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I highly recommend reading this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Spirits-Forgotten-Cocktails-Alamagoozlum/dp/1592530680

It gives you the interesting history of cocktails, amazing recipes (though a lot fo them call for rare ingredients, the core information is priceless).
This guy is snobby to the max, but that's a good sign in this field.

The IBA stuff is way above level. If you're just starting out doing good cocktails you'd learn best using this corriculum:

1. Spirits
   
   

• Know the difference between Rye, Burbon and Scotch (it's not where they're made!).
  
• Know that Vodka /cannot/ have a flavor (legally, not technically) and therefore is useless in making cocktails, unless you want to up the proof.
  
• Gin is Juniper flavored vodka
  
  
  

2. Ingredients
   

• First thing for a cocktail cabinet, Angostura bitters!
  
• Never use sweet and sour. If it has sweet and sour in it, it's not worth drinking
  
• Instead, use fresh squeezed citrus (bottled stuff is always off for flavor). Unfortunately, having a bar means always having around 5-10 lemons and limes in the house. Most sours require a half of a lemon or more.
  
• Vermouth is amazing, but you have to get a good brand (I recommend Carpano Antica for sweet, and for Dry Molin will be great. AVOID MARTINI) -- KEEP IT IN THE FRIDGE. It's wine, and can go off.
  
• Buy "Lillet" just to try it. You'd only really use it for a Vesper cocktail, but it's amazing by itself.
  
• Maraschino Cherries are made with Maraschino, not High Fructose Corn Syrup. They should look like cherries but DARKER not LIGHTER.
  
• A bit off topic, but you should make your own because holy damn shit these things are amazing:
  
  >1 or 2 bags of cherries, pitted and stemmed
  
  >1 tbsp sugar
  
  >2 oz lemon juice
  
  >All of the cinnamon sticks
  
  >A little bit of grated nutmeg - maybe 1/2 a teaspoon (if you happen to have any)
  
  >1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
  >Enough maraschino liquor to fill the jar
  
  

3. COCKTAILS == SOURS
   
   Most drinks you'll make are just variations on the sour. From NobleExperiment
   
   >My classic cocktail ratio stands at 1.5 oz base spirit, 1 oz sweetener, 0.75 oz sour. Obviously, this is an over simplification of how things work. But it is a standard that can get you far in the world of cocktails. Want a classic daiquiri? Try 1.5 oz rum, 1 oz simple syrup, .75 oz lime juice. More interested in a margarita? Substitute some ingredients but don’t change your ratio. Try 1.5 oz tequila, 1 oz Cointreau, .75 oz lime juice. Like bourbon? Try 1.5 oz bourbon, 1 oz maple syrup and 0.75 oz lemon juice. You get the idea.
   
   Piss bloody easy, and suddenly you're the life of the party, making the best damn cocktails you've ever had. Ignore gimmicks. Only flavor things once you've made them the old way first.
   
   After that, well, experiment.
   
   My favorite cocktails:
   
   

• Manhattan (50/50 Sweet/Dry Vermouth w/ carpano antica)
  
  
• Whiskey Sour (I like substituting Velvet Falernum for my simple syrup)
  
  
• Aviation
  
  
• Corpse Reviver #2
  
  
• Blood and Sand (WITH BLOOD ORANGES! YUM!)
  
  
• No 43. from Hungry Mother (Port!)
  
  

The thing about whiskey (and everything else) is that when you start spending a lot of money, you're paying for complexity and subtle differences that you're not going to notice if you don't have a lot of context. And you only get context by drinking a lot of different kinds.

The Buchanan you had is a blended scotch. A blended scotch that my friends like is Johnny Walker Double Black.

If you want to try a single-malt scotch, Macallan 12 is a good place to start for a Highland scotch. I like Laphroig 10 as a good example of an Islay scotch (it is especially peaty -- a lot of people really don't like it).

Jack Daniels is Tennessee whiskey, more akin to bourbon than scotch. If you're just starting out with bourbon, Wild Turkey 101, Buffalo Trace, and Makers Mark are good starting choices.

A good present might be a book like Drink More Whiskey.

As someone who's been interested in alcohol for many years now, I loved this book. It covers a lot about the process of making alcoholic beverages, mixed with a bit of history and culture. Great for anyone with a passing interest in the subject of where your booze comes from.

If you're looking for something more on the technical side, I can recommend Proof by Adam Rogers. It talks about chemistry specifically: how fermentation and distillation work, what happens to you when you get drunk, even hangovers get a chapter.

The flashpoint of 40% alcohol is quite low, barely above room temperature. 26% is higher, but if you're putting it on a stove in a pan, you're combining both a large exposure to air (vapor is more flammable) and way higher temperatures.

If you ever cook using flambé with, say, Brandy, you'll find it ignites with some serious energy (use a long match and keep your hair away!!!).

What you probably would want to use for honey liqueur if you really want it warmed is a Brandy Warmer with a candle. Aside from looking neat, they've been used for centuries to warm brandy and cognac.

Any good bartending class would answer the majority of these questions, or a good general purpose alcohol book. In fact, I'd recommend this one.

Have you actually started the class yet?

Kahlua and Cream is equal parts Kahlua and regular cream (it's in the dairy aisle) over ice.

The saying goes "Beer before liquor, never been sicker; liquor before beer, you're in the clear." but it's a myth. Either one first is fine, the key is moderation.

Again, the key is moderation. Don't drink a whole bottle of wine and then start doing shots. Ease from one to the other slowly. And remember to hydrate frequently. A little food wouldn't hurt either.

