This Blog has "Gone to Hell"

     No, I didn't just make a pun out of a title, I went there in July.   Hell is a little wide spot in the road in the West End of Grand Cayman.    As I left Georgetown and headed up to West End, I found myself "on the road to Hell"

    

     "Whatever lies behind the name, it’s definitely an appropriate one. The black, jagged rock formation gives an intimidating impression of what Hell may be like.   These jagged rock formations occupy an area around half the size of a soccer field. Walking  among the rocks is no longer permitted, to prevent any further damage to the site.    However, two observation platforms give a fascinating view of Dante's Landscape.

     The rock outcrops are not lava, despite the appearance of same. They are limestone and dolomite that has been eroded over the years by algae.  The resultant land form is called a phytokarst. The algae attacks the calcium in the limestone leaving "the devil's garden" made up of the harder dolomite. These shapes are what you can see in Hell today. There is no more erosion expected, because the algae requires water to stay alive. The rock was originally bright white in color, but has been blackened by the algae, giving rise to its devilish look today.

     The Hell Post Office is one of the biggest attractions in Hell.  You can send all of your friends a "Post Card from Hell", as I did and so many others as well.   All in all quite a unique experience, "going to Hell".  I guess you can say it was a "Hell of an experience".   Maybe I need to "get the Hell out of here" and put this blog to bed.
 

More Ideas from Vintage Cocktails with Rum

     Last week I worked with some of the vintage Vodka Cocktails and substituted rums.   I was very pleased with the results, so this week it is Bourbon's turn.   I have done this before, with Mount Gay Black Barrel and XO to yield some very interesting and flavorful libations.   Today I'm going to try this with a Panamanian rum called "Zafra".  This rum is very well suited to the task, it has great bourbon notes and other fine attributes that make it perfect for the cocktails.

     As most origins of the older cocktails go, there are a several versions of how the “Sidecar” originated.   One version, says that it was developed in a Paris bistro during World War I by a barman for an American Army captain in Paris "and named after the motorcycle sidecar in which the good captain was driven to and from the little bistro where the drink was born and christened".     It seems that the cocktail was a huge hit at “Harry’s Bar in Paris as well.   Like many other cocktails out of the past, there are several theories and tales of their origins, but the cocktail is what really matters and not who created it.




Zafra Sidecar

• 1 oz. Zafra Master Reserve Rum
• 1/4 oz. Cointreau
• 2 oz. Sweet and Sour

Place all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled.    Strain into a chilled Martini Glass with a sugared rim (Sugar in the Raw).  Garnish with an orange zest.

    Try some other rums if you like, but look for the strong bourbon or cognac notes in the rum.   Just one note the original was said to be made with cognac or brandy, this later became bourbon in the 1940's.   Anyway try this version I think you will really enjoy it.

Pilar and Cojimar

     Papa Hemingway would spend much of his life in pursuit of game fish all over the Caribbean and Atlantic Oceans.   He has been pictured in Joe Russell's boat "Anita", and many others. but the majority of his fishing time was aboard his prized fishing yacht "Pilar".     Though purchased while living in Key West, most of her productive days were spent in Cuba.     Cojimar, the little fishing village just to the east of Havana was her home for many many years.

     There is a painting in the La Terraza de Cojimar Restaurante and Bar that shows her sitting just off of the dock and the Spanish built fort used to protect the eastern side of the bay from attacks by pirates and war ships.

     After their fishing expeditions Hemingway and Captain Fuentes could be found at the La Terraza de Cojimar  enjoying some great food, drink and sharing their stories with the rest of the local crowd of fishermen and friends.

     Today Pilar stands fully restored at Hemingway's home in San Francisco de Paula, Cuba.  Hemingway and his Captain Fuentes seats are preserved at the restaurant and bar they so regularly would hang out.

     Old Man and the Sea became a Nobel Prize winner and the town still remains a sleepy little fishing village with a very colorful past.   It still has the warmth and friendly people that drew Hemingway to it in the 1940's.   ;o)

That's Right, Ian's Alley Rum!

