Giltron's Mixings

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  • 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!

  • A double century.

    Well,here we are folks,my two hundredth mixing. It’s been a long journey,and I’d just like to pause for a moment to thank my poor liver,which has been by my side(well,actually in my side) through the whole ordeal with nary a complaint(unlike my head,which has complained a few times). For #200 I chose a drink from the famous Tiki-ti,an LA icon since 1961. Established by Ray Buhen,it’s still open and still family owned. If you ever find yourself in the City of Angels,you should definitely make the pilgrimage here.

    The drink is the infamous Puka Punch.

    I say infamous because not only does it pack a punch,but it was described by a Reddit poster as one of the biggest pains in the butt he’d ever made due to the list of eleven ingredients. Of course this didn’t put off your Uncle Giltron;I’ve survived multiple Zombies and the mighty Boo Loo,and my extensive inventory of mixers includes everything I needed. So without further ado,I present to you my two hundredth mixing. Enjoy!

    Mix #200 Puka Punch

    2oz light rum
    1oz dark rum
    1/2oz overproof rum
    1oz orange juice
    1oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz lime juice
    3/4oz passionfruit syrup
    1/2oz honey syrup
    1/2oz simple syrup
    1/4oz falernum
    2 dashes Angostura bitters

    Shake everything except overproof rum with ice and pour into brandy snifter. Float overproof on top.

    Very sweet,with honey in the body and a touch of spice in the finish. And with all that rum it’s quite strong. For my rums I used Plantation 3 Star,Coruba,and Plantation OFTD. Lemon Hart 151 would’ve normally been my choice for an overproof float,but I decided to cut my liver and head a break on this one. Like the Boo Loo,this goes down real easy and the rum will sneak up on you if you’re not careful. This is also not a drink you’d want more than one of,as all that rum and sweet will hang you over. But it’s perfect if you’re just sitting on the couch watching old black & white movies and want a nice buzz. It will improve the cheesy old special effects.

    Hope you enjoy my bicentennial mixing. I’m sure I can find enough recipes to take this blog to 300,so stay tuned. Mahalo!

  • 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!

  • Summer in the City.

    It’s Summer in DC and with the heat and humidity climbing,a cool drink is just what you need. And if there’s some alcohol in it,that’ll just add to the fun. For this installment,I decided to go ‘Tiki adjacent’ with two of the five hottest summer drinks according to local bartenders. They might not be exactly Tiki,but the ingredients and flavors are what you would expect from good drinks at a proper Tiki bar. Enjoy!

    Mix #194 Something Blue

    2oz blanco tequila
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/2oz amaretto*
    1/4oz blue curacao
    1/4oz Demerara syrup
    black salt

    Salt the rim of a glass. Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into glass.

    *I used ‎Disaronno.

    From bartender Darlin Kulla at The Grill,this margarita riff is very tequila forward and citrus-y tart. I actually added another quarter ounce of Demerara syrup. I also didn’t salt the rim of my glass(not my thing). If you like tequila margaritas,give this a try. The blue color also makes for a cool looking party drink.

    Mix #195 MF Zucca

    2oz spiced rum
    3/4oz passionfruit syrup
    1/4oz amaro*
    1/4oz lime juice

    Shake with plenty of ice and pour into glass.

    *I used Aperol.

    Created by bartender Danny Gonzalez of Maketto,this is a very interesting drink. It’s bitter on the nose,but very sweet tasting. Very nice. A complex tasting drink you could serve at parties to impress your guests. I used Sugar Hill spiced rum,but it’s no longer available. I look forward to trying this with other spiced rums. I think it would be a good test bed for checking out the taste of a spiced rum in a cocktail. BTW,in case you’re wondering where the drink’s name comes from,the bar uses Rabarbaro Zucca as their amaro.

    So Summer heat may be here,but there is relief. Stay cool folks.

  • Passion for fassion.

    Fassionola,also known as passionola,is a sweet syrup used in some Tiki drink recipes. It’s bright red like grenadine,but much more berry flavored. It is a bit rare though,as only a couple companies make it. Part of this has to do with the crazy history of the stuff.

