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Welcome. Its a big world of booze out there and it can be quite intimidating. My first and best suggestion is to find a good bar with a passionate bartender and let them take you under their wing. They can tell you about what they have in stock and will typically let you try a nip of this and a tot of that before committing. This way you get some tutelage and you don't have to buy a bottle of stuff you may not like. I realize in Utah this may be more difficult, but I understand there are clubs you can become a 'member' of in order to get this kind of experience.

Here is a tasting starter I wrote in another thread that will hopefully help with the appreciation side of things. Also, you don't need to store spirits in the freezer. It is a good way to weaken flavors, which is just fine if you have crappy booze and the flavors are bad. You on the other hand want the full complement of good flavors so room temperature is where you want to be. If you do like a little chill, I suggest these. They will cool your beverage and release a little bit of water, which leads me to my next point. For beginning drinkers the taste of alcohol can be overpowering and hide many of the nuances that are part of the experience. I like to bring out those nuances in one of 3 ways. 1) On the rocks with that ice I mentioned. 2) Splash of water dilutes the alcohol a bit. I suggest about a 2-1 or 3-1 booze-water ratio. 3)And soda. My personal favorite. The ice chills, you get the dilution effect, and the carbonation can really make some underlying flavors come through in a big way. I do this with almost every new spirit I come across in addition to trying it neat (room temp, nothing but booze). 1-2 booze to soda ratio. For added effect you can use a mineral water.

Here are some of my thoughts on the best of each category:

Vodka: Silver Tree (though booze snob that I am, vodka is the least interesting spirit.) Svedka is good too. Ketel and the like are over priced. The point of vodka is medicinal. It is supposed to be colorless odorless, and tasteless. In short :This is not the booze you are looking for

Whiskey: Leopold bros. Maryland rye, Bullit Rye, Jameson

Scotch: Laphroig 15 is my favorite, but for a good entry try either Dewars or Johnny Walker is fine.

Bourbon: Weller, Makers Mark, Bullit

Tequila: Casa Noble reposado Is my all time favorite. I work in a bar with over 150 tequilas so that is a question I get a lot. The best advice is to make sure that what ever you buy it is 100% agave. Reposado means a little time in oak. Anejo means more. Blanco means none. It will take some time and experimentation to find out if your palette likes oak or not.

Rum: Ron Zacapa 21 year, Appleton Estates, Oronoco, Sailor Jerry

Gin: Leopold bros, Magellan, G'vine

Wine: Beginning wine drinkers usually like big Argentinian malbecs on the red side and either creamy new world Chardonnays or Sauvignon Blancs on the white side. Oregon Pinot noirs are also popular. Rioja (red) and vihno Verde (white) are both underrated styles. (Dont worry if you dont know what I mean when I call a wine creamy. The person in the liquor store should get it and know what to grab.)

Beer: Like wine its a whole big world. I suggest buying a few brewers boxes. They are a selection of 3-5 styles from a single brewery in a 12 pack. Once you have a few favorites picked out head to /r/beer for more suggestions.

Sorry thats so long. Let us know how you are coming along.

I highly recommend reading this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Spirits-Forgotten-Cocktails-Alamagoozlum/dp/1592530680

It gives you the interesting history of cocktails, amazing recipes (though a lot fo them call for rare ingredients, the core information is priceless).
This guy is snobby to the max, but that's a good sign in this field.

The IBA stuff is way above level. If you're just starting out doing good cocktails you'd learn best using this corriculum:

1. Spirits
   
   

• Know the difference between Rye, Burbon and Scotch (it's not where they're made!).
  
• Know that Vodka /cannot/ have a flavor (legally, not technically) and therefore is useless in making cocktails, unless you want to up the proof.
  
• Gin is Juniper flavored vodka
  
  
  

2. Ingredients
   

• First thing for a cocktail cabinet, Angostura bitters!
  
• Never use sweet and sour. If it has sweet and sour in it, it's not worth drinking
  
• Instead, use fresh squeezed citrus (bottled stuff is always off for flavor). Unfortunately, having a bar means always having around 5-10 lemons and limes in the house. Most sours require a half of a lemon or more.
  
• Vermouth is amazing, but you have to get a good brand (I recommend Carpano Antica for sweet, and for Dry Molin will be great. AVOID MARTINI) -- KEEP IT IN THE FRIDGE. It's wine, and can go off.
  
• Buy "Lillet" just to try it. You'd only really use it for a Vesper cocktail, but it's amazing by itself.
  
• Maraschino Cherries are made with Maraschino, not High Fructose Corn Syrup. They should look like cherries but DARKER not LIGHTER.
  