Mancos Valley Distillery
 

     Ian's Alley Rum is very interesting small batch craft rum made in the mountains of Colorado.     Mancos Valley Distillery is the dream come true of Ian James, who spent two decades as a commercial brewer in Durango and Cortex, Colorado.   Economics and the real world facts of too many craft breweries in the area pushed him toward building the distillery.   Hidden in the back alley, Ian's homemade still produces a very nice white rum.   The still is located in the back room of the bar that serves many fine "boat drinks", made from his craft rums made in the back room.   The bar also has live entertainment  on a regular basis.

     The rum is made from evaporated cane juice and pure Rocky Mountain snow melt.  The mash is fermented on site in an manner that combines the old world with modern technology to make this very interesting rum.     The process is carried out by Ian.  From the cane to the bottling of this rum takes about two weeks.   It is processed in five copper clad pots that were made from pieces and parts he had collected over the years as a brewer.   The "cane wine" is double distilled in pot stills and then past through a third polishing still before bringing it down to 80 proof and bottling.  The initial 75 gallons of mash yields about seven cases of Ian's Alley Rum.  The process was worked out by Ian in a "trial and error" method, but the results are worth the efforts.


     This is the product of a small town, it also is a very nice and smooth white rum that I find very refreshing in this era of sugared and flavoring to hide the low quality of many distillates out there on the market.   Ian's Alley Rum has a very distinct flavor with hints of an agricole influence, made from evaporated sugar cane juice, instead of molasses, yielding a flavor that is sweet and still pretty neutral.  The finish is clean and has virtually no burn.   Ian's Alley Rum is a great rum for mixing, and is also available as a spiced rum.   There is also a coffee liqueur that is made there as well.


    Pretty impressive products from this 7,000 foot high town in the Mancos Valley of Colorado.   I'm not going to say it, but this is truly a "Rocky Mountain High".  ;o)

Brugal's Especial Extra Dry

     I've been working with a lot of Vodka recipes and converting them to made with rum.   One of the problems with the conversion has been finding a rum that isn't to sweet.   I've finally run across the answer to the problem.  Brugal's Especial Extra Dry, the perfect white rum for making cocktails like martinis, cosmos, or any other of the dryer vodka cocktails.  

     This is a crystal clear dry rum that is absolutely perfect for mixing your sophisticated dry cocktails.  I've been experimenting with several new and classic ideas, Especial has made the change over is seamless.  Just use the Brugal Especial Extra Dry instead of the vodka and you will be amazed at the flavor and smoothness of your new found cocktails.

    I got a hold of a fresh cucumber the other day and started doing some experimenting with it along with the Brugal Especial Extra Dry and found a really tasty combination.





Cucumber Especial

• 2 oz. Brugal Especial Extra Dry
• 2 Cucumber Slices
• 3/4 oz. Agave Nectar
• Juice of 1/2 Lime

Lightly muddle the cucumber, agave nectar and the lime juice in a shaker, add the rum and shake until chilled.  Strain into a Martini Glass and garnish with a cucumber slice floated on the surface.

     This is a very light and unique tasting cocktail that I found very refreshing and perfect for an after work cocktail on the aft deck at sunset. 

Frangipani

     The "Frangipani" is another of the 50's era cocktails that has been bounced around and cynicized as a "dumbed-down Hemingway Daiquiri", but upon examination of this cocktail you will find it to be a different and enjoyable cocktail.  The addition of more grapefruit juice replacing the lime and the addition of sweetener in some versions makes this a very different experience.   There is very little information on this cocktail out there on the web, but it seems to appear every now an then in the historical cocktail discussions.

     I've found two very different recipes for this delicate cocktail, and I do have to admit, both sound very interesting.

Gourmet Frangipani

• 1 oz. Golden Rum (Good Aged one)
• 1 oz. Grapefruit Juice
• 3 dashes of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

Place all ingredients in a shaker with cracked ice and shake until chilled.   Strain into a Martini Glass and serve.

     The second version is significantly different, in that it is made with pineapple juice instead of Grapefruit Juice.

