Do you drink above or below your pay grade

[cdcdguy]

There is no correct answer here, but what about it? I am in my 50s, kids on their own, and established in my career. I could spend much more on a bottle of bourbon but usually spend quite a bit less than I could. I have purchased in the 50 to 75 dollar range, but most purchased under 25. I think it's because I like the basics of bourbon and they cost less. I am also marveled at how good a 20 bourbon can be, and spend most of my time on or near the bottom shelf. 

 

I am am not dissing any who buy expensive stuff, and I am not saying they are not good. I have a LS manager that can get me a very good price and actually get me Blantons. But I always think, but I can get 4 bottles of VOBBIB for the same price! It's really good bourbon too! You might say I am just frugal, but I have no problem spending on a splurge, 300 a night for a nice hotel room, and not a big city where they are all that expensive or more. 

 

What at about you all?

[Marekv8]

For me, the cost or scarcity of a bottle is strictly motivation to do what it takes to cover said cost and/or form the relationship needed to obtain it. It's why high schools/college have "most desirable mates," the Works at Newport-Pagnell handcrafts Aston Martins and doctors hand out short life expectancies (which I've outlived for 37 years to date).

[CUfan99]

Above, way above. If I drank at my pay grade it would be Benchmark on the weekends. 

[PhantomLamb]

I actually think I'm right in the middle.  One week I'll go top shop then the next explore the bottom.

[MyBrainOnWhiskey]

I tend to drink above my pay grade.  Bourbon, whiskey and Scotch are luxuries, not necessities.  I take one drink per day and I savor every drop.  Based on my drinking habits it seems like a waste to drink from the bottom shelf.

[Mako254]

Probably above to some degree. As an RN I generally use OT earnings for bourbon purchasing. Most bottles are 50-65 range (store picks of Four Roses, Russells, )

[Statesboro Blues]

My most expensive bottle so far is Jefferson’s Ocean, which was $80 and not remotely worth the price IMO. Though if given the opportunity, I’ll probably splurge on an LE bottle occasionally. I have 15 open bottles right now that are my daily drinkers in the $30-$70 range, so I’d say that I’m right in line with our household income. Wife is a PA, I’m a commercial lender. 

Edited April 25, 2018 by Statesboro Blues

[Spade]

My range for prices is quite high but the average probably about $40 or so. The more expensive bottles are balanced with things like WT101 and Old Ezra 7 year. So, that's more or less in line with my pay grade.

[The Black Tot]

If I drank at my oil industry downturn pay grade I'd be fermenting potatoes in my backyard.

[Canarse]

Yes.  I enjoy bourbons above and below my pay grade.  When I'm in KY I stock up on VOBBIB and HHBIB, but I will snatch up a 4R Private Barrel in a second.  Always have Blantons, Weller and WTKS around as well. 

[Bbstout]

22 hours ago, cdcdguy said:

There is no correct answer here, but what about it? I am in my 50s, kids on their own, and established in my career. I could spend much more on a bottle of bourbon but usually spend quite a bit less than I could. I have purchased in the 50 to 75 dollar range, but most purchased under 25. I think it's because I like the basics of bourbon and they cost less. I am also marveled at how good a 20 bourbon can be, and spend most of my time on or near the bottom shelf. 

 

I am am not dissing any who buy expensive stuff, and I am not saying they are not good. I have a LS manager that can get me a very good price and actually get me Blantons. But I always think, but I can get 4 bottles of VOBBIB for the same price! It's really good bourbon too! You might say I am just frugal, but I have no problem spending on a splurge, 300 a night for a nice hotel room, and not a big city where they are all that expensive or more. 

 

What at about you all?

I believe in the law of diminishing returns and love a good $22 HM10, but also love the uniqueness of a WLW for $100 if you can find it for anywhere close to retail. ECBP for $65 is another great bourbon well worth the money and actually regularly available, at least in my neck of the woods.

[elmossle]

20 minutes ago, Canarse said:

Yes.  I enjoy bourbons above and below my pay grade.  When I'm in KY I stock up on VOBBIB and HHBIB, but I will snatch up a 4R Private Barrel in a second.  Always have Blantons, Weller and WTKS around as well. 

 

I was going to say it all depends on the mood, bottle, and what we are after. I am all over the shelf in the liquor store. There are times I am shelling out for items in the secret locked cabinet in back. Other times I am happy as can be to purchase a bottle of the bottom of the shelf with the change I find in the car. There are so many great brands and bourbons out there to choose from, I would hate to put myself in category.