• A bit off topic, but you should make your own because holy damn shit these things are amazing:
  
  >1 or 2 bags of cherries, pitted and stemmed
  
  >1 tbsp sugar
  
  >2 oz lemon juice
  
  >All of the cinnamon sticks
  
  >A little bit of grated nutmeg - maybe 1/2 a teaspoon (if you happen to have any)
  
  >1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  >Enough maraschino liquor to fill the jar
  
  

3. COCKTAILS == SOURS
   
   Most drinks you'll make are just variations on the sour. From NobleExperiment
   
   >My classic cocktail ratio stands at 1.5 oz base spirit, 1 oz sweetener, 0.75 oz sour. Obviously, this is an over simplification of how things work. But it is a standard that can get you far in the world of cocktails. Want a classic daiquiri? Try 1.5 oz rum, 1 oz simple syrup, .75 oz lime juice. More interested in a margarita? Substitute some ingredients but don’t change your ratio. Try 1.5 oz tequila, 1 oz Cointreau, .75 oz lime juice. Like bourbon? Try 1.5 oz bourbon, 1 oz maple syrup and 0.75 oz lemon juice. You get the idea.
   
   Piss bloody easy, and suddenly you're the life of the party, making the best damn cocktails you've ever had. Ignore gimmicks. Only flavor things once you've made them the old way first.
   
   After that, well, experiment.
   
   My favorite cocktails:
   
   

• Manhattan (50/50 Sweet/Dry Vermouth w/ carpano antica)
  
  
• Whiskey Sour (I like substituting Velvet Falernum for my simple syrup)
  
  
• Aviation
  
  
• Corpse Reviver #2
  
  
• Blood and Sand (WITH BLOOD ORANGES! YUM!)
  
  
• No 43. from Hungry Mother (Port!)
  
  

First off, unless you want to blow your cash to impress your guests with a visually startling piece of glass art, you don't need one of these fancy pretty ones. Functionally speaking, even one of those old milk jugs with the tulip-flared lip will work (you can buy a bottle of Paul Masson and just keep the bottle). But those are a little chintzy, so I'd spend $30-$50 or so and get one with a wide bottom.

Now, there are two main purposes of decanters: 1) to speed up aeration and 2) to limit sediment getting into your glass. Now, one thing to note here is that most wines do not have sediment. It's mainly older wines (the tannin compounds bind with each other and other particulate during aging and the settle to the bottom) that get it. Also, some unfiltered biodynamic/organic wines will sometimes have sediment when young, but they're rare. Anyway, the idea here is to pour from bottle into decanter carefully, leaving behind the sediment as much as possible.

The other common purpose is aeration, and this is only really necessary with reds, and only certain reds. If a wine is "tight", with lots of acidity, tannins, etc., and not really being very expressive, some aeration can help. The oxygen interacts with the wine and "opens it up". Again, this is not the case with all wines, but certainly with "big" wines, high alcohol, intense, opulent things, it is often beneficial, especially when they're young. Delicate wines like red Burgundy, though, don't typically want to be decanted, as their delicacy can be lost when aerated too much.

Anyway, so, if you're drinking a lot of tight, young red wines that you think can benefit from aeration (or even some older wines of the same ilk), then yes, I would say you should try one out. Again, though, you don't need to spend a ton of money on one of those sculptures you linked to. A simple wide-bottomed decanter will get the job done.

Also, this funnel-strainer both helps filter out sediment and speeds up aeration. I use one sometimes, and it's nice to have. Note that the link I included above is for the set that includes the strainer and the decanter. A pretty good deal, IMHO.

No need to get those ridiculous (and sometimes expensive) martini shakers. Get a basic mixing set of a large shaker, small shaker, bar spoon, strainer, and jigger (here's a good one from amazon: https://www.amazon.com/2dayShip-Stainless-Professional-Cocktail-Corkscrew/dp/B00VCBL8GQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457808252&sr=8-3&keywords=bar+mixing+set) and learn to use it. It's basic and inexpensive but it's far better, faster, and easier to clean than fancy crap.

As for bottles, I always make sure I have grenadine, bitters, vermouth, and triple sec. (yup, I would group this in as being equipment, lol). These are extremely common mixers and incredibly inexpensive, so it makes no sense to not have them. If you want, I would even add two more also cheap mixers: amaretto and blackberry brandy.

Try to have fruit (obviously) likes oranges, cherries, and limes, but since one doesn't always have these things fresh at hand, at least keep a small bottle of lime juice and/or lemon juice too.

Base liquors are where I would really spend the money for quality. Always get the cheapest non-brand name mixers, liquors, glasses, and accessories you can. People are impressed by your base liquors.