Frangipani #2

• 1 oz. Golden Rum (Good Aged One)
• 1 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 3 dashes of Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

Place all ingredients in a shaker with cracked ice and shake until chilled.   Strain into a Martini Glass and serve.

     the two recipes yield very different cocktail flavors.  The Frangipani #2 is much sweeter and it is easy to over do it with the Luxardo.   The Gourmet Frangipani is really tart like a Hemingway Daiquiri, but the flavor is significantly different.   Don't be afraid to add a few drops of cane syrup or agave nectar if it is too tart for your palate.  Try both of them, and see where it takes your taste buds.  ;o)
    

Non-Essential Government Functions

 This morning I found an article in the Fayetetville Observer that I found very interesting and would like to share with you.    It deals with the government shut down and "non-essential" government functions.   I too if they are really "non-essential" why is our government wasting the hard earned tax payer's dollars on it.   In this particular case alcohol research.   
Prohibition was repealed on the 5th of December, 1933, and there is still way too much money being spent to further limit the free choice of the people of the United States.   It is illegal to serve alcohol to minors or persons with known alcohol addiction, in addition it is illegal to drive a vehicle with a blood alcohol level over.08%.  That pretty much covers the subject.

Op-ed: Anti-alcohol research should be cut

 

By Edward Peter Stringham

 

During sequestration, thousands of nonessential government workers have been told not to show up for work. My question is, why should government be doing anything nonessential in the first place? 

I can think of a million nonessential things that government should stop doing, but let me focus on one. 

Eighty years after the end of Prohibition, the government hires scores to "scientists" to study whether there should be restrictions on drinking. Despite the scientific language of their arguments, much of their arguments are driven by a moralistic set of assumptions against alcohol. (Let us put aside, for the moment, that Jesus' first miracle was turning water into wine.) 

Take, for example, the "Cost of Alcohol" study recently developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Such studies routinely make fanciful claims about how alcohol is bad and costs the economy an astronomical $220 billion. Their estimates include not just the cost of problem drinkers but how drinking decreases productivity. (Let us put aside, for the moment, that my research of 10,000 Americans found that drinkers earn 10 to 14 percent more money than otherwise similar nondrinkers.) Their studies are usually accompanied by proposals to tax, regulate and restrict alcohol. 

As an economist, the methodological flaws in the CDC estimates have often surprised me, and I have long wondered why government agencies could fund such bad research. 

But, then I came across a statement published by Thomas Babor, a well-known practitioner within the public-health industry. In Babor's own words, "In a democracy, politicians and policymakers often need to be shamed into doing the right thing, and costs to society have the ability to shame, blame and even defame." 

Every once in a while, true motivation is revealed. Concerns for accuracy and proper methodology are secondary. The cost of alcohol estimates are not designed to be accurate - they are designed to "shame, blame and defame." 

Babor and other advocates are deciding for us what the "right thing" is, and science to them is not a factor. Far from being analytically valid, societal cost of alcohol estimates are really just lobbying numbers. One would think the CDC would have better things to do with scarce resources. Every dollar spent on "cost of anything" studies by the CDC is a dollar taken from taxpayers or a dollar that adds to the trillions of dollars of government debt. 

 

You can read more at http://www.fayobserver.com/articles/2013/07/21/1270479   .

 

     I think if some thought was given to this kind of waste by our government officials a lot of the problems that we are facing right now would be reduced.     Government of the people and by the people is a great thing, but "government manipulating the people" is a "train wreck".

Thank You for Sharing

     Southern Wine and Spirits, America has just announced the participation and pledged support of the Florida tax Credit Scholarship Program.   This is a very admirable gesture on behalf of this fine spirits industry company.  It makes me proud to be a part of an industry that is still helping out others in a slow economy

     "Southern Wines & Spirits of America pledged $25 million to help schools by donating to Step Up For Students this year.

 

      The Miami-based company, the second-largest private company in South Florida, is supporting the nonprofit through the Florida Tax Credit Scholarship Program.

