New Study Concludes that More Alcoholic Beverages are Consumed in the Keys Than in Any Other Florida County --- Really?

     Guess What, Key West is a two by five mile island that has 350 bars, thousand and thousands of tourists every day, what else would you expect?   I really have to question these stats a little bit, but we here in the keys do have a lot more quality recreational time year round that most places and a good day on the water without a cocktail or two would not happen.  

     The fact that the majority of the people that live in the keys are in the service industry also is a big part of the why of this.   The majority of the places where locals gather serve at least beer and wine, and the most do serve spirits.  The Keys also have a large over 55 population of semi and retired people that have a tendency to have a few more cocktails a day than working people in general.

    These islands are no stranger to alcoholic beverages,  a survey released this month by the University of Washington shows locals are drinking at higher rates than our Miami neighbors, or any other Florida county for that matter.   The nationwide study compared data collected from 2005 to 2012 by surveying residents in their home county on alcohol consumption.

     In an email, the study's lead author, Dr. Ali Mokdad, said the fact that the Florida Keys are a tourist destination makes alcohol much more readily available. That, he says, increases the likelihood that residents will drink at higher rates.

     "It would have an impact on intake," he said. "More outlets yields more consumption for locals."

      A server at a Key Largo establishment said he's not surprised that locals are tossing back a few more than their fellow Floridians.

     "It's what everybody likes to do here," said Jeremiah Spelas, a server at Skipper's Dockside. "It goes hand in hand with boating and fishing."

     The study also included data for heavy or so-called binge drinkers.     Heavy drinking in the United States -- defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as two drinks a day for men and one for woman over the course of a month -- has increased sharply, up 17.2 percent since 2005. Nationwide, women showed a much faster escalation in binge drinking than men, with rates rising 17.5 percent between 2005 and 2012. Men, on the other hand, saw binge drinking rates increase almost 5 percent.   According to the CDC, five drinks in one sitting for men at some point in the last month qualifies as binge drinking. That number of drinks for women is four.   Monroe County posted the highest levels of binge drinking among Florida's 67 counties, which included 25 percent of residents, according to the study.

"Many locals who drink that much on a weekly basis but would not consider themselves a binge drinker," Spelas said.  In 2012, 8.2 percent of all Americans were considered heavy drinkers (14 percent in Monroe County) and 18.3 percent were binge drinkers, the study found. Madison County, Idaho, had the lowest levels of binge drinking in 2012, while Menominee, Wisc., had the highest rates of binge drinking.
      I guess that if I had to sum it all up, I's just say "Yup".

Drinking Alone: Lets Look at it With "New Eyes"

     To many drinking alone is a sign of some deep seated problem, but there are some very good reasons to just sit back and raise the glass to you and enjoy it without all of the social "crap".   Sometimes it is nice to just sit alone after work on the aft deck and enjoy a nice sipping rum and watch the sun dancing across the boat wakes on the water. 

     I feel like there are times when I would rather sit alone period, rather than trying to carry on conversations with people that I really don't want to talk with usually due to the subject matter of the conversation, ie politics, some sports, or especially work.   These are the times that the privacy of the aft deck or in some others cases the patio just make the perfect places to chill and raise a toast to yourself.
    

     There are a number of  people who, for various reasons, don't drink alone.   Some will open (almost) any rum in their collection for friends but not a single bottle for just themselves.   An unshared bottle is a waste of money seems to be the feeling about it.  This is the view of many, but there is nothing wrong with that for them either.  Myself I'm not likely to open an unusual or hard to get bottle just for myself, but rather with a group so the sharing of the rum and the opinions on the rum itself can be bantered around is a much better way to enjoy these type of expressions.

     If it has been a particularly slow day at the bar and my tip jar is empty, I find myself sitting of the boat mixing a cocktail from the bar on the boat saving some money.  As a member of the service industry, I cannot go to a bar with out leaving a good tip for my bartender, so rather than disrespecting the person that has served me.  The cocktail on the boat itself is a lot cheaper as well. 

