Bang for buck Tequila for Margaritas and shots?

[alkemyst]

What's a good bang for buck Tequila?

I am ok with silver Patron, but many don't care for it. I have Gold in my arsenal as well.

We are experimenting more with not going out as much as entertaining at home.

In the Cuervo line, I can go from $18 (Silver) to $27 (Gold) to about $70 for the next level and (Respado?) then $200 for the Añejo (1.5L sizing).

People seem to like the gold, but it's really not an aged Tequila. I am interested in trying other brands too

EDIT: replaced Patron with Cuervo...I started with Patron and moved away from it early on. I am recently getting back into the 'market'. I know what my bottle looks like so just pick it up. I don't care really on branding, just flavor/experience.

 

[lxskllr]

I like 1800 añejo and Tres Geraciones añejo. I haven't explored tequila as thoroughly as I'd like, but those are favorites.

 

[alkemyst]

I like tequila. I can drink it like water and don't wake up with a headache, plus I have great dreams on it.

 

[darkswordsman17]

YetAnotherAlkemystThreadWhereHePretendsToBeAskingForInformationButWillGoOutOfHisWayToActLikeHeAlreadyKnowsEverything?

The fuck is with the way it shows up? There's no space there?

 

[GagHalfrunt]

For margaritas stick any cheap silver mixto in a Patron bottle, nobody will know the difference.

For shots stick any cheap 100% agave silver in a Patron bottle, nobody will know the difference.

 

[darkswordsman17]

For margaritas stick any cheap silver mixto in a Patron bottle, nobody will know the difference.

For shots stick any cheap 100% agave silver in a Patron bottle, nobody will know the difference.

Fuck you could probably pour $5 a liter vodka in a Patron bottle and half the people wouldn't know the difference.

At a party one time I actually told people some drinks were tequila when it wasn't (literally poured it with vodka right in front of them) and they'd talk about "I don't know, man, tequila really messes me up" and they acted like idiots (I'd been around most of them and they normally were mellow when drinking). People are idiots.

 

[lxskllr]

I like tequila. I can drink it like water and don't wake up with a headache, plus I have great dreams on it.

I'm like that with scotch. I haven't tested tequila to that extent. I spent the majority of my life thinking I hated tequila based on my experience with Cuervo. After trying some more drinkable brands, I recognized my error. I prefer it to bourbon, but not as much as Irish or scotch. I need to check out some more brands, but I haven't been buying much in the way of spirits the last couple years. I've been whittling down my whisky collection, and haven't been drinking much.

 

[alkemyst]

YetAnotherAlkemystThreadWhereHePretendsToBeAskingForInformationButWillGoOutOfHisWayToActLikeHeAlreadyKnowsEverything?

Sit down son, adults are talking.

I never needed expensive Tequila. Many I have found don't like Patron Silver but like the Patron Gold. I have been drinking 'well' tequila since I was 15-16.

Since I am entertaining in-house now, I am thinking about stepping it up a notch.

I am thinking about putting together a nice bar setup actually as well.

Sorry I made you angry at 10PM EST on a nice labor day weekend. My family and I are just sitting around on our computers talking to each other and having fun. My lover and I are getting ready to start a movie soon once we put the 10 year old to bed.

Then drink and fuck.

 

[alkemyst]

For margaritas stick any cheap silver mixto in a Patron bottle, nobody will know the difference.

For shots stick any cheap 100% agave silver in a Patron bottle, nobody will know the difference.

Here they are. I have been copying restaurant recipes. Since I went with Patron Gold most say my margaritas are close to "X" brand. Chili's is my girlfriends favorite (their 2 for 1 frozen strawberry version). I found getting rid of margarita mix and buying the individual products (esp fresh strawberries) makes a HUGE difference. Still something is off.

This has been my recipe (since changing from Margarita mix and Silver Patron to Gold):
•6 ounces tequila
•2 ounces triple sec
•8 ounces frozen sliced strawberries in syrup
•4 fluid ounces frozen limeade concentrate (we use the 'Adult Limeade' from Total Wine which has some tequila in it).

I do need a better blender. I use a Bullet type that I can't remember the name of but was excellent for my protein shakes. Now that I am mixing more than one serving at a time it's sucking. It's very fast at a single serving though, but really loud.

 

[darkswordsman17]

Sit down son, adults are talking.

I never needed expensive Tequila. Many I have found don't like Patron Silver but like the Patron Gold. I have been drinking 'well' tequila since I was 15-16.

Since I am entertaining in-house now, I am thinking about stepping it up a notch.

I am thinking about putting together a nice bar setup actually as well.

Sorry I made you angry at 10PM EST on a nice labor day weekend. My family and I are just sitting around on our computers talking to each other and having fun. My lover and I are getting ready to start a movie soon once we put the 10 year old to bed.