 

     On Friday, Southern Wine & Spirits President and COO Wayne E. Chaplin visited Yeshiva Elementary School in Miami Beach to honor award-winning teacher Dana Sostchin.

 

     "Through our support of Step Up For Students scholarships, our company has helped more than 13,000 students attend schools like Yeshiva Elementary," he said.

 

     Southern Wine & Spirits has donated $60 million to Step Up For Students since 2010."   

     It is the caring for the people of our communities that makes this country strong, and I think that it is a great thing that Southern Wine and Spirits has done by making the donations to this program.   ;o)                                    '

    

 

 

 

 

1000th Post

Sampling Abuelo Centuria at the aging bodega in Pese, Panama

    Today marks a mile stone for Bahama Bob's Rumstyles, this is the 1000th post for the blog in just a little under three years.   It has been a lot of fun covering the wide variety of subjects and places that I probably would not have visited if not for collecting information to bring you in the blog.

      I've had the opportunity to sip Abuelo Centuria from the barrels of the solera in Panama.  Plus tour the distillery and be their guest for a week in order to know the operation better.

Tasting fine Diplomatico Rums at Hacienda Sururo

     I've been able to meet great blenders and distillers like Richard L. Seale, Tito Cordero, and Don Pancho Fernandez and call them my friends.  Along with so many more people and places that I probably would never have seen.    

    In the past three years I have visited more distilleries on more islands and countries than I would have ever believed existed before then.  From Puerto Rico, to Trinidad and many islands in between and from Venezuela to Panama and even Cuba and Grand Cayman.

Rum Shop in Bridgetown, Barbados

     It has been a blast sharing the back country of Key West to the Rum Shops of Barbados, along with a good number of back yard bars and Rum Labs with all of you.   Three years of adventures with the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival, has been an experience like no other.  It has been a chance to sample rums and visit with so many of the people in this industry that make the world of rum happen.

     I think about all the experiences that I have had in the past 3 three years and one of the most exciting has been the chance to visit Cuba and follow the trail left by Ernest Hemingway as he lived very large in the Havana area.  Places like El Floridita, Sloppy Joe's, La Bodeguita del Medio, Ambros Mundos, Finca la Vigia, and Cojimar ( Fishing Village).   The chance to see Pilar and so many more of the things that made Ernest Hemingway such a special person.   

     It was everything from the opportunities to meet so many special people and being able to be behind the bar at so many famous watering holes.  It was a thrill to stand behind the bar at the Bacardi Building in Havana.

    I would be remiss if I didn't take this time to Thank Mike Streeter and Robert and Robin Burr for getting me into the wonderful world of rum and urging me to start this blog.   Hopefully there will be a thousand more to come.   Thanks to all of you for sticking with me on this adventure.   ;o)

.

 

Stormy Mornings

     Sometimes the massive clouds of a morning thunder storm are very beautiful, yesterday morning these babies were dancing around and banging into each other making all kinds of noises.   Then the rain started and filled a bucket or two, thank goodness, I was still in the office and not out riding the scooter to work.   I guess that a little bit of rain, (about and inch and a half) has to fall into all of our lives once in a while.  ;o)

Rum for a Sazerac?

     I ran across an old 1950's era cocktail book the other day and I thought about how many of these old cocktails could be resurrected and brought back into the modern era of cocktails.   Rum being my primary interest, I try to make sure that it is being used as the primary spirit in the mix.   I had a customer come into the Rum Bar the other day asking for a Sazerac.   As I made the cocktail I thought there are a number of rums out there with notes of Cognac and it got my pea brain churning on how to make this classic cocktail a rum based cocktail for today.

       The Sazerac cocktail first appeared in the early 1800's when Antoine Amedee Peychaud mixed Cognac with his Peychaud bitters. By 1859 the cocktail became the signature cocktail of the Sazerac Coffee House in New Orleans.   The Sazerac name was taken from the coffee house that made it so famous.  The exact reason for the substitution of rye whiskey for the Cognac in later years is unclear, but price and availability of Cognac vs Whiskey may have had something to do with it.  The whiskey base version is generally what is used today.   The cocktail had a huge resurgence in the 1950's, an still to this day will be requested.