If you want chocolate, drink chocolate. There's no specific time or day to drink it.

Fill your flask with something good and high proof. Whiskey, vodka, etc. Keep fruit juices and carbonated beverages far from your flask, and empty/wash/drain it weekly.

Again, go slowly. Pace yourself, stay hydrated, a bit of food, and your tummy will be fine.

Also, I noticed your comment karma is dangerously low. I had to approve your post by hand, so you might want to raise that up a bit soon.

Honestly there are different kinds of lime juice, and they are used for different drinks, some times from a bottle works, and some times you absolutely need fresh squeezed from a lime you cut no more than 6 hours ago. so to answer your question, both. limes are also the most commonly used fruit in drinks, we go through 3 to 4 times the number of limes than oranges and lemons put together.

PS i forgot to include it in the tools but this book is super useful for just about everyone. I would consider it a must have.

There's an awesome book at Amazon called the Alaska Bootlegger's Bible.

Detailed and thorough. I recommend it... Just for the intellectual curiosity of course. I would never distill liquor at home.

http://www.amazon.com/Alaskan-Bootleggers-Bible-Leon-Kania/dp/0967452406

I just bought this flask: http://www.amazon.com/Visol-Podova-Stainless-Finish-6-Ounce/dp/B000GKRBYC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1415424066&sr=8-2&keywords=visol+flask

It looks like the body is made out of one piece of metal. This is good because a common complaint with flasks is that they leak liquor. Hope this one is what I was looking for. Btw.... I will share my thoughts on the flask on both reddit and amazon.

Webtender is a cool no frills site.

https://www.webtender.com/

If you want a book this one is great.

https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Bar-Book-Comprehensive-Cocktails/dp/0811843513/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?gclid=CjwKCAjw3c_tBRA4EiwAICs8CjsJ5KAqFQPOszhM8-Nx5FozzbGHOuUgJAK2dvawWV40C78Z_1REPBoC_78QAvD_BwE&hvadid=241886325096&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=9002786&hvnetw=g&hvpos=1t1&hvqmt=e&hvrand=8520193590217228346&hvtargid=aud-647006051489%3Akwd-2787936668&hydadcr=24633_10399729&keywords=the+ultimate+bar+book&qid=1572111220&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzUFRBWVM2NEZRTEZJJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODU2MDgzMjFOR0VGSkpQWDZISSZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMzQwMTcxMkJMNjlJS1JaTjQ0UCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

Usually, yeah. A good middle ground if you don't want that price point are the dark morello cherries from Aldi's.

A reasonably-priced set of reusable cocktail picks can also up your presentation game and also let you get around putting in effort to fish your garnish out of the glass yourself.

Yes. I have these. They work very well. Rather than freezing a cylinder and then form it to a sphere, you can just freeze it to a sphere to being with.

This book of 10,000 drinks would be a good place to start.

Been waiting for someone to ask this. This will be $50 (actually less for you in MN), and it'll age very well into your 30's:

Booze:

• Vodka - Tito's ($18) or New Amsterdam ($14). Skip the Grey Goose.
  
• Rum - Angostura 5 Year ($18) or Cruzan Light Aged ($13), otherwise Sailor Jerry ($13).
  
• Beer - Pabst Blue Ribbon ($6 for 6). Skip the Bud Light / Coor's / MGD.
  
  Mixers:
  
  
• ReaLime and ReaLemon juice ($6).
  
• Simple syrup or sugar ($3).
  
• 2L Coke ($2).
  
• 2L Ginger Ale ($2).
  
• Grapefruit juice or OJ ($4).
  
  Morning after (don't skip it - split it):
  
  
• Pedialyte AdvanceCare Plus ($1.84 each / $32) - Game changer, can't recommend strongly enough.
  
• Ibuprofen ($8.45 for 500).
  
  That's all you need for daiquiries, greyhounds, gimlets, cape cods, moscow mules, screwdrivers, vodka / rum rum n cokes, monkey wrenches, and basically any other combination you can think of. All the above goes together.
  
  Eggs in the mornings, water all day, and have fun!
  
  
  
  Still got money?***
  
  
• Cider - Angry Orchard ('Murica) or Strongbow (UK). Skip the Redd's.
  
• Ale - New Castle, Anchor Steam, or Fat Tire.
  
• Silver (clear) Tequila - Altos ($20), Milagro ($20), or El Destilador ($15). Lick some salt, shoot it, and bite into a wedge of lime.
  
• Sparkling white wine - Barefoot Prosecco or Brut ($10)
  
• Gin - Gordon's, or New Amsterdam. Opens up a lot more cocktails options.
  
• I left out scotch, bourbon, cognac etc because I think they're an acquired taste over time, and OP will have a better start with neutral liquors he can mix himself.

I'll assume you are talking about wine, with an alcohol content of less than 18%. Above that level bacterial oxidation is not much of an issue. Yes it is posssible, and not all that expensive

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0399532870/

This really only combines 1.5 jiggers and half a boston shaker. For the same price you can find more versatile tools and higher-quality tools ($5 + $9 ).

I had some Wiltons pearl dust for cake decorating, I added it to a sugary flavored vodka and got the same effect.

http://imgur.com/XoTFbHE

Why wouldn't you just get these molds?

About 10 years ago a friend bought me Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails and it started me looking for ingredients I'd never heard of but that were available if you took the time to look around. I have a bunch of cocktail books but I make a lot from that first book. PDT and Death & Co have a lot of really good recipes but some of the ingredients are harder to find or more time consuming to make.