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

B bamalamalu Tiki Socialite Joined: Mar 20, 2006 Posts: 1294	B bamalamalu Posted posted on Mon, Jul 4, 2016 10:05 PM I wouldn't take it personally. I think you're better off researching someplace like here first. Read a bunch of the old threads, ask questions where necessary and get a general idea of what kinds of rums will be most useful for you - then go shop and try different things out. Part of the process is just making an educated guess and finding out what you like. Sometimes you may learn later than you could've found something for a better price - that's OK, just buy it there next time. Sometimes you'll be really pleasantly surprised at something inexpensive. Have you picked up Martin Cate's new book? It's an incredible bargain on Amazon and includes a ton of info. There's a chart in it that lists different rums by type so you can get a good idea of what you can use to substitute for things you can't find locally. Ladders sounds like maybe you went to the Keg & Bottle on El Cajon Blvd (wait til you actually buy something off a top shelf there and watch the guy throw it down to the register!) Or possibly K&B on Del Cerro Blvd (though most of their rum is lower & more visible) They'll often carry stuff that BevMo doesn't, but but K&B Del Cerro especially seems pricier than other places. Plaza sometimes needs a ladder, their prices in at least some cases are a bunch better. We have some stores with good stock in San Diego but unfortunately that doesn't mean that every employee behind the cash register is a rum connoisseur who knows everything about every product. In reality, he probably sells a whole lot more Bud Light and cigarettes than fine sipping rums, even if some happen to be up there on a top shelf somewhere. If you don't know what you're after, and especially if you told him you're probably not going to buy today, he may feel like it's not worth his time to climb up and dust off the one thing buried all the way in the back of the highest shelf. Not ideal customer service, just the way it may be. I wouldn't worry about stocking all at once. Read here, come to the Bali Hai meet-ups and chat with people, and just try one or two things at a time. Maybe you'll hit a dud once in a while, but there are really no losers in this game. I haven't compared prices at everyplace in town, but $32 for El Dorado 12 year doesn't sound bad. I wouldn't worry about a few dollars. Go for it and start experimenting!

I wouldn't take it personally. I think you're better off researching someplace like here first. Read a bunch of the old threads, ask questions where necessary and get a general idea of what kinds of rums will be most useful for you - then go shop and try different things out. Part of the process is just making an educated guess and finding out what you like. Sometimes you may learn later than you could've found something for a better price - that's OK, just buy it there next time. Sometimes you'll be really pleasantly surprised at something inexpensive.

Have you picked up Martin Cate's new book? It's an incredible bargain on Amazon and includes a ton of info. There's a chart in it that lists different rums by type so you can get a good idea of what you can use to substitute for things you can't find locally.

Ladders sounds like maybe you went to the Keg & Bottle on El Cajon Blvd (wait til you actually buy something off a top shelf there and watch the guy throw it down to the register!) Or possibly K&B on Del Cerro Blvd (though most of their rum is lower & more visible) They'll often carry stuff that BevMo doesn't, but but K&B Del Cerro especially seems pricier than other places. Plaza sometimes needs a ladder, their prices in at least some cases are a bunch better.

We have some stores with good stock in San Diego but unfortunately that doesn't mean that every employee behind the cash register is a rum connoisseur who knows everything about every product. In reality, he probably sells a whole lot more Bud Light and cigarettes than fine sipping rums, even if some happen to be up there on a top shelf somewhere. If you don't know what you're after, and especially if you told him you're probably not going to buy today, he may feel like it's not worth his time to climb up and dust off the one thing buried all the way in the back of the highest shelf. Not ideal customer service, just the way it may be.

I wouldn't worry about stocking all at once. Read here, come to the Bali Hai meet-ups and chat with people, and just try one or two things at a time. Maybe you'll hit a dud once in a while, but there are really no losers in this game.

I haven't compared prices at everyplace in town, but $32 for El Dorado 12 year doesn't sound bad. I wouldn't worry about a few dollars. Go for it and start experimenting!

Post #765821 by bamalamalu on Mon, Jul 4, 2016 10:05 PM