    It is believed to have been created around 1916 by a German immigrant named Victor Kremer. He was a druggist,and back then drug stores often contained a soda bar. Victor and his wife created a passionfruit flavored syrup for sodas and ice cream. It was originally called Passiflora,then the name was changed to Passionola. It was made in three colors: red,which was berry flavored,gold,which was passionfruit flavored,and green,which was lime flavored. At the time it was pretty much just used for soda and ice cream,although it and other flavorings were used to make drug cocktails as well(ever wonder where the ‘coke’ in Coca-Cola came from?). Several companies were involved in producing it,but it wasn’t until around 1956 when the Jonathan English Company took up the mantle,and they continue to produce it today. Don Beach is sometimes credited with being involved with passionola,but neither he or Trader Vic used the stuff until much later in the ’60’s and ’70’s. Passionola pretty much was out of the realm of Tiki until that time. It also took a hit in the ’60’s,when it became associated with so-called ‘stag pills’:

    (From the upcoming book Fassionola by Martin Lindsay. Doesn’t sound much different from today’s ads,does it?)

    Passionola was mentioned by name in the 1963 Congressional report,Frauds and Quackery Affecting the Older Citizen, Hearings Before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate. A year later,the US patent office granted a patent for fassionola,which helped disassociate the syrup from the scandal. It was after this Don and Vic started using it in some of their drinks,since now it didn’t have a negative connotation. Today it’s being used more and more as an exotic ingredient in modern Tiki drinks. BG Reynolds makes it in limited batches,so you have to get on their mailing list or check their site to see when it’s available. Jonathan English is still making it,in several flavors,but they don’t sell online. You either have to visit them in person,or search for listings on eBay(which is where I acquired mine). There are also a couple of small batch companies making it,but you’ll have to do some searching for them.

    So enough history,let’s get to mixing. Here’s a few Giltron approved recipes I think you’ll like. Enjoy!

    Mix #190 Pi-Yi

    1oz light Cuban rum*
    3.4oz gold Cuban rum*
    1oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz passionola red
    1tsp honey syrup
    1 dash Angostura bitters

    Blend with 6oz crushed ice for five seconds and pour into hollowed-out pineapple.

    *Since Cuban rum is hard to come by,you can substitute Virgin Islands or Puerto Rican rum.

    Created by Donn Beach around 1937,this has a sweet start with a tart finish. No,i didn’t use a hollowed-out pineapple,I’ve done that once already. It’s a nice summer-y drink that’s not too strong.

    Mix #191 Cannibal Cooler

    3/4oz Plantation 3 Star rum
    3/4oz Plantation Original Dark rum
    1/2oz Plantation OFTD
    1.5oz orange juice
    3/4oz lime juice
    3/4oz fassionola
    1/4oz cinnamon syrup
    1.5oz club soda

    Flash blend everything except soda. Pour into tall glass,top with soda and stir.

    Another Jason Alexander creation,it has a nice sweet/tart blend with citrus and a cinnamon finish with plenty of kick. Another excellent cocktail from the master. (bonus cool points if you saw the movie the pic is from)

    Mix #192 Welcome to Georgetown

    1.5oz El Dorado 3
    1/2oz Lemon Hart 151
    1/2oz creme de cacoa
    3/4oz fassionola
    1/2oz lemon juice

    Shake with ice and strain into coupe glass. Add some grated nutmeg to top.

    From master mixologist Brian Maxwell ,this is sweet,the fassionola comes forward and the chocolate finishes with some spice from the nutmeg. The 151 gives it kick. A bit of a foo-foo drink but I liked it.

    Mix #193 Alucard’s Cup Of Blood

    1oz Plantation Isle of Fiji rum
    1oz Wray & Nephew overproof rum
    1oz pineapple juice
    1oz lemon juice
    1/2oz falernum
    1/2oz fassionola
    1 dash Angostura bitters
    1 dash absinthe

    Blend with crushed ice and pour into Mai Tai glass. Garnish with something spooky.

    Created by Facebook user Andrew Campbell,this blood red drink has a nice sweet/tart blend with plenty of funk and plenty of kick. Will definitely bring this back out for Halloween.

    Mix #33 Megalodon

    1oz Lemon Hart 151
    1oz white rum
    1.25oz lime juice
    1oz agave syrup
    1tsp red fassionola

    Blend with a cup of ice for 5sec.

