Mangroves, the Place to Find so Many Treasures

It never ceases to amaze me what I find as I float through the mangroves around the Key West area.  These Mangroves act as a filter for the waters around the keys.  The capture things that are floating through them.  The deposit the stuff they catch and deposit them at their roots and build a base for their key growth.  The treasures that you find among them is always amazing.  You can find anything from old bottles to floats and everything in between.  I just love to float into the natural channels and tunnels they form.  ;o)

Origins of Human Alcohol Consumption Revealed

This is an interesting article tracing the beginning of the human consumption of spirits.  I hope that you find this to be as interesting as I did.

     Human ancestors may have begun evolving the knack for consuming alcohol about 10 million years ago, long before modern humans began brewing booze, researchers say. 

     The ability to break down alcohol likely helped human ancestors make the most out of rotting, fermented fruit that fell onto the forest floor, the researchers said. Therefore, knowing when this ability developed could help researchers figure out when these human ancestors began moving to life on the ground, as opposed to mostly in trees, as earlier human ancestors had lived.

     "A lot of aspects about the modern human condition - everything from back pain to ingesting too much salt, sugar and fat - goes back to our evolutionary history," said lead study author Matthew Carrigan, a paleogeneticist at Santa Fe College in Gainesville, Florida. "We wanted to understand more about the modern human condition with regards to ethanol," he said, referring to the kind of alcohol found in rotting fruit and that's also used in liquor and fuel. 

     To learn more about how human ancestors evolved the ability to break down alcohol, scientists focused on the genes that code for a group of digestive enzymes called the ADH4 family. ADH4 enzymes are found in the stomach, throat and tongue of primates, and are the first alcohol-metabolizing enzymes to encounter ethanol after it is imbibed.

Read more at http://www.livescience.com/48958-human-origins-alcohol-consumption.html

Repeal Day 2014

     December 5th marks the 81st anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition in the United States.   The 21st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution is ratified, repealing the 18th Amendment and bringing an end to the era of national prohibition of alcohol in America.   At 5:32 p.m. EST, Utah became the 36th state to ratify the amendment, achieving the requisite three-fourths majority of states' approval. Pennsylvania and Ohio had ratified it earlier in the day.

     Congress passed the Volstead Act on October 28, 1919, over President Woodrow Wilson's veto, beginning one of the blackest periods of American history.   Prohibition or the "Nobel Experiment" as it was also known turned normal law biding citizens into "outlaws".   Alcohol thought to be the root of all things that were bad in the country at the time became the one thing that the American public did not want to do without.

    Finally on December 5, 1933 the 21st Amendment was passed bringing an end to Prohibition in the United States.    It was the end of Prohibition, but we still are laboring under a large number of restrictions and controls as a result of the repeal as well.  The three tier system of spirits distribution and the absolute control of producing spirits even for our own consumption.

    Even though that the system is flawed, it is so much better that having to go "underground" in order to get our alcoholic beverages.  By the way today is the one year anniversary of the opening of the first "legal" distillery in Key West.   Paul Menta and his partners have done a really great job producing rum here in Key West.  His pioneering spirit has lead the way for three others that are in the process of opening distilleries here in Key West and on Stock Island.

Sergeant Classick Rums

     Last September I was in Mountain View, California for my 50th high school reunion, but I forgot that there was a rum distillery just a couple of miles from where I was staying.   I spent one afternoon looking for a suitable rum for the weekend of the reunion, and final found one, but I just needed to stop at the Sergeant Classick Distillery.

     "Dave ‘Sgt.’ Classick, a highly decorated Vietnam veteran, returned from combat and fell in love with the Hawaiian Islands. In seeking his true vocation, he discovered a talent for making (as well as drinking) fine rum. And thus, seeing the islands with sugar cane stretching as far as the eye could see, he set out to create his own."

      "Now you too can share in Sgt. Classick’s affection for exotic spirits. Crafted in the traditional manner of fine rum makers the world over; each batch is hand-distilled in the finest alambic copper pot stills and gathered in pails a few drops at a time. Sgt. Classick’s rum has a depth of flavor unlike any rum you’ve ever tasted".

 

      The amber color leads you into the toasty vanilla and brown sugar notes on the nose.   Your first sip presents unsweetened cocoa, cherry, fresh suede, crème brulée and dark roasted spice nuts.   It finishes with singed cane stalk and a peppery finish.   Aging in oak provides the rum  with the  medium bodied character.   This is a genuine rich rum that provides fine taste for a young rum.

