Giltron's Mixings

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  • Mixing with mango.

    Mango is a tropical fruit that features in many Tiki recipes. It’s very sweet and a bit pungent,so a little goes a long way,and it’s good to use sour and bitter to even your drink’s balance out. Fun facts: Mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan,and the Philippines,and the mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh and considered to be holy by Buddhists. India also has a drink called Aam Panna,a mango drink that is said to be a health tonic and summer thirst quencher,but I haven’t made it since it’s not really Tiki and sounds more spicy than what I’d like. You can click the Wiki link for the recipe if you want to try it. So without further ado,let’s get mixing with mango.

    Mix #221 Spellbound

    1.5oz Banks 7 rum*
    1.5oz Midori
    2oz mango juice
    1/2oz Don’s Mix
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/4oz orgeat
    dash Dashfire Creole bitters**

    Shake with ice and strain into mug with fresh ice.

    *I used Coruba.
    **I used Angostura.

    Another drink card recipe from Ken Holewczynski of House Tabu,this is a drink you want to serve in a mug. It comes out an ugly olive color,but don’t worry,it tastes great. Sweet and melon-y with a touch of cinnamon burn on the end,just close your eyes and savor the flavor. It’s fairly low octane so it would make a good dinner cocktail.

    Mix #222 The Den of Iniquity

    1oz Hamilton Pot Still Jamaican rum
    1/2oz apricot liqueur
    1/2oz Aperol
    1oz cinnamon syrup
    1oz mango juice
    1/2oz lime juice

    Shake with ice and strain into Mai Tai glass with fresh ice.

    Created by Tim Harnett at Tiki Underground,and featured in issue 23 of Exotica Moderne,this is another sweet drink with a combination mango/cinnamon flavor. The Aperol and lime cut the sweet down and reduce the cinnamon burn so it’s not too sweet or strong. It’s also low octane,so it would be good for lightweight drinkers.

    Mix #223 Maneater

    1.5oz gin
    1/2oz apricot brandy
    1/2oz orange liqueur*
    1.5oz mango juice
    1oz pineapple juice
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/2oz orgeat
    3 dashes bitters

    Shake with ice a strain into mug with fresh ice.

    *I used Cointreau.

    From Yvonne Langen of the Taste & Tipple blog,this is sweet and citrus-y with a touch of tart on the end. A nice drink if you want a change of pace with some gin.

    Mix #224 Mangonada Tiki Cocktail

    1oz light rum
    1oz dark rum
    1oz triple sec
    1.5oz mango puree*
    1/2oz lime juice
    2 dashes bitters

    Shake with ice and pour into glass rimmed with Tajin spice.

    *I used mango juice.

    Uftda. So for the other drinks,the mango’s sweetness really came forward. A full ounce of triple sec is quite a lot,but I figured that it would blunt the mango. But instead it overwhelms it,to the point that all you taste is triple sec. I wound up adding another ounce of mango juice just to finish the drink. I did not spice the rim with Tajin,because that stuff messes with my tummy,and good thing because that just would’ve made the drink even more of a hot mess. I found this drink searching the web for another mango recipe so I could finish off my can of juice. It was on the blog Taryn’s Tasting Table,which is not a tiki blog,and that should’ve been my warning not to waste my rum. Well,at least I can keep you from wasting your rum;stick to proper Tiki blogs and follow your Uncle Giltron’s advice and you’ll be fine.

    So get yourself a healthy dose of vitamin C,with a little rum to make it fun,and do a little mixing with mango. Enjoy!

  • It’s not easy being green.

    So your Uncle Giltron is still playing with his bottle of Green Chartreuse. After a year of trying to find it,by the Smoking Baboon I’m going to mix it. It’s hard to find good recipes that use it because it’s kinda rare,but I’ve got a pair for you I think you’ll really like,provided you can find all the ingredients. Enjoy!