Then drink and fuck.

Haha, you think you made me angry. And jealous. :biggrin:

 

[alkemyst]

Haha, you think you made me angry. And jealous. :biggrin:

I didn't think what I made you. I am just asking you to let us adults talk and not flame my greatness.

 

[tfinch2]

I am just asking you to let us adults talk and not flame my greatness.

Lmao, awesome.

 

[mrkun]

Why not try lime juice from real limes?

 

[QueBert]

Sauza's my 2nd favorite Tequilla for Margaritas, even for straight shots I prefer it over Patron. I make probably 10 pitcher's a week for everyone on my block. I don't think you can beat Sauza for taste + value. Personally I only use Blanco's, and if I'm feeling spendy I go with Don Julio or Sauza Tres Generaciones. IMHO Patron's only good if you go with Platinum, which is stupid expensive and would be retarded to use to make Margaritas. Also fresh limes + fresh Pineapple, or even canned Pineapple make a dynamite mixture. I usually make blended, but on the rocks lime + a few splashes of pineapple juice go lovely together. I don't really care for Anejo, but if I had to pick one I'd go with Cazadores, same for Reposado.

 

[balloonshark]

Use mezcal for the margaritas and with the money you save get good tequila for the shots.

 

[GoodRevrnd]

Cazadores (anejo or silver, pick your poison). /thread

 

[RelaxTheMind]

Why not try lime juice from real limes?

Fresh lime juice isnt consistent. For some supermarket breeds you need to almost quadruple the amount needed just to get the right flavor. Then again, by that time, your mix is watered down and wont taste right... at most i would use it as a garnish.

 

[stargazr]

I have been drinking Camarena Silver lately, pretty smooth. 1800 is also reasonably priced for a 100% Agave Tequila.

 

[Zargon]

that's way cheaper than I can get patron silver by me, damn!

 

[evident]

I have been drinking Camarena Silver lately, pretty smooth. 1800 is also reasonably priced for a 100% Agave Tequila.

Same, it's the cheapest 100% agave tequila we have in our liquor stores lately. Not bad at 16 bucks and doesn't give a hangover.

 

[Tiamat]

For tequila you can drink like flavored water, casa azul reposado has become my go to tequila. The bottle is hard to miss. Looks like a tall chess piece and is a white bottle with blue accents. This stuff is so smooth and lacks the 'flavor' that causes most people to get 'sick of' tequila. I can drink cups of this stuff without any sick feelings. It has a very slight sweet tea aftertaste. I prefer it over casa dragones. For $80 no other tequila comes close. If you are tired of the typical son Julio, patron, 1800, tres generaciones, etc, definitely seek this out. My wife hates tequila and this is the only one she will drink.

As for mixing, i don't to that very much since all my tequilas in my collection are for sipping, but if I had to, my patron silver fills that roll. When mixing, the quality of the juice matters the most. You might be surprised with how cheap of a tequila you can go with if you use Simply brand juice and home made sour mix...

 

[Scarpozzi]

I buy cheap gold tequila for margaritas....I'm probably going to stick to moderate brands like Sauza because the really cheap stuff leaves a bad aftertaste.


I don't do enough shots to have an opinion. I'm a bourbon guy.

 

[Bryophyte]

A third vote for Sauza. :thumbsup:

 

[rcpratt]

Here they are. I have been copying restaurant recipes. Since I went with Patron Gold most say my margaritas are close to "X" brand. Chili's is my girlfriends favorite (their 2 for 1 frozen strawberry version). I found getting rid of margarita mix and buying the individual products (esp fresh strawberries) makes a HUGE difference. Still something is off.

This has been my recipe (since changing from Margarita mix and Silver Patron to Gold):
•6 ounces tequila
•2 ounces triple sec
•8 ounces frozen sliced strawberries in syrup
•4 fluid ounces frozen limeade concentrate (we use the 'Adult Limeade' from Total Wine which has some tequila in it).

I do need a better blender. I use a Bullet type that I can't remember the name of but was excellent for my protein shakes. Now that I am mixing more than one serving at a time it's sucking. It's very fast at a single serving though, but really loud.

lol triple sec

 

[meister]

I'm the same way with tequila. Really like the stuff and it seems to agree with me more than other spirits.

however I havn't yet found 'value' brands that do not sacrifice in smoothness and flavor, though for mixers most likely fine. I have found I just prefer shots most of the time, so just keep the anejo around. The few times I mix it, I don't mind.

readily available and found to be good stuff in my area:

tres generaciones
casadores
don julio

all anejo

not been a fan of the patron line.

I do have some folks that bring me good stuff from mexico now and then. Its funny but the same label from two different areas can taste different, perhaps its all in my head.