Hemingway Days here in Key West Starts Tomorrow

32nd ANNUAL HEMINGWAY DAYS SET FOR JULY 17-22, 2012

KEY WEST, Florida Keys — Whether composing novels in his Whitehead Street writing studio or fishing for big game in local waters, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway left a powerful legacy in Key West. His zest for life, literary accomplishments and enduring affection for the island he called home throughout the 1930s are to be commemorated Tuesday through Sunday, July 17-22, 2012, during the annual Hemingway Days celebration.

Scheduled events include a look-alike contest for stocky white-bearded men resembling Hemingway, readings and book signings, an awards ceremony for the renowned literary competition directed by author and Hemingway granddaughter Lorian Hemingway, a commemoration of the 113th anniversary of Ernest's July 21 birth, a one-man play exploring the literary legend's life and motivations, a museum exhibit of rare Hemingway memorabilia, a zany "Running of the Bulls" and a three-day marlin tournament recalling Hemingway's devotion to the deep-sea sport.

During his Key West residence, Ernest Hemingway wrote some of his most enduring works and spent his leisure hours fishing and socializing with local and literary cohorts. Each year, fans of his writing and exuberant lifestyle come together for Hemingway Days.

     The schedule for the event is below, so come and enjoy the events starting tomorrow here in Key West. 

                                                                                                                                                  

      

DAILY Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum guided tours. Visit the home where Hemingway lived throughout the 1930s and wrote some of his most enduring classics. 907 Whitehead St. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For info and ticket prices, visit hemingwayhome.com.

TUESDAY, JULY 17

9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. "Hemingway in Key West" museum exhibition. Explore Ernest Hemingway's life in Key West, fishing adventures, Flagler's Over-Sea Railroad and the hurricane of 1935. View rarely exhibited Hemingway photographs and memorabilia, including previously unseen items from the Bruce Family Archive. Key West Museum of Art & History at the Custom House, 281 Front St. Exhibition continues throughout Hemingway Days and beyond. For info and ticket prices, visit kwahs.com.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 18

4-6 p.m. Registration for the Key West Marlin Tournament. Anglers compete for $50,000 in guaranteed cash prizes for targeting marlin, spearfish, dolphin, tuna and wahoo. Conch Republic Seafood Co., 631 Greene St. For info, visit keywestmarlin.com.

5:30 p.m. Meet the "Papas." Get to know the contestants and previous winners of the "Papa" Hemingway Look-Alike Contest. Attractions include a cash bar and Hemingway-esque hors d'oeuvres. Doubletree Grand Key Resort, 3990 S. Roosevelt Blvd.

6-8 p.m. Key West Marlin Tournament captains meeting, auction and raffle. Conch Republic Seafood Co.

8-10 p.m. "Voices, Places, Inspirations." This evening of readings and presentations features mystery novelist Michael Haskins, "Key West Bucket List" author David Sloan, writer/editor Wendy Tucker and author/editor/poet George Murphy. Wyland Galleries of Key West, 623 Duval St. Free admission. For information, visit wylandkeywest.com.

THURSDAY, JULY 19

8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m. Key West Marlin Tournament first day of fishing. For info, visit keywestmarlin.com.

9-10:30 a.m. "Coffee and Donuts with the Papas." Join past Look-Alike Contest winners and current competitors for a lighthearted "coffee break" at Cypress House, a historic inn at 601 Caroline St. Visitcypresshousekw.com.

4-6 p.m. Key West Marlin Tournament weigh-in. Conch Republic Seafood Co. docks.

6 p.m. Hemingway Look-Alike Society scholarship presentations. The society is to announce the winners of its annual scholarships for Florida Keys students. Sloppy Joe's Bar. For info, visit sloppyjoes.com.

6:30 p.m. Sloppy Joe's 32nd annual "Papa" Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, first preliminary round, to be judged by former contest winners. Sloppy Joe's Bar. $35 entry fee. Free to watch. For look-alike event info, visit sloppyjoes.com.

6:30 p.m. Key West Marlin Tournament cocktail party. Festivities for anglers include a Key West-style pig roast. Doubletree Grand Key Resort. Free to tournament participants.

