Inexpensive Bottles to Help Keep You Afloat

By Jason Wilson
Wednesday, October 29, 2008; F05

Hey, have you heard the one about the failing economy? As we sink further toward a recession, people probably will be drinking more. It's not just a cliche, it's fact: Historically, sales of alcoholic beverages grow during recessions. And not just the cheap stuff. In a recent survey conducted by Zagat and liquor giant Diageo, 58 percent of Americans said they would be willing to pay more to have a cocktail made with premium, "top-shelf" brands, even during an economic downturn.

That may be true, but one thing I have learned through writing this column is that no one agrees on exactly what top-shelf means. For some it means $100 cognac or Calvados; for others it's $35 craft-distilled gins. Some envision obscure European liqueurs; some, $40 flavored vodkas. For others it means anything except what they swilled when they were young and broke.

"I've decided I'm just going to start drinking the same stuff I drank in college," an old friend told me a few weeks ago.

That friend has never had good taste in booze, so I asked, "Does that mean you'll be drinking Zima again?" Little did I know that would prove impossible. Last week, MillerCoors, the geniuses who tried to persuade Gen-Xers to drink Zima in the early 1990s, announced that it was, at long last, discontinuing sales of the much-maligned "malternative." A moment of silence, please.

Okay, seriously: I believe one can drink frugally without resorting to a "malternative" or other such nonsense. I'm sure many will continue to invest in top-shelf liquors (which might be a shrewder bet right now than the stock market). But I can't imagine that, during tough times, many people will be shelling out for such specialties as $35 cachaca, $50 10-times-distilled vodkas or $60 absinthe (of which there are now a half-dozen on the market).

In the past, when I've given advice on stocking the bar, I've generally set $20 to $25 as the standard for "value," that elusive mix of quality and affordability. But my friend who's closest to college age (at 25) told me that, for her, $20 was "very top shelf" and $15 "still feels like a splurge." I think a lot of people feel that way. And a lot more soon will.

I still believe, though, that there are certain costs you have to suck up: You need to keep vermouth and bitters on hand. Cointreau will cost you about $39, but it's the one nonnegotiable mixer. I'd still stick with Tanqueray or Plymouth gins ($20 to $25), though you could consider switching to Beefeater's ($17). But there are some spirits that, if finances are tight, you might have to go without. Finding a good 100 percent agave tequila under $25 is nearly impossible; ditto for single-malt scotch and cognac.

There are alternatives. In an emergency, you could replace your usual margarita with a caipirinha, using a basic, low-cost cachaca such as Pitu ($13). Or switch to a pisco sour, because most piscos retail for $16 to $18. Or just stick with rum: You can pick up a bottle of four-year-old Flor de Caña Gold rum for about $13. If Stolichnaya vodka is too pricey at $18, you could survive with Svedka at $12.

When it comes to scotch, you'll have to switch to blended, but you could do worse than White Horse ($17). As spirits critic F. Paul Pacult writes in his new book, "Kindred Spirits 2," "All the world's dictionaries should place a photo of a White Horse bottle next to the words 'Blended Scotch Whiskey.' " As for brandy, switch from cognac to more underrated Spanish brandies, such as Osborne Veterano, Torres 5-year-old, or Fundador Solera Reserve (all about $15).

H. Joseph Ehrmann, owner of Elixir in San Francisco, offers some excellent tips to economize on spirits:

· Buy American. The weak dollar drives up the prices of imported spirits.

· Avoid new and trendy products. "They price higher right out of the gate. Everyone wants to be 'the next Grey Goose.' You pay for what is fashionable."

· Don't be afraid to order what your dad used to drink. Old brands usually are still around because they are good.

Keeping that advice in mind, I am recommending that my readers invest heavily in good old Kentucky bourbon and domestic rye whiskey in the coming quarter. As Pacult told the Associated Press a few months ago, these American whiskeys remain "the best bargains in spirits."

My favorite bargain whiskeys? I like both Old Overholt and Rittenhouse Rye (both $14) and even Wild Turkey Rye (about $18). They are great for a Manhattan, old fashioned, Vieux Carre or Sazerac. For bourbon, cheap, hard-to-beat options include Evan Williams ($11) and Ancient Age ($10). But even a good-quality bourbon like Maker's Mark is still only $22, and I know plenty of people who consider Maker's Mark to be pretty close to "top-shelf."

Let's all just raise a glass in hopes that all of the shelves -- top, middle and bottom -- don't coming crashing to the floor.

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