 

Revisiting Foxy's on Jost Van Dyke

     The little island of Jost Van Dyke has so many legendary establishments for such a tiny island of the British Virgin Islands.  One of my favorites is Foxy's.  Foxy and his family have run their restaurant and bar for many many years and this place tucked away in the corner of Great Harbour has drawn people from all over the world to taste, drink and listen to the creations that Foxy has produced.

     On my last visit, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours on the porch chatting with the man behind so many projects at his establishment.   This is a colorful man that cooks, produces beer and spirits, plays guitar and sings, just to name a few things.   His many experiences over the years make an afternoon with Foxy a laugh a minute and very informative about the history and times that are Jost Van Dyke.

   When you are in the Virgin Islands, the trip to Jost Van Dyke and Foxy's will definitely be one of the highlights of the trip.   Imbibe in some cocktails, listen to the music and enjoy a fine meal, they are all a part of the experience.   By the way the t-shirt shop is really cool as well.  Believe me I found it and I've got the hat, t-shirt and all.  

Bahama Bob's Faux Egg Nog

     Christmas time is rapidly approaching and the time of the year that we get to enjoy all of the fun Christmas libations.   I love my Egg Nog, but it is only available during the month of December each year and quite frankly, that is not enough.  I finally came up with an idea the will bring me back to this time of year at any time.   It is a combination of spiced Siesta Key Rum and El Dorado Rum Cream.




Bahama Bob's Faux Egg Nog

• 1oz. El Dorado Rum Cream
• 1 oz. Siesta Key Spiced Rum

Place the ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until chilled.  Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with fresh ground nutmeg.

     Give this one a try, it will get you through anytime that you feel the need for an Egg Nog fix.  ;o)

St. Nicolas Abbey in My Mind

Entry to the Main House

     It has been three years since I last visited the Abbey, and the Warren family in their fabulous plantation.   The history, and the unbelievable restoration of the grounds makes this a place that I will never forget.   Larry Warren and his family have been restoring the Abbey for many years now and it never ceases to amaze me seeing what new projects have been completed and what they are working on now.





Dining Room

 

     From the first step as you enter through the front gate until you exit at the end of your visit, you will continue to see things that are absolutely amazing.   I love the antique furnishings of the main house and the wonderful gardens, but the production areas are what really interest me about the grounds.  

Steam Powered Cane Crusher

    I love the sugarcane fields, the old steam powered cane crushing machine and lets not forget the still.  Larry has spent a lot of time and money restoring the plantation and has put "Annabelle" the still in the factory to produce their fine rums.  




Larry Warren and "Annabelle"

St. Nicolas Abbey is one of the real highlights of any visit to Barbados.  You will find yourself mesmerized as you wander around the grounds as see and taste the essence of the place.   I'm looking forward to another visit to Barbados and the St. Nicolas Abbey in my future.  Don't forget to get one of their fine bottles of their award winning rum that can be personalized for you to take back home. 

Sunset on November

The Sun is Setting on November, bringing to an end another month.  As we look ahead to December and a fun holiday season, I like to think of all of the colors of November and all that has happened this rapidly fleeing year.  Today officially marks the end of another very quiet hurricane season down here in the keys.  ;o)

History of The Zacapa Bottle Band

This is an interesting history that I came across the other day and I felt you might find it interesting as well.  Enjoy.

     Early Zacapa bottles came in a bottle covered in a petate - a hand woven matting made from palm leaves which dates from the Mayan period. More recently they feature a band around the middle of the bottle.

     The packaging of Ron Zacapa Centenario has changed a few times since its introduction in 1976. Lorena explains that only the outside has changed, not the inside. The process they use now is the same they used before.

     Though it is a process with a lot of hand labor and it is always possible that (slowly) some minor changes appear, but people have to understand that this is not a mathematical process but a very personal one.

     Some people say they have noticed a change in the flavor, but there is nothing changed in the process in the past 15 years that might explain that.

     Perhaps it is perception or something psychological. Many people think that since Zacapa is with Diageo the quality has to be different.
     At Zacapa they say this is not true. The bottle changed in 2004 and Zacapa wasn’t with Diageo at that moment. The bottle is now transparent instead of the old dark. Perhaps sunlight has its influence on the rum on a molecular level.

     Recently Lorena had a tasting in London with old and new bottles of their rums. She could not find any differences.
     The outside of the bottles has had a big metamorphose in 2004, especially the looks. The bottle used to be entirely wrapped in royal palm leaf which was hand woven by the women of the Chorti community in Jocotan.