    Mix #219 Swamp Angel

    2oz rhum agricole blanc
    1oz lime juice
    1oz pineapple juice
    3/4oz Green Chartreuse
    1/2oz orgeat
    1/2oz falernum
    1/4oz allspice dram
    2 dashes Angostura bitters

    Shake or blend with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice(I shook it).

    From Justin Oliver and Chad Austin on the Facebook group,Tiki Recipes,this is sweet with a creamy mouthfeel and lots of spice and herbs. It also has some real kick. An excellent cocktail with lots of flavor.

    Mix #220 Vicious Whale

    3/4oz Appleton Signature rum
    3/4oz Rittenhouse rye*
    3/4oz Green Chartreuse
    3/4oz Giffard Banane Du Brasil**
    3/4oz blue curacao
    1/2oz Benedictine
    3/4oz Don’s Mix
    3/4oz lime juice
    2 dashes grapefruit bitters

    Shake with ice and pour into glass. Top with a bit of grated nutmeg.

    *I used Crown Royal.
    **I used Tepus Fugit Creme de Banane.

    Created by Facebook user Johannes Oscarsson,and also posted to Tiki Recipes,this is another sweet,complex drink with a strong herbal finish. Another winner you should try.

    So if you can find a bottle of Green Chartreuse,grab it,it’s an excellent addition to your home bar. And follow my advice and you won’t waste any.

    And of course,i have to post some Kermit,cuz who who doesn’t love the little green guy.

  • Happy Mai Tai Day!

    Once again,it’s time for Tiki’s favorite holiday,MAI TAI DAY! The day when we salute the birth of the magic elixir created by Victor Bergeron in 1944. My first post was on the classic Mai Tai,so for today I’ve decided to mix a pair of modern Mai Tai riffs I think you’ll really like. Enjoy!

    Mix #217 Blue Hawai-Tai

    1oz Wray & Nephew Overproof rum
    1/2oz Plantation 3 Stars rum
    1/2oz blue curacao
    1oz lemon juice
    1/2oz orgeat
    1/2oz simple syrup

    Shake with ice and pour into snifter glass.

    From Mai Tai expert Kevin Crossman comes a delicious spin on the classic recipe. While I thought the lemon would sour it,it’s in fact a touch sweet with some super funk on the end. And the W&N gives it some real kick. The pretty blue color in the snifter also makes for an eye-pleasing experience. Another winning Mai Tai from the master.

    Mix #218 S.O.S. Mai Tai

    1.5oz rhum agricole blanc
    1/2oz pot still Jamaican rum
    3/4oz lime juice
    3/4oz orgeat
    1/2oz orange curacao

    Shake with ice and pour into collins glass. If you’re fancy,add a spent lime shell with flaming 151.

    Created by bartender Ean Bancroft at the S.O.S. bar in Georgia,this is another good sweet/funky riff. Funkier than the Blue Hawai-Tai,but not as strong,if you’re looking to have more than one,I’d go with this. Either way,these are both good spins on the classic recipe.

    So celebrate the day with an original Mai Tai or a riff. Maita’i roa ae!

  • Hallelujah!

    So your Uncle Giltron finally did it;after a year of searching,I finally found a bottle of Green Chartreuse at one of my local liquor stores:

    Ta-da!

    Now you may be wondering why this is such a big deal. Well the fact is,you can’t just walk into any old store and pick up a bottle of it like it was Bacardi. This liqueur is actually made by monks who only produce a certain number of bottles a year in the monastery La Grande Chartreuse near Grenoble,France. Because of this,it can be very hard to find,as well as expensive.

