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.