     Now there is only a palm leaf band around the waist of the bottle and the label is decorated with illustrations of the flower:   The use of the dried palm leaves (known as petate is a reference to the pre-classical Mayan era in 1400 B.C.
     This petate was first made as floor-mats for Mayan kings, who were the only ones entitled to use it. It was believed that sitting on a petate changes your whole view of the world and forces you to look at life with humility and to see things for what they are.   Until 2003 there were only a few artisans who produced about 2000 bands per month. In that year (2003) a productive chain was created that allowed Jocotan to sell its artisan products.   Now 350 artisans work here and produce 20.000 petate bands each month. This economic growth has raised the strength of women in the local community. The sustainability of this project is supported by the producers of Zacapa and has allowed these woman artisans to improve their quality of life. Other industries have followed suit and employed these workers to create other types of creations from petate.
 

    Finally, the bottling is done in the city of Mixco and so is the distribution. By doing all sort of processes in different cities, Zacapa Rum is integrated with the communities throughout the country. This is one of the reasons why there is a Petate around the bottle. It also symbolizes the unity of everything.

     Since Zacapa is so closely connected to the land and culture it is appropriate that the woven band is placed on the bottles.   Alas it is not known how many bottles Zacapa produces now per month or year. All they say, is they are a small company who won’t be growing suddenly just because they work with Diageo.

Black Friday: What Were they Thinking?

     I've really got to wonder what has happened to our holiday season.  It is nothing about time with friends and family and all about spending lots of money on meaningless stuff.   What has happened to a great Thanksgiving dinner and an evening at home with the family watching a football game or playing cards.  
     Nope, it is gobble down the dinner so we can rush to the Black Friday sales.   I really feel that the country is loosing something very important about the holidays.  It is not about how much money that you spend, it is about being with people and sharing, 

     Give the seasons a second thought this year and see if you can find more to it than just hustling out to the store and grabbing up all of the specials ahead of your neighbor and miss the real meaning of the holidays.   ;o)

Happy Thanksgiving to One and All

     I'm glad to be wishing all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and hope that you are getting to be with the ones you love.   For me, I'm going to be at the "Rum Bar in Key West" all day Thursday making sure that everyone that is down here in Key West for your Thanksgiving holiday have a fun place to drop by and enjoy your day with me.

     For those of you that are staying home for the holiday, make the time to enjoy the family and or friends and don't get over stuffed where you have to miss "Black Friday".  Just Kidding.  ;o)

Cracking the American Spirits Market

     People often ask me why I don't carry the great rum that had while they were in the Caribbean, but it is really expensive and time consuming to bring a new spirit into the US.   Two years ago Don Pancho Fernandez introduced his "Life's Work" rum Origenes, but I was finally to say that I have it for my customers in the "Rum Bar in Key West" last week.   What had to take place in order for this to happen?

      There was an article in the "Spirits Business" last week that gives you a pretty good idea of what has to transpire in order for brand to be on the shelf for sale
in America.

     Spirits brands continue to covet the US market, but it is one of the world’s most difficult markets to crack

     To make it in America is not just the dream of every British rock band since the Beatles’ invasion of 1964. Every non-US brand of vodka, gin, whisky, or whatever, also wants to crack the most lucrative and dynamic international spirits market on the planet. Thousands try, but few succeed.

     “The structure of the US market makes it theoretically almost impossible to break into,” says Jacob Ehrenkrona, CEO of Reformed Spirits, owner of Martin Miller’s gin. “Basically there hasn’t been a single European brand owned by an independent company that has really conquered America.” When pressed, he makes a possible exception for the Dutch vodka Ketel One, before Diageo bought a 50% stake and took over distribution in 2008.

     “Martin Miller’s has just about managed to get a foothold in America that no one can take away from us,” Ehrenkrona says. “We’ve made every mistake, but we’re still there and we’re growing.” The biggest mistake he sees time and again is “to be mesmerised by the opportunity the US represents. Most brands start in New York, California or Florida, and then other states start demanding the product. It becomes exciting and, all of a sudden, you get swept away by your own success and start spending money. You spend a fortune and spread yourself too thin. That’s the main reason people fail.”

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/11/us-almost-impossible-for-indy-spirits-to-crack/

     I hope this will help you understand why so many really fine rums are not being sold here in America.   I really wish it was easier, but the post prohibition laws for the distribution and sale of spirits here in the United States.