    (the actual monastery)

    The story goes that in 1084,St. Bruno of Cologne traveled to the Chartreuse Desert(not really a desert,it was just really isolated) with six companions and created a silent order of Roman Catholic monastics known as the Carthusians. In 1605 François-Annibal d´Estrées,the King of France’s Marshal of Artillery,handed over to the Carthusian monks of Paris a document of mysterious origins which supposedly contained the recipe for an “elixir of long life". Time passed,the monks studied the document,and finally in 1737 the manuscript was transferred to the monks of the Grande Chartreuse. They in turn studied it and experimented(one of their early formulas was actually red) and finally in 1764 created a seven page manuscript entitled,Composition of the Elixir of Chartreuse. This elixir is what is today known as Green Chartreuse. Fun fact,the color chartreuse is actually named for this liqueur. Later in 1838 they would also come up with another liqueur,Yellow Chartreuse,which is much easier to find,but not as potent(Yellow Chartreuse is supposed to use the same ingredients,just in different proportions).

    So what is Green Chartreuse? It’s an herbal liqueur made up of 130 ingredients. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret,known to only three Carthusian monks. Supposedly,there are two monks who each have half the formula,with the Father Superior being the only living person to have the full recipe. The monks produce about 1.2 million bottles a year,which sounds like quite a lot,until you look into companies like Bacardi,which produce 100,000 liters of rum a day(my bottle of Chartreuse is ¾ of a liter). Green is stronger tasting and 110 proof,yellow is sweeter and only 80 proof. The taste is very,um,‘herbal’. It’s really hard to describe other than that. And at 110 proof,it has about as much punch as Navy rum. Back in the ’70’s there was a popular cocktail called Swampwater which used Green Chartreuse,but it fell out of favor,and today there are only a few Tiki drinks that use it,mostly because of its rarity,but also because the complex flavor isn’t to everyone’s taste(it really comes forward in the drink). So below you will find a coterie of Green Chartreuse recipes. I hope you enjoy them.

    Mix #213 Chartreuse Swizzle

    1.5oz Green Chartreuse
    1oz pineapple juice
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/2oz falernum

    Swizzle all ingredients with ice in glass and top with grated nutmeg.

    Woo! Boy howdy! The first thing that hits you is a strong burst of herbs. The Chartreuse really comes forward. Then you get some spice from the falernum and nutmeg. Then one and a half ounces of 110 proof liqueur hit you. If you like herbal drinks you’ll love this. This was created by Marco Dionysos at Tres Agaves in San Francisco and has become a Tiki staple with Chartreuse.

    Mix #214 The Last Word

    3/4oz Green Chartreuse
    3/4oz gin
    3/4oz maraschino liqueur*
    3/4oz lime juice

    Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.

    *I used Cherry Heering.

    This other Tiki Chartreuse staple was born at the Detroit Athletic Club around 1915. It’s believed it was created by bartender Frank Fogarty. Its claims to fame are the fact that it uses equal measures of all the ingredients,and is a Prohibition-era drink that has survived into modern times. The Chartreuse and gin combine to create a very ‘botanical’ flavor with a cherry finish. I used Heering which is more sour than maraschino,but it turned out well. Again,if you like herbal flavors,you’ll like this.

    Mix #215 Swampwater

    1.5oz Green Chartreuse
    6oz pineapple juice
    1/4oz lime juice

    Pour into mason jar with ice and stir.

    So Green Chartreuse is a rare liqueur consisting of 130 ingredients and crafted by monks who have taken a vow of silence. So of course here in ‘Merica we’re gonna mix it with juice,give it a silly name,and serve it in mason jars. Yee-haw! No,actually,you can’t blame us for this. This drink was created by the Chartreuse company back in the 1970’s to get Americans to drink it. We had free love and disco and simple but potent cocktails were popular in clubs,so the French figured this would be right up our alley. And it was,for a time. But just like disco,it faded into memory until your Uncle Giltron dropped a bunch of dosh on a fancy bottle of liqueur and then started trolling the waters of the internet looking for recipes to use it in. You can ask your parents if they remember this,but they probably won’t,or won’t want to(insert winky emogi). It’s actually not bad. It starts sweet and pineapple-y,then gives an herbal finish. It’s easy to make,easy to drink,and has some kick,which actually makes it a good summer BBQ drink. And if you use the whole bottle,you can scale up the juices and batch it for your cookout. Remember folks,if you hold your pinky up it makes drinking out of a jar classy.