[Kane]

Well, I built a good chunk of my bourbon (and beyond) collection during grad school, where I was making a grand total of ~$2000 a month... and paying $1800 at Boston rent rates. My very first buy was the four bottles WT101, Bulleit, KC, and WR which is easily ~$100. So I drank way, way above my pay grade for a long time. Good times. Thankfully, things are very different now

[flahute]

1 hour ago, The Black Tot said:

If I drank at my oil industry downturn pay grade I'd be fermenting potatoes in my backyard.

Well......at least that's something.

[The Black Tot]

I mean, I wouldn't be adding flavors or coloring. It would have the appropriate number of hours on the age statement - I'm not an animal.

[uncork_it_already]

I think I drink at or slightly below my pay grade. My usual pours are stuff like BT/ER/EC (or Stagg Jr./OF1920 for a nice night). When I go out, I usually stay in the $12-16 range unless I’m on vacation or special occasion and see something interesting.

 

But I collect way above my pay grade. I buy way too many when I should be saving for more important things (like a downpayment on a home, this NYC rent is excruciating). I justify it because I don’t really hang in bars nearly as much as I used to (in my 20’s), so I take that bar money and use it on bottles.

 

 

[DCFan]

As most here can attest when I first got into the hunt I was lusting after the unicorns and was ready, willing and able to buy them if I had ever got my hands on a bottle - the big if.  But living in an ABC state where the unis were mostly distributed via a lottery that meant the dreams went unfulfilled. Yes I was lucky enough to snag some (EC 23, CEHT 4g, and a Rhetoric 23 off the shelf) but they are still unopened in my bunker as I'm more than satisfied with the mid shelf stuff like BT, OGD and VOB BiB (ok, that's a bottom shelfer but it's still good) which is really where I should be spending my bourbon dollars on and I'm happy and contented doing so now.

[smokinjoe]

On 4/25/2018 at 12:29 AM, cdcdguy said:

I have a LS manager that can get me a very good price and actually get me Blantons. But I always think, but I can get 4 bottles of VOBBIB for the same price...

Psssst....SQUIRE....Is that you???????

[Dannabis]

My range matches your range, @cdcdguy

 

I shop alot of 20-30$ pours, prefer bonded or better.

Since I love barrel proof bourbon, I also often purchase a few 50 to 60$ bottles.

 

I am 32 and work full time in agriculture monitoring and controlling pests and diseases but dont make too much moola

[Jazz June]

I'm not sure how to answer because I don't think I ever pay an outrageous amount for bourbon, but my wife probably thinks I don't need to buy new bottles when there are so many in the basement already. I will say this, there is a ton of good bourbon at cheap/reasonable prices, even with all of the price increases of the last years. I still sometimes wonder how great the profit margin can be on a $14 MSRP or even $20 MSRP bottle, but yet there are some bourbons I would be perfectly happy drinking neat at those prices.

[Dango]

I am in a very fortunate position in regards to having some discretionary cash for a Bourbon spurge. I will say just a couple buys have been likely over my pay scale. I will also say those buys don't have me wanting to buy them again. All of my favorites thus far are well within my budget.

[dad-proof]

Interesting question and comments. For me, a big part of the appeal when it comes to spirits is the variety, so I enjoy exploring the differences and finding preferences across price, age, distiller, geography, and rarity spectrums. That said, I tend to be frugal. I've never bought a bottle from anywhere except for a store, and never paid more than 10-20% above MSRP. That, along with the fact that I don't have the time to chase limited releases, keeps the bourbon budget solidly within middle class sensibilities. I have spent more on Scotch, but even there I tend to draw the line at 18-21 year old stuff. 

[musekatcher]

6 hours ago, dad-proof said:

 That said, I tend to be frugal. I've never bought a bottle from anywhere except for a store, and never paid more than 10-20% above MSRP.

Same here.  At my consumption rate, I can afford anything for sale, and still spend less than my wife spends on appearance.  In fact, the more I consume, the better her appearance.  I should drink more to save us both money. 

[Guss West]

Above.  My whiskey bunker was built with a one-time cash windfall last year. 

Purchases since then have been few and far between.  I'm all about the price:value ratio.   

 

Half of my collection is under $60/bottle, 90% is under $90/bottle.  

[gurgalunas]

Above.  I'm a stay-home-dad.  I have no pay grade...