 

Coming Soon: Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum

     It is official, December 6th at 10:00 a.m. is the release date for Siesta Key  Toasted Coconut Rum! “Finally a coconut rum that doesn't taste like suntan lotion!”   Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum is made purely by an infusion of shredded toasted coconut with the rum.   Others may claim "natural ingredients" but for most distillers that means using liquid flavors.

    Drum Circle Distillery is making coconut rum without the use of any liquid flavors is a lot of work, but the results are incredible. The "proof" is in the bottle! Siesta Key Toasted Coconut Rum is bottled at a full 70 proof so you know you are actually drinking rum!

     Troy Roberts and Siesta Key Rums have a strong history of producing fine rums right here in Sarasota, Florida and the addition of this toasted coconut flavored rum is an exciting addition to the brand.   I am looking forward to tasting this rum and will give you a full report when I get the opportunity to taste it. 

The "Freed Up" Daiquiri

     It has been a while since I've been able to spend some time in my "Rum Lab", but with the cool weather this past week I was able to do a bit of experimenting with my favorite cocktail category, the daiquiri.   Below is an interesting combination that I found to be very flavorful and fits well with a cool evening stuck inside.

Bahama Bob’s Freed Up Daiquiri

·         2 1/2 oz. Flor de Caya 12 Year Old Rum

·         1/2 oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur

·         2 dashes of Fee Bros. Orange Bitters

·         1 dash Fee Bros. Old Fashion Bitters

·         Juice of ½ Lime

·         ¼ oz. Agave Nectar

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

 

Give this one a try, I believe you will be freed up from the doldrums of winter long enough to picture a warm Caribbean sunset.   ;o)

 

Tropicana Theater: Havana, Cuba

     The Tropicana in Havana is one of my favorite memories of Cuba.  The show that so many Americans and others from all over the world came to see is still going on today.   This is a must see for anyone that is headed to Cuba.  It is still so much like the 1930's that I was waiting for Carmen Miranda to appear on the stage. 

Rum's Top 10 Historical Moments.

     The Spirits Business published a very interesting article recently, dealing with historical events that have shaped the rum business and the way the rum is perceived today.

"Exile, revolution, war and Prohibition all played a part in shaping the fascinating story of rum. Here are the spirit’s top 10 historical moments."

     From Navy rations to the Cuban Revolution, these are the biggest moments in rum history.  

     It may be one of the biggest spirits categories in the world, but rum has encountered its fair share of set backs and challenges since molasses were first distilled in the 17th Century.
 

     With roots in the colonial slave trade, the spirit later became forever associated with drunken sailors as the Royal Navy were rationed a “tot” of rum a day.

     The world’s largest rum brand Bacardi was created in 1862 and laid claimed to being the first rum to feature in the Cuba Libre cocktail.

     While Prohibition proved fruitful for the industry, when other sectors were contrastingly dealt a fatal blow, it soon encountered its biggest upheaval in the Cuban Revolution and the ensuing US/Cuba trade sanctions.

      The origins of rum lie in the Caribbean plantations, where slaves are believed to have discovered that molasses could be used to distil alcohol.

     Many historians believe that this process was first discovered in Barbados – where an ancient document calls the spirit a “hot, hellish and terrible liquor” – while others believe there was proof of rum production in Brazil as early as the 1620s. Meanwhile, evidence of alcohol made from fermented sugarcane dates back to the 14^th Century in Europe, India and China.

     Rum production then moved to colonial North America, where the first rum distillery is thought to have been opened in Staten Island in 1664.

     In 1655, the Royal Navy famously switched the daily liquor ration it gave to its sailors from
French brandy to rum.   However almost a century later, in 1740, sailors’ tots of rum began to be watered down to prevent drunkenness, creating a mixture known as grog. This added lemon or lime juice to help prevent the onset of scurvy.   Until 1970, the Royal Navy continued to give its sailors a daily ration of rum, and do so on special occasions to this day. The day the daily ration of rum ended is known as Black Tot Day.

The story has much more to tell and you can read the rest of the story at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2014/11/top-10-moments-in-rum-history-2/

     This is an interesting linking of historical events with rum.  It is a good read and one that I think that you can enjoy.  ;o)

Casa Bacardi Tours in Puerto Rico No Longer Free

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The drinks are no longer on the house at Casa Bacardi in Puerto Rico.