    Mix #216 Amazonian Paralysis

    1 3/4oz Appleton 12yr rum
    1/2oz Green Chartreuse
    1/2oz sloe gin
    1/2oz velvet falernum
    1oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz lemon juice
    4 dashes Angostura bitters

    Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

    Created by Disneyland bartender Melissa Erin Nickoloff,this is a complex Tiki drink Vic and Donn would have appreciated. It starts sweet,then you taste spices,and then there’s an herbal finish. It also has plenty of kick. A proper Tiki drink and good for introducing people to Chartreuse. And of course the name gives me an excuse to use a Lynda Carter gif(insert second winky emogi).

    So if you’re looking to broaden your palette,and can find it,pick up a bottle of Green Chartreuse and get a taste of a rare liqueur with tons of history behind it. Enjoy!

  • Happy National Rum Day!

    It’s August 16th,which is National Rum Day. So instead of posting recipes,I’m going to just talk a little about rum.

    First some basics. There are two main branches of rum;rum and rhum agricole. Rum is made from sugar cane that has been processed into molasses,while agricole is made directly from sugar cane that has been pressed. If you see the word ‘rhum’ with an H,it’s usually agricole,but not always. Sometimes they add the H to be fancy or for tradition. Agricole tends to have a super funky ‘grassy’ taste that is much stronger than regular rum. It’s not to everyone’s liking,but I do like it in certain cocktails. There are also rums that are made from things like sugar beets,but they all pretty much suck. Stick to cane rum/rhum and you won’t go wrong. After this,there are numerous sub-categories. The thing is,some rums blur the lines between the categories,and some categories are kinda made up,so I’m just going to do a basic run down instead of dragging you down a rabbit hole.

    White rum,also called light rum or silver rum,can be clear(which requires filtering) or have just a bit of goldish tint. It’s light tasting and in Tiki drinks is usually mixed with other spirits or several ingredients. It works well in daiquiris. My preferred light rums are Bacardi Superior(my Kraft MacNCheese rum),Plantation 3 Star,and Probitas.

    Gold rum,sometimes called amber rum,is a gold or amber color. It splits the difference between light and dark rums in terms of how heavy the flavor and funk are. I like Bacardi Reserva Ocho and Gran Reserva Diez,which are their 8 and 10yr aged rums.

    Dark rum is the most commonly used in Tiki drinks,and can go from a dark amber to brown to almost black. It’s got a lot of flavor and can have some serious funk. My favs are Appleton Signature/8yr/12yr,Plantation Original Dark,English Harbor,and Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva. I’m also a fan of Coruba,which many people consider a black rum.

    Black rum is not really a category of rum,it’s sort of a created term for really dark rum. It’s heavy and funky and generally mixed instead of sipped. As I like funky rums,I am a fan. While I consider Coruba to be a dark rum,many consider it to be a black rum. I’m also a fan of Hamilton Pot Still Black,which is my go-to black rum. I’m also a fan of Cruzan Black Strap,which is a very molasses forward rum that many consider to be its own category.

    Spiced rum,as the name suggests,has spices in it for extra flavoring. It can be light,gold,dark,or black. I’m a fan of Sugar Island(sadly no longer made) and Siesta Key. I also like Kraken Dark Label,which has a vanilla profile that mixes well with soda(I like it,but have never used it in a cocktail).

    Demerara rum is only made in Guyana,although there are some rums called Demerara that are blended. The best way to describe it is that it is to rum what stout is to beer. Thick and funky with some sweetness. I’m a big fan of Lemon Hart Original and 151(my go-to 151),as well as Pussers Gunpowder.

