I arrived at my favorite club today 30 minutes after opening and they could not sell any alcohol other than beer because their computer was down. Here is why:
I feel most SC bartenders suck - seems the only qualification is having tits and a vagina and willing to wear something skimpy - the few-times I see a male-bartender I make it a point of going to him and usually get much-better-service and better-drinks.
I've heard in Ontario, it's illegal to "freepour", not put in a standard, measured shot. They see a "too" strong drink as tax evasion, $10 drinks are common there, high even with the exchange rate.
I get it - weaker drinks make the booze last longer - and create more profits for clubs. It’s part of the deal - as clubs are generally there to separate customers from their money - and it works in many aspects of the club.
In my heavy drinking days - I was a fan of Gray Goose - and a Gray Goose and tonic was a good way to relax and unwind after a busy day at work. But it wasn’t cheap at a strip club. It wasn’t difficult to tell when it was watered down.
I knew they were pouring a tiny amount in at one club - so I began ordering Gray Goose on the rocks - and that worked fine for me.
I try to be reasonable in my expectations at a strip club, but short pours are definitely a pet peeve of mine.
What they also can't quantify is how many customers they lose by doing this, especially if your bar is reliant upon regulars. Sure if you run a tourist trap club, short pour away I suppose. But in local clubs that I've seen playing these games, one thing I can't help notice is that almost everyone I see ITC is drinking beer, not liquor. The booze drinkers are going somewhere, just not to the place that gets too greedy on the liquor. Alcohol already sells at a 400-500% markup in most clubs. There comes a point where trying to squeeze another few paid drinks from each bottle backfires on you.
Fortunately in my favorite bars/clubs, the bartenders who I take care of have the flexibility to show me some love in return. I won't frequent a club that screws me on the drinks and I'm sure that I'm not alone. I won't quantify how much money I spend at the bar in my favorite club over a year, but it's not a small number. Multiply that times all of the other club hounds who would avoid the club (or do a lot of their drinking before arriving) and that is the annual revenue you would have to be able to replace with short pour games.
—>“At my usual club I have the opposite problem. They pour them extra strong. Every drink is like a double.”
Same here, my home club does that too. Especially if it’s certain bartenders 😭 I have stopped getting mixed drinks when offered and switched to wine or a can of Red Bull.
When I was living in central Texas, I suspect the clubs watered down drinks over there, and super grateful they did that because a lot of those customers really like to push you to drink over there and will be done with you for abstaining. If they weren’t watered down, I’d probably have already died of alcohol poisoning lol
I'm not a big-drinker and usually just order a bottled lite beer - having said this I like to have a good mixed-drink every-now-and-then but I've stopped ordering them at clubs bc I feel I'm usually getting gypped on quality/quantity.
At the club by my house, when I walk up and sit at the bar, I tend to get pretty sweet pours, especially if one bartender specifically is working. Sadly, just found out she got dropped to being a server...gotta be because one of the managers isn't a fan, and not at all because he caught he over-pouring the hell out of my drinks, and then only charging for half of them...
Even more than the quality of talent, extras available, cost of LDs, etc., the first thing that will turn me off to a club is when I see any kind of measuring device being used on the liquor bottles. If I order a bourbon on the rocks, I expect the ice to be floating in the whiskey, not the whiskey just making the ice wet.
Given the high price of drinks at most places, and the fact that the drinks you buy for dancers are often fake and contain little or no alcohol, it's really shitty to measure the customer's drinks. Also a stupid business practice since PLs are more likely to dump a ton of cash when they've got a good buzz going.
At clubs you are lucky if they have any single malts. Generally, I find they often have one of the common Soeysides such as Glenlivet or Glenfiddich. When I can I enjoy a Smokey Islay or highlands.
The one by me has Glenlivet and Glenfiddich 12, and that's about it. But give me an Ardbeg or a Lagavulin. LOVE the Islays, smokier the better. For Highlands, I dig The Dalmore King Alexander III, but would hesitate if I saw it a club...would be scared to know what they charge for a pour from a $300+ bottle.
I understand WHY the bartender does the short poor, but that doesn’t make it right. When it happens to me I just look at the ape behind the bar and say “do you realize that my claws are ALWAYS loaded? Well, do ya...wildebeest?”