The thing about whiskey (and everything else) is that when you start spending a lot of money, you're paying for complexity and subtle differences that you're not going to notice if you don't have a lot of context. And you only get context by drinking a lot of different kinds.

The Buchanan you had is a blended scotch. A blended scotch that my friends like is Johnny Walker Double Black.

If you want to try a single-malt scotch, Macallan 12 is a good place to start for a Highland scotch. I like Laphroig 10 as a good example of an Islay scotch (it is especially peaty -- a lot of people really don't like it).

Jack Daniels is Tennessee whiskey, more akin to bourbon than scotch. If you're just starting out with bourbon, Wild Turkey 101, Buffalo Trace, and Makers Mark are good starting choices.

A good present might be a book like Drink More Whiskey.

Buy yourself a shaker, and an accurate measuring cup/jigger. I like this one.

Some options:

• Grab some fresh limes at the grocery store. Pick up a bottle of gin - doesn't need to be too expensive but don't go bottom shelf. New Amsterdam, Beefeater, etc, will work for now. Grab a bottle of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and a bottle of green Chartreuse. Put 0.75 oz each of fresh squeezed lime juice, gin, Chartreuse, and Luxardo into your shaker, add lots of big hefty ice cubes, shake until very cold. Strain the liquid into a cocktail glass or whatever you have on hand, and you have a Last Word.
  
• Grab some rye-forward bourbon or rye whiskey - again, no need to go super expensive at first but don't go bottom shelf. Maybe start with Bulleit (either regular or the rye version). Get a good vermouth - Carpano Antica Formula is the classic, Cocchi Vermouth di Torino is cheaper and has a very similar flavor profile. Get a bottle of Angostura bitters. If you want, optionally get some good cherries, like the Luxardo brand ones - the neon pink ones from the typical grocery store are not adequate. Put about 2 oz whiskey, 1 oz vermouth, and 1 or 2 dashes of bitters into a mixing glass. The ratio of the whiskey and vermouth can be adjusted to your preference once you try a few. Add lots of big ice, and stir until very cold. Strain the liquid a glass, and optinally add your cherry. Enjoy your Manhattan.
  
  There are many more options. The tempatation will be to buy a bunch of shitty liquors and liqueurs. They will not taste good. I really recommend trying a smaller number of nicer things. This goes for things like beer, too. Anything will get you drunk, but alcohol can also taste amazing - don't miss out on that aspect.

If you only use it for high proof alcohol it will be fine. If you put some kind of high sugar, sticky liquor in there or some other drink like fruit juice, i could see it getting funky, but if it’s booze, nothing is growing in there. Just clean the threads and the cap off every so often and when you switch alcohol, let some soapy water soak inside for a little bit.

Or, alternatively, plain steel flasks are pretty cheap. You could use it for the trip and toss it.

Still, you could go with something like this.

Concealable And Reusable Cruise Flask Kit - Secret Flasks Cruise Liquor Bag Kit SIX (6) Durable Reusable Flasks With 2 Funnels https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7SQ74P/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_mxP.BbG4F5TRJ

No guarantee they won’t burst if you take a good fall, but you’ll just smell like brandy instead of bloody brandy.

Do this instead. Buy the following:

• A bottle of whiskey or vodka
  
• A few different juices (personally, I enjoy lemonade).
  
• A pack or two of Zipsicles.
  
  In a pitcher, fill the lower 8th with booze. Fill the rest with juice. Pour into the Zipzicles and freeze in the back of your freezer for 2 days. Serve in a small cooler full of Ice.
  
  Keep in mind: If you make these too strong, they will not freeze. This are fun and oddly strong. You end up with a shot or so per freeze pop. ENJOY!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0019D9H3S/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?qid=1415426091&sr=8-6&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70#

Amazing flask. Extremely durable. I have two. Far better than any of the shit that other guy reviewed. They make the best thermos too.

Got your back Jack.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00551HARU

A couple notes about it:

1. it's not adjustable, not sure if you need it to be, just saying. But the size is pretty nice
   
   2)They do fit perfectly, unless they don't have a neck, the 3rd pic shows the two bottles that couldn't fit because they were too big
   
   Enjoy!

Not sure if this is what they're talking about but I found this on amazon by searching plastic hip flask. Though I gotta reccomend you just go with a classic metal flask. Like others have mentioned, keeping alcohol in there keeps it pretty clean, plus you can't beat the durability, especially if you're doing a high intensity sport like skiing.

As someone who's been interested in alcohol for many years now, I loved this book. It covers a lot about the process of making alcoholic beverages, mixed with a bit of history and culture. Great for anyone with a passing interest in the subject of where your booze comes from.