    Navy rum is 114 proof rum. It had to be this proof so that if the casks leaked,it wouldn’t ruin the gunpowder it was stored with. I like Pussers,Hamilton Navy Grog Blend,and Smith & Cross.

    Overproof rums are pretty much anything stronger than Navy rum. My favs are Hamilton Beachbum Zombie Blend,Wray & Nephew,and Plantation OFTD. And of course Lemon Hart 151.

    There are also flavored rums,which can be any kind of rum with flavors added. I like Shipwreck and Siesta Key coconut,and Plantation Stiggins pineapple.

    Finally,for agricole I like Duquesne Rhum Blanc for light,Rhum Barbancourt 8yr for dark,and Clement Rhum Vieux VSOP for gold.

    Well,that’s enough of a text wall,I think I pretty much covered all you really need to know. Stick with my suggestions,and you won’t go wrong.

    Cheers!

  • What’s Nui with you?

    Last week I did a Donn Beach classic,and this week I decided to keep rollin’ with tha Donn by making another Beachcomber drink,the Nui Nui. Created in Hollywood around 1937,it was originally named the Pupule. But Donn later changed the name(after playing with the proportions) in 1953 when it was added to the menu of the Mandalay Bar in The Colonel’s Plantation Beefsteak and Coffee House at the International Marketplace in Waikiki,HI. This was an interesting place where you picked your steak out from a butcher’s case and they would cook it and bring it to your table. Fun fact,the Elvis movie Paradise, Hawaiian Style had recreated the restaurant for a dining scene,and an actual former Donn employee,Lean Lontoc,was the waiter serving Elvis his steak. Pupule is Hawaiian for “to make insane or act crazy” and nui means “big/large/greatest”,so the second name is probably better as this isn’t a strong drink,but it is tasty. Enjoy!

    Mix #212 Nui Nui

    2oz dark rum
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz orange juice
    1/4oz cinnamon syrup
    1/4oz Donn’s Spices #2*
    1 dash Angostura bitters

    Shake with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice. Can also be blended.

    *1:1 vanilla syrup and allspice dram

    Depending on who you ask,this drink can be shaken or blended. I decided to shake it. It’s a spicy drink with lots of cinnamon burn and just a touch of vanilla on the end. Pretty good,but next time I think I’ll double the Spices #2 just to counteract the cinnamon. The rum used can also be Jamaican dark or Virgin Islands amber,depending on the source. I used Appleton 12yr and it worked quite well. Feel free to use the rum,proportions,and mixing method you prefer to tune this the way you like it.

    Remember folks,if you can’t get to paradise,the Donn will bring it to you. Aloha.

  • What’s in a name?

    Ernest Raymond Gantt. Sound familiar? No? How about Donn Beach? Yep,that’s him. Donn changed his name when he started his Beachcomber chain of restaurants. Now I make mention of this because ol’ Donn wasn’t the only “Beachcomber” out there. Turns out there were a few scoundrels who tried to straight up rip him off by opening their own places called ‘Beachcomber’ and even ripped off the name of his classic Zombie drink. I learned all about this recently while reading Kevin Quigley’s excellent book,New England Tiki. I highly recommend reading it as it gives the full story along with a lot of other fascinating Tiki stuff.

    Now bringing this back to mixing,ol’ Donn had a drink called Montego Bay. Thing is,if you search for this online,many of the results you’ll find will be for drinks that have the same name,but are totally different(and not as good). Many use spiced rum(with one using light rum),different juices,and it may even contain ginger ale or creme de banana. But don’t worry,Uncle Giltron won’t let you waste your rum,I’ve got the proper Donn Beach recipe,as sussed out by our friend Beachbum Berry. And as with most of his drinks,the Donn knew what he was doing. Enjoy!

