Arrr Laddies!

Arrr Laddies!

Aye,be it that time o' year a'gin. The day where we speak the tongue o' the buccaneers. 'n t' save ye seadogs from scurvy,I've a pair o' grogs t' make ye merry. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!

Mix #227 Peg Leg

1oz Plantation 3 Star 3/4oz Lemon Hart 151 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz simple syrup 1/4oz Demerara syrup 2-3 dashes grapefruit bitters

Shake wit' ice 'n pour inta mug.

Sink me,t'is a beauty of a riff on the traditional grog/daiquiri. Birthed by a landlubber named Kyle Davidson,a barman in the former tavern Blackbird in Chicago,this will send you t' Davey Jones if ya have t' many. Blackbeard hisself would'a drank dis.

Mix #228 Capt Vadrna's Grog

2.5oz spiced rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz white grapefruit juice 3/4oz Demerara syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters

Shake wit' ice 'n pour inta mug.

That 'ol seadog Beachbum Berry made dis t' honor his matey Cap'n Stanislav Vadrna. 'tis a bit tart,but then mayhap so was his heartie? The 'ol pirate Hemingway would'a toasted Calypso with this'n.

'n here be some more pirate drinks I've done,t' keep ye smilin'.

Mix #10 Traditional Grog

1.5oz navy strength rum 1oz lime juice 1/2oz Demerara syrup

Shake with ice and pour into glass or mug.

Mix #11 Navy Grog

1oz light rum 1oz dark rum 1oz Demerara rum 1oz honey syrup 3/4 oz lime juice 3/4oz grapefruit juice 2oz club soda

Shake everything except soda with ice. Pour into double rocks glass and top with soda.

Mix #12 Sailor's Grog

1.5oz spiced rum 1/2oz 151 Demerara rum 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz orange juice 1/2oz falernum 1 dash Angostura bitters 1.5oz ginger beer

Shake everything except beer with ice and pour into double rocks glass. Top with beer.

Mix #15 Black Beard's Ghost(mine)

2oz light rum 2oz orange juice 1oz lemon juice 1oz blackberry brandy 1/2oz orgeat

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

Mix #14 Pirate's Parley

1oz Demerara rum 3oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz apricot brandy 1/2oz orange curacao

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

Mix #13 Corsair Punch

2oz Appleton Estate 8yr Reserve 2oz orange juice 2oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz grenadine 1/2oz orgeat

Shake with plenty of ice and pour into mug.

Mix #51 Blackbeard's Ghost

1.5oz white rum 1/2oz demerara rum 1.5oz orange juice 1oz lemon juice 1oz falernum 1/2oz apricot brandy 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake with plenty of ice.

Mix #84 Mariner's Ghost

3/4oz dark rum 3/4oz light rum 1oz mango juice 1oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz allspice dram dash of simple syrup

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

Mix #94 Skull & Bones

1.5oz Lemon Hart 151 rum 1/2oz Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/2oz grenadine 1/8tsp Pernod 1 dash Angostura bitters

Shake with ice and pour into your spookiest mug.

Mix #124 Tortuga

1oz Demerara 151 rum 1oz gold rum 1oz sweet vermouth 1/2oz orange curacao 1/2oz white creme de cacao 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz lemon juice 1/2oz orange juice 1/4oz grenadine

Shake with plenty of ice and pour into classic style Tiki mug.

Mix #116 Buccaneer's Bounty

1oz Navy rum 1oz dark rum 1/2oz Demerara 151 rum 1oz honey syrup 3/4oz grapefruit juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 2 dashes bitters

Shake with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice.

Mix #130 Yellowbeard's Grog

2oz Pyrat XO Reserve rum 1oz lime juice 1/2oz Pierre Ferrand Yuzu 1/2oz Small Hand Foods orgeat 1/4oz Demerara syrup

Shake with ice,stagger-stagger-crawl-stagger,then pour into upturned skull of someone you don't like. Garnish with Mr Prostitute's moustache and a speared piece of Spam.

Pleasant seas me hearties,'n here be a pirate's blessin':

May your ANCHOR be tight, Your CORK be loose, Your RUM be spiced, And your COMPASS be true.

Fixed it.

So back in Feb I did a post on the classic Trader Vic drink the Fogcutter. It was very sour. I've read plenty of postings from folks who were in agreement with me on this,so I decided to 'fix' it. Presented for your approval,the Fogweaver(named for a band I like). Enjoy.

Mix #209 The Fogweaver

1.5oz light rum 1/2oz sloe gin 1/2oz VSOP brandy 2oz tangerine juice 1oz lime juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/2oz oloroso sherry.

Shake everything except sherry with ice and pour into glass. Float sherry on top.

Every bit as potent as the original,but more balanced. I think the Trader would've approved.

Until next time folks.

Countdown…4…3…2…1

Well,here we are. Counting down the last few mixes until I hit number TWO HUNDRED. As I like pirate stuff,these all have a pirate and/or nautical theme. Enjoy!

