Roll Out The Barrel.

Roll out the barrel.

While the title of my post is a traditional polka tune,don't worry,we're sticking to barrels as they relate to Tiki. Specifically,the drink known as the Rum Barrel. Created by Donn Beach,there have been many variations and riffs on the original to the point that it's anyone's guess exactly what the original recipe was. This is due to the fact that Donn didn't want his bartenders stealing his recipes,so he wrote them in code. So here's a pair of recipes and a modern riff to keep you rolling.

Mix #155 Rum Barrel

2oz white rum 2oz overproof Jamaican dark rum* 1oz orange juice 1oz pineapple juice 1oz grapefruit juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz honey syrup 1/4oz grenadine 1/4oz allspice 1/4oz velvet falernum 1 dash Angostura bitters 6 drops absinthe

Blend with 6oz ice and pour into barrel mug.

*I used Smith & Cross.

I shook this because my Blendjet is still out of service. It's sweet and fruity with an absinthe aftertaste. It's also really strong. Those four ounces of rum(two overproof) pack a punch,and all that sweet will give you a blazing hangover if you're not careful. And you really don't taste the rum,so it's easy to get out of hand with these. Really probably a good idea to share this drink with a friend.

Mix #156 Print Rum Barrel

1oz dark Jamaican rum 1oz Lemon Hart 151 3/4oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz orange juice 3/4oz passionfruit syrup 3/4oz simple syrup

Shake with ice and pour into barrel mug.

This came from a print I found on Tumblr. You see these on the web and for sale on Etsy. Their Mai Tai recipe is wrong,but I decided to give this a shot. It's sweet and citrus-y with the passionfruit coming forward. An ounce of 151 gives it some kick,but it's not as bad as some recipes which feature more rum. Actually a nice drink.

Mix #157 Bamboo Barrel

1oz white rum 1oz gold rum 1/2oz Demerara 151 rum 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lime juice 3/4oz grenadine 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/4oz allspice dram

Blend with ice and pour into mug.

Shook this one too. Created by Forbidden Island's Justin Oliver,it has a nice sweet/tart flavor with the grenadine coming forward and the 151 adds a good kick. Quite good.

So keep on rollin' folks. Follow these recipes and you'll do it right.

Spring has sprung.

It's Spring time in DC,which means we get to enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms. The weather wasn't so great this year,but they were still pretty.

(actual cherry blossom pic taken by Uncle Giltron)

And of course,there are Tiki drinks for this occasion.

Mix #160 Cherry Blossom

1.5oz white rum 1oz pineapple juice 1oz cream of coconut 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz blue curacao 1/2oz cinnamon syrup

Shake well with plenty of ice and pour into hurricane glass.

Created by Justin Wojslaw,from the book Minimalist Tiki. Despite the name,there is no cherry in the drink,and it's actually turquoise colored instead of red. So it's pretty much the perfect drink for the way things work in DC. It's sweet and creamy with a cinnamon profile. Pretty good,if a bit touristy.

Mix #161 Cherry Pie Tai

1.5oz Demerara rum 1/2oz rhum agricole 3/4oz Cherry Heering 3/4oz lemon juice 1/2oz orgeat

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

I love Mai Tais,so a cherry version was perfect to go with the blossoms. Created by Nathan Robinson,it pretty much tastes like a tart cherry Mai Tai. Quite nice.

Mix #162 Paradise Cooler

2oz white rum 1/2oz Cherry Heering 1oz velvet falernum 2oz orange juice 1oz lime juice

Shake with ice and pour into double old fashioned glass. Garnish with cherry speared with an apple slice.

This was the house drink of the Denver Hilton in the 1960's. It's tart and citrus-y with some spice and a bit of cherry finish. Very nice. A good Tiki drink for cherry fans.

Mix #163 Hemingway Daiquiri

2oz white rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz maraschino liqueur*

Shake with ice until chilled,then strain into coupe glass.

*I used Cherry Heering.

So,the story goes that Ernest Hemingway went into the El Floridita bar in Havana to use the restroom. On the way out the bartender was setting up a line of daiquiris and Hemingway decided to try one. He commented that it wasn't bad,but he preferred twice the rum and no sugar. So the bartender made one his way and named the drink after him. And over time it has morphed into the recipe above. No idea if any of this is true,but it's a good story. Since Ernest was a man's man,I decided to use Smith & Cross navy rum instead of white rum. The result was a VERY tart drink(I did use Heering which is tarter than maraschino liqueur). I didn't want Ernest's ghost to haunt me and call me a wuss,so I finished it,but if I were ever to make another I'd definitely dump in some simple syrup. If tart's your thing,then you might like this.

Mix #164 Ankle Breaker

1oz 151 rum* 1oz Cherry Heering 1oz lemon juice 1/2 oz simple syrup

Shake with ice and pour into double rocks glass.

*I used Wray & Nephew Overproof.

