whole watermelon.
2. Cut a small circular whole large enough to stick the narrow end of a funnel in to.
3. Insert a good size funnel into the hole with the wide end sticking straight up into the air as level as possible.
4. Pour vodka into the funnel until it is full.
5. Allow the vodka to be absorbed into the watermelon, draining the funnel.
6. Fill the funnel up over and over until the watermelon will take no more vodka (this can take up to two days if it is a large melon).
7. Chop the bastard up and serve to your friends.
8. Get sloppy drunk and use your best Sean Connery chat-up lines on impressionable young women.
9. Take them back to their dorm rooms.
10. Show them what a cunning linguist you are.

The End.



p.s. you can skip the last few steps if you just want to focus on getting drunk!

[Aevian Dreaklear]

Liqueurs de France online shop

Verte de Fougerolles 72 and Un Emile 68 Sapin are both particularly nice. Delivery is usually third or fourth day.

If you do not have the requisite accoutrements, then I might suggest one of the gift boxes. Guaranteed to spice up any party with class, drunkenness, and a touch of anachronism.

edit> Just noticed your budget, and you might not feel *that* generous to supply the masses with an order from LdF.

Trashcan punch is a good idea, yeah. Use good vodka. There is a real temptation to throw in a bottle of McCormick's since it's getting mixed with all that other stuff. Don't. You don't have to get top shelf vodka, but don't go ghetto, either. Something like Skyy or Absolut would be best for punch. The cheaper stuff just doesn't blend right and gets very harsh.

I would advise throwing it in a tub with a chopped up watermelon, perhaps some pineapple, strawberries, some orange juice, some Muscat wine, and whatever variety of punch you prefer. Myself - I use Kool-Aid.

Yeah for the last party we went with McCormick's since it was so freaking cheap...but then again I mixed that with Everclear and Wal-mart brand Kool-Aid. Perhaps I'll splurge for the good stuff this time.

[Arundel Pajo]

Drinkable vodka makes all the difference in the world. No burn like you get with McCormick. Not as harsh on the stomach either, so less puking. Seems McCormick gives nasty hangovers, too. Skyy is smooth and not prohibitively expensive.

Also - here's a good punch that we made up back when I was in college. We called it "sneaky ninja punch" because it tastes so froofy but will drop you pretty quick. Basically, we just threw together a bit of every wacky item left in the back of the liquor cabinet (that would probably never get used otherwise) into a big tub, cut it with pineapple juice, and found out it was reasonably tasty. Either that, or we were too drunk to realize it tasted like ass.

Vanilla vodka
Amaretto
Coconut rum
Orange vodka
Midori
Lemoncello...(or was it chambord?)
Pineapple juice



...I think that's all that was in it. It sure did the job. The ladies liked it, too.

[Ducru]

For good inexpensive vodka, you can't beat Svedka. Same price as Smirnoff (or cheaper) and twice the product (it's basically made in the same manner as Absolut from damn near the same place in Sweden).

For a decent sparkling wine (a.k.a champagne) stick to California. You'll get much more quality out of a cheap California sparkler than you will out of a cheap French Champagne. Typically if it's a small party you can't beat Korbel for the price around the Holidays. If you don't mind spending a few dollars more, go for Roederer Anderson Valley Brut (it's incredible for the price).

In the end just have a ton of fun and be extremely careful. Live to see the New Year... that's really all that matters=)

Ducru

[Akanae]

a couple of drinks for the chicks there, not too cheap but good to have around

Midori Colada:
1 part white rum
2 parts melon liquor (doesnt have to be midori)
2 parts coconut cream (can be found in the international section of supermarket with the thai food)
4 parts pineapple juice
add ice and blend!
=teh best drink evah

Midori Sour
1 part melon liquor
1 part sweet and sour
put in glass with ice
You can add Vodka to this for an extra punch

Also a couple other chick favorites are - Margaritas (kind? does it matter?), screwdrivers (orange juice + vodka), and white russians.

Personaly I have never run a party with out at least 2 of those last four present in some form, but then again I am a chick

[Aevian Dreaklear]

a couple of drinks for the chicks there, not too cheap but good to have around

Midori Colada:
1 part white rum
2 parts melon liquor (doesnt have to be midori)
2 parts coconut cream (can be found in the international section of supermarket with the thai food)
4 parts pineapple juice
add ice and blend!
=teh best drink evah

Midori Sour
1 part melon liquor
1 part sweet and sour
put in glass with ice
You can add Vodka to this for an extra punch

Also a couple other chick favorites are - Margaritas (kind? does it matter?), screwdrivers (orange juice + vodka), and white russians.

Personaly I have never run a party with out at least 2 of those last four present in some form, but then again I am a chick

Bleh chicks can drink tEh punch aka panty peeler (local nickname)

[Akanae]

cheapo