Drinks

ajroark

I didn't see a "Beverages" board so I thought this one would work. My fiance' and I are doing a limited bar with beer, wine, and two signature drinks. We're trying to decide what would be the most popular choices. A bartender told us that giving guests less choices is better so the line to order drinks doesn't get too long. That said, what three types of wine, three types of beer, and two signature, hard-A drinks would you choose?

kaesha

I'd choose the wine based on the food served and the season your wedding will be in. The beer, I'd see if you can offer three choices from a local brewery (I have no idea what those would be in Seattle) - a lager, an IPA and a wild card choice (like a stout or a weisbier or a fruit ale) and for the signature drinks, again, something seasonal.

We did lychee bellinis, passionfruit mojitos and pear-ginger saketinis, if that helps at all.

ajroark

Our wedding will be in August and we'll be serving various varieties of pasta for dinner. What would be a good wine pairing for that?

jessicabessica

I would pick a neutral white and a neutral red--we found a nice white blend that we like, now we're on the search for a red--nothing too sweet or strong.  For beer, we are having a local brew, Sam Adams, and then Heineken or Bud or something with more name recognition, since most of our guests are out of town, and many will be from other parts of the country all together.  I think we're going to have a full open bar, but we may still have signature cocktails (we are deciding between just sig cocktails and full open bar).  If we have signature cocktails, we will do something with the local blueberry vodka--maybe a blueberry cosmo.  I like the idea of champagne cocktails, especially for a daytime reception.  I think the signature cocktail choice depends on your theme/feel and time of day. 

jessicabessica

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_food-cakes_drinks-1?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:23Discussion:8c466864-1788-45e3-99b6-5c12ff4df56bPost:a28730b6-e8cf-4a59-bf48-c3ea81ed430a">Re: Drinks</a>:
[QUOTE]Our wedding will be in August and we'll be serving various varieties of pasta for dinner. What would be a good wine pairing for that?
Posted by ajroark[/QUOTE]

A pinot grigio and a chianti.  Not sure if the latter has mass appeal, but I think pinot grigio is pretty drinkable. 

FutureJilliannD

Definately a red and a white for wine. Maybe a blush or dessert wine for the third?

I know nothing about beer, sorry.

Maybe something in your wedding colors for the cocktails? Or do you have a specific drink you both really enjoy. I think that vodka and rum tend to be the most popular alcohols.

ajroark

I definitely want to have Riesling because it's my favorite wine. It's also very sweet, so I was wondering if I should have another white wine (Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio) for those who aren't a fan of Riesling.

I know nothing about red wine - is Merlot pretty popular?

Ashes_3

Wine I like Castello Di Paggio (MOSCATO), Beer - Miller Lite, Guiness - We are serving Sangrias & I love amaretto sours

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

You could do a dry reisling. If you do a sweeter one, I'd do a muhc crisper white. Merlot and Cabernet are perfectly fine for red options. Though honestly, I'd do a sav blanc for the white, then a fruity red and a drier red.

For beer, being on the west coast, you'll probably want to have a big IPA. Then I'd do something lighter (maybe a hefeweizen, something like Blue Moon) and something very standard, like Sam Adams, or darker, like a stout, porter or amber ale. FWIW we had a ton of bottled beer options at my wedding and we probably depleted their supply of Fat Tire, which is a malty sort of ale. It's good.

jessicabessica

I like reisling, too, but a lot of people don't, so I'd also have a pinot or something that isn't as sweet.  I like sauvignon blanc a lot, although my go to sav blanc right now is a little on the sweeter side.  

kaesha

Riesling is best, IMHO, as a pairing for dessert. It'll get lost with the pasta. You need something more full bodied, IMHO. One of my absolute favourite summer whites that's flexible enough to go with bolder tomato or herb based flavours is Round Hill Chardonnay. We use it as our house white during the summer. For a red I'd do a chianti or a sangeovese.

ewurgler

I would do a Reisling, sav blac or charrdonay, and a pinot noir or chianti (medium red)

Beer: one lager, one IPA and one amber or wheat beer

cocktails:  try to have two different liquors in case people don't like one or the other.  FOr example, a mojita (rum) and a cosmo (vodka).