St. Kitt's Own Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rums

St Kitts

   The beautiful Caribbean Island of St. Kitts is the home to Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rums.  These are
a cut above the rest when it comes to flavored rums.   They have the flavor and the punch that most of the others left behind.  

  The cannons on Brimstone Hill protected St. Kitts and her precious sugar cane from invaders for hundreds of years.   Many a ship fell to her demise in Frigate Bay over the years as St. Kitts would be under attack by British and European raiders.

     Robert and Zackary Brinley founded the St. Kitts Rum Company in the early1990's.   Their mission was to blend and create some of the best flavored rums anywhere.   Their rums are aged in American whiskey and bourbon barrels for four years.   The boy would flavor and spice these rums and take them around to markets, bars and restaurants to introduce them to the public.   Their work and drive to get people to try the rums has paid off, they are recipients of several awards from the International Rum Festival, Ministry of Rum Tasting Competition and have received several other awards for their expressions of flavored rums.

      Their Spiced, Coffee, Mango, Vanilla, Lime  and Coconut flavors are all made with the finest flavors and spices available.   The rums flavor, aroma and finish show the quality of their efforts.  The rum maintains a 72 proof unlike most of the other flavored rums low proofs.  The fine quality of the rum to start with just adds to the expressions shippable flavors.

     The Brinley Brothers introduced a Spiced rum in 2011 dedicated to the British Troop Ship sunk in Frigate Bay in 1782.   Brinley Gold Shipwreck Spiced Rum is made with Madagascar vanilla, oranges, nutmeg, clove and other unusual Caribbean island spices.  This rum is arguably the finest tasting spiced rum that you will ever taste.

     These rums make for a great mixed cocktail boasting flavors to make your creations among the most memorable ever.  

     Try this quick mix when you are ready for a good coffee flavored cocktail.

Chilled Coffee Latte

• 1 1/2 oz. Brinley Gold Coffee Rum
• 1/4 oz. Amaretto
• 1 oz. Half and Half

Shake all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice until it is chilled and strain into a Irish coffee glass and top with fresh ground nutmeg and whipped cream dollop.

    The entire line of Brinley Gold Shipwreck Rums got a face lift in 2012 revealing the "shipwreck" name in all of the Brinley Gold expressions.  The same quality rum with a new and exciting image for the shelves.  This is the "top shelf" of the flavored and spiced rums and is well deserving of the finest tasting spiced rum they are claiming.

    No matter which of these rums that you try I feel you will be surprised by the great flavors and quality of the rum itself.   ;o)

Savor the Adventure of Channel Marker 43

    With Havana still on my mind from Monday, I got thinking about a new cocktail with Hemingway's fishing yacht in mind.   Pilar Dark Rum came immediately to mind with its dark full bodied flavor and staying with a nautical mood.   I was looking aft toward the channel behind the marina and the red channel marker lit up and idea for the new cocktail.

     I came up with a new idea for a new cocktail born form the sea.   This had to be a simple three item cocktail with a bold and sophisticate taste that would be fitting to the rum and the man.   It needed the style of his writing and the bravado of his adventurous lifestyle to fulfill the expectations of the cocktail.   Set your mind off to an adventure sitting of the aft deck of Pilar hauling in huge sailfish and savor the flavor of this cocktail.




Channel Marker 43

• 2 oz. Pilar Dark Rum
• 1/2 oz. Liqueur 43
• 2 oz. Barritt's Ginger Beer

Place the Pilar and the Liqueur 43 in a 12 oz. glass with ice, stir and top up with Barritt's Ginger Beer.   Optional garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

  

2014 Rum Renaissance Festival is Fast Approaching

     The 2014 Rum Renaissance Festival is fast approaching, now is the time to get your tickets and room reservations.  The Doubletree by Hilton Miami Airport Convention Center is where it is going to be happening again this year and a great place to stay to be a part of all that is going on.

There are a lot of events that will take place during the week and tickets and more information is available at http://www.rumrenaissance.com/    The web site has all the information you will need to get your tickets and hotel reservations.