    Just had to repost this since it’s so good it’s in my regular roster of mixes. Delicious with plenty of kick.

    Find a bottle of fassionola and try something new. You can even sub it for grenadine to mix things up. Hipa Hipa,i ke ola!

  • Fangtastic.

    Donn Beach created many famous Tiki drinks. One of the less common ones is the Cobra’s Fang. This is due to the fact that a proper Fang is made with fassionola syrup. Fassionola is a bright red,sweet syrup made from a mixture of fruit juices and was supposed to be the syrup used in the original Hurricane recipe. Today,only a couple companies make proper fassionola making it difficult to find. Grenadine and even Hawaiian Punch have been used as a substitute,but they are not the same. While researching a posting on fassionola syrup,I came across the Fang and decided it needed its own posting. Here is the classic Don the Beachcomber Cobra’s Fang:

    Mix #187 Cobra’s Fang

    1.5oz dark Jamaican rum
    1/2oz 151 Demerara rum
    1/2oz falernum
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz orange juice
    1/2oz fassionola syrup
    1 dash absinthe
    1 dash Angostura bitters

    Flash blend with ice and pour into tall glass. Can also be shaken with ice.

    Sweet and berry flavored,similar to a Hurricane but not as sweet. The falernum and absinthe add some spice to give it complexity,and the 151 gives it some punch. Think of this drink as a civilized Hurricane. A nice summer drink with layers of flavor that gives yo a nice buzz without completely slamming you.

    Of course,as with most classic Tiki drinks,there have been many riffs made over the years. Here a few I’ve enjoyed.

    Mix #188 Mai Kai Cobra Fang

    1oz dark Jamaican rum
    1oz aged Jamaican rum
    3/4oz falernum
    1/2oz fassionola syrup
    1oz orange juice
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/4oz grenadine
    1/4tsp absinthe*
    2 dashes Angostura bitters

    Shake with ice and pour into Zombie glass.

    *About 20-25 drops.

    The Mai Kai’s spin on the classic Cobra’s Fang. It’s less sweet and more citrus-y with a bit less punch. Try both versions and see which you like the best.

    Mix #79 Vampire’s Fang

    1.5oz Plantation OFTD rum
    3/4oz grapefruit juice
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz grenadine
    1/4oz allspice dram
    1 dash Angostura bitters

    Shake with plenty of ice and pour into snifter glass.

    From The Search for Tiki’s 2022 13 Nights of Tiki Frights,it’s citrus-y with a touch of spice. Much less sweet than the classic,it lives up to its namesake thanks to the overproof rum;it will bite you.

    Mix #189 Sidewinder’s Fang

    1oz dark Jamaican rum
    1oz demerara rum
    1.5oz lime juice
    1.5oz orange juice
    1.5oz passionfruit syrup
    3oz club soda

    Shake everything except soda with ice and pour into large snifter glass. Add soda and stir.

    From the former Lanai Restaurant in San Mateo,CA,this was created in the 1960’s. It’s tart and citrus-y with a sweet passionfruit finish. The three ounces of soda water it down a bit,if I were to do it again I would cut it in half. And interesting spin on the classic. If you’re not into sweeter drinks,give it a try.

    So enjoy a Fang drink,but don’t put away your bottle of fassionola just yet. I’m working on a full post featuring the scarlet syrup.

  • Shhh,it’s a secret…

    ‘Don’s Mix’ is a secret ingredient used in many Tiki drinks. That is,it used to be a secret until it was unearthed by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. Donn Beach used to encode all his recipes to prevent rivals from stealing them,so for the longest time no-one knew what his drink and syrup recipes actually contained. Beachbum played Tiki archaeologist and was able to discover that Don’s Mix was a two-to-one ratio of white grapefruit juice and cinnamon syrup. Because of this,many classic Tiki drinks can be properly made as intended. It also features in many modern recipes. White grapefruit can be a bit hard to find,so I’ve used regular red grapefruit and think it tastes just fine. I’ve used Don’s Mix to make classic Zombies,and here are three modern Tiki drinks that feature it.

