Home Bar Etiquette

[Benh182]

To get a ruling from what is the official global community of drinkers....

I've just put the first phase of a home bar up, with the spirits and glasses in place to be followed by a beer\wine\mixer fridge next week. Obviously I dont care if my mates come over and have a drink, our local just closed and that spurred me on to do this as I've always wanted one, but when is it acceptable to ask someone to chuck a few quid into a jar or to put a bottle\case into stock?

Im awaiting the ruling your honour. Ill be over there by the strippers with a Beam and Coke.

[peetie44]

Benh182,

It's always acceptable to ask for contributions, however the presentation of the "collection plate" MUST be finely tuned to the aggregate psyche of the expected "clientele" of your bar.

At The Fort McMillan Social Club (motto: "We Serve Cold Beer...Did You Bring Any?"), located inside my next-door neighbor's condo at my former condo complex in Austin TX, it's the honor system. Food is also provided, so all members contribute to any/all of that which was required. Each to his/her means and tastes.

However, in this case, everyone is well employed and -- except for out-of-town members -- most live in/nearby the condo complex. No one has to be encouraged to contribute -- they just sort of do so on their own. Our host, himself, is above EVER asking for contributions -- he just factors this into his budget.

But, if he would put up a "contribution jar", no one would mind.

You might consider asking a couple of your potential "regulars" to help keep stocks up to acceptable levels. If this means occasionally asking for contributions, so be it.

I guess what I'm saying is, you gotta play it by ear.

Btw, good on you for doing this!

CHEERS!

Below are some of the regulars at the Ft. McMillan Social Club, Austin TX -- @ August, 2006

[Bluespook]

A buddy of mine has a home bar, "The Dog House." Mostly stocked with beer, but some hard stuff. Even has a bottle of pre boycott Jack. Well, i always bring some, not every time, but i don't drink all my beers everytime and leave some for the bar so i figure it balances out. Anyway, he had some low lifes that started hanging out every sunday for the football games he always had on. These bums never brought any and he was too nice to ask for a contribution or to pass the hat. Eventually he just told them that sunday was now family day as per order of the wife and didn't invite them anymore. This is a great sunday afternoon drunk with the best host you could ask for, these bums didn't know how bad they fucked up. If only they brought some once in a while, they could have kept a good thing, now it's just for close friends like me and other people in the know.

[Screwball]

The same shit happened to me, bluespook. Used to watch NASCAR at his house, but a couple of his asshole coworkers fuck the whole thing up. His wife got tired of the hassles, banned the whole lot, not me but she isnt jumping up and down to see me, so I stopped going over there also.

Oh well, I need to work on my cantina anyway.

[Mr.]

Hi all,

Personally, I never go to someone's house empty handed, it just seems rude, considering the hassle implied by inviting people over. Mind you, it doesn't have to be something big, the gesture is more symbolic than anything, I find.

I remember I once went to one of my friends' place with a sixer. He asked me why I bothered, puzzled. I simply said it would be improper not to, and since then, that particular friend always brings something whenever he comes at my place. Perhaps you could try that, I don't know.

Hope that helps,

Mr.

[Screwball]

I hear ya, Mr.

I always bring something over when I go to a friends house be it a bottle o' booze or a 12er of beer.

My friends do the same thing when they show up here.

That is why tonight I'm working on getting rid of the stragulars. I've had Shiner Bock, Bud, Austin Amber, Lone Star, and a Busch tallboy so far tonight. So far, so good.

[Mr.]

Of course, you have to take into consideration the kind of evening you're gonna have. If it's a calm one, with one or two friends, a fifth or a sixer is enough, provided everyone does the same. If you're not planning on remembering anything, you need something a bit more substantial.

And, Screwball, I wish I could say the same, but studying physics drunk is not an easy feat. Tonight I'm trying to stay clear-headed, so tea and coffee are in order. It's a shame, I know.

I need to go to the US sometimes, too, because I never tasted any of those. Except Bud. And it's cat piss, with less taste. But maybe that's just me.

[ThirstyDrunk]

No matter where I go I bring as much as I will drink, but I always run out

[peetie44]

And, Screwball, I wish I could say the same, but studying physics drunk is not an easy feat. Tonight I'm trying to stay clear-headed, so tea and coffee are in order. It's a shame, I know.

Mr.,

However, while drinking you could test many physical principals in some sort of an "applied physics" set of experiments. Gravitational effects on vomit or perhaps stair climbing for speed -- drunk versus s o b e r -- might possibly make for interesting studies.

[Rooster]

You can't go wrong with encouraging the pot-luck, communal, or as I like to call it "pinko-commy-Marxian-bastard's" way of doing things. We had a beer club at work for Thirsty Thursday... and no one would bring anything. I started bringing in Bud Lights from the sale room ($9 a case) and told those cheap fuckers that if they wanted to drink something better, they'd better start bringing their own. After all, I only drink two kinds of beer: my beer and free beer (and occasionally "someone else's beer" falls under "free beer" when they leave it to be pillaged by the beer pirates for too long).

Instead of asking for cash, tell them you're low on funds and the bar is only half-stocked. They'll get the hint (hopefully) and bring you booze which is better than money because you can drink it. After a few weeks of doing this you can stop hiding your stash, and "miraculously" reveal a fully stocked room with much appreciation going to them for helping you of course. Then a round of drinks must be hoisted to Lenin.

[KaosDad]

I had folks from the office over one night. They arrived in a pack and I wasn't quite ready. I had a large crystal bowl out for snacks that I hadn't filled yet. I ducked undert he bar to get said snacks and when I came back up there was about $10 in there. So I left it. By the end of the night I was only "down" about $15.

I think you will find that folks will naturally want to contribute. You only need one the first night. After that your classier guests will get teh hint and bring with.

[Old Right Drunkard]

While the host should never refuse a contribution of cash, he must never ask for it.

If there are problem folks who don't bring over the course of a couple visits at least the cash value of their consumption in food, cigars, alcohol, scratch tickets, conversation, tell them the issue straight out.

The world will benefit from better hosts and guests.

[fizzmaster]

My buddy Monte always has a well stocked bar at his place, and I am there drinking most every Sunday in the Summer and Fall. I drink of his stock (always decent to very good Gin, Scotch, Bourbon Vodka, Tequila, etc.) liberally and almost always bring beer. Once in a while, I bring a bottle. It seems to even out.

[DrunkAgain]

I always try and bring MORE that I can drink. That way if I do stumble in empty handed, it won't be a problem.

[Da Raider]

As someone who has a home bar, I would never have a tip jar out. That doesn't seem appropriate. However, if someone wants to throw some money your way, I'm all for accepting it. Also, for those of you who are lucky enough to have a friend with a home bar, make sure that you never show up empty handed. There's nothing worse than a freeloader who shows up, makes a mess, drinks all of your topshelf stuff and never, ever brings anything. Those people never get invited back. It's expensive maintaining a well stocked home bar and all we're asking for it a little bit of consideration.