Shoestring Austin

First Night Austin, an annual New Year’s Eve event, is scheduled to go on tonight as planned, despite reports that the event’s budget has been scaled back by one-third. Of course, for those of us who are too cheap (or intelligent?) to make the trek downtown, only to be anally penetrated by jacked-up NYE prices at bars and clubs across the city, or “revel”  in the cold with a bunch of strangers, there’s The A.V. Club’s Austin city coverage of some of the best and worst places to spend the transition from this decade to the next.

In a similar vein, and for all those out there who are spending New Year’s Eve quietly at home, Shoestring Austin presents some inexpensive holiday drink recommendations, plus great deals on wine and beer you can find at area groceries (get ‘em while they’re still open!).

MIXED DRINKS

Taaka Vodka (photo by Flickr user Swift Benjamin)

First on any drinks list at Shoestring HQ are the vodka standbys, the Screwdriver and the Vodka Cranberry. Utilizing even the cheapest of vodkas (we like Taaka, which costs only $9.99 for a 1.75 liter bottle at our neighborhood liquor store), mixed with your favorite OJ or cranberry juice, respectively, these two drinks are fast and easy to mix up for one, two, or even an army of drunkards.

If you’re looking to fancy it up a bit for the holidays, you could go for the gold and use a local favorite, Tito’s Vodka, instead of the cheap stuff. Or try a Sex on the Beach (vodka, cranberry juice, OJ and peach Schnapps) or classic Cosmopolitan (just add Triple Sec or Cointreau) to vary the recipes and get your booze on.

Basically, you can’t go wrong with vodka, OJ, cranberry juice and any assorted fruit slices you may want to wedge on your glass.

WINE

Almaden Chardonnay in a box - ghetto looks, fab price!

For those who prefer to stay away from the hassle of mixing drinks, wine is always a good bet. Here at Shoestring Austin, we enjoy a variety of bargain-priced wines that can be found at all area grocery stores, including a number that have been recommended by Consumer Reports for their tastiness.

{HOT TIP: Austinites can check out issues of Consumer Reports, including their “Holiday wine bargains” article free via the Austin Public Library—all you need is a library card and your PIN to read up online, even from the comfort of home.}

Check out the 1.5-liter-sized Frontera Cabernet Sauvignon if you’re having people over; it’s only $8-10, depending on where you pick it up, and it’s one of Consumer Reports’ “Top Value” wines for the holidays.

{HOT TIP: Walmart’s got it for only $8.47!}

If you’re looking for a nice white to keep party-goers refreshed, you can’t beat Almaden Chardonnay in a box. It may look a little ghetto, but at only $15 for a whopping 5 liters, it’s tough to beat the price. More chardonnay (box-style) recommendations from Consumer Reports include Fish Eye ($16 for 3 liters), Banrock Station ($19 for 3 liters) and Black Box Monterey County ($25 for 3 liters).

Non-boxed varieties recommended include Santa Rita 120 ($8), Beringer Founders’ Estate 2007 ($11), and their “Best Overall” went to Mud House Marlborough 2008 ($14), which is one we have yet to try, but with its description in CR as “excellent; a near-perfect blend of fruit flavors and acidity,” we’re looking forward to picking up a bottle soon!

BEER

Most hated beverage of 2009? The Budweiser Chelada (photo by Flickr user konomike)

Though we’re not huge beer drinkers here at Shoestring Austin, there are a few that have caught our fancy recently. Beer snobs like those at the Beer Advocate and The Onion’s A.V. Club will undoubtedly bash our love of the Budweiser Chelada, a relatively new offering that combines good ol’ reliable Bud with the relatively elusive Caesar (which is basically a Bloody Mary made with Clamato, a drink that seems to enjoy much more popularity in Canada), but we stand by our man. The drink is a kind of pre-mixed Michelada, a popular Mexican beverage (which you can make more authentically with a little Camaronazo from our affiliate, MexGrocer.com.) This unusual combo of beer, tomato, clam juice and spices is oddly appealing, and its tall-boy format makes it a great party drink for those who enjoy a good chug.

If you’re not one for mixing beer and spicy tomato/clam beverages, we’re also partial to Budweiser’s low-carb offering, Budweiser Select. It’ll keep the beer gut in check, even as you chug your way through a case of the damn things, and it tastes pretty much like plain ol’ Bud. Score!

For those who enjoy something a bit more stout, you can’t go wrong with a Guinness to ring in the New Year. Sure, it may be made of equal parts bog water and chocolate syrup, but it’s an Irish tradition!

CHAMPAGNE

Champagne? We may dream of one day being able to afford the $100+ bubbly that the likes of Lady GaGa guzzle by the case, but here at Shoestring Austin we’ve found an inexpensive alternative: Domaine Ste-Michelle Brut sparkling wine ($12).

As reported by Austin360′s Forklore blog, “Put together by Robin Goldstein and Alexis Herschkowitsch of the Fearless Critic restaurant guide series, ‘The Wine Trials’ reports, for example, that a $12 Domaine Ste. Michelle Brut sparkling wine was preferred over a $150 bottle of Dom Pérignon champagne by 41 out of 62 tasters when the bottles were hidden.”

If it’s good enough for The Fearless Critic, it’s good enough for us. Now we just have to find a bottle, as it seems this information has caused a run in the area!

For more bargain champagne recommendations to look for, check this article from Forklore to stock up.

Got any recommendations of your own for a happy New Year’s Eve celebration? We’d love to hear about ‘em, so feel free to leave us a comment! Happy New Year, and best wishes for a stellar 2010!