Mix #196 Captain Ron

1oz Haitian agricole rhum 1oz rye whiskey 3/4oz lemon juice 3/4oz velvet falernum 3/4oz grenadine

Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.

Created in 2020 by bartender Bryan Crowder in the Ice Plant Bar in St. Augustine,FL,this is sweet and funky with a spice and whiskey aftertaste. The bright red color is also cool. A good drink to try if you're looking for something a little different.

Mix #197 Captain's Blood

1.5oz dark Jamaican rum 1oz lime juice 1/3oz honey syrup 1/4oz falernum 2 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.

Created by Doug Winship(whose blog is down),this is very tart with a bit of sweet and spice at the end. Good if you like tart,but I added some Demerara syrup.

Mix #198 Aquadisiac

2oz gold rum 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz blue curacao 1/2oz orgeat

Shake with ice and pour into glass.

This bright turquoise concoction is from Beachbum Berry. It's basically a slightly tart Mai Tai. A nice summer drink and also good for folks who like to try Mai Tai riffs.

Mix #199 Deep Blue Sea

1.5oz light rum 1/2oz blue curacao 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz lemon juice 1/2oz fassionola 1/2oz orgeat 1/4oz allspice

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

So,one of the reasons I didn't post actual pics of the drink is because it didn't turn out a pretty color. Despite the blue curacao,the Jonathan English fassionola I used caused it to turn a grape-ish purple. It tasted good with a nice sweet/tart balance and a bit of spice on the end,but this is a drink you want to serve in an opaque mug. Creator Brian Maxwell did this on his blog,but I've seen posters on Youtube and Facebook who got a pretty blue color. I think they may have gamed the system somehow. In any case,this is another winner from Brian,just don't put it in a glass.

Well,that's 199 down. Next is the big two-o-o. And it's gonna be a good one. Stay tuned folks. Aloha!

Ohhh....mama!

Happy 4th of July folks,I hope you had a good one. This week we're going to look at the drink I made for the 4th,the Bahama Mama. Some might say it's tourist,not Tiki,but it can be found in many Tiki bars,and the former Lost Lake of Chicago had their own version,so that counts. The thing about the Bahama Mama is that there really isn't a singular proper recipe. Unlike the Mai Tai,it can't be traced to one bartender or bar. Even the origin of the name is hazy. Some say it was named for Caribbean dancer Dottie Lee Anderson whose stage name was Bahama Mama,some say it came from a song by George "King of Goombay" Symonette,a famous Calypso singer.

If you do a deep dive into the 'net,you'll find recipes where it's shaken,blended,or even layered. There's recipes with and without grenadine,with and without banana liqueur,the juices change,and I found one that calls for coffee liqueur. I even found a posting from a bartender on Reddit who claimed that he just made his from whatever he had behind the bar and proudly proclaimed that he would "go to his grave without learning a proper recipe". So basically,if you ever order a Mama at a bar,you'll get what they think it should be(or what the bartender feels like). In order not to waste your rum,I've tried a couple recipes that I can recommend,and one that shows you how to spot a bad drink. Enjoy folks.

Mix #201a Elevated Bahama Mama 1

1oz Plantation Xaymaca rum 3/4oz light overproof rum* 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz cream of coconut 1/2oz pomegranate syrup 1/4oz orange curacao 1/4oz banana liqueur

Shake with five ice cubes for five seconds and strain into glass with ice.

*I used Wray & Nephew Overproof.

From the former Lost Lake bar,this is fruity and sweet with a citrus aftertaste. The overproof also makes it strong. It's called 'elevated' because it was made to be a properly balanced drink that you'd be willing to make again. A bit touristy,but quite good. I wouldn't be ashamed to serve it in my bar.

Mix #201b Elevated Bahama Mama 2

1oz Appleton 12yr rum 3/4oz Smith & Cross rum 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz grenadine 1/4oz orange curacao 1/4oz banana liqueur

Shake with ice and pour into glass.

Remember how I said that there wasn't a single proper recipe? Well the internet can't even seem to agree with the recipe from Lost Lake. This is another 'official' version I found. It's sweeter than the above because the grenadine comes forward more than the pomegranate syrup did. It has some kick due to the Navy rum,but not as much as the first. Not bad,if you like sweeter drinks give it a try. I do prefer the first one though.

'The Bahama Mama'

1oz spiced rum 3/4oz coconut rum 3/4oz banana liqueur 2.5oz pineapple juice 1oz orange juice 1-2 Tbsp grenadine

Shake with ice and pour into something.