8 p.m. "Hemingway On Stage: In Deadly Ernest." The final segment of actor Brian Gordon Sinclair's six-part one-man dramatic presentation on Hemingway's life focuses on his later years and final days. Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St. All proceeds benefit the Key West Art & Historical Society. $10 per ticket. For advance tickets call 305-295-6616, ext. 106, or purchase tickets one hour before the performance at the door at Tropic Cinema. For info, visit kwahs.com.

9:45 p.m. Canada's "Hemingway On Stage" Award Presentation. Brian Gordon Sinclair is to present the $1,000 "Hemingway On Stage" award for extraordinary dedication to the festival. Tropic Cinema. Cost included in admission to play.

FRIDAY, JULY 20

8:30 a.m.- Key West Marlin Tournament's second day of fishing. For info, visit 4 p.m. keywestmarlin.com.

11:30 a.m. Jean Klausing Memorial Performance of "Hemingway On Stage: In Deadly Ernest." Honoring Sloppy Joe's late manager emeritus Jean Klausing, Brian Gordon Sinclair reprises his one-man dramatic presentation. Tropic Cinema. All proceeds benefit the Hemingway Look-Alike Society Scholarship Fund. $10 per ticket. For advance tickets call 305-295-6616, ext. 106, or purchase tickets one hour before the performance at the door at Tropic Cinema. For info, visit kwahs.com.

1:30 p.m. "Papa" Hemingway Look-Alike Fish-Off. Cheer your favorites as the "Papas" compete in this dockside catch-and-release challenge using traditional "Cuban yo-yos." Conch Republic Seafood Co. docks. Free to watch.

6:30-8 p.m. Key West Marlin Tournament dockside cocktail party and fish fry. Conch Republic Seafood Co. Free to tournament participants.

6:30 p.m. Sloppy Joe's 32nd annual "Papa" Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, second preliminary round, to be judged by former contest winners. Sloppy Joe's Bar. $35 entry fee. Free to watch.

8 p.m. Lorian Hemingway Short Story Competition winners announcement and reception. This literary highlight takes place at Hemingway's first Key West residence, Casa Antigua. Events include a presentation on Casa Antigua's history by owner Tom Oosterhoudt and a reading of the winning short story. 314 Simonton St. Free admission. For info, visit shortstorycompetition.com.

8:30-11 p.m. Key West Marlin Tournament Party Key West-style. Enjoy an exuberant island-style gathering for tournament participants at Key West's popular Smokin' Tuna Saloon, 4 Charles St.

SATURDAY, JULY 21

8:30 a.m.- Key West Marlin Tournament's third day of fishing. For info, visit 3 p.m. keywestmarlin.com.

10 a.m.- 9 p.m. Caribbean Street Fair presented by HELPLINE. Much of Duval Street is closed to vehicular traffic and transformed into an open-air island market with arts, crafts, jewelry, tropical clothing and food. Plus view the former side gate from Hemingway's Key West home, to be auctioned during the festival to benefit HELPLINE. For info, call 305-292-8445 or visit keyshelpline.org.

Noon Photos with "Papas." "Papa" Hemingway look-alikes provide a photo opportunity for fans. Greene Street outside Sloppy Joe's. For info, visit sloppyjoes.com.

1 p.m. Running of the Bulls. This wacky event is sponsored by Sloppy Joe's Bar and features past "Papa" Hemingway Look-Alike Contest winners dressed in their Pamplona best — and a breed of "bull" found only in Key West. The fun takes place outside Sloppy Joe's. For info, visit sloppyjoes.com.

1-4 p.m. Hemingway 5k Sunset Run/Walk Signup at Caribbean Street Fair. Sign up at the booth at Fleming and Duval streets for the popular run/walk that begins at the Southernmost Point in the continental United States. (Entrants must still pick up race number and timing chip at Southernmost Hotel between 5 and 7:15 p.m.) Racers also can register at active.com. $35 entry fee. For info and registration, call 305-240-0727.