    Mix #210 Montego Bay

    1.5oz dark Jamaican rum
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz grapefruit juice
    1/2oz honey syrup
    1/4tsp allspice dram*
    1 dash Angostura bitters
    6 drops absinthe
    3oz crushed ice

    Blend everything for 5 seconds and pour into sour glass.

    *About 1ml or 20-25 drops.

    A classic Donn drink with lots of flavor. It starts with honey in the front,then a touch of spice,with some absinthe to finish. Complex and flavorful,use good rum because you’ll taste it. Very nice.

    And wouldn’t you know,but ol’ Trader Vic(AKA,Victor Jules Bergeron, Jr),also had a drink of the same name:

    Mix #211 Montego Bay Cocktail

    1oz Rhum Negrita rum*
    juice of ½ a lime**
    1 dash triple sec***
    1 dash rock candy syrup***
    1 dash Angostura bitters

    Shake with ice and strain into chilled stemmed cocktail glass.

    *I used Coruba.
    **I used 1/2oz.
    ***I used 5ml = dash.

    From the 1972 edition of Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide,this is a very different drink from Donn’s. It’s very tart and close to a daiquiri or traditional sailor grog. Now the measurement ‘dash’ has changed a bit over the years,so I decided to go with five milliliters as it seemed about right for this. Rock candy syrup is double-sweet so I actually used ten milliliters of regular simple. The original recipe called for Rhum Negrita,which is very dark and considered a ‘cooking’ rum,so I subbed in Coruba which is a nice very dark rum I’ve enjoyed in the past. I’d also like to note that for some reason Difford’s Guide chose to use Rhum Clement Blanc,which is a white agricole,and very different(and no idea why they would do this). So if you want to try a different daiquiri,just pick a fav rum and give this a try. You can also do like Difford’s and play with upping the other ingredients to your personal tastes.

    Well,that’s all for this week folks. Keep checking in for more mixings. Aloha!

  • 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.

  • Here’s to swimmin’ with bow-legged women.

    Well,we’re halfway through Sharkfest,but there’s still plenty more to watch. And plenty more sharky Tiki drinks to mix up. Enjoy!

    Mix #206 Luau Room Shark Tooth

    1.5oz Tanduay rum*
    1/2oz sloe gin
    1oz lemon juice
    1oz passionfruit syrup
    1-2oz club soda

    Shake everything except soda and pour into Mai Tai glass. Top with soda.

    *I used Coruba.

    This is the recipe used in the Luau Room bar of the Hotel del Coronado in the 1950’s and 60’s. It’s light and sweet with a gin finish. An excellent summer drink.

    I finally picked up some sloe gin which is much sweeter than other gins,and now I’ll have to go back over some of my mixings that were supposed to use it and redo them. It really changes the character of the drink,so if a recipe calls for it instead of regular gin,you should use the correct stuff. It’s also not bad to make a gin ‘n tonic.

    Mix #207 Mai-Kai Shark Bite

    1oz Plantation 5yr Barbados rum
    1oz Appleton Estate 12yr rum
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz rich(2:1) simple syrup
    1/8oz cinnamon syrup

    Rinse a rocks glass with water and freeze to create an ice shell.
    Shake everything except Appleton with ice until frothy. Add crushed ice to glass and strain mix in.
    Serve Appleton on side and pour in as a float.

    Ok,so I just shook everything with ice and put it in a glass,and it turned out just fine. This is the Mai-Kai’s take on the Shark Bite. It’s got a sweet/tart blend with just of touch of cinnamon on the end. A nice drink,but it really didn’t stand out enough to me to put it in regular rotation.

    Mix #208 Blue Water White Death

    2oz silver tequila
    3/4oz Cointreau
    3/4oz blue curacao
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz simple syrup
    few drops grenadine

    Shake everything except grenadine with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass. Add a few drops of grenadine to look like blood in the water.

