Vital Question!!!

vkhosid

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Gents,

As the title says, I have a vital question for you all. As odd as it may seem, I am having trouble procuring alcohol, and have come to POA to seek the advice of the drunken pilot community. The situation is as follows:

I need to find a place that will sell 200 or 300ml bottles of liquor (vodka, tequila, whiskey) as "gifts" for a wedding. Everywhere I've looked, it seems like only those little single shot, "bought at a liquor store because I need a drink" bottles are available. I plan on buying some sort of combination of 150 between the 3 varieties of liquor.

Do any of you fine gents have any suggestions as to where I would buy them en masse?

Thanks for your help.
 
It varies by state, so take any advice I offer with a grain of salt (and perhaps a squeeze of lime?).

First of all, in most states (all that I'm aware of), individuals have to buy from a retailer, which in a few states is the state, itself.

Secondly, many states regulate the actual sizes of liquor containers that can be sold at retail, so you may have a challenge finding a size that is legally sold in your state.

I would suggest that you find a smaller, "mom and pop" type of liquor store to ask, because they may be more willing, as a matter of customer service, to special-order a particular product or packaging for you.

I don't think there is anybody who sells hard liquor by mail order, but I could be mistaken about that, as well.

I guess I will wish you good luck, and hope you'll tell us were where you found what you find.
 
Upon further reflection (and dredging up details from my misty memories of working in a liquor store when I was in college), the 200 mL bottles of hard liquor are what we used to call "half pint" bottles, because they closely mimic the size and capacity of the old one half pint liquor bottles. We also called 500 mL bottles, "pints," 750 mL bottles "fifths" and 1 L bottles, "quarts." None of that damned metric system for us!

So, in Texas at least, 200 mL bottles are a regularly-sold product size, which tells me you should be able to order them in various lines, as long as you can find a reasonably-compliant liquor retailer.
 
For those wondering, the full story is this...

Our weddings is going to be at a nationwide chain hotel that starts with an H, and ends in yatt. Their event package does not allow us to supply the liquor. As a cultural thing pertaining to my particular culture, it is widely accepted that bottles of liquor are placed on the table where the people are sitting and eating. And they pour themselves shots/drinks as they wish. To go around this little speed bump, we have decided to provide guests with "gifts" of random liquor bottles (again, the 200-300ml variety). And if they should happen to pour themselves and/or their neighbor a drink....then, so be it...
 
I told the wife-to-be that she can do whatever she wants...I just require two things: 1) People do NOT leave hungry. and 2) Somehow we fine a way to have liquor on the tables. Both very simple requests, I think....

but finding the liquor bottles is proving to be a challenge....hence I turn to the bright and alcohol-soaked minds of POA
 
Can't you simply find a venue that allows you to do what you want?
 
None of the venue's we are looking at allow for providing your own alcohol. But because about half the guests are coming from the east coast, we want to make the ceremony/reception at the same place where the majority of the out-of-town guests are staying.....that's why we're stuck with hotel venues....also, the woman said she wants to have it at a hotel...so, there you go.

Otherwise, absolutely. I'd have this thing planned out and ready to go in about 30 minutes!!
 
Have you tried telling them "I'll bring the bottles to you. Give me a price for what you think your lost revenue will be from not selling us drinks. You put them on the tables." What is your culture? Are you accepting refugees?
 
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Have you tried telling them "I'll bring the bottles to you. Give me a price for what you think your lost revenue will be from not selling us drinks. You put them on the tables." What is your culture? Are you accepting refugees?

They are saying that its a liability for them to serve alcohol that they, themselves do not buy. I've tried to tackle this from several angles with the venue. They will not budge. I personally think its just their way of charging us for the use of their bartenders.

To answer your question, its a Russian thing. Generally at any type of "big" event: think birthday party at a restaurant, wedding, etc...the host generally provides the drinks of choice (vodka, tequila, whiskey, wine, etc), puts it on the table, and the guests self-serve. I should add that most hard-alcohol drinks are consumed as shots and not mixed drinks. Though mixers are generally placed on the tables as well.
 