1:30 p.m. Hemingway's Birthday Cake. Proud "Papas" are to celebrate the 113th anniversary of Ernest's July 21 birth with birthday cake at Sloppy Joe's following the Running of the Bulls. Visit sloppyjoes.com.

3-5 p.m. Key West Marlin Tournament weigh-in. Conch Republic Seafood Co. docks.

5-7:15 p.m. Hemingway 5k Sunset Run/Walk registration. Register and pick up race packets for the popular run/walk that begins at the Southernmost Point in the continental United States. Southernmost Hotel, 1319 Duval St. $35 entry fee. For info, call 305-240-0727.

6:30 p.m. Key West Marlin Tournament awards banquet and silent auction. Cocktails and silent auction are set for 6:30, with the dinner and awards presentations to follow at 7:30. Open to tournament participants and their guests only. Westin Key West Resort, 245 Front St.

6:30 p.m. Sloppy Joe's 32nd annual "Papa" Hemingway Look-Alike Contest, final round, to be judged by former contest winners. Sloppy Joe's Bar. Free to watch.

7:30 p.m. Hemingway 5k Sunset Run/Walk through Old Town Key West. Racers start at the Southernmost Point in the continental United States, Whitehead and South streets, and proceed through Old Town Key West and along the scenic waterfront. An awards ceremony is scheduled after the race at the Southernmost Hotel. For info and registration, call 305-240-0727.

SUNDAY, JULY 22

11 a.m. Sloppy Joe's Arm Wrestling Championship. Registration is set for 11 a.m. to noon and contest begins at noon. Prizes await winners in multiple weight categories. Sloppy Joe's. $5 entry fee; free to watch. For info, visit sloppyjoes.com.

7 p.m. "To Have and Have Not" Film Showcase at Tropic Cinema. View the classic film version of Ernest Hemingway's novel set in Key West. Film begins at 8 p.m.; the event also includes a reception and silent auction benefiting HELPLINE. Tropic Cinema, 416 Eaton St. For info and ticketing, call 305-292-8445.

               

This is a fun annual event here in Key West, if Ernest Hemingway, his writing, his adventures, or his drinking is of interest to you, come on down for this fun and enlightening event.  ;o) 

                                     

Sailing St. Maartens: World Cup Wonders

The freedom of moving with the winds and the colors of the Caribbean make for a perfect day.  ;o)

Nothing Takes You to Paradise Like a Hammock

     I had a hard time getting out of bed this morning, I was on a beach lying in a hammock looking out over the azure blue of the ocean.    This is a place that always calms my otherwise busy lifestyle.   I can't put my finger it, but there is something magical about a hammock.    I do know that when I'm in one the rest of the world seems to slip away and my mind sees nothing but the calm of paradise.

      I think about hammocks on beaches in St. Croix, Jost Van Dyke, or St. Thomas, but the common theme for hammocks is on a beach spanning the gap between a couple of trees with the ocean as my only view.      White sand, slight breeze and beautiful blue skies that join the blue of the ocean, conger up mountains of wonderful thoughts in my mind.     They carry me away from my little paradise to another paradise and I don't have to leave home to make these wonderful trips a mental reality.   

     Well, I guess that the time has rolled around for me to get up and get moving again before I am Late to work.   It would be tough to have to leave this paradise I live in and the other one that I dream in and go back the  mainland and reality again.     I guess that is why I can't get behind "reality TV", reality is not a really cool place.   I think I will just live here in the Keys and dream of the rest of the tropics between visits to them.   ;o)
    

A Summer Cocktail to "Blow You Away"

     The Hurricane is a New Orleans born cocktail that Pat O'Brien created out of necessity to get rid of an over abundance of rum that liquor distributors forced him to purchase.    During World War II, there was a shortage of whiskey, meaning that if you wanted to serve the desirable whiskey, you had to purchase up to 50 cases of rum to be able to receive just 1 case of whiskey.    Pat's warehouse was filling up with this rum and in order to sell it he created the hurricane.    Initially O'Brien poured the concoction into a hurricane lamp shaped glass and gave it away to sailors.   The Hurricane caught on like wildfire and it has been one of the top sellers even today in the French Quarter.    The name was derived from the Hurricane lamp glass that it was initially served in, and today these Pat O'Brien Hurricane glasses are a valued keepsake.