Then they piss themselves and apologize. I am a magnanimous rick so I say that all is okay...as long as they give me a free bottle of Makers. Sometimes a rick gotta make himself a few Old Fashioneds for the drive home. ROAR!!!
Fish hawk, this rick generally steers clear of expensive whiskey. The real fun of whiskey is chuggin’ while drivin’
Hell, one of my fondest memories was stealing a Pinto and drinking Pepe Lopez tequila while driving the wrong way down a one way street. Screaming ape...exploding cars...good time made better by cheap tequila. ROAR!!!
Man those smokey, peaty scotches are really getting popular lately. Personally, I don't get it but to each his own. Based on the popularity and the price some of them command, I sometimes wonder why I can't acquire a taste for it even though I've tried several times.
I'm certainly not an aficionado of the finest liquors, so I don't question the opinion of those who enjoy it, but I can hardly get past the smell of that stuff. A few years ago my two best friends started getting into Laphroaig and it's become their go-to scotch. The first time they offered it to me I honestly thought they were playing a joke on me. (They weren't.)
My go-to was always Macallan 12. For a special occasion or as a gift I would go for the 18 year, but that's become fucking crazy with the price. Lately I've been very happy with Balvenie Caribbean Cask at about $80. For a more affordable everyday type of thing, I enjoy Jameson Stout Edition Irish Whiskey.
When in the mood for bourbon, my favorite is Booker's but that too has skyrocketed in price. $100 bucks is too much for me to buy it regularly. I like Russell's Reserve, but you've got to get the higher proof (and pricier) red label at around $60. I've always felt any bourbon worth drinking should be at least 100 proof. I like to take the first one neat, and then add just a few cubes with subsequent pours. Believe it or not, as a cheap option for about $24, good old Wild Turkey 101 isn't a bad sipping whiskey.
As far as strip clubs are concerned, I never order whiskey. Price too high, pour too short, and you never know if it will be watered down or they've put some cheap shit in an expensive bottle. And then what are you gonna do - start complaining about the liquor while trying to interact with the strippers? Typically I'll take 2 or 3 vodka martinis to get a good buzz going (Stoli or Kettle One is good enough) and then switch to bottled beer. Never order draft beer at a strip club - God only knows how long that keg has been sitting there going stale or what kind of gross stuff is built up inside poorly maintained taps.
I have been drinking Scotch for years, I like Macallan 12, Johnny Walker black is not bad Glenlivet 12 is also good, for regular pours Dewar's is a blended whiskey but not bad of course for a special Occasion I keep a bottle of Johnny Walker blue on hand,
In a strip club I only drink bottled beer as I think they don't do proper maintenance on their draft system, and I don't drink scotch in the clubs ever not because of the price, but it's too easy to go from buzzed to lit and I'm almost always driving don't ever want to harm any one with my car, so I maintain awareness.
@misterorange - Laphroaig is nothing special, one of the cheaper Islays (well, their base is is anyway). But it's good enough. I always kinda figured Lagavulin was the Islay for people who don't usually like an Islay; smoother up front with the smoke more at the end or on the aftertaste. But I think for the most part you either like Islays or you don't.
We don't get a whole hell of a lot of cold rainy days in Phoenix, but when we do...I throw on my warm Batman socks, plant my ass on the chair in the backyard with an Islay, and pretend my pool is a loch.
For bourbon, I usually just stick with Bullet, Four Roses, or Maker's. But I really like Traverse City Whiskey Co. bourbon, especially their ~115 proof. That runs about $85. And if you like old fashioneds, their cherry bourbon will change your life.
As far as Caribbean cask stuff... Angel's Envy Rye (~$95) was made for the gods. That stuff is incredible.
For a daily, Jameson works, Jameson Black Barrel is good, and the Costco brand 12 year Scotch. Can't go wrong with Glenlivet 12 or The Dalmore 12. I usually buy myself a good bottle for my b-day, but I think I'll stick with The Dalmore King Alexander III for that in the future; tried a Highland Park for ~$350 last year and was completely disappointed.