    Here is what I am thinking.   Take a rum like Abuelo 7 Anos that has definite notes of cognac as a base for the Rum Sazerac, I think that this exquisite rum would really make for a fine cocktail, especially one that there are not a lot of other flavors added to bury the fine flavor of the rum.


Ron Abuelo 7 Rum Sazerac

• 2 oz. Ron Abuelo 7 Anos Rum
• Dash of  Fee Brothers Old Fashion Bitters
• Lemon Zest

Place the rum and the bitters in a shaker half filled with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled.  Place a few drops of Absinthe in the Old Fashion Glass and swirl and dump it out.   Strain into the Old Fashion Glass and add a twisted lemon zest and serve immediately.

     I think you will find this cocktail very interesting and enjoyable.  The complex flavors seem to work very well.   Give this one a try, I feel like you will really enjoy it.  ;o)
   

Undisturbed

   With a little more time, it is easier to explore some of the more remote keys to the north and to the west.  I love the little oddities that I always find as I roam around these places.   It is the unusual that always catches my eye as I wander around on the land or drift around the perimeter.
Here are some photos of  just what I am talking about.  Take a trip with your eyes and see all that you can find by looking a little deeper that just scanning the surface of this world.  Enjoy the excursion.  ;o)

Sang Som Rum Another Rum From Thailand

       Sang Som Special Rum is a newer brand making it's first appearance in November of 1977.  It is not an unknown brand though, currently holds a position of 70% of the rum sales in Thailand and again beginning to be seen internationally as well.   Sang Som is the flagship brand of Thai Beverage Plc.. Thai Beverage, Plc. also produces Mekhong, Ruang Khao, and Sang Som Gold Medallion, all made from sugar cane.  My friend Jack DeVan brought me this bottle back from his visit to Thailand last month.  

     Sang Som has won gold medals in Madrid in 1982, 1983, and 2006 Dusseldorf in 1983, these medals are prominently displayed on the label.

    The rum is made from crushed sugar cane and aged in whiskey and bourbon barrels.  You pick up the classic grassy notes immediately with sweeter dried fruit later.   The sweet palate is natural and not unlike some of the better agricoles.  It has a warm finish that is smooth and very long lasting.

   A very nice surprise and I can understand why it has won so many gold metals.  ;o)

What has Prohibition Brought to America?

     Prohibition, "the noble experiment" brought a lot of really problem some things to this country.  Among them were organized crime growth, bootlegging, rum running, and the turning of "law biding citizens into outlaws.

  "This should have come as no surprise with a venture as experimental as Prohibition. It is no mistake that President Herbert Hoover's 1928 description of Prohibition as "a great social and economic experiment, noble in motive and far-reaching in purpose" entered the popular lexicon as "the noble experiment." It was unfortunate for the entire nation that the experiment failed as miserably as it did."

     One of the areas that wasn't thought out very well was the economics of eliminating alcohol was the loss of the alcohol tax revenue that the government operated on.  It didn't take into consideration the cost of enforcement of Prohibition.    What it did is put an even larger burden on the working Americans to enforce laws that were very unpopular.     It also led to the closing of brewery's, and distilleries and saloons putting many thousands of people out of work.    It was expected that Americans would flock to more wholesome entertainment with the closing of the bars and saloons, but that blew up in the faces of the law makers.   Everything declined and many theaters and restaurants failed without the  availability to sell beer and other spirits.

     There was a new growth industry that paid no income taxes that was a direct result of Prohibition.   Organized Crime, the mobs of New York, Detroit, and Chicago got into the liquor business and with a chain of speakeasy establishments serving spirits , food and great entertainment, drew the average liquor loving public in in droves.    

    This led to the very expensive "cat and mouse game" between the federal agents and the bootleggers and rum runners.   The federal government not only lost 11 billions in alcohol tax revenues, but spent nearly 300,000,000 trying to enforce the Volstead Act.
New York funded nearly 75% of the state's operations with alcohol taxes.   The most lasting result of Prohibition is the federal government came to rely on income taxes to fund their operations.