     Today like so many other cocktails there are variations of the original cocktail throughout the world.    For me, I don't like the current crop of "grenadine syrups" that are available so I have deleted it and replaced it with cranberry juice.    The legendary strength is still there, but it has a great flavor as well.   This is not a cocktail for the "lightweight" drinker, it does contain a goodly amount of rum of considerable strength.

Bahama Bob"s Hurricane Recipe

• 1 oz. Wray & Nephew Overproof Rum
• 1 oz. White Rum
• 1 oz. Dark Rum
• 1 oz. Amaretto
• 1 1/2 oz. Orange Juice
• 1 1/2 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 2 oz. Cranberry Juice

Place all ingredients into a shake filled with ice, shake until chilled and pour into a pint or hurricane glass.   Garnish with an orange wheel and a cherry.

    Taken directly from Pat O'Brien's website, this is the recipe for the Original Pat O'Brien Hurricane.   Pat has really maximized his contol of the ingredients by selling his mix.  This is a very good marketing idea.

How to make an authentic

Pat O’ Brien Hurricane

·          In a 26 oz. Hurricane Glass, mix

·          4 oz. Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane Rum or a Good Amber or Gold Rum

·          4 oz. Pat O’Brien’s Hurricane Mix

·          Fill with Crushed Ice

·          Garnish with an Orange and Cherry

Order Hurricane Mix from Pat O’Brien Gift Shop or Call 1-800-597-4823 and “Have Fun!”

     No matter how you make your Hurricane, this is a great and refreshing summer cocktail that will turely take the edge off of your day.   as the song says "Pour me something tall and strong, make it a Hurricane before I go insane", Enjoy your summer "daze".     ;o)

The Baths at Virgin Gorda

     Heading east from Redhook, USVI, making a quick stop at Soper's Hole, BVI to check in with customs, and we are underway down the Sir Francis Drake Channel headed toward Virgin Gorda and The Baths.    Upon your arrival, there will be no doubt that you have found this place.  The giant granite boulders  strewn all around the beach like someone had dropped them there just to mess with your mind.    They are completely out of place from the rest of the geology of the area.     The spectacular view is like you have just been beamed down there from the rest of the Virgin Islands because this doesn't look of feel like  the rest of the area at all.     Christopher Columbus was said to have named the island because it looked like a fat woman lying on her side, thus the name "The Fat Virgin" (Virgin Gorda).

       If you are on a tour when you arrive, you will land at Spanish Town and be taken by bus to the park.   The spectacular  outcrops that make up the 8 square mile park become very apparent as you near them.     If you are lucky enough to be able to just cruise up in your own boat the view from the water is absolutely breath taking.       

     Once in the park, the grottoes, exotic pools and the beaches will keep your eyes and senses aroused continuously.    The Baths is one of the natural wonders that I never fail to at least swing close to on any trip I make to the BVI.

     If you are of the beach persuasion, the beaches and the breaking waves echoing through the boulders is a very calming and warm sounds take you far away frome everything else.   This park is one of those that has a new surprise for you with every step that you take, the outcrops and the meeting of the land and sea should no be missed..

      Well the sun is beginning to get low in the west and it is time for us to head back down the channel to the Marina  and ready ourselves for another voyage, but this one will have my mind and senses vibrating for a long time.     Should your travels take you to the Virgin Islands, make sure you take the time to visit this majestic park on Virgin Gorda.  ;o)

Summer Cocktail: Pina Colada

    

