Preferred pre-dinner drink

[monghead]

Hi all,

Thought I'll throw it out there...

What seems to be the preferred pre-dinner drink:
a) at the bar
b) once seated at the table?

If a beer, a cleansing pilsner?
A refreshing mixer like a g&t or a vodka, lime and tonic?
A fancy cocktail, or a standard martini?
If a wine, a dry style, or a german riesling- ?spatlese, ?kabinett
Of course, there's bubbles.....

Cheers,

Monghead.

[TiggerK]

Nice thread monghead...

Yes there certainly is bubbles..

My two favourites.. depending on style of food, company and options, At the bar (beer), and then at the table (bubbles)..... but if arriving directly to the table, either both if appropriate, or straight onto the champers.

Good craft beer, like a Pale Ale (NZ has some seriously superior examples e.g Renaissance and Epic, or good old Little Creatures here in Oz), or a nice hoppy Pilsner (In NZ - Emersons 1812, or here go for James Squire) Also very partial to a German wheat beer like Weihenstephaner Kristall. (I could post all day on beer... like tonight a Youngs Special London Ale - Out of Control Good.)

Champagne.......... (fresh, clean, with a bit of richness and touch of yeast - but I'm with you monghead in the 'so far not so keen on reductive styles'), OR a good Oz/NZ vintage sparkling (Pelorus, Arras, Croser, Daniel Le Brun etc).

Cheers
Tim

[Waiters Friend]

Whatever we brought with us to the BYO

[Waiters Friend]

Seriously, Monghead, a good question. Especially if there is a group, to warrant ordering (or bringing) a number of different bottles.

Bubbles are definitely a good start. Palate cleansing (like a good beer) but also setting up the taste buds for what may follow.

I'n definitely not a fan of cocktails, esp the creamy ones, if a dinner and wine is to follow. Keep the palate clean.

For me, it really is start with a wine, open another, repeat, etc. Obviously having the wines matching the courses, or having a range of wines open at any time to match individual choices, is the way to go. Not everyone will try every wine.

As the numbers go down, this becomes more of a compromise. Especially when Sue orders salmon and I go for the lamb

Cheers

Allan

[Wayno]

If in Europe, a jolly little pastis!!!

[ACG]

Beer. It has to be beer. Which beer is largely beholden to the the quality of the restaurant's beer supplies

Little Creatures Pale Ale is fairly well distributed so makes for an easy option but the sky is the limit with craft ales.

[Michael R]

Generally a Gin & Tonic.

[Alex F]

It's gotta be sherry.

[Thommo]

I'm very partial to Seppeltsfield's Clara Blanca Amontillado, but not common to see in restaurants or bars.
Otherwise, something crisp and delicious like a young Stevens Semillon, Knappstein reserve lager or a g&t

[PaulV]

It's gotta be sherry.

Agree in summer generally always order either a lightly chilled manzanilla or flor fino. really gets the taste buds going!

[via collins]

another vote for a fine boned dry sherry.

Also a rather fab Sardinian aperitif based on myrtle called, not surprisingly, mytro.

And also out of Western France, a tipple canned Pineau de Cherente is another ripper palate stimuliser.

But local and easy, it's gotta be sherry.

[GRB]

Beer or G & T for me

Glen

[rooman]

If I want to get matters off to a flying start, I will normally try and get one or two Negronis.

[Teddy]

If it's hot weather I would have a campari and orange juice , if not bubbles.
Trev

[Red Smurf]

a) German, Dutch or Belgian Beer.
b) German, Dutch or Belgian Beer.

Smurf

[monghead]

There seems to be great enthusiasm for beer and bubbles as an aperitif, and I must admit I concur.
For many years, I have been a beer at the bar pre-dinner, but now sometimes have a vodka lime tonic.
At the table, again a crisp beer is always a nice way to start, otherwise it is a champagne or a dry white wine.

Lately, I have been exposed to several german rieslings, and I have been mulling over the idea of trying it as an aperitif, rather than an accompaniment to cheese, fruit, deserts at the conclusion of meals.....
I just think the moreish fruity sweetness and piercing, vibrant acidity to carry it may lift the taste-buds just as well as the others...