    Much like today's marijuana laws, pharmacist's could dispense whiskey for medical reasons by prescription for any number of ailments.   Wine could also be gotten for religious purposes there was a large  growth in the church and synagogues.  There were a lot of self proclaimed rabbis and preaches that would obtain wine for their congregations.

     There was a lot of glamour in the stories of rum running and the Speakeasy's, but all in all Prohibition did a lot of damage to the country that really hasn't completely gone away nearly a hundred years later.     The biggest thing that repeal did was to give the Feds back the alcohol taxes and more money to spend without any relief to the working people in the income tax areas.  

   The corruption of the federal, state and local officials that were accepting or tempted to accept bribes to look the other way. The purpose of prohibition was to encourage temperance, but rather it made the problem of alcohol abuse even worse.   The huge expansion of illegal liquor trade made outlaws out of millions of Americans.  The decade of Prohibition did little more than fill the jails and courtrooms.  It would take about a year before anyone would get to trial.  This was the start of the "plea bargain" to clear the court's hundreds and hundreds of cases.   All of these wonderful events of the era and Americans were actually drinking more than before Prohibition.

    

Dockside Mai Tai

     We are headed for the final tepid days of fall and into the chilly days of winter.  Here is an idea for a dockside of poolside cocktail that has it's roots in the 50's.  This is a simple recipe that doesn't require a lot of expensive or hard to find ingredients.   You can sit on the aft deck and watch the sunset as you enjoy this very tasty cocktail.    Don't get carried away with new ideas on this vintage cocktail until you make it like it was suppose to be made and you enjoy the classic refreshing flavor.   Fee Brothers Orgeat is available at many liquor stores and Sugar in the Raw Syrup is usually right above Sugar in the Raw in the sugar section of your local grocery store.

Dockside Mai Tai

·         1 1/2 oz. White  Rum

·         1 1/2 oz. Dark Rum

·         1 oz. Orgeat Syrup

·         1 oz. Triple Sec

·         1/4 oz. Sugar in the Raw Syrup

·         1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice (Squeeze it)

·         Splash of Club Soda 

Place all ingredients except the Club Soda in a shaker filled with ice and shake thoroughly.   Strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice.   Garnish with an orange zest, a lime and a sprig of mint.

 

     Sit back and enjoy the end of the warm for another year.   ;o)

 

Reflections

     Reflections are a very important part of our lives.  They show us how things are from the other side.  There is an intrinsic beauty that we see in the reflection of the sky in the water or yourself in the mirror.   Your reflection on your life will guide you through the next portion of life and make things better if you listen then act.  ;o)

Taildrager Amber Rum: Pure Rum Personified

Vintage Taildragger, brings back thoughts of Amber Rum

  Taildragger Amber is pure rum personified, It is distilled then aged for six months in rye whiskey barrels and bottled.  There is no filtering to take the flavor or color out of it.   Made from a high grade "Cane Juice Molasses" (first boil in the sugar process) to attain a bit of the agricole style flavor to the expression.   You can smelt he grassy aromas of Taildragger Amber right off the bat.



     This is a rum that will take you to a remote isle in the Caribbean and offers you the feeling of freedom and escape that keeps you in a great and happy mood.   Taildragger Amber is a small batch, hand crafted rum that gives you flavors that can only be achieved through this method of distillation.

     This is a fine young rum, you can pick up aromas of grassy cane, caramel, nuts, dried bananas and some other spices.  On the palate, it has a very smooth, fruity, medium bodied flavor, and slides into a somewhat dry or maybe semi sweet finish. 