     The Pina Colada, is one of the most debated cocktails as to its origin, but none the less, one of the more popular cocktails anywhere.     The bartender widely recognized as being the creator of the piña colada, Mr. Ramón Marrero, created the drink using Don Q rum.   After spending months perfecting the recipe, Mr. Marrero created and sold the first piña colada on August 15, 1954, while working as the head bartender at the Caribe Hilton International Hotel, the most popular hotel in Puerto Rico among the 1950s.   Mr. Marrero subsequently received numerous awards and recognition for his creation. Notably, in 1978, Mr. Marrero was presented with an award for selling the three-millionth piña colada by Coco López, the maker of the coconut cream used in the drink. On the same day, the government declared the piña colada to be the official drink of Puerto Rico.   This story is credible because the piña colada contains coconut cream as one of the primary ingredients, and the coconut cream of "Coco López" (which is the pioneer) was invented in 1954 in the University of Puerto Rico by Ramón López Irizarry.   The cocktail has been bastardized through the use of mixes and bad booze, but even a bad pina colada is not all that bad.    

     The best way to get a quality pina colada is to start with quality fresh ingredients and take the time to blend it thoroughly.    Find a recipe that suits your pallate and stick with it, this usually yields the best results.    The best recipe that I have ever run across is on that came from Cruz Bay dock area of St. Johns in the U.S. Virgin Islands.    It has a mildly spiced flavor and the fresh nutmeg on the top took it to an entire new level.

Pina Colada according to Bahama Bob

·         2 oz. Spiced Rum of your liking

·         1 1/2 oz. Cream of Coconut

·         ¾ oz. Pineapple Juice

Place approximately 1 ½ scoops of ice into the blender along with the rest of the ingredients, and blend until really smooth.    Place the mixture into a pint glass and top with fresh nutmeg, and orange slice and a cherry. 

     This is the way that I make them at the Rum Bar here in Key West, and they seem to be extremely popular with the guests.   You can try all different recipes, but this one reall works well.    No matter how you make them, the is a great patio cocktail for an extremely hot afternoon or evening.   ;o)

La Floridita Bar and the Hemingway Daiquiri

     The Hemingway Daiquiri, "Papa Doble", or the Papa Hemingway in the La Floridita Bar Menu a over the years there has been a large number of interpretations of the recipe for this marvelous cocktail. Today you will find several translations of the original Spanish recipe that is found in the menu of the La Floridita Bar Menu. Many people including Lillian Ross, author of "Portrait of Hemingway" have made suggestions that Ernest Hemingway's drinking was of a heroic magnitude, but Hemingway would boast of the quantities of alcohol he could consume in the form of Papa Doble, a double frozen daiquiri made to his own specifications.

Papa Hemingway

Ingredientes: · Ron Havana Club carta blanca 3 años · Jugo de Toronja · Hielo Frappe · Jugo de Limón Verde · Marrasquino Preparación: Se mezclan todos los componentes en la batidora, durante 30 segundos y se vierte en una copa para agua. Se acompaña con pajillas 3/4.

My Spanish is very weak, but this is how the recipe has been translated and interpreted to me.

Papa Hemingway (Papa Dobles)

Ingredients

• Havana Club White Rum 3 Years
• Juice of the Grapefruit
• Shaved Ice
• Juice of the Lime
• Maraschino Liquor ( Luxardo Specifically)

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients in blender for 30 seconds and pour into the cocktail glass.

Served with two short straws.

     Hemingway declared the Papa Doble to be "the ultimate achievement of the daiquiri maker's art.", adding that he had "made a run of sixteen here (La Florida Bar) one night". Few cocktails have become as famous as the Papa Doble, and few have ever been so "Klutzed up". Many of the cocktail books. Constante, the famous Floridita barman was watched by A. E. Hotchner, author of "Papa Hemingway", compounding the Papa Doble for Hemingway with 2 1/2 jiggers of Bacardi White Label rum, the juice of 2 limes, the juice of a half grapefruit and six drops of maraschino liquor. The texture of the cocktail was very important, and they were whirled very vigorously in a blender filled with crushed ice and served foaming in a cocktail glass or goblet. Hemingway described a properly beaten daiquiri as "like the sea where the wave falls away from the bow of a ship when she is going thirty knots." 