    Mix #184 Arkham Kula

    1.5oz Plantation Xaymaca rum
    1/2oz Plantation OFTD rum
    3/4oz lime juice
    3/4oz orange juice
    3/4oz Don’s Mix
    1/2oz honey syrup
    1/2oz passionfruit syrup

    Shake or blend with ice and pour into zombie glass.

    From the book Minimalist Tiki and created by Jason Alexander,this is a sweet drink with a bit of cinnamon burn to finish. The OFTD gives it a bit of kick. A nice classic-styled Tiki drink.

    Mix #185 Commando Life

    2oz Plantation Stiggins’ pineapple rum
    1oz Don’s Mix
    3/4oz Giffard Banane Du Bresil liqueur
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/2oz passionfruit syrup

    Shake with plenty of ice and pour into snifter.

    Another Jason Alexander creation from Minimalist Tiki(this guy knows how to make a drink) it’s sweet with a banana/cinnamon finish. A nice summer-y drink.

    Mix #186 Muertito Vivo

    1.5oz aged(8yrs+) dark rum
    1/2oz 151 Demerara rum
    3/4oz Jagermeister
    3/4oz Don’s Mix
    3/4oz lime juice

    Shake with ice and pour into mug.

    From the book,Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails,I decided to try it after reading a posting on Facebook. It turned out to be super tart and very Jager forward. I wound up adding Demerara syrup to finish it. If you like sour and licorice,give this a try,but one-and-done is plenty for me.

    So remember the secret formula to add to your Tiki drinks. Don’t worry,I won’t tell(rule #2).

    Don’s Mix = 2:1 white grapefruit juice to cinnamon syrup

  • 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.

  • Concentrate…con-cen-trate…

    Trader Vic created the Mai Tai in 1944. It’s since become the most famous Tiki drink,and my personal favorite. Normally you would need five ingredients to make one,but Trader Vic has products that will let you do it with only three. Rum,lime juice,and one of their mixers.

    The first is Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Mix. Now,all respect to the Trader’s,but this really isn’t worth getting unless you mean to mix a bunch of drinks for a cookout with non-Tiki people. If Mai Tais are pizzeria pizza,then this is Hot Pockets pizza. It makes Mai Tais that are a bit on the sour side and just aren’t that great. Skip this.

    Next is Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate. This is actually pretty good. Two ounces of rum(two dark or one each of dark and gold),three quarters of an ounce of concentrate,and an ounce of lime juice and you have a passable Mai Tai. Not as good as a scratch made one,but pretty good. Think of it as frozen pizza. If you’re going camping this would be an excellent way to have Mai Tais without dragging along five bottles. The concentrate has also been used to make other Tiki drinks,and here’s a couple that I’ve made.

    Mix #3 TV’s Guava Tai

    1oz gold rum
    1oz light rum
    3/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate(not mix)
    1oz guava juice
    1/2oz lime juice.

    Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

    A guava-flavored Mai Tai. If you like guava,you’ll like this.

    Mix #180 Pinky Gonzalez

    2oz tequila
    3/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate
    1/2oz lime juice

    Shake with ice and pour into mug.

    This Trader Vic creation is basically a tequila Mai Tai. If you like tequila,give it a try. They even have a Cinco de Mayo glass just for it.

    Mix #181 Moku Nani(Beautiful Island)

    1oz light rum
    1oz dark rum
    1/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate
    1/4oz orange curacao
    1.5oz orange juice
    1oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz lemon juice
    1/4oz lime juice
    1/4oz passionfruit syrup

    Flash blend with ice and pour into Green Marine Tumbler.

    Tart and citrus-y,this would be a good drink for a hot day.

    Mix #182 Drum of Ku

    1.5oz 151 rum
    1/2oz sloe gin
    3/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate
    1.5oz cranberry juice
    3/4oz lemon juice
    1/4oz lime juice
    2 dashes Angostura bitters

    Flash blend with ice and pour into mug.

    Woof. With an ounce and a half of 151,your head will beat like a drum if you have more than two of these. This is slightly tart with the cranberry juice coming forward and a Mai Tai finish. Quite good but very strong.

    So concentrate on your mixings. It may not help you to find enlightenment,but you’ll have some stories to tell.

  • 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.