     I will be there all week long again and will be looking forward to getting together with my friends again this year enjoying all of the fine spirits of the Sugar Cane.    I'm going to be a part of the judging panel and there to help you get any information that you will need during the show, but realistically just there to have fun along with all the rest of my friends and fellow rum lover.   I will be in the Ask a Rum Expert Booth again to answer your questions or just chat and enjoy a nice rum.



      There are so many of my friends from the industry going to be there and you will have the chance to meet many of them as well.  Rum producers, distillers, master blenders and so many others.  This is an event that you really don't want to miss out on.  ;o)

Wandering Havana Around Sunrise

Sunrise over the Bacardi Building

    As an early riser I get the opportunity to wander around places that I visit before the crowds get moving and a chance to enjoy where I am in a semi private way.   I thoroughly enjoy these sojourns and love to photograph some of the places and events that I witness in the dawn.
    From the Telegrafo Hotel I first notice the sun rising on Havana and the way it illuminates the clouds.  The back lighting of the buildings just puts a smile on my face.

Inglaterra Hotel and National Theater

     Last year I visited Havana and spent some mornings wandering around the park.   The morning sun is low in the sky and makes for some absolutely beautiful sights.  I hope that you enjoy this stroll as much as I did. 

     The morning sun brings to life several of these historic buildings like the National Theater, and the Inglaterra  Hotel.  The street view from the park is really breath taking as the rays of the sun bring the colors of the buildings to life.

     Looking ahead you can see El Capitolo, the equivalent of our own Congressional Building in Washington DC.   It was model after the United States Capitol Building and they truly resemble each other.   The morning lights just bring this pictures to life.    I love that there is just minimal traffic and only a few people moving about.  The dome is being restored at this time, and hopefully by the time I get to return the project will be completed.

El Capitolo

  
     Next time you are in one of these wonderful places away from home, get up with the sun and walk around.  You will be amazes how the dawn's early light brings your world to life in a very remarkable way.   ;o)

My What Our Oceans Provide

     We seem to find more ways to make use of our oceans, some for good and some not so good, but she is an incredible place and should be respected.   The balance that makes her so special needs to be preserved.  If you visit them please respect them, remember they are alive, there are enough dead reefs around the world already.  ;o)

Grenada Celebrates Its 40th Year of Independence Today

     I've gotten to know a little bit about Grenada in the past six months, and the more I learn about it the more fascinating it becomes to me.   This tiny 133 square mile island, located in the southeast Caribbean Sea, is loaded with so many fun and wonderful facets that it will take years to get to know about the island.



     Grenada has been invaded by so many European countries in its history,   The Spanish, English, and French had all colonized it at one point of time or an other.   In 1649, when France took full control of the island,   Grenada was the largest producer of sugar in the Caribbean and was one of the richest colonies of France.    In 1763, France yielded its control of Grenada to Great Britain.   The British ruled Grenada for more than 200 years. Finally on February 7, 1974, Grenada gained its independence from Great Britain. 

     I had the privilege of spending a few days there last November.  I found this wonderful little island very to be attractive and a fun place to spend some time.  The history, rum, scenery and the people left me with a very warm and wonderful impression of the island.   I am looking forward to my return to the "Spice Island" in November for the Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival.   

   Congratulations to  Grenada and its people for 40 years of independence and prosperity.   See you in November.  ;o)

Myths and Truths about Alcohol Consumption

     I ran across this interesting article about the myths on drinking alcohol and thought that you might enjoy reading it also.  There are so many different myths that are out there these days, I am glad that some one put them together and talked about them.

    

Business Insider

Kelly Dickerson

Feb. 6, 2014 

     You may drink, and you may party, but do you get My Drunk Kitchen wasted? 

     Well, it seems that drunk cooking video host Hannah Hart's learned her fair share from her series - she hosted Mental Floss's weekly video list laying out 29 common misconceptions about alcohol. 

     Here are the 8 biggest alcohol-related myths, and why they are false.  

1.   Liquor before beer never fear, beer before liquor never sicker. There's no magical order of drinking that will save you from a hangover the next day. The order you drink certain types of alcohol in doesn't matter - even switching between beer, wine, and liquor throughout the night won't make a difference. Bottom line: all that matters is how much you drink, not if you saved the beer for last. 