     Today we all have our own interpretation of the original recipe, even though there is an indication that a teaspoon of sugar was part of Constante's original recipe, Hemingway said "If you drank that many with sugar it would make you sick". Though you can find the recipe with or without sugar, Hemingway himself drank his without. Follow your own tastes, but if you stick to the basics, you can make up a really fine daiquiri that will impress the most discerning palates. Like Hemingway, everyone has their own way they like their daiquiri, so you can adjust the mixture to fit their tastes. ;o)

     

Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar and the Goombay Smash Green Turtle Cay in Abaco the Bahamas is where you will find Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar, home of the Bahamian National Drink, the Goombay Smash. Invented by Miss Emily in the 1960's, this famous cocktail is still a mainstay throughout the Bahamas and the rest of the Caribbean. Miss Emily Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar is currently being run by here Daughter Victoria, who maintains the Blue Bee Bar in the traditional manner of which her mother so successfully operated the place. Miss Emily opened her bar in 1957, and created the Goombay Smash in the 60's. She ran the bar until her passing in 1997. The Blue Bee Bar has been the "watering hole" for yachtsmen, pilots and celebrities for years and it has been visited by the likes of Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffett though the years. Today they have added a dining room that features Caribbean food and plenty of the traditional Goombay Smash Cocktails. Goombay Smash 1 oz. Coconut Rum 1oz. Dark Rum 1/2 oz. Apricot Brandy 2 oz. Pineapple Juice 2 oz. Orange Juice Place all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled and pour into a Collins glass and garnish with an orange wheel and a cherry. The Goombay Smash is one of the more popular cocktails that I make at the Rum Bar Key West for my customers because of it's natural sweetness and thirst quenching qualities. This becomes a favorite of all that taste it and usually find the customers coming back for seconds of Miss Emily's fabulous concoction of the 60's. ;o)

    Green Turtle Cay in Abaco the Bahamas is where you will find Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar, home of the Bahamian National Drink, the Goombay Smash.    Invented by Miss Emily in the 1960's, this famous cocktail is still a mainstay throughout the Bahamas and the rest of the Caribbean.

Miss Emily

     Miss Emily's Blue Bee Bar is currently being run by here Daughter Victoria, who maintains the Blue Bee Bar in the traditional manner of which her mother so successfully operated the place.    Miss Emily opened her bar in 1957, and created the Goombay Smash in the 60's.  She ran the bar until her passing in 1997.    The Blue Bee Bar has been the "watering hole" for yachtsmen, pilots and celebrities for years and it has been visited by the likes of Willie Nelson and Jimmy Buffett though the years.   Today they have added a dining room that features Caribbean food and plenty of the traditional Goombay Smash Cocktails. 

     Goombay Smash

• 1 oz. Coconut Rum
• 1 oz. Dark Rum
• 1/2 oz.  Apricot Brandy
• 2 oz. Pineapple Juice
• 2 oz. Orange Juice

Place all of the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled and pour into a Collins glass and garnish with an orange wheel and a cherry.

     The Goombay Smash is one of the more popular cocktails that I make at the Rum Bar Key West for my customers because of it's natural sweetness and thirst quenching qualities.   This becomes a favorite of all that taste it and usually find the customers coming back for seconds of Miss Emily's fabulous concoction of the 60's.   ;o)

Cheers from the Rum Lab

     Smooth sailing and a wonderful Sunday to all of you from the Rum Lab here in Key West.

Where Does Rum Come From?

     Behind the bar, I often get the question "Where does rum come from?".     This surprises me because I like others that are into the rum, I assume that everyone knows where the different liquors come from, but they don't.   So here we go, this is a short synopsis of where we get rum from.

     The story of rum actually begins with  the production of sugar and the waste product of sugar production called molasses.      Going back to the late 1600 in Barbados, sugar production was a huge industry for the island, but getting rid of the molasses was the issue of the day as it was in so many other places that produce sugar.   It was found that it could be fermented and distilled into an intoxicating spirit at a very low cost, thus the first appearances of rum.    

     There are basically two types of rum being produced today, one from molasses and the other directly from the sugar cane juice.     The later is in the French agricole style, a very controlled style of rum production.    The other being the  traditional style of rum made from molasses.    On the fringe of rum, though technically not rum is the Brazilian spirit made from sugar cane juice call Cachaca.   A strong virtually unaged spirit that is wildly popular in Central and South America.