At the strip club down the street, I've been lucky. Always a good pour, not watered down (usually see them just open brand-new bottles), and great deals. There's always a booze of the month: Maker's for $5 or $6 for a month is a good reason to go. Whiskey Wednesday is Jameson, Jack, and Jim for $5 or $5.50. That's less than a sports bar...and there are boobs!
Yeah there's always been speculation...is the 12 year Dewar's? Is the French vodka Grey Goose, and the Canadian whiskey really Crown? Nah, but with the 12 year, the blenders kind of just follow the Dewar's model.
I tried Lagavulin once on the recommendation of my boss when we were out at a nice restaurant. He ordered a bottle to share among four of us. IMO it was better than Laphroaig, but still not for me. Tried to play it off like it was great stuff so as not to offend him. Quit after one glass and switched to beer, claiming I didn't want to get too buzzed. I was glad he picked up the tab! Lol.
Ha! Yeah, Laphroaig to me is like the Bud Light of Islays, not great, though cheap and serves the purpose. But if you weren't into the Lagavulin, just pass on Islays from now on because you won't like any of 'em.
... although...if you smoke meat, maybe that could change. Sitting outside with the smoker going, the smell in the air...that's another great time for a smokey scotch!
The first time I tried an Islay it was in Bristol UK. It was the house brand of a grocery store chain. I thought I was licking a campfire. But by the time I finished the bottle. (Week or so later). I was really enjoying it. Now I find the smokier the better. I do like variety in my scotch. I have a Balvenie Caribbean Cask at home which is OK but a bit of a gimmick. I do enjoy a sherry cask finish spayside.
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SJG
SJG
In my heavy drinking days - I was a fan of Gray Goose - and a Gray Goose and tonic was a good way to relax and unwind after a busy day at work. But it wasn’t cheap at a strip club. It wasn’t difficult to tell when it was watered down.
I knew they were pouring a tiny amount in at one club - so I began ordering Gray Goose on the rocks - and that worked fine for me.
What they also can't quantify is how many customers they lose by doing this, especially if your bar is reliant upon regulars. Sure if you run a tourist trap club, short pour away I suppose. But in local clubs that I've seen playing these games, one thing I can't help notice is that almost everyone I see ITC is drinking beer, not liquor. The booze drinkers are going somewhere, just not to the place that gets too greedy on the liquor. Alcohol already sells at a 400-500% markup in most clubs. There comes a point where trying to squeeze another few paid drinks from each bottle backfires on you.
Fortunately in my favorite bars/clubs, the bartenders who I take care of have the flexibility to show me some love in return. I won't frequent a club that screws me on the drinks and I'm sure that I'm not alone. I won't quantify how much money I spend at the bar in my favorite club over a year, but it's not a small number. Multiply that times all of the other club hounds who would avoid the club (or do a lot of their drinking before arriving) and that is the annual revenue you would have to be able to replace with short pour games.
Same here, my home club does that too. Especially if it’s certain bartenders 😭 I have stopped getting mixed drinks when offered and switched to wine or a can of Red Bull.
SJG
At the club by my house, when I walk up and sit at the bar, I tend to get pretty sweet pours, especially if one bartender specifically is working. Sadly, just found out she got dropped to being a server...gotta be because one of the managers isn't a fan, and not at all because he caught he over-pouring the hell out of my drinks, and then only charging for half of them...
Given the high price of drinks at most places, and the fact that the drinks you buy for dancers are often fake and contain little or no alcohol, it's really shitty to measure the customer's drinks. Also a stupid business practice since PLs are more likely to dump a ton of cash when they've got a good buzz going.
At clubs you are lucky if they have any single malts. Generally, I find they often have one of the common Soeysides such as Glenlivet or Glenfiddich. When I can I enjoy a Smokey Islay or highlands.
The one by me has Glenlivet and Glenfiddich 12, and that's about it. But give me an Ardbeg or a Lagavulin. LOVE the Islays, smokier the better. For Highlands, I dig The Dalmore King Alexander III, but would hesitate if I saw it a club...would be scared to know what they charge for a pour from a $300+ bottle.