So you'll notice that I didn't number this recipe. That's because it doesn't count,this is your lesson in how to spot a bad drink. One to two tablespoons means a half to a full ounce of grenadine. That's a lot. And that's all you'll really taste in this hot mess. It's way too sweet because there's almost no sour to balance it(note the lemon in the Elevateds). I also stated 'coconut rum' without being specific because the rum specified in the posting I found is something you won't find in my bar. I'm not the worst of rum snobs,but I'm not mixing with rail. If your bartender serves you this,send it back and/or find another bar. And if they toss on an overproof float,they're just trying to give you a hangover. You've been warned folks.

I hope this has been informative for you. If you just want to get hammered on vacation,then go ahead and order a Mama at the beach bar. If you want something you'll enjoy,use one of the two numbered recipes above.

And now I'll close with some good music and a tribute to the Fourth by an American icon. Aloha!

Bits and Bobs….

While I normally have a theme to my posts,this week I'm just clearing out some random recipes I've mixed. Enjoy.

Mix #174 Dr Funk

2 1/4oz black pot still rum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz lemon juice 1/2oz Demerara syrup 1/4oz grenadine 1/4oz absinthe 1oz seltzer

Shake everything except seltzer with ice,pour into glass,top with seltzer and stir.

Created by Don Beach sometime in the 1950's,this was named after the physician Robert Louis Stevenson had in Samoa named Dr Bernard Funk. Originally intended as a cure for laziness,it was made to make the absinthe more palatable with citrus and sugar,but Don added rum to make it a proper Tiki drink. It's super funky with the grenadine coming through and an absinthe finish. You'll either love it or hate depending on how much funk you can stand. I think Bootsy would have approved.

Mix #175 Passport to Martinique

1oz Denizen Merchant Reserve rum 1/2oz unaged Martinique rum 1/2oz Wray & Nephew overproof rum 1oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/oz orgeat 1/4oz orange curacao

Shake or blend with one cup crushed ice and pour into glass.

A drink from the 2022 Hukilau convention,this has a nice sweet/tart balance with heavy agricole funk. Another drink for folks who like it funky. Good bit of kick too.

Mix #176 Quarantine Order

1.5oz Appleton Signature rum 1.5oz Smith & Cross rum 1oz lime juice 1oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 5 dashes Angostura bitters

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

From Wiliam Prestwood at Pagan Idol,you can guess from the name why it was created. The cinnamon comes through without real burn(think cinnamon roll),while there is some tartness and funk. The S&C gives it kick. A good drink for when you're stuck at home.

Mix #177 Lost Lake Cocktail

2oz dark Jamaican rum 3/4oz passionfruit syrup 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz pineapple juice 1/4oz maraschino liqueur* 1/4oz Campari*

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

*I used Cherry Heering and Aperol.

The signature cocktail of the now shuttered Lost Lake bar in Chicago,which unfortunately closed due to COVID. The original was made with passionfruit liqueur,but the syrup is much easier to find. A nice blend of sweet and tart with the aperitif finishing. Use your favorite Jamaican rum to keep this modern classic alive.

Mix #178 Bolo

1oz gold Puerto Rican rum 3/4oz aged Martinique rum 1oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/oz honey syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters

Blend with ice for five seconds and pour into hollowed out pineapple.

So the story goes that this is an adaptation of Don Beach's Pi-Yi cocktail. Mr Beach was notorious for encoding his recipes to keep them from being stolen. Beachbum Berry worked with former Don bartender Bob Esmino to come up with this recipe. There are several variations which use the same ingredients,just with slightly different proportions,so feel free to play with tweaking this to get it the way you like. Sweet and fruity with rum funk on the end,you could call it a Boo Loo Lite. Very nice. And no,I didn't use a hollowed pineapple again,I'm too lazy of a bachelor.

Mix #179 Alice on South Island

1.5oz 151 Demerara rum 1/4oz maraschino liqueur* 1.5oz lemon juice 1oz passionfruit syrup 1oz cream of coconut 12 drops absinthe

Shake vigorously with ice and pour into mug.

*Again I used Cherry Heering.

From the drink card of Lost Temple Traders' Mad Tiki Cup mug(I have the set,but used the pic off their site because they're better photogs than I am). It's sweet and fruity with an absinthe finish. With an ounce and a half of 151,after a couple of these you'll swear the cat is talking to you. And you won't care. A good drink to finish off 'one of those' weeks.

Until next time folks.

Frack! Fell! Gorram!

What you'll be saying tomorrow morning if you have a few of these. I've had this one in the queue for awhile,but didn't really have a post to put it in,so I decided to just do a solo post on it.

Mix #183 The Third Oath

2.5oz Plantation OFTD 1.5oz cinnamon syrup 1oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz falernum 2 dashes Angostura bitters 6 drops absinthe

Shake with crushed ice and pour into mug.

Created by Jason Alexander(the bartender,not the Seinfeld actor),it's very cinnamon-y with lots of burn and a strong punch due to all that OFTD. If you love cinnamon,this is the drink for you. You can also sub in regular octane rum if the overproof is too much,or 151 if you've had one of those weeks and don't plan to leave the couch.

You've been warned.