     Today we find rum being produced all around the world, not just from the Caribbean.     There are fine rums coming from the Philippines, Australia, Africa, United States, and any other place that sugar is being produced and there is an abundance of molasses that needs to be disposed of.

     No matter where it is being produced, you will find fine rum wherever you find the resource and the skilled people to create the sugarcane spirits.   Try some of the fine rums that are being created in so many other places away from the Caribbean, you might be surprised at what you come across.   If you stay locked in one room, you'll never experience what the rest of the world has to offer.  Get out and look for some of these rums made in different ways and aged in different ways, you might find your new favorite rum.   ;o)

What About the Angel's Share?

     Barrels of rum left in a bodega to age have an evaporation factor that transpires during the resting process.    This loss of alcohol during the aging through the pores of the wooden barrels is known as the"Angel's Share".    This loss is combated in several ways, but little overall can be done to stop it.   The excepted loss on average is approximately 2% per year.    This varies wit h the average temperature and the climate.

      There are several ways to slow the loss to evaporation, one is to add a bit of water to the barrel reducing the rum from approximately 90% ABV down to 80% ABV before placing the rum in the barrels.  This will reduce the loss a bit, but  there is little that can be down to completely end the loss.   Other companies like Cartavio in Peru spray water over the barrels in the bodega to keep the barrels cooler to slow the evaporation.   The odd thing about this is that in the lower latitudes of Caribbean rum matures about 3 time faster than it does in the cooler climates, but this heat causes more evaporation and your net losses are about the same.  The cooler temperature zone have less evaporation, but to attain the same maturity of the rum it has to spend three times longer resting.

     Wray & Nephew just introduced a new 50 year old Appleton Estate Rum to celebrate the 50th year anniversary of Jamaican Independence.   The aging process began with 24 barrels in 1962 and in 2012 only 14 barrels remained making the "Angel's Share" or "Duppy's Share" as it is known as in Jamaica is 42% plus.    The older the Rum the larger the amount of loss there is to the angels.   This is a cost factor in the making of old aged rums, explaining why the price of 20 plus year old rum sky rockets so quickly from the 5 to 12 year rums.

    I hope this explains the term and helps you understand the problem of producing premium aged rums and what it costs the rum producers every day.   There are people that are working on systems to collect and recycle the vapors of alcohol in the aging bodegas  as we speak.  If this can be done at a reasonable cost, it would help the bottom line for the rum producers.    ;o)

Talking Urinals to Stop Drunk Driving

    Talking urinals are the latest weapon to be used in the battle against drunk driving.    This is a program that has been used in Detroit and several other regions around the United States.   In a press release from Wizmark Urinal Communicators it ells of how it is being used in New Mexico.

New Mexico Police Target the DWI Driver with

You Drink, You Drive, You Lose Talking Urinal Messages

Islip, NY, February 14, 2007 B Innovative pro-active state traffic-safety officials in New Mexico recognize talking urinals offer a unique way to reach men with a Drink Responsibly message. Attracting the attention of the elusive male drinking demographics has always been a challenge for the New Mexico Department of Traffic Safety. In their continuing efforts to get the word out that drunk driving won’t be tolerated they have initiated a pilot program featuring  Wizmark^®Urinal Communicator to be distributed free to bars and restaurants located within the state. Their intent is clear as demonstrated by their message “You Drink, You Drive You Lose.”

The men's rooms offer one relatively untouched ad vehicle that just about everyone who enters it faces: the urinal. The patented Wizmark^® Interactive Urinal Communicator is positioned within the urinal and directly above the drain.  By sheer logistics, this strategic location immediately attracts the viewer’s attention to the public service announcement contained within. The device automatically recognizes the presence of a “Visitor” and after a brief delay allowing the viewer to get properly positioned, proceeds to emit a very audible pre-recorded 16 second message stating “Hey there big guy, having a few drinks? Then listen up! Think you had one to many? Then it’s time to call a cab or ask a sober friend for a ride home. It sure is safer and a hell of a lot cheaper than a DWI. Make the smart choice tonight, don’t drink and drive! Remember, your future is in your hand"  

     This is a plausible idea that might have some merit.  It has to be a surprise when you are "half in the bag" and  have the urinal start talking to you, at that point you might even listen to the urinal.     I do believe that if it gets even one person to take a cab or some alternate transportation rather than driving, it is well worth the investment.