2.   Breaking the seal means you'll have to pee more all night. Alcohol is a diuretic, so it's already going to make you pee a lot. "Breaking the seal" the first time will not increase the amount of times you have to go to the bathroom, but drinking lots of alcohol will. 

3.   Blackouts can eventually be remembered. If you wake up fuzzy on the details from the night before, you probably shouldn't even bother trying to remember: it's impossible. When we drink too much the part of our brain that encodes memories actually switches off. People claiming they remember what happened after they blacked out are probably having what are called false memories. 

4.   The lines on a solo cup are for measuring alcohol. While the lines on a solo cup do come close to matching up with alcohol measurements (the bottom line is close to one ounce for liquor, the middle line is close to five ounces for wine, etc.) the Solo company has said repeatedly that the lines on the cup do not exist for that purpose. They even went to the trouble of making a graphic on their Facebook page illustrating their point. 

5.   Mixing energy drinks with alcohol makes you drunker. Turns out it just energizes you. The problem is the extra shot of energy can make you feel less intoxicated than you actually are. 

6.   Tequila makes you crazy. There is no evidence that a type of alcohol gets you a certain type of drunk. So anyone claiming that wine makes them sad, or whiskey makes them angry, doesn't have much scientific evidence backing them up. The number of drinks and speed of drinking have the biggest impact on your drunk mood. 

7.   Eating before drinking keeps you sober. Eating before drinking does help your body absorb alcohol, but it only delays the alcohol entering your bloodstream, it doesn't restrict it. Your body absorbs the alcohol slower after a big meal, so eating before drinking can help the severity of your hangover. Eating a lot after drinking won't do anything for your hangover. 

8.   A night cap helps you sleep. A drink before bed will help you fall asleep faster, but your body will actually spend less time in REM, and the quality of your sleep will suffer. 

     Check out 21 more alcohol misconceptions in the video below and you can read more @

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/29-common-misconceptions-about-alcohol-2014-2#ixzz2sd2sClmG

 

     Go online and check out the rest of the story and video, I think you will find it amusing as well as enlightening.   ;o)

Who's The Soberest and the Drunkest Cities in America?

The results are in and Key West didn't even make the list.  with 255 bars on a 2 by 5 mile island we are not even a blip results.  There are some very interesting results that I would not have expected, like Miami among the soberest, and such a group of Central Valley California towns among the drunkest.   Anyway take a look at the list  and see where your city ranks.  ;o)

STONE-COLD SOBER
1.    Salt Lake City, UT
2.    Jersey City, NJ
3.    New York, NY
4.    Plano, TX
5.    Chicago, IL
6.    Miami, FL
7.    Boston, MA
8.    Virginia Beach, VA
9.    Newark, NJ
10.  Bridgeport, CT

11.    Baton Rouge, LA
12.    Raleigh, NC
13.    Atlanta, GA
14.    Manchester, NH
15.    New Orleans, LA
16.    Dallas, TX
17.    St. Paul, MN
18.    Philadelphia, PA
19.    Honolulu, HI
20.    Burlington, VT

31.    Wilmington, DE
32.    Kansas City, MO
33.    Orlando, FL
34.    Fort Wayne, IN
35.    San Francisco, CA
36.    Wichita, KS
37.    Norfolk, VA
38.    Chesapeake, VA
39.    Detroit, MI
40.    Minneapolis, MN

41.    Los Angeles, CA
42.    Charleston, WV
43.    Madison, WI
44.    Omaha, NE
45.    Louisville, KY
46.    San Jose, CA
47.    Jackson, MS
48.    Pittsburgh, PA
49.    Aurora, CO
50.    Houston, TX

51.    Lincoln, NE
52.    Portland, OR
53.    Boise City, ID
54.    Anaheim, CA
55.    Providence, RI
56.    Buffalo, NY
57.    Greensboro, NC
58.    Indianapolis, IN
59.    Washington, DC
60.    Milwaukee, WI

61.    Anchorage, AK
62.    Albuquerque, NM
63.    Winston-Salem, NC
64.    Columbus, OH
65.    Jacksonville, FL
66.    Sioux Falls, SD
67.    Cleveland, OH
68.    Cincinnati, OH
69.    Lubbock, TX
70.    Sacramento, CA

