Big Bunker Conundrum - i.e. what do I pour? Anyone else have this "problem?"

[Skinsfan1311]

I thought about this, while reading the "What Bourbon are you Drinking today?", and @mbroo5880i  decided to have a pour of 4R, based on a post that I made in the thread.    I find myself doing that, a lot, based on whatever my fellow members are drinking, or on their tasting notes.

 

Over the years, while amassing bottles, I'm at the point where I can go for years, without buying another.   I've pretty much run out of space to stash bottles.     At this juncture, I only buy more expensive "special" bottles, and stock up on my "value" bottles, (OGD114, OGD BiB,  Rittenhouse, EW1783, BiB, WT101 etc), as needed.    I don't buy them to look at, collect, trade, or flip.  I buy them to drink.   

 

While the size of our bunkers vary, I'd venture to say that most of us have a more than a few bottles.  My "problem" is that I have so many bottles, when I feel like a pour, I stand in front of the bunker, and scratch my head, because there are so many choices.       I'm at the point where it's like a treasure hunt, especially when I come across a bottle that I forgot that I had.   

 

Even when I know what style, it can be problematic.    Rye?  Sure.   MGP?  Barrel proof?  I have a lot of both.    Wheated?   Sure.   SiB, Barrel proof, finished?   Got a lot of that too.     Store & bottle picks?   Yup...tons of it.     Don't even get me started on scotch.  Islay?  Single malt?  Blend?

 

Sometimes I'll stand in front of the damn bar and literally, scratch my head, because I can't make up my mind.

 

I know that I'm not alone here.,

 

So.....how do you decide?    

 

  

Edited April 1, 2022 by Skinsfan1311

[fosmith]

I probably have more bourbon in my "bunker" than I can drink in my lifetime.  But that's ok because my son loves bourbon and he'll get to enjoy it when I'm gone.  However, I don't have much problem deciding what to drink because my liquor shelf in the kitchen only has space for about 25 open bottles and I have a rule that I've got to make room for a new one before I open anything new.  This limits the nightly choices considerably. 

[fishnbowljoe]

[Harry in WashDC]

Is a puzzlement.  Was told this AM that my dining room stash (one of several stashes around the house) is back at three deep under the chairs against the wall when the rule is no more than two deep.  Answered - They'll get back under the chairs when my doc says it is OK to drink again which will be in a week or two when the med regimen is over.  She said she'd help and has already started picking out cocktail recipes.  SO!  If I can't decide, I'll start with the "fattest" bottle under the chairs - you know, the bottles with the largest footprint and girth.  Tall and thin will be safe for awhile.

[PhantomLamb]

I have the same problem and have the same strategy as well. Only buying mainstays and “special” bottles expensive or not.

 

Frankly, and maybe this is just me, having access to all of it has made it less special at times or I can’t pick up on the nuances like I could when I opened it for the first time. Note, this isn’t always the case but it happens a good deal more than I would like. It makes each successive pour a little more “boring”.

[markandrex]

It is a horrible “problem” we find ourselves in, isn’t it?
Cheers brother!

[bayouredd]

I have this problem with a small bunker!!!

When I'm not sure & the SB forum doesn't sway me, my goto is my decanted juice. It usually has Bulleit 10, OGD BiB or some version of KC. These rarely fail & it opens my mind up for another of the same or whatever clarity provides...

 

I do find myself opening or even just pouring based on proof point, as of late...

Edited April 1, 2022 by bayouredd

[BigRich]

I’ve actually made a concerted effort to remedy this problem over the last five years.  I’ve substantially reduced my open bottles (This was the hard part because I had to stop opening everything) over the last five years.  Now I have more of a general representation of styles open.  Usually 20 to 25 across all whiskey styles.  This makes the selection process easier than when I had 100 + open at any given time.  It doesn’t “look” as cool when guests come over but it makes my drinking more enjoyable by reducing another form of stress.

[mbroo5880i]

4 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said:

Is a puzzlement.  Was told this AM that my dining room stash (one of several stashes around the house) is back at three deep under the chairs against the wall when the rule is no more than two deep.  Answered - They'll get back under the chairs when my doc says it is OK to drink again which will be in a week or two when the med regimen is over.  She said she'd help and has already started picking out cocktail recipes.  SO!  If I can't decide, I'll start with the "fattest" bottle under the chairs - you know, the bottles with the largest footprint and girth.  Tall and thin will be safe for awhile.