     I believe that no matter how you keep impaired people off of the road, it is a good thing.  Here in Key West is is done post problem, in that the local and state police are very vigilant in removing drunk drivers from the road.  It is my belief that you can save yourself about $30,000 by listening to the urinal.     Give some thought to it, will not only save you money, it may save your and my lives.    ;o)

Fourth of July Key West Style

     The way to celebrate the Fourth of July here in Key West is to take your boat or get on a charter boat that anchors off the White Street Pier on the Atlantic side and enjoy the fireworks.    This is a long adhered to tradition that I sure will be happening again tonight.    Many of the participants get their anchorage set up in the early afternoon and then the celebration and party begin.   The afternoon soon becomes the night time and the real party is underway when the fireworks brings it to life.    Many stay anchored for the night and the rest head back to their docks and anchorages in the marinas and mooring fields.   Either way it is a party that lasts until the wee hours of the morning.

   The boat parade, not officially a parade, but it really looks like a parade as they gather off the end of the White Street Pier.  many of them are rafting up and others achored solo, either way they are there to party.    The celebrating is audible for miles around and a great fun time is had by most.   This is always a fun and crazy Key West tradition of fun and frolic.   Lots of the revellers are on one of the many charter boats and others prefer to be on their own, but either way the waters are truly littered with almost anything that floats.     The real excitement begins though when the fireworks ends.  that is when the floatilla begins to head back into the marinas and anchorages at the same time.   It is a traffic jam of  epic proportions, usually not coming to an end until well after 2 in the morning.

     Others just park along the south side of the island and watch from the beaches or their cars, but you can bet that there won't be a parking spot anywhere on the south side tonight.  Even South Roosevelt Blvd. becomes a quasi parking lot and the travelers slow to a snail's pace to watch as they search for a parking spot.   

     No matter where you watch from, the show is always a great one and this year I'm sure will be no exception.   Where will I be, well as usual I'll be on the second floor patio of the Hurricane Hole and enjoying the show without having to endure the crowd on the water.  You can bet that I'll be headed home the minute it is over to avoid the rush down Cow Key Channel after the show.  There are way too many boats coming through the channel after the show and hopefully, I'll be safe back at the boat in Sunset Marina before the rush gets underway.   No matter how you celebrate the Fourth of July, do is safely, I need my readers back on the "fifth" tomorrow.  ;o)

Headed into Fourth of July: What's Up for You?

       
     The anniversary of our independence and how are we going to celebrate it this year?   Most of us will find a cool place to hang out and watch the fireworks; others will go to a fun place for a picnic or other fun outdoor event. I plan to be at work. I'll be behind the bar making all the tropical and other fun cocktails that make my people happy here in Key West.   Don't get me wrong, this is a fun place for me to be, where as I do enjoy spending my day having fun with my guests and friends at the Rum Bar.

     This is a time that I have to think about what all had to happen for us to be where we are today here in the United States.  Some will say that "How did we mess it up so bad", but for the most part, this country have a strong resilience and usually right itself with the passage of time.  Tomorrow is a day to celebrate the fact that in 1776 our founding fathers did such a great job building a solid foundation from which this wonderful country has grown and survived for some 236 years now?  While so many other countries and their government systems have fallen apart, ours is still hangin' in there pretty well.     I still believe that with the support of all of us by voting our minds this year it will be a sign that we really do care and the people we place in office will in fact put forth an effort to do what is right for the country as a whole this time.

     No matter how you plan to celebrate Independence Day, get out and enjoy the day and remember what it has taken for us to keep living in this country in the manner that we do. And give thanks to those who have given so much to see that we can celebrate Independence Day tomorrow.     ;o)