If you're looking for something more on the technical side, I can recommend Proof by Adam Rogers. It talks about chemistry specifically: how fermentation and distillation work, what happens to you when you get drunk, even hangovers get a chapter.

I guess it depends on your budget, needs, and wants,if you're looking for an end all flask I highly recommend this [titanium flask] (http://www.amazon.com/Vargo-T-447-Titanium-Funnel-Flask/dp/B00NUR3ZE8) it has a funnel attached so it is easy to fill, and it low drama but still nice enough you won't really tire of it, then you have two Stanley flasks [this metal one] (http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Adventure-Stainless-Steel-Flask/dp/B00VRES8NO) and a [plastic one] (http://www.amazon.com/Stanley-Adventure-7oz-eCycle-Flask/dp/B00EPW5AMC) both of which you can find at Walmart. Out of the two I would recommend the plastic one due to its cost, the fact you can open the whole thing, and it's just no drama but I love my titanium flask.

The flashpoint of 40% alcohol is quite low, barely above room temperature. 26% is higher, but if you're putting it on a stove in a pan, you're combining both a large exposure to air (vapor is more flammable) and way higher temperatures.

If you ever cook using flambé with, say, Brandy, you'll find it ignites with some serious energy (use a long match and keep your hair away!!!).

What you probably would want to use for honey liqueur if you really want it warmed is a Brandy Warmer with a candle. Aside from looking neat, they've been used for centuries to warm brandy and cognac.

Any good bartending class would answer the majority of these questions, or a good general purpose alcohol book. In fact, I'd recommend this one.

Have you actually started the class yet?

Kahlua and Cream is equal parts Kahlua and regular cream (it's in the dairy aisle) over ice.

The saying goes "Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you're in the clear." but it's a myth. Either one first is fine, the key is moderation.

Again, the key is moderation. Don't drink a whole bottle of wine and then start doing shots. Ease from one to the other slowly. And remember to hydrate frequently. A little food wouldn't hurt either.

If you want chocolate, drink chocolate. There's no specific time or day to drink it.

Fill your flask with something good and high proof. Whiskey, vodka, etc. Keep fruit juices and carbonated beverages far from your flask, and empty/wash/drain it weekly.

Again, go slowly. Pace yourself, stay hydrated, a bit of food, and your tummy will be fine.

Also, I noticed your comment karma is dangerously low. I had to approve your post by hand, so you might want to raise that up a bit soon.

What have you tried?

What have you liked?

What have you not liked?

Get yourself a little notebook and keep track of what you drink and how you feel about it. These are already set up for wine, whiskey, and beer respectively, but you could also just get a little pocket reporter's notebook and DIY it.

Whenever you're out at bars and restaurants, try something new; provided you're not there at peak hours and the bartender has time to chat, ask for recommendations ("I really like X, what else do you have that's like that?"). If you prefer to imbibe at home, most liquor stores these days let you put together your own six-pack of beer, and nearly all of them will have those little ~2 oz sample bottles of spirits and liqueurs.

Honestly there are different kinds of lime juice, and they are used for different drinks, some times from a bottle works, and some times you absolutely need fresh squeezed from a lime you cut no more than 6 hours ago. so to answer your question, both. limes are also the most commonly used fruit in drinks, we go through 3 to 4 times the number of limes than oranges and lemons put together.

PS i forgot to include it in the tools but this book is super useful for just about everyone. I would consider it a must have.

I just bought this flask: http://www.amazon.com/Visol-Podova-Stainless-Finish-6-Ounce/dp/B000GKRBYC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415424066&sr=8-2&keywords=visol+flask

It looks like the body is made out of one piece of metal. This is good because a common complaint with flasks is that they leak liquor. Hope this one is what I was looking for. Btw.... I will share my thoughts on the flask on both reddit and amazon.

Webtender is a cool no frills site.

https://www.webtender.com/

If you want a book this one is great.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Bar-Book-Comprehensive-Cocktails/dp/0811843513/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?gclid=CjwKCAjw3c_tBRA4EiwAICs8CjsJ5KAqFQPOszhM8-Nx5FozzbGHOuUgJAK2dvawWV40C78Z_1REPBoC_78QAvD_BwE&hvadid=241886325096&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=9002786&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8520193590217228346&hvtargid=aud-647006051489%3Akwd-2787936668&hydadcr=24633_10399729&keywords=the+ultimate+bar+book&qid=1572111220&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzUFRBWVM2NEZRTEZJJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODU2MDgzMjFOR0VGSkpQWDZISSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzQwMTcxMkJMNjlJS1JaTjQ0UCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=