I came across this recipe in a Facebook group. According to Beachbum Berry's book Remixed,this was created in the Swamp Fox Room bar in the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina sometime in the 1950's. It was inspired by a story about hero of the Revolutionary War,General Francis Marion(AKA,the Swamp Fox),who supposedly broke his ankle jumping from a second-story window of the hotel while trying “to escape sober from a party at which this drink was flowing too freely.” Again,no idea if this is true but a good story is a good story. While 151 rum is intended for this,the poster used Wray & Nephew Overproof(which is "only" 126 proof) and since I have W&N and have been meaning to use it more,I used it too. And since I like funk I also doubled down and used Demerara syrup instead of regular simple. Very nice. This drink is very daiquiri-like. The rum really came forward with just a bit of cherry finish. Of course with overproof rum it had some kick. I'm going to make this again with some other rums just to play around with it.

So until next time,have a cocktail and enjoy the pretty flowers.

Ride the Pineapple Express.

"Now, then!" said a shrill female voice the instant Sam thrust his head in at the door, "what do you want, young man?"

Sam looked round in the direction whence the voice proceeded. It came from a rather stout lady of comfortable appearance, who was seated beside the fireplace in the bar, blowing the fire to make the kettle boil for tea. She was not alone; for on the other side of the fireplace, sitting bolt upright in a high-backed chair, was a man in threadbare black clothes, with a back almost as long and stiff as that of the chair itself, who caught Sam's most particular and especial attention at once.

He was a prim-faced, red-nosed man, with a long, thin countenance, and a semi-rattlesnake sort of eye, —rather sharp, but decidedly bad. He wore very short trousers, and black cotton stockings, which, like the rest of his apparel, were particularly rusty. His looks were starched, but his white neckerchief was not, and its long limp ends straggled over his closely-buttoned waistcoat in a very uncouth and unpicturesque fashion. A pair of old, worn, beaver gloves, a broad-brimmed hat, and a faded green umbrella, with plenty of whalebone sticking through the bottom, as if to counterbalance the want of a handle at the top, lay on a chair beside him; and, being disposed in a very tidy and careful manner, seemed to imply that the red-nosed man, whoever he was, had no intention of going away in a hurry.

To do the red-nosed man justice, he would have been very far from wise if he had entertained any such intention; for, to judge from all appearances, he must have been possessed of a most desirable circle of acquaintance, if he could have reasonably expected to be more comfortable anywhere else. The fire was blazing brightly under the influence of the bellows, and the kettle was singing gaily under the influence of both. A small tray of tea-things was arranged on the table; a plate of hot buttered toast was gently simmering before the fire; and the red-nosed man himself was busily engaged in converting a large slice of bread into the same agreeable edible, through the instrumentality of a long brass toasting-fork. Beside him stood a glass of reeking hot pine-apple rum-and-water, with a slice of lemon in it; and every time the red-nosed man stopped to bring the round of toast to his eye, with the view of ascertaining how it got on, he imbibed a drop or two of the hot pine-apple rum-and-water, and smiled upon the rather stout lady, as she blew the fire.

Here we have the introduction of the Reverend Stiggins,an alcoholic,evangelical minister who bore the brunt of Charles Dickens' satire in his serialization,The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club(generally shortened to just The Pickwick Papers). Now what does Dickens' character have to do with Tiki? Because Plantation rum(now called Planteray Rum) used this character as the inspiration for a pineapple-infused rum. Originally intended to be a limited edition release,it turned out to be popular enough with bartenders that they decided to make it a production item. Additionally,they've also come out with a limited 'smoky' pineapple rum. I've got both and they're excellent. Below are a few mixings I've done with Stiggins,I think you'll enjoy them.

(for some reason,the smoky isn't on their site,so I included a pic so you'd know what to look for)

Mix #145 Siboney

1.5oz aged Jamaican rum 1/2oz pineapple rum 1oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/2oz Demerara syrup

Shake with ice. Strain into glass with fresh ice.

A modern version of the drink originally published in Trader Vic's book Rum Cookery & Drinkery (1974),this is sweet and fruity. A nice summer drink.

Mix #146 Reverend's Tai

1.5oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum 1/2oz Plantation OFTD rum 1oz lime juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/4oz orange curacao

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

Created by Matt Pietrek,this is the Mai Tai the Reverend would've drank. It's basically a pineapple Mai Tai with some kick from the OFTD. Quite good.

Mix #147 Elusive Dreams

1oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum 1oz light rum 1/2oz banana liqueur 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lime juice 3/4oz cinnamon syrup

Shake with ice and double strain into glass.

A modern riff on a Hotel Nacional de Cuba recipe,this is cinnamon on the nose with a banana/pineapple taste and final cinnamon burn. Very nice,if you like the burn you'll love this.

Mix #148 Pineapple Stiggins Daiquiri

2oz Plantation Stiggins Limited Smoky pineapple rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz simple syrup

Shake with ice and strain into chilled coup glass.

Basically a daiquiri made with pineapple rum. Very pineapple-y with some citrus and smoke aftertaste. If you want to try a pineapple daiquiri,this is a good one.

