Friendliness of liquor stores to rum noobs? - Tiki Drinks and Food

TD Tiki Drifter Member San Diego, CA Joined: Jun 26, 2016 Posts: 57	TD Tiki Drifter Posted posted on Mon, Jul 4, 2016 4:40 PM As someone new to tiki drinks, I'm trying to get a sense of what rums are available in my area. Then I'm going to read here on TC about recommended rums for various drinks, and then I'll know what to buy and can get a start on the bar without breaking the bank or making errors. To that end I've been visiting local liquor stores. I've been to 3 now and I've had negative experiences at all 3. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or what --- but I am just straight up with them, saying something to the effect, hey, I'm learning about tiki drinks and recipes, and there's a bunch of different rums out there, and the recipes specify rums from different contries, dark, gold, yadda yadda yadda. I say I'm doing the research so that way I know what to buy when I come back. I'm also checking prices, because dang, some of these small stores can have crazy markups on random things (and crazy good prices on others). One guy essentially kicked me out of the store, after I'd been by myself for a while (after chatting with him when I first came in), and then I started to ask him a question about a bottle on the very tippy top shelf behind some other bottles --- I couldn't see what it was --- and he was super offended like I was insulting him by trying to ask questions about his stock. Another store had a fantastic selection of rums, but they were shelved super high up and nothing was priced and you could read most labels but not necessarily vintages, etc. ... the employee had to literally climb a ladder to go up to the stock ... so of course I'm not going to ask him to read me every label (there were probably over 30 rums). I felt like I was really inconveniencing him. They had several Hamiltons but not 151. By contrast, I go to 2 different BevMo's, and it's SO PLEASANT! Everything is laid out well ... organized, clean, not dusty ... the employees are happy to help or happy to let you do your thing, every is priced clearly, etc. I suppose as a noob I am a bit price sensitive, but do most liquor stores assume you're just going to walk in and buy what's on the shelf? It's just been a bummer this past week. (in related news, Vons has El Dorado 12 on sale for ~$32 ... is this a "buy" price?)

As someone new to tiki drinks, I'm trying to get a sense of what rums are available in my area. Then I'm going to read here on TC about recommended rums for various drinks, and then I'll know what to buy and can get a start on the bar without breaking the bank or making errors.
To that end I've been visiting local liquor stores. I've been to 3 now and I've had negative experiences at all 3. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong or what --- but I am just straight up with them, saying something to the effect, hey, I'm learning about tiki drinks and recipes, and there's a bunch of different rums out there, and the recipes specify rums from different contries, dark, gold, yadda yadda yadda.
I say I'm doing the research so that way I know what to buy when I come back. I'm also checking prices, because dang, some of these small stores can have crazy markups on random things (and crazy good prices on others).
One guy essentially kicked me out of the store, after I'd been by myself for a while (after chatting with him when I first came in), and then I started to ask him a question about a bottle on the very tippy top shelf behind some other bottles --- I couldn't see what it was --- and he was super offended like I was insulting him by trying to ask questions about his stock.
Another store had a fantastic selection of rums, but they were shelved super high up and nothing was priced and you could read most labels but not necessarily vintages, etc. ... the employee had to literally climb a ladder to go up to the stock ... so of course I'm not going to ask him to read me every label (there were probably over 30 rums). I felt like I was really inconveniencing him. They had several Hamiltons but not 151.

By contrast, I go to 2 different BevMo's, and it's SO PLEASANT! Everything is laid out well ... organized, clean, not dusty ... the employees are happy to help or happy to let you do your thing, every is priced clearly, etc.

I suppose as a noob I am a bit price sensitive, but do most liquor stores assume you're just going to walk in and buy what's on the shelf? It's just been a bummer this past week.

(in related news, Vons has El Dorado 12 on sale for ~$32 ... is this a "buy" price?)

Post #765812 by Tiki Drifter on Mon, Jul 4, 2016 4:40 PM