Chai Guy
01-20-2006, 07:22 PM
Every hour is cocktail hour on the playa. Here are some tips and tricks to help you be the perfect host
1. How much to bring?
People often bring too much food, or too much gear, but you can never bring too much alcohol. Whatever you're considering bringing, double that amount, no triple it, no quadruple it! Remember that any left overs can be donated to your favorite playa bar or to DPW when you leave.
2. Mixers
It's not just about what alcohol you're bringing, but what are you going to mix it with? Fruit juices and non-caffeinated sodas can be really refreshing on the playa. Personally, I like to bring all the ingredients for 1 or 2 signature drinks, along with a supply of beer.
3. Keeping it cool
I like to bring a cooler just for drinks. My favorite cooler is the Coleman steel belted model. Remember to keep your cooler out of the sun and elevated off the ground to allow air flow underneath. They sell ice on the playa, but it's a good idea to arrive with your cooler already full and your alcohol already cold. There is nothing worse than arriving and only having warm beer to celebrate with. When you go to buy ice on the playa I suggest getting there as early as possible (it usually opens around 9:00 am) to avoid standing in long lines during the heat of the day.
If you're going to be mixing up a large batch of mixed drinks, I suggest investing in a Cambro beverage dispenser. These are restaurant quality insulated containers that will keep your drinks cold all day long, even in the heat of the playa. Just add a block of ice and pour your favorite mixed drink over it, put the lid on and you're good to go. I wouldn't go to the playa without one of these.
4. Presentation
Presentation is everything, even in the desert. While some people are content with the ubiquitous red plastic cup, consider taking it to the next level with some stylish plastic barware. Don't forget to garnish with fresh fruit, and add some style with a crazy straw or two.
5. Beer, it's not just for breakfast anymore!
When choosing a beer, consider getting it in a can rather than a bottle. Sapporo, Boddingtons, Guinness, and New Castle are just a few of the better beers now available in cans. If you must get bottles, save the cases to hold the empties to make it easier to transport home.
If you're running a bar, consider getting a keg and a jockey box (just remember you'll need to keep it cold the entire time before you drink it).
Finally, check out the possibility of bringing out your own homebrew, there are all kinds of resources to learn how online, and you can share and compare your brews with other home brewers on the playa.
6. Toast The Burn!
I like to bring out a bottle of champagne to toast the burning of the man. Let the great unwashed masses jockey for position trying to watch the fire hoopers, meanwhile you'll be sitting 1,000 feet back on a blanket away from the melee enjoying your caviar and fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate while sipping champagne impressing the fuck out of some hottie.
7. Don't Serve Minors!
I know you wouldn't, but last year law enforcement began sting operations trying to catch people who might serve minors. In a sting operation (in the State of Nevada) a minor must give his/her legal age if asked, therefore you should be good if you simply ask how old someone is before serving them alcohol (the legal drinking age in Nevada is 21). Be especially on the alert if you are running a bar.
My Favorite Playa Drink recipes:
The mighty, mighty lemon drop
1 part Caravella Limoncello Lemon Liqueur
2 parts soda water
Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slice.
Vodka & Squirt "The official drink of VW Bus Camp"
2 parts Grey Goose Vodka
1 can of squirt (grapefruit flavored if you can find it)
Serve over ice and garnish with orange slice
Chai Latte Love
2 shots of Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur
1 part Vanilla Soy Milk
Serve over ice and garnish with cinnamon stick
Playa Colada
1 part Malibu Rum
1 part Midori
1 part Pineapple juice
Serve over ice and garnish with pineapple slice
Reindeer fucker (drink at your own risk)
I don't even want to get into the legalities of posting the recipe so I'll point you to this link:
http://famouslibrarian.com/eplaya/reindeer.html
Here are some links:
Gas Powered Blender
http://www.totallygross.com/http://www.gasblender.com/
Make your own dry ice with a c02 tank
http://www.frost-stick.com/dimhp.htm
Jockey boxes
http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/jockey-boxes-portfolio-cid-11.html
Cambro Insulated Beverage Containers
http://www.get-melamine.com/main/11_plastic_specialty_drinkware.html
Beer Tech for the playa
http://www.get-melamine.com/main/11_plastic_specialty_drinkware.html
Plastic Barware:
http://www.get-melamine.com/main/11_plastic_specialty_drinkware.html
1. How much to bring?
People often bring too much food, or too much gear, but you can never bring too much alcohol. Whatever you're considering bringing, double that amount, no triple it, no quadruple it! Remember that any left overs can be donated to your favorite playa bar or to DPW when you leave.