Mix #149 Pineapple Paralysis

1.5oz bourbon whiskey 1/2oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum 1oz lemon juice 3/4oz pineapple juice 1/2oz orange curacao 1/2oz orgeat 1/4oz cinnamon syrup 3 drops bitters

Shake or blend with ice and pour into glass or hollowed out coconut.

Created by Eric Bogan of the Inferno Room,this is very bourbon forward and pineapple-y with a cinnamon finish. Bourbon aficionados will dig this. Make with high proof bourbon if you want some serious kick.

Mix #150 Critical Cooler

1.5oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum 1.5oz dark rum 2oz pineapple juice 2oz orange juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz grenadine 3/4oz coconut water 1/4oz coconut cream

Shake with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice.

Another Trader Brandon creation from Mystic Libations. Sweet,orange/pineapple-y with a bit of coconut aftertaste. Three ounces of rum give it a good kick. A big drink you'll feel in the morning if you have too many.

So there we have it folks. A century and a half of Tiki drinks. Stay tuned for more as I go for a double.

Couple quickies.

Been working on a couple full posts,but they're not ready to be published yet. So here's a pair of mixings to hold you over.

Mix #135 Potted Parrot

2oz light rum 2ox orange juice 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz orange curacao 1/4oz orgeat 1/4oz rock candy syrup

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

Trader Vic created this in 1964 for the opening of his Mexican restaurant Senor Pico. Very citrus-y with a touch of sweet. I used regular simple syrup and upped it to a half ounce since rock candy syrup is super sweet(like 3:1). I also used my Siesta Keys silver rum,whose rums will be featured in an upcoming post. Quite good,and not surprising since the Trader was the master.

Mix #136 Storm the Beach

1oz Demerara rum 1/2oz Plantation OFTD 1/2oz velvet falernum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 2 dashes bitters

Shake with ice,strain into glass with fresh ice. Add lime shell with overproof rum and light.

So,no,I didn't add the flaming lime shell,I'm more interested in the drink than the presentation. This was created by Ryan Welliver,who has an interesting name for a bartender. His recipe calls for cinnamon-cumin syrup,but I just used standard cinnamon syrup. And that's all I pretty much tasted. If you really dig cinnamon,then try this,but I'll stick to drinks where I can actually taste my rum.

Until next time folks,aloha and mahalo.

Bah Humbug

Ok,Thanksgiving is over,it's black Friday,and now we can start getting into Xmas mode. Here's a tasty cocktail to brighten your spirits,or deaden the pain of shopping.

Mix #105 Winter Fling

4oz apple cider 1oz white rum 1/2oz cognac 1/4oz allspice 1/4oz Aperol 1/4oz lemon juice

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

From Tiki Farm's site comes a Trader Tom creation that is pretty much Yuletide in a glass. It's very cider-y with a spice finish. Delicious,and you can up-gun it with Wray & Nephew Overproof if necessary.

Happy holidays folks! Don't worry,it'll be over soon.

Ready for takeoff.

Aviation has always had an influence on Tiki culture. From flyboys in the Pacific theater of WWII to airliners whisking tourists away to exotic locations,pilots and aircraft have been featured in the names of Tiki drinks and esthetics of Tiki mugs and decor. Here's a trio of aviation cocktails to keep you flying high.

Mix #151 Ace Pilot

1oz Demerara rum 1oz gold Jamaican rum 1/2oz 151 rum 1/2oz velvet falernum 1/2oz fassionola red 1/2oz white grapefruit juice* 1/2oz orange juice 1/2oz lime juice

Shake with ice and pour into double old-fashioned glass.

*I used red grapefruit.

I found this recipe in a Facebook posting about fassionola,but I've since lost the posting and haven't been able to find any history on it. I believe it's either a Trader Vic or Donn Beach creation,but can't be sure. In any case,it's a nice drink. Sweet with a spicy/tart finish,this is a strong drink that will have you flying.

Mix #152 Test Pilot

1.5oz dark rum 3/4oz light rum 1/2oz triple sec 1/2oz falernum 1/2oz lime juice 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash Pernod

Shake with ice and pour into glass.

Created in 1941 by Donn the Beach(who served in the Army Air Corps in WWII) this is tart and spicy with an absinthe finish. If I make this again I'll use curacao to sweeten it a bit.

(fun fact,your Uncle Giltron worked on this bird back in the '90's at Bergstrom AFB)

Mix #153 Jet Pilot

1oz overproof Jamaican rum 3/4oz overproof Demerara rum 3/4oz gold rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz falernum 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 1 dash absinthe 1 dash Angostura bitters

Blend with ice for a few seconds and pour into double old-fashioned glass.*

*Blend until crushed-icy,not smooth. Still waiting on my Blendjet recall,so I shook this instead.

Created in 1958 at the former Beverly Hills bar Luau (owned by actor Steve Crane),this was inspired by Donn's Test Pilot. Cinnamon-y with a bit of spice and citrus,it's Zombie level strong. One of these and you'll be flying,but too many and you'll crash and burn.

So strap in,put on your drinking goggles,and have a nice flight. Excelsior!