Thoughts?

Cheers,

Monghead.

[Tristram Shandy]

A remnant of my American upbringing:

A margarita made with a genuine 100% blue agave blanco tequila such as Herradura or Casa Noble (not the Cuervo crap that is usually served in Australia) and fresh lime juice, with agave nectar to take the edge off.

Excellent in summer, but good anytime. Sweet and sour. Nice and clean. Try to stop at just two.

Tristam Shandy special recipe!

[Mike Hawkins]

Beer at the bar or champers at the table

[Wizz]

I'm going to diverge, somewhat predictably, as my preferred predinner tipple is a German Kabinett. While in the Mosel, a few winemakers suggested Auslese or even higher pradkiat as an aperitif. The motivation in both cases is ripe acids, which get the juices flowing and liven up your tastebuds.

Nothing wrong with champagne or a great beer though. And a Mojito has been known to pass my lips in summer...

[Peter Schlesinger]

To quote Calamity Jane from the Deadwood series "Anything that hasn't been drunk first". But that's her. I'm for bubbles (red or white) most of the time. If I'm really feeling retro, a Campari and soda takes me back to my long discarded Gaulois days.

[Eurocentric]

You're on the money, Wizz. A clean auslese (so no botrytis), especially with age, is an awesome aperitif. I have a bottle or two of this when I go to an old friend's place in NZ -- with hors d'oeuvres -- and the low alcohol but high flavour is a great way to start. But I also love champagne.

[Michael McNally]

Pre-dinner at a bar - riesling by the glass if they have BTG or beer. New favourite is Moa wheatbeer.

At the table - why sparkling red, naturally!

Cheers

Michael

PS Nice to see that people actually do pre-dinner sherry. I thought that was for Miss Marple and Merchant Ivory films.

[Wizz]

You're on the money, Wizz. A clean auslese (so no botrytis), especially with age, is an awesome aperitif. I have a bottle or two of this when I go to an old friend's place in NZ -- with hors d'oeuvres -- and the low alcohol but high flavour is a great way to start. But I also love champagne.

Hear hear on the old school Auslesen.

I do like champagne. Dont buy a lot of it but never fail to enjoy it before dinner.

[qwertt]

I'm very partial to Seppeltsfield's Clara Blanca Amontillado, but not common to see in restaurants or bars.
Otherwise, something crisp and delicious like a young Stevens Semillon, Knappstein reserve lager or a g&t

This is absolutely our house favourite aperitif. Sometimes, though, it is quite hard to find. Recently bought a Spanish amontillado at the same price level to see if we were just being biased toward Australia. We thought the Seppeltsfield left it for dead. Much fuller on the palate, beautiful rancio, but still finishing dry.

[daz]

A dry martini with a green olive if the gin is of good/ish quality(Tanqueray, Blue Sapphire, perhaps Gordons). Otherwise good pilsner, riesling or Aussie dry white bubbles.

[Mahmoud Ali]

For an appetizer it's always either a sparkling, a simple dry white, or a sherry. At a bar it's likely to be a beer.

Tonight I had a glass of Osborne Manzanilla Sherry, inexpensive, bone dry, and very appetizing, just before dinner and red wine.

Cheers................Mahmoud.

[jafa]

Scotch and Dry. Heavy on the ice, so as not to drown it.

jafa

[kirragc]

Irish and soda generally

But champagne or sometimes a sherry if at the table

[Barney]

Depends on the circumstances, style of food and time of day but generally;

Lunch...Campari, either soda or orange or, sparkling white...Sherry if going Tapas.

Dinner...sparkling white or Sherry, rarely a G&T

Dinner with my partner...Champagne, sparkling white or Sherry.

Never beer and if no formal pre dinner drink will generally start with a dryer style of white.

[Mandingo]

My preference would be a good Speyside to start and a big Islay to finish - like fine malt bookends for a fine wine dining experience!