 

When you say "she said she'd help. and has already started picking out cocktail recipes," are you referring to your wife or doctor?

[fishnbowljoe]

I was doing okay til I retired. For the longest time I kept my open bottle count down to 12-15 bottles. I also kept telling myself I was gonna wait til I retired to open some of my “good stuff”.  I retired and opened a few bottles. I also decided to try a few new things and opened them right away. Now I think I’m back up to over 25 bottles open. 🫠  Like @markandrex said, “It’s a horrible problem we find ourselves in isn’t it?” 🫣

 

Biba! Joe

 

[B.B. Babington]

sometimes I chose based on what's closest to hand

[flahute]

3 hours ago, B.B. Babington said:

sometimes I chose based on what's closest to hand

This is like Harry and the OGD BIB in the trash can by his chair. Genius.

[Jazzhead]

20 hours ago, fosmith said:

I probably have more bourbon in my "bunker" than I can drink in my lifetime.  But that's ok because my son loves bourbon and he'll get to enjoy it when I'm gone.  However, I don't have much problem deciding what to drink because my liquor shelf in the kitchen only has space for about 25 open bottles and I have a rule that I've got to make room for a new one before I open anything new.  This limits the nightly choices considerably. 

I have a similar rule - a limited number of open bottles and no touching the bunker except to replace a deceased comrade.    New bottles are usually selected to fill in gaps in the open selection.   Right now the bourbons in the downstairs dozen are all full-proofers  so I'll likely next bring up a Basil Hayden (or similar) which is better suited for drinking with food.  

 

I look at the whiskey collection in the same way as my jazz record collection -  the luxury is in the ability to choose in the moment exactly the style and mood I desire.   

[Harry in WashDC]

10 hours ago, flahute said:

This is like Harry and the OGD BIB in the trash can by his chair. Genius.

Getting crowded in the can - an open 750 of WT 101 KSBW is in there, too.  Come to think of it, that's how I decide what to drink when I can't decide - if I'm not motivated to get out of the chair and go check the opens in the bar area, I just pick one of the two in the can at random.

[GeeTen]

7 hours ago, Harry in WashDC said:

Getting crowded in the can - an open 750 of WT 101 KSBW is in there, too.  Come to think of it, that's how I decide what to drink when I can't decide - if I'm not motivated to get out of the chair and go check the opens in the bar area, I just pick one of the two in the can at random.

 

THAT'S my boy, Harrry!  

[Wedelstaedt]

On 4/1/2022 at 1:07 PM, Harry in WashDC said:

Is a puzzlement.  Was told this AM that my dining room stash (one of several stashes around the house) is back at three deep under the chairs against the wall when the rule is no more than two deep.  Answered - They'll get back under the chairs when my doc says it is OK to drink again which will be in a week or two when the med regimen is over.  She said she'd help and has already started picking out cocktail recipes.  SO!  If I can't decide, I'll start with the "fattest" bottle under the chairs - you know, the bottles with the largest footprint and girth.  Tall and thin will be safe for awhile.

Get better soon, Harry

 

Cheers

[Wedelstaedt]

On 4/1/2022 at 6:04 PM, mbroo5880i said:

 

When you say "she said she'd help. and has already started picking out cocktail recipes," are you referring to your wife or doctor?

Now, that is my kind of Doc!  

Edited April 3, 2022 by Wedelstaedt

[GaryT]

I've got well over 100 open bottles, and sometimes run into the same problem.  I'll go through a phase where I'm targeting low fill bottles to make room - but then find myself with 90+ open bottles that are over half full (which is where I'm at now).  I keep a spreadsheet of my inventory - not as accurate as I did in the beginning, but will use that to look at a bottle that has been open longer than others.  I've got open bottles that have been open for 8+ years and are over half full (like a Jeffersons 10 yr Rye with the NCF sticker; looks like shredded kleenex dissolved in it when its chilled!)  Found that in 2013 and opened it, but had a few other Jeff 10s and this one must have gotten pushed to the back.  Or I'll do a random number and find the row on the spreadsheet that hits.  I'd say most of the time, I find myself in the mood for something before I get to the cabinet ("Feeling like a sherried single malt kinda night").  But there are nights when I'll bet I've hemmed and hawed for 20 minutes before selecting.  As others said - worst problems to have in this world  

[PaulO]

My liquor cabinet is the top shelf of the kitchen pantry.  That's where I keep any open bottles.  Given the size of the space, I don't keep a large number of open bottles.  I do keep a variety: different distilleries of Bourbon, Rye, Scotch, Tequila.  I generally have a game plan.  Stick with one thing, or a flight in order that makes sense to me.