    So I found a recipe going around the internet for a ‘shark attack margarita’. It was a kitschy drink where you pour grenadine into way too much sweet and sour mix from a plastic shark. I tweaked the recipe and it started out ok until the grenadine kicked in,then it turned out almost undrinkable. Now,there was a ’70’s movie called ‘Blue Water,White Death’ that was supposed to be a great white shark documentary,and that was also a hot mess. So I decided to fix this drink and name it after the movie to try and redeem both. The drink is a pretty bright turquoise with the grenadine giving it the ‘blood in the water’ look,and the tequila gives it plenty of bite. It’s very tequila forward,so use the good stuff(I used 1800) with a light taste that goes back and forth between tart and sweet. Only use about six to eight drops of grenadine;too much and it will overwhelm the drink and make it too sweet. And remember the old reel,“one tequila,two tequila,three tequila,floor”;this drink will sneak up and bite you like a great white hitting a seal.

    So enjoy Sharkfest folks,and have fun at the beach.

  • Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water….

    So the bad news is the weather in DC is in the 90’s with humidity in the stupids,which means I’m not leaving my apt on my days off. The good news is it’s time for National Geographic’s Sharkfest again,so I’ve got plenty of TV to watch! And of course I need a cocktail to sip while sitting on the couch,so I give you more shark-themed Tiki Drinks. Enjoy!

    Last year I did a drink called the Shark Bite,which really wasn’t that great. Blood in the Water is a riff on the Shark Bite,and the recipes I found didn’t sound any better,so I decided to play with it. The result:

    Mix #202 Giltron’s Blood in the Water

    1oz light overproof rum*
    1/2oz Cherry Heering
    1/2oz blue curacao
    1/4oz lime juice
    1/4oz lemon juice
    1/2oz simple syrup

    Shake everything except Heering with ice and pour into double old fashioned glass. Drizzle Heering on top.

    *I used Wray & Nephew.

    My riff is a bit tart,but not too sour,and the overproof gives it the bite you want in a shark-themed drink. Much better than last year’s mixing. It has the bloody water look to it until the Heering mixes in,so if you’re picky about how your drink looks,use a mug.

    Mix #203 Quint’s Grog

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

    Shake everything but soda with ice and pour into mug. Top with soda.

    From Trader Brandon comes a Navy Grog riff. Okay,technically all he did was swap in flavored club soda,but Jaws was a good movie and Quint was cool so here it is. Tastes just like a regular Navy Grog but the grapefruit comes forward more. And it’s got plenty of bite.

    Mix #204 Don’s Shark Tooth

    1oz gold rum
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz pineapple juice
    2tsp simple syrup
    1tsp syrup from Maraschino cherries*
    1oz dark Jamaican rum

    Blend everything except dark rum with ice and pour into glass. Float dark rum just before drinking.

    *I used Cherry Heering.

    Last year I mentioned that Don Beach had his own version of the Shark Tooth,and this is it. It has a nice sweet/tart balance with a cherry finish. Another Don classic.

    Mix #205 WP’s Shark Tooth

    1oz Plantation 5yr Barbados rum
    1oz Appleton Estate 12yr rum
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz cinnamon syrup
    1/4oz Maraschino liqueur*
    1/2oz 151 Demerara rum

    Shake everything except 151 with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass. Float 151 on top.

    *I used Cherry Heering.

    From Facebook comes Wayne Philipp’s riff on the Shark Tooth. Very cinnamon-y with some tart and plenty of bite. I used Heering,proper Maraschino would’ve made it a bit sweeter. I good strong drink for cinnamon fans.

    Mix #206 Tiger Shark

    1/2oz gold Puerto Rican rum
    1/2oz white Puerto Rican rum
    1/2oz 151 Demerara rum
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz simple syrup

    Blend with ice and pour into mug.

    From the former 1950’s China Trader of Burbank,CA this is a classic Tiki drink with bite. A bit tart for me,but classic fans will dig it.

    So kick back with a cocktail and tune in to Shark Fest,just remember to keep your hands and feet in the boat!