     Foreigners will now have to pay $12 and residents $6 to visit one of the most popular tourist attractions in the metropolitan San Juan region, officials said Tuesday.   The seaside rum distillery was well-known for its free drinks and tours.   The new cover charge includes a welcome drink, a commemorative 12-ounce acrylic glass and a tour of the Bacardi Visitor Center, according to a statement by Casa Bacardi. Those who want a tour of the distillery, a sampling of four premium rums or a drink-confectioning course must pay an additional $23.    Casa Bacardi officials said they also plan to renovate their facility and revamp their drink menus.

     Mari Jo Laborde, a spokeswoman for Puerto Rico's tourism company, said Bacardi officials have already met with tour operators and cruise line officials to notify them of the changes.    "It's one of the most important tours for us," she said. "They didn't consult us, but they did inform us about their plans. It's a private company and they take their own financial and strategic decisions."   More than 250,000 people a year visit the Bacardi distillery, where more than 83 percent of Bacardi rum is produced.

     This is a rend that has happened to the wine industry as well.  In my days of living in the Sonoma Valley of California I use to jump into my 1959 Austin Healy Sprite and drive over the mountain to the Napa Valley and sample all of the free wines at the wineries in St, Helena and Calistoga.   Today this is no longer a "free" event either.  Times change, insurance costs go up and it becomes necessary to charge for such visits.  In the case of Bacardi, it is no different.  You can not run a business at a loss and costs need to be covered.  The price of entry is about the same as having a couple of cocktails at a bar and you get so much more

 

Is Cuba Going to Open Up Soon?

     From the STR headquarters outside of Nashville, Tennessee, they currently gather performance data from over 50,000 hotels located in more than 160 countries.  These properties use STR products, such as the STAR Report or Hotel Survey, to benchmark their hotel’s performance versus a competitive set or market segment and hotel reviews.

  

"Among the countries in the region, Mexico reported the largest number of rooms In Construction with 7,957 rooms. Three other countries reported more than 500 rooms In Construction: Bahamas (2,681 rooms); Cuba (1,176 rooms); and the Dominican Republic (715 rooms). "

 

     In Cuba, there is a huge new hotel being developed by the Spanish Developer Melia Hotels International.  This new property accounts for the entire 1176 rooms being developed in Cuba.

 

Cayo Coco

     "About the new resort in Cayo Coco, it is expected to be finished by sometime next year, it was revealed that the first phase should be completed in November 2014 and once the whole hotel complex is finished it will become the key’s largest hotel. With a total of 1,176 rooms found along 25, three-story bungalows, they will offer garden views, pool views and ocean views as well as luxury amenities and facilities."

 

     This property along with the very recently  opened 

Marina Melia Veradero

gem on the island, the lavishly luxurious, five-star Marina Melia Varadero, which opened in summer last year give the beautiful northern beaches of Cuba some spectacular hotels to draw more and more tourists from all over the world.

 

     It makes me wonder with this much money being spent to develop five-star resorts is someone knows that the opening of Cuba and the lifting of the embargo might be closer that some have thought. 

 

 

 

 

 

Robots Replaceing the"Love Boat" Crew ?

Love Boat Crew

      The days of your "Love Boat" type services and going by the wayside to be replaced by robot bartenders in the Royal Caribbean's new "smart ships".   

     Royal Caribbean International has partnered with Makr Shakr to create the world's first "bionic bar" tended by robots aboard its new "smart ship". 

Robot Bartenders

     Claimed to be the world's first robotic bar, the bionic bar will allow guests aboard the Quantum of the Seas to place drinks orders via tablets and then watch as they are mixed by robotic bartenders programmed to add the right amount of mixers, ice and even garnish. 

     Each robot can produce one drink per minute and up to 1,000 drinks per day, according to Royal Caribbean, with robotic arms able to draw alcohol from dozens of bottles hanging from above. 

     Alessandro Insica of Makr Shakr, the company that developed the machine for Royal Caribbean, said: "You have a choice of a Bionic Bar signature recipe or a classic recipe, or you also can create your own. There are endless combinations." 

Issac Washington

Read More at http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2014/11/bionic-bar-tended-by-robots-launched-at-sea/

I'm going to miss the ability to walk up to the bar and chat with the bartender as I get my cocktail, a robot just doesn't have the same personality.  I might as well be drinking alone in my cabin for the amount of social interaction that will occur with a robot.  I feel that this is a great idea for making cocktails for the service staff serving cocktails with dinner or at the tables, but when I sit at the bar, I want to communicate with a fellow human being.  ;o)