I understand WHY the bartender does the short poor, but that doesn’t make it right. When it happens to me I just look at the ape behind the bar and say “do you realize that my claws are ALWAYS loaded? Well, do ya...wildebeest?”
Then they piss themselves and apologize. I am a magnanimous rick so I say that all is okay...as long as they give me a free bottle of Makers. Sometimes a rick gotta make himself a few Old Fashioneds for the drive home. ROAR!!!
Hell, one of my fondest memories was stealing a Pinto and drinking Pepe Lopez tequila while driving the wrong way down a one way street. Screaming ape...exploding cars...good time made better by cheap tequila. ROAR!!!
I'm certainly not an aficionado of the finest liquors, so I don't question the opinion of those who enjoy it, but I can hardly get past the smell of that stuff. A few years ago my two best friends started getting into Laphroaig and it's become their go-to scotch. The first time they offered it to me I honestly thought they were playing a joke on me. (They weren't.)
My go-to was always Macallan 12. For a special occasion or as a gift I would go for the 18 year, but that's become fucking crazy with the price. Lately I've been very happy with Balvenie Caribbean Cask at about $80. For a more affordable everyday type of thing, I enjoy Jameson Stout Edition Irish Whiskey.
When in the mood for bourbon, my favorite is Booker's but that too has skyrocketed in price. $100 bucks is too much for me to buy it regularly. I like Russell's Reserve, but you've got to get the higher proof (and pricier) red label at around $60. I've always felt any bourbon worth drinking should be at least 100 proof. I like to take the first one neat, and then add just a few cubes with subsequent pours. Believe it or not, as a cheap option for about $24, good old Wild Turkey 101 isn't a bad sipping whiskey.
As far as strip clubs are concerned, I never order whiskey. Price too high, pour too short, and you never know if it will be watered down or they've put some cheap shit in an expensive bottle. And then what are you gonna do - start complaining about the liquor while trying to interact with the strippers? Typically I'll take 2 or 3 vodka martinis to get a good buzz going (Stoli or Kettle One is good enough) and then switch to bottled beer. Never order draft beer at a strip club - God only knows how long that keg has been sitting there going stale or what kind of gross stuff is built up inside poorly maintained taps.
In a strip club I only drink bottled beer as I think they don't do proper maintenance on their draft system, and I don't drink scotch in the clubs ever not because of the price, but it's too easy to go from buzzed to lit and I'm almost always driving don't ever want to harm any one with my car, so I maintain awareness.
We don't get a whole hell of a lot of cold rainy days in Phoenix, but when we do...I throw on my warm Batman socks, plant my ass on the chair in the backyard with an Islay, and pretend my pool is a loch.
For bourbon, I usually just stick with Bullet, Four Roses, or Maker's. But I really like Traverse City Whiskey Co. bourbon, especially their ~115 proof. That runs about $85. And if you like old fashioneds, their cherry bourbon will change your life.
As far as Caribbean cask stuff... Angel's Envy Rye (~$95) was made for the gods. That stuff is incredible.
For a daily, Jameson works, Jameson Black Barrel is good, and the Costco brand 12 year Scotch. Can't go wrong with Glenlivet 12 or The Dalmore 12. I usually buy myself a good bottle for my b-day, but I think I'll stick with The Dalmore King Alexander III for that in the future; tried a Highland Park for ~$350 last year and was completely disappointed.
At the strip club down the street, I've been lucky. Always a good pour, not watered down (usually see them just open brand-new bottles), and great deals. There's always a booze of the month: Maker's for $5 or $6 for a month is a good reason to go. Whiskey Wednesday is Jameson, Jack, and Jim for $5 or $5.50. That's less than a sports bar...and there are boobs!
https://www.forbes.com/sites/joemicallef…
I tried Lagavulin once on the recommendation of my boss when we were out at a nice restaurant. He ordered a bottle to share among four of us. IMO it was better than Laphroaig, but still not for me. Tried to play it off like it was great stuff so as not to offend him. Quit after one glass and switched to beer, claiming I didn't want to get too buzzed. I was glad he picked up the tab! Lol.
... although...if you smoke meat, maybe that could change. Sitting outside with the smoker going, the smell in the air...that's another great time for a smokey scotch!