Gents,

As the title says, I have a vital question for you all. As odd as it may seem, I am having trouble procuring alcohol, and have come to POA to seek the advice of the drunken pilot community. The situation is as follows:

I need to find a place that will sell 200 or 300ml bottles of liquor (vodka, tequila, whiskey) as "gifts" for a wedding. Everywhere I've looked, it seems like only those little single shot, "bought at a liquor store because I need a drink" bottles are available. I plan on buying some sort of combination of 150 between the 3 varieties of liquor.

Do any of you fine gents have any suggestions as to where I would buy them en masse?

Thanks for your help.

I actually know where you could get what you are looking for. This kind of question is right up my alley!!! But, unfortunately, I'm not a "gent," so I'm disqualified from answering the question.
 
I actually know where you could get what you are looking for. This kind of question is right up my alley!!! But, unfortunately, I'm not a "gent," so I'm disqualified from answering the question.
Most of the "Gents" here aren't gents either....feel free to chime in Madam.
 
1/2 pints are generally kept behind the counter at all the liquor stores I frequent. Maybe it's a State thing?


Anyway, for the quantities you are looking for, you'll probably need to go through a liquor store retailer who can then go through his distributor and put in an order. Tax laws on alcohol can get pretty tricky if you try to bypass that system.

1/2 pint = 8 oz = 236 ml
 
1/2 pints are generally kept behind the counter at all the liquor stores I frequent. Maybe it's a State thing?


Anyway, for the quantities you are looking for, you'll probably need to go through a liquor store retailer who can then go through his distributor and put in an order. Tax laws on alcohol can get pretty tricky if you try to bypass that system.

1/2 pint = 8 oz = 236 ml
Not trying to bypass any taxes....just trying to get a better price per unit...I am buying 150-200 units, after all...
 
Not trying to bypass any taxes....just trying to get a better price per unit...I am buying 150-200 units, after all...
Yeah, I know. I know a couple of restaurant managers and they've helped with keg orders a couple times over the years. If you don't have connections, you might have to go through a retailer and see what kind of deal you can make. I don't know any other way.
 
Most of the "Gents" here aren't gents either....feel free to chime in Madam.

Well, then I got a few hundred bootlegged mason jars of moonshine with your name on it my friend! ;)

If you want to keep things less redneck (a concept that has always baffled me, but I understand is important to others...), another option is to buy a bunch of empty bottles (or jars) the size you want, fill them up with booze of choice and label them yourself.
 
What she said. Plus it's less conspicuous than nondescript jars of colored liquid on the tables. Heck, if it were different flavors of moonshine, you could put a memorable twist to your reception, instead of the usual, especially if shots are the cultural norm.
 
Buy a few cases of Aquafina water and pour it all out, then fill the water bottles with vodka.

..ehh I don't know, that's what classmates did back in HS and rarely did the administration catch onto it. :D
 
A buddy was going on a cruise last year. They let him carry on two bottles of wine but no hard liquor. We concocted a scheme. I got some white wine bottles, specifically ones that were not clear (brown or green) and for wines that were somewhat a specialty that one would actually consider bringing special. Filled them up with vodka, recorked them, and then applied new capsules. It took me a few attempts to figure how to shrink the capsules on. In the winery, the bottling line uses hot air to do it. I tried a heat gun but that didn't do an even job. I finally ended up dumping the neck of the bottle in boiling water which did a very even job.

Margy comes home and wants to know what all the white wine is for and I point out it's the friend's Vodka.
 
Just go to a Costco or similar and buy in bulk, the just order the bottles from one of the many online suppliers and pour away. Labels are cheap and easy to make at home or just send them to staples to print.
 
I was in Dnepropetrovsk Ukraine to buy missiles (that's another story) and we had lunch with our (mostly) Russian hosts. At each place setting was a bottle of vodka. They were all empty at the end of the lunch. And then we went back to work. As a non-drinker I was not well the next day but it was for diplomacy.
 