71.    Des Moines, IA
72.    Las Vegas, NV
73.    Tampa, FL
74.    Fort Worth, TX
75.    Columbia, SC
76.    Colorado Springs, CO
77.    Fargo, ND
78.    Oklahoma City, OK
79.    Tucson, AZ
80.    Riverside, CA

81.    Phoenix, AZ
82.    St. Petersburg, FL
83.    Denver, CO
84.    El Paso, TX
85.    Tulsa, OK
86.    Lexington, KY
87.    Nashville, TN
88.    Corpus Christi, TX
89.    San Diego, CA
90.   Toledo, OH

OVER THE LIMIT
91.    Reno, NV
92.    St. Louis, MO
93.    Austin, TX
94.    Billings, MT
95.    Fresno, CA
96.    San Bernardino, CA
97.    Cheyenne, WY
98.    Stockton, CA
99.    San Antonio, TX
100.  Bakersfield, CA

Read More at http://www.weather.com/health/americas-drunkest-cities-20131125

This is a very interesting list and I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I did.  ;o)

 

 

Antigua Through the Windshiels

     Antigua is one of the Caribbean islands that has many faces.  It has bustling cities, open country farmland with violent coastlines on one side and serene calm waters on the other.  It is an island of opposites as you travel around it.   We had the opportunity to enjoy the island on scooters, so through the windshield is a bit of a story, but I'm sure you get the idea.   The texture of the countryside becomes clear as soon as you break out of St. Johns city limits, the open grass and forests with very laid back country atmosphere becomes clear.

     As you approach the northeastern corner of the island things become very different.   It is a much more arid climate.   The plant life as well as the animal life begins to change dramatically.   More of the succulent plants are appearing and wild donkeys are seen moving across the now gravel roads.     This is a more natural part of the island and very beautiful in deed as we slowly drive toward the coast and the Devil's Bridge.

Devil's Bridge

     The Devil's bridge is an area on the northeast coast that is particularly violent in nature.  The huge seas crashing against the cliffs  provide a spectacular sight with the huge sprays of water arise.   The Devil's Bridge is a place where many of the slaves would commit suicide in the days of the "Triangle Trade" in the 1700's.



Nelson's Dockyard

     Back into the country and down to the southwestern side and Nelson's Dockyards.



The southeastern side of the island is a rain forests and beautiful blue seas are of a much calmer nature.  The Dockyard is where the British Fleet would retreat to for repairs and provisioning after a tour of duty in the Caribbean.   There are many interesting museums and displays here that are well worth the time to see.

     From the Dockyard it is into the rain forest, then following the coastline back to St. Johns and back to the big city life again.  The differences as you move around this relatively small island are really amazing and fun to take in.  As we head back to St. Johns, I am wishing that I could spend more time exploring this colorful and historic island.

    Another day of looking through the windshield as I go from place to place exploring the fun places that I have been able to visit is over and I hope you enjoyed the trip.  ;o)

    

Where do we get Rum From?

Sugar Cane in the Fields

     I get asked on a regular basis where does rum come from?   Actually rum only has one rule for its production, it has to be made from a derivative of the sugar cane.   With that in mind, why is there so much rum production in and around the Caribbean? 

Water Power Cane Crusher

     Sugarcane is indigenous to tropical Southwestern Asia.   Different species likely originated in different locations, with Saccharum barberi originating in India and S. edule and S.officinarum coming from New Guinea.   Approximately 70% of the sugar produced globally comes from S. officinarum and hybrids using this species.   It is theorized that sugarcane was first domesticated as a crop in New Guinea around 6000 BC.

Loading cane in the crusher

     How did it get to the Caribbean region?   Well, you can give Christopher Columbus most of the credit for that.    On his second voyage, he brought sugar cane with him and distributed it around the islands that he visited.  It would spread throughout the region and to South and Central America as well.    Sugar was a commodity that was very popular and valued in England and Europe in the 1600's and the 1700's and he who controlled the sugar had the power and wealth at that time.


Cooking the Cane Juice

     Sugar production, is a process that takes the sugar cane stocks and crushes them into syrup and then cooks it in stages to extract the crystalline sugar.  The residue left after the cooking is completed is known as molasses.   Originally it was from the molasses that the rum was made.   There was a large amount of it and most every sugar plantation at the time had a rum distillery connected with it.  In fact most of the most famous brands of rum were a part of a very large sugar plantation.