2. Mixers
It's not just about what alcohol you're bringing, but what are you going to mix it with? Fruit juices and non-caffeinated sodas can be really refreshing on the playa. Personally, I like to bring all the ingredients for 1 or 2 signature drinks, along with a supply of beer.
3. Keeping it cool
I like to bring a cooler just for drinks. My favorite cooler is the Coleman steel belted model. Remember to keep your cooler out of the sun and elevated off the ground to allow air flow underneath. They sell ice on the playa, but it's a good idea to arrive with your cooler already full and your alcohol already cold. There is nothing worse than arriving and only having warm beer to celebrate with. When you go to buy ice on the playa I suggest getting there as early as possible (it usually opens around 9:00 am) to avoid standing in long lines during the heat of the day.
If you're going to be mixing up a large batch of mixed drinks, I suggest investing in a Cambro beverage dispenser. These are restaurant quality insulated containers that will keep your drinks cold all day long, even in the heat of the playa. Just add a block of ice and pour your favorite mixed drink over it, put the lid on and you're good to go. I wouldn't go to the playa without one of these.
4. Presentation
Presentation is everything, even in the desert. While some people are content with the ubiquitous red plastic cup, consider taking it to the next level with some stylish plastic barware. Don't forget to garnish with fresh fruit, and add some style with a crazy straw or two.
5. Beer, it's not just for breakfast anymore!
When choosing a beer, consider getting it in a can rather than a bottle. Sapporo, Boddingtons, Guinness, and New Castle are just a few of the better beers now available in cans. If you must get bottles, save the cases to hold the empties to make it easier to transport home.
If you're running a bar, consider getting a keg and a jockey box (just remember you'll need to keep it cold the entire time before you drink it).
Finally, check out the possibility of bringing out your own homebrew, there are all kinds of resources to learn how online, and you can share and compare your brews with other home brewers on the playa.
6. Toast The Burn!
I like to bring out a bottle of champagne to toast the burning of the man. Let the great unwashed masses jockey for position trying to watch the fire hoopers, meanwhile you'll be sitting 1,000 feet back on a blanket away from the melee enjoying your caviar and fresh strawberries dipped in chocolate while sipping champagne impressing the fuck out of some hottie.
7. Don't Serve Minors!
I know you wouldn't, but last year law enforcement began sting operations trying to catch people who might serve minors. In a sting operation (in the State of Nevada) a minor must give his/her legal age if asked, therefore you should be good if you simply ask how old someone is before serving them alcohol (the legal drinking age in Nevada is 21). Be especially on the alert if you are running a bar.
My Favorite Playa Drink recipes:
The mighty, mighty lemon drop
1 part Caravella Limoncello Lemon Liqueur
2 parts soda water
Serve over ice and garnish with lemon slice.
Vodka & Squirt "The official drink of VW Bus Camp"
2 parts Grey Goose Vodka
1 can of squirt (grapefruit flavored if you can find it)
Serve over ice and garnish with orange slice
Chai Latte Love
2 shots of Voyant Chai Cream Liqueur
1 part Vanilla Soy Milk
Serve over ice and garnish with cinnamon stick
Playa Colada
1 part Malibu Rum
1 part Midori
1 part Pineapple juice
Serve over ice and garnish with pineapple slice
Reindeer fucker (drink at your own risk)
I don't even want to get into the legalities of posting the recipe so I'll point you to this link:
http://famouslibrarian.com/eplaya/reindeer.html
Here are some links:
Gas Powered Blender
http://www.totallygross.com/http://www.gasblender.com/
Make your own dry ice with a c02 tank
http://www.frost-stick.com/dimhp.htm
Jockey boxes
http://www.micromatic.com/draft-keg-beer/jockey-boxes-portfolio-cid-11.html
Cambro Insulated Beverage Containers
http://www.get-melamine.com/main/11_plastic_specialty_drinkware.html
Beer Tech for the playa
http://www.get-melamine.com/main/11_plastic_specialty_drinkware.html
Plastic Barware:
http://www.get-melamine.com/main/11_plastic_specialty_drinkware.html