I like the idea of making your own with a commemorative label. Just make a design and have a print shop make them up. You could even put your picture on it (with your bride of course). When my son's squadron was in Italy they bought wine with special labels to commemorate their deployment.

This is becoming a big production but then you only get married once (just ask my wife of 38 years).
 
Plenty of places to order liquor online. I'm sure you can find what you want there.
 
It seems to me that if is a) a fairly large quantity of liquor and b) it will be consumed all in the same place (a dining hall or reception area) there is little point in handing out oddball size bottles. How about a standard 750 ml for every four or five place settings?
 
It seems to me that if is a) a fairly large quantity of liquor and b) it will be consumed all in the same place (a dining hall or reception area) there is little point in handing out oddball size bottles. How about a standard 750 ml for every four or five place settings?

To answer the rest of you, I didn't even think of buying empty bottles and re-pouring the liquor of choice into them....that might be the option we'll have to go with. As to going to costco and buying the drink of choice; costco doesn't sell the bottle size we're looking for.

Sac, to answer your question, putting a 750 or even a 1.5L of booze on the table is a big no-no from the facility. They will not allow it as it "puts their liquor license in jeopardy." However, I did get the wink and the nod from the events coordinator that if they're "gift" sized bottles, then we're okay.

I have a question.....





What time do we need to be there..??? :cheers: :smilewinkgrin:

For those interested in going....the Save-The-Date card is in the mail....Now my rebuttal question: where can I find a website that'll add a plane to my wedding registry?
 
Plenty of places to order liquor online. I'm sure you can find what you want there.

I have had good luck with this outfit. They are fast, reasonable and have almost anything you might want. I ordered some Gin that was no longer being produced or distributed. I bought their last 3 1/4 cases.

www.acespirits.com

edit: I wasn't able to connect so I called them. They answered right away and said the web site is down for about an hour or so. I guess their webmaster has been sampling the product.
 
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A buddy was going on a cruise last year. They let him carry on two bottles of wine but no hard liquor. We concocted a scheme. I got some white wine bottles, specifically ones that were not clear (brown or green) and for wines that were somewhat a specialty that one would actually consider bringing special. Filled them up with vodka, recorked them, and then applied new capsules. It took me a few attempts to figure how to shrink the capsules on. In the winery, the bottling line uses hot air to do it. I tried a heat gun but that didn't do an even job. I finally ended up dumping the neck of the bottle in boiling water which did a very even job.

Margy comes home and wants to know what all the white wine is for and I point out it's the friend's Vodka.

That is what people do in Alaska to smuggle alcohol into dry villages. One guy was using lantern fuel cans to put his alcohol in. One day Charlie Windbreaker was taking 50 bottles of mouth wash into a dry village. He does not have any teeth. It was not unusual to see 2 liter plastic soft drink bottles, the green ones, that the safety seal was broken and the liquid was about a quarter inch from the top.

So be careful using non alcohol bottles and refilling them with alcohol. There may be some sort of ordinance about that. I would believe there is not since you are not reselling the alcohol.
 
That is what people do in Alaska to smuggle alcohol into dry villages. One guy was using lantern fuel cans to put his alcohol in. One day Charlie Windbreaker was taking 50 bottles of mouth wash into a dry village. He does not have any teeth. It was not unusual to see 2 liter plastic soft drink bottles, the green ones, that the safety seal was broken and the liquid was about a quarter inch from the top.

So be careful using non alcohol bottles and refilling them with alcohol. There may be some sort of ordinance about that. I would believe there is not since you are not reselling the alcohol.

It isn't abnormal to distribute wine in carafes, so I suppose small carafes loaded with liquor shouldn't be a problem.

Personally, I think having hundreds of small mouthwash bottles loaded with booze would be a riot.
 
It isn't abnormal to distribute wine in carafes, so I suppose small carafes loaded with liquor shouldn't be a problem.

Personally, I think having hundreds of small mouthwash bottles loaded with booze would be a riot.

A friend of mine did that at her wedding a while back, so I've thought of that route as well...unfortunately, the hotel wont allow that either.
 
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