     One of the interesting parts of my trip to Grenada last November was seeing the process being done the old way at the River Antoine Distillery.    Watching all of the steps leading from the field to the crusher, to the cooking pans, to fermentation and finally to the stills makes me appreciate the fine spirits of the cane even more.   ;o) 
    

55 Years Ago Today.

   

      In a frozen corn field in Clearlake, Iowa 55 years ago today, a day that became known as "the day the music died".   Buddy Holly, Richie Valens and JP "The Big Bopper" Richardson were killed when their chartered plane went down in a snow storm.
    

     On this day in 1959, rising American rock stars Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson are killed when their chartered Beechcraft Bonanza plane crashes in Iowa a few minutes after takeoff from Mason City on a flight headed for Moorehead, Minnesota. Investigators blamed the crash on bad weather and pilot error. Holly and his band, the Crickets, had just scored a No. 1 hit with "That'll Be the Day."

     The distance between venues and the

conditions prevalent aboard the poorly equipped tour buses adversely affected the performers. Cases of flu spread among the band members, and Carl Bunch was hospitalized due to frostbite. Frustrated by the conditions, Holly decided to charter a plane when they stopped for their performance in the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, to reach their next venue in Moorhead, Minnesota. Carroll Anderson, owner of the Surf Ballroom, chartered the plane from the Dwyer Flying Service. Richardson, who was affected by the flu, swapped places with Waylon Jennings, taking the latter's place on the plane, while Tommy Allsup lost his place to Ritchie Valens on a coin toss. Dion DiMucci (of Dion and the Belmonts fame) decided not to board the plane for the $36 fee.

     It never ceases to amaze me how a series of minor events can change the course of history like it did at the Surf Ballroom on the night of February 3. 1959.  I just know that rock and roll took a huge turn that day and things never were the same afterward.   Rock and Roll would see several other losses of very talented people through the years, but nothing will ever match  " The Day the Music Died".

Ah, Super Bowl Sunday in Key West, No Snow!!!

     It is going to be another beautiful day here in Key West, temperatures edging toward 80 and all is well with the world.   Everyone down here is heading for their favorite watering holes and trying to find a seat for the game.  No tailgating here, just belly up to the bar and talk the talk all day long and then watch the game.  Afterward, half of the people will be happy and the other half not so much.  The important thing is that Super Bowl  Sunday is here and the game is going off at 6:30 this evening.

     Crystal clear water and the serenity of the Heron, perfect.    Enjoy your day where ever you are.  ;o)

What Did We Learn from Prohibition?

     The year before the Volstead Act became law, it was estimated by the 1930 Prohibition Commissioner, that the average drinking American spent $17 per year on alcoholic beverages.    By 1930, because enforcement diminished the supply, this had increased to $35 per year (there was no inflation in this period), resulting in an illegal alcohol beverage industry that made an average of $3 billion per year in illegal untaxed income.

      Heavy drinkers and alcoholics were among the most affected parties during prohibition. Those who were determined to find liquor could still do so, but those who saw their drinking habits as destructive typically had difficulty in finding the help they sought. The self-help societies had withered away along with the alcohol industry and in 1935 a new self-help group was founded: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)."

     "Prohibition had a notable effect on the alcohol brewing industry in the United States. When Prohibition ended, only half the breweries that previously existed reopened. Wine historians also note Prohibition destroyed what was a fledgling wine industry in the United States. Productive wine quality grape vines were replaced by lower quality vines growing thicker skinned grapes that could be more easily transported. Much of the institutional knowledge was also lost as winemakers either immigrated to other wine producing countries or left the business altogether.   Distilled spirits became more popular during Prohibition, and because of its higher alcohol content in comparison to fermented wine and beer, mixing and watering down the hard alcohol also became common. "

     Let me see if I have this right, Wed took the price of $17.00 per year as the cost of drinking to $35.00, the taxes on nearly $3 Billion in illegal liquor sales.  Maybe the good thing was the emergence of Alcoholics Anonymous, that is about it.