The bunker is there when I need it, but usually have to have room in the cabinet before opening new stuff. 

[dad-proof]

This thread inspired me to do a quick inventory of open whiskies during the NCAA MBB game. 35 open at home that I can find at the moment. 17 Bourbons, 2 Tennessee, 3 ryes, 9 Scotch, 1 Irish, and 3 others. About 75 closed, no breakdown yet. Conclusion = I have difficulty deciding which open bottle I want, but can immediately think of a close bottle i want to open.

[Bob_Loblaw]

On 4/1/2022 at 1:07 PM, Harry in WashDC said:

Is a puzzlement.  Was told this AM that my dining room stash (one of several stashes around the house) is back at three deep under the chairs against the wall when the rule is no more than two deep.  Answered - They'll get back under the chairs when my doc says it is OK to drink again which will be in a week or two when the med regimen is over.  She said she'd help and has already started picking out cocktail recipes.  SO!  If I can't decide, I'll start with the "fattest" bottle under the chairs - you know, the bottles with the largest footprint and girth.  Tall and thin will be safe for awhile.

First off, the fact that this rule even exists is just fantastic.
 

I do wonder though, if the rule is 2x deep why do the fat ones gotta go first? Unless maybe that’s because you are trying to have the skinny three bottle wall slip past the warden . . .

[Kepler]

I have over 100 open bottles.  For me, choosing something is never a problem because I guess I'm just in tune with my own moods.  But a bigger "problem" for me is a change in my tasting preferences over time.  For example, like a lot of people over the past few years, I've stocked up on many bottllings that are barrel proof or "full proof" because I really liked the flavor.  But now I find myself passing over some of these open bottles for lower proof offerings that I find myself enjoying more.   (I usually drink neat and tend to just pour & sip.  I don't really enjoy the process of proofing down by adding water.  Guess I'm lazy.)

 

Consequently I have tons of high proof bottles that don't get touched as often as I thought they would.

[0895]

3 hours ago, Kepler said:

I have over 100 open bottles.  For me, choosing something is never a problem because I guess I'm just in tune with my own moods.  But a bigger "problem" for me is a change in my tasting preferences over time.  For example, like a lot of people over the past few years, I've stocked up on many bottllings that are barrel proof or "full proof" because I really liked the flavor.  But now I find myself passing over some of these open bottles for lower proof offerings that I find myself enjoying more.   (I usually drink neat and tend to just pour & sip.  I don't really enjoy the process of proofing down by adding water.  Guess I'm lazy.)

 

Consequently I have tons of high proof bottles that don't get touched as often as I thought they would.

 

Ive noticed this with myself as well.  I’ve noticed I am now much more able to find the flavors in the proofed down bourbon.  Most nights I enjoy sipping on something without having to think about it too hard.

I also enjoy being able to have 2-3 glasses and not feeling like garbage the next day.

 

[Jazz June]

17 hours ago, Kepler said:

I have over 100 open bottles.  For me, choosing something is never a problem because I guess I'm just in tune with my own moods.  But a bigger "problem" for me is a change in my tasting preferences over time.  For example, like a lot of people over the past few years, I've stocked up on many bottllings that are barrel proof or "full proof" because I really liked the flavor.  But now I find myself passing over some of these open bottles for lower proof offerings that I find myself enjoying more.   (I usually drink neat and tend to just pour & sip.  I don't really enjoy the process of proofing down by adding water.  Guess I'm lazy.)

 

Consequently I have tons of high proof bottles that don't get touched as often as I thought they would.

I have had this same issue. It also seems like things have tilted so far in the high proof direction that a huge percentage of nicer releases are done at more than say 100 proof. And some of my old favorites at lower proofs have become impossible to get. Fortunately in my fondness for BiB stuff, I can at least pick a 100 proof pour

[BogusOwnz]

I counted this morning. 135 open (close to a 50/50 split between bourbon/rye and scotch/Irish) and 55 unopened. It can be a struggle some nights deciding what to drink.