     Taildragger Amber is good replacement for white rum in many traditional rum cocktails including Cuba Libre's, Mojito's, or Daiquiri's.   I feel that this very shippable rum, I like it best with a cube or two of ice to open up the flavor and sets the mood for an easy relaxing evening of the aft deck at sunset.  ;o)

Best Ways to Get the Barman's Attention

     According to a group of German behavioural scientists, body language rather than waiving arms or wallets will get you noticed faster.     I know that waiting for your cocktail in a busy bar environment can be very frustrating.   As a barman, I know that my focus has to be split between making the drinks to my high standards and keeping track of who is next to be served.     When the bar is full and there are a lot of people wanting their drinks, there are almost always the impatient ones who try to but in ahead of so many others.     Most of them show their impatience with their body language, usually shoulders back and crossed arms, but it is of no avail for me I believe first in first out.   The bar I work at is a "crafts cocktail bar", meaning the cocktails take a bit longer to create.  If the people in their are impatient, they in the wrong place.  It is like a good restaurant, quality takes a little more time and there are no short cuts.

     The study showed that the most effective method of getting the barman's attention is to "belly up" to the bar and turn towards the barman.   In my own experience I find it hard at times to tell who is next, if there are a few spaces at the bar, someone will crowd in and complicate the process of determining who is actually next.  The waiver I find to be very aggravating,  usually they are the ones that have no respect for others and of the "Me" beliefs.  Even if you take care of them out of sequence they rarely tip or even say "thanks". I tend to ignore a person waiving their hands behind several people that are patiently waiting their turns there is no gain, I really might even skip over them when it is actually their turn because the aggravated me.  .

Tough crowd

    The study used a robot barman to collect the data and of the 150 customers the robot waited on in Edinburgh, UK, Herford and Bielfeld, 
Germany, only 15 waived their wallets and 25 gestured to the barman.   90% were content to work their way up to the bar and watch the barman until they could be waited on.   One of the other problems in a bar is that it is sometimes hard to distinguish between those who are just standing and talking and those that wish to be served.  This is also complicated by the dim lighting, noise and multiple customers all competing for the attention of the barman.   The process almost becomes a contest to see who can get the barman's attention first.  

     I try to keep the guests in the order that they arrive, but there are times especially when there is a large order that requires complicated cocktails to be made and a big crowd in the bar, I loose track of who is truly next.   It is usually the body language that will get my attention next, but there might be a pretty lady that holds my eye as well.  All I can say is that if you are a little patient, after all if you are in a bar on an island, you should be able to slow down to "Island Time" and enjoy the experience.  Quality cocktails take a little more time, be patient, the wait is worthwhile for what you will receive.  ;o)

   

    
 

Cocktails that Replace Vodka with Rum

     The cocktail books are loaded with recipes that are made with vodka that can be greatly improved with the use of the right rum instead of vodka.   One rum comes to mind for this purpose.  That one is Brugal Especial Extra Dry.

     I was first introduced to the Brugal Especial Extra Dry rum a little over a year ago at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival.   This is a great rum for cocktails that call for vodka or white rum.   Extra Dry is for the person that likes a very dry premium cocktail and not one with all of the added caramel, vanilla or sugar that many of the white rums are using these days.  Extra Dry is a clean pure rum perfect for your most discriminating cocktails.

     "A cask-aged white rum that lives up to the dry Brugal house style, Brugal Extra Dry invites one to rethink his or her perception not only of white rum, but of rum in general. Brugal’s proprietary double-distillation technique creates a dry and clean spirit with fewer of the heavy alcohols that lend other rums their sweeter profiles. This blend of rums – aged a minimum of 2 years up to 5 years in White American Oak casks – is triple charcoal filtered to achieve exquisite clarity and conjures a velvety mouth feel as a result of an exceptional aging process."

 

     Two Cocktails come to mind when I think about Brugal Especial Extra Dry, The Brugal Cosmo and a Extra Dry Dirty Martini.

 

Brugal Cosmo

• 2 oz. Brugal Especial Extra Dry Rum
• 1 oz. Cointreau
• Splash of Cranberry Juice 
• Juice of 1/2 Lime

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.  Strain into a Martini Glass and garnish with an orange zest.

 

 

Extra Dry Dirty Martini

• 2 oz. Brugal Especial Extra Dry Rum
• 1 oz. Extra Dry Vermouth
• 2 table spoons of Olive Juice

Place all ingredients into a shake and shake until really cold.   Strain into a Martini Glass and garnish with two olives.