     The real benefit came to the alcohol industry where they learned to water down distilled spirits.   The state of the art institutional knowledge in the wine industry was lost as vintners move away to other countries where wine was legal.

     Funny thing about prohibition is that you really can not ban things that the American public really wants, because they will become criminals and go under ground and get them any way.  All that happens is the increase in police costs to enforce an unpopular law and the loss of tax revenue from it.  It seems to be a double loss that we as a country still haven't gotten a grasp upon to this day.

 

The Superbowl Sunday

     To keep you warm while watching the "Frost Bowl" on television, try this warming libation.   This is one of those simple, but very different type cocktails that is very refreshing without being too sweet.  

     Whip up a couple of these and sit back and enjoy this Sunday night's game.   You probably won't care who wins if you have more than a couple of these.  It might be smarter to save them for the second half or even the halftime show.

The Super Bowl Sunday

·         2 oz. Plantation Trinidad 1999

·         ½ Tsp. Agave Nectar

·         2 Dashes of Fees Old Fashion Bitters

·         Juice of ½ Lemon

·         Fill with Barritt’s Ginger Beer

Place all ingredients except the Ginger Beer into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled strain into a Collins Glass filled with ice and top up with Barritt’s Ginger Beer.  Garnish with a lemon zest.

What are the Cocktail Customers Looking for in 2014?

     It is fun to read all of the predictions for the "new trends " for 2014, but the reality is that the people that frequent your cocktail lounge, bar or rum shop are really looking for one thing.   It is good service, properly crafted cocktails and a congenial atmosphere in which to relax.

     In the past five plus years I have had a rare opportunity to work in a fine little bar on Duval Street here in Key West.   The biggest thing that I have learned is that you have to make your customer comfortable.  First and foremost this is what makes people come back and talk to their friends about you.   I try to use the evaluation comments I find on Trip Advisor and Yelp as guide to see what is working and what is not, by doing so I can fix what I am doing wrong and emphasize what the customers are liking.

    By following this plan we are able to draw a great group of customers to the Rum Bar and have them tell their friends and return themselves.  This is the basis on which the bar has grown and become so well known.  " This was, by far, my favorite drinking spot in Key West. Conveniently on Duval Street, but towards the south end and far enough away from the high traffic area. Bahama Bob was a wonderful bartender and a delight to talk with. This place has an impressive selection of rums (one of the largest in the country) and Bob makes a kick-ass painkiller. We recommended this place to everyone we met during our stay in Key West. Definitely worth checking out!"  From www.yelp.com .


Keep them happy and interested.

     I find it funny that in the predictions for 2014 cocktail trend they are saying that it is going to be "moving back to more well cocktails and better customer service" that's what the customer will be looking for.  What else is new,  all that people really want is a good cocktail and to be made to feel at home when they are there.

     All the customer trends in the world all boil down to two basic things when it comes to the operation of a good bar and that is treat your customers like the friends that they really are and make a good quality and consistent drink for them.   The rest of the stuff will pretty much take care of itself if you do this for your customers.  ;o)

I Know Why I Moved to Key West.

Talladega Speedway Yesterday

     I am sure that most of you know that I made a living as an engineer working with NASCAR race teams before moving to Key West.  This meant that I spent the month of January commuting between Talladega and Daytona Speedways for testing.    Nancy Wood from the Wood Brothers Race team posted a picture yesterday of the Talladega Speedway that reminds me why I became a bartender.  There were many mornings in Daytona the were in the upper 20's when we arrived at the track for testing and the same if not colder in Talladega.   I remember Loudon in June being snowed out when we went there for testing as well.



Key West This Morning

     I remember going to Richmond, Atlanta, and Rockingham in February and March and huddling around barn heaters trying to get warm while the icicles were hanging off of the lift gates on the haulers.
     It was so cold some mornings that the computers did not want to start up.   No Thanks!!  I'll take my life today here in Key West and struggle with occasional rain storm and 50 degree nights in the winter and just smile.

     Best wishes to all my friends that still make their living in the game, and may your season this year be an enjoyable and successful one.  Keep it safe and make everyone proud of the year ahead. 

     No I'll just stay here and enjoy my new life and think of all the fun you guys are having today.  ;o)