     I find that depending on mood and other considerations, I may have a cocktail alone, but I really don't feel that there is a negativity that is attached to the cocktail if it is for the right reasons and it doesn't become a place to hide feeling sad and depressed.  Rather it be a place of quiet joy and smiles while you toast to

you.  ;o)

Escape Time at Bahia Honda State Park

     What a day, following a couple of weeks of rum festivals, entertaining friends and customers at

the Rum Bar it is time for a couple of days at Bahia Honda in the "camper".   An afternoon of water, marina and cocktails as I sit watching the boats come and go.   It is such a relaxing time chatting with the people that walk by on the dock and those that float in by boat.  It is always and interesting time here in the Bahia Honda Marina.



     Today the winds and the seas were a bit tough getting here, but the ride is a big part of the fun.   Slicing through the waves and getting sprayed as the winds blow the spray from the boat back over us and cooling us down.  This too is part of the fun of getting out and becoming one with the ocean.   The weather is in the mid 80's and the winds about 15, perfect, cool enough that we were not suffocating from the heat.

     A fine supper of Quesdilla, potato salad and rum cocktails as the sun sets in the background.  There is always a cooling breeze off of the water that makes the evening perfect to sit on the aft deck and watch the stars and satellite trails.   It is time like this that answers the question that I am so often asked, "Why do you live down here?"   I really can't think of any other place that I would ever want to live.  Life on the water is a life that fits me like a glove and one I wouldn't ever want to change.

     Tomorrow morning it is pancakes on board and getting everything ready to head back out to sea and back to my reality of work, and a wonderful life in Key West.    ;o)

Bacardi Introduces Carta Fuego

Bacardi is targeting the shot market with  new cinnamon-flavored spiced rum “spirit drink” – Bacardi Carta Fuego.

     Bacardi Carta Fuego is a cinnamon-flavored red spiced rum .   Bottled at 40% abv and red in color, the new release is made from rum aged for a minimum of one year in torched oak barrels, before its passed through charcoal and mixed with a secret blend of flavors and spices.   Named after the Spanish word for “fire”, Bacardi Carta Fuego is described as a “fiery” drink with a “bold, smooth taste” offering flavors of cinnamon, nutmeg, honey and vanilla, with a touch of smokiness.

 

     It is no exaggeration to state that the market for herb and spice infused beverages has never been bigger, and it shows very few signs of waning. While you may be more familiar with BACARDI as a cocktail ingredient such as in Piña Colada and Mojito or perhaps you know it from the ever elusive phrase Bacardi and Coke.

     It seems that Bacardi are preparing to make waves in the ‘shot’ market, up against the likes of Jagermeister and Sambuca. 

Consumers are encouraged to enjoy the spirit neat as a shot, or mixed with Coke, but for those who like things extra spicy, Bacardi suggests adding three drops of Tabasco sauce.

“With a long history and a colorful heritage, we make rums that suit all tastes and occasions, and keep the revolutionary fires burning,” according to Bacardi’s release. “Our new Bacardi Carta Fuego is here to bring the heat. When it’s enjoyed as a shot, you experience the full flavor profile.

“We’ve always been innovators and Bacardi Cart Fuego has been crafted to be enjoyed that way.   It’s new and different.”

See the Video at    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2I27FR_TxM&feature=player_detailpage#t=2

 

 

 

 

Snorkelling in Open Waters

     The summer is upon us and there are a lot of people snorkeling and diving in the waters around the keys.  I was headed out of my marina the other evening when I noticed a boat at anchor at the edge of a marked channel.  I looked around and finally saw two snorkelers surface about 150 yards away from their boat that was not flying a dive flag.  The divers did not have their flags attach either.  Unless you have a death wish or really want to ruin your dive time this year.  Display those flags and have them attached to you if you are far away from your boat.

This is you should be doing if you are sharing the water with boaters.

Dehydration Driving as Bad as Drunk Driving?

     I ran across an interesting article about dehydration and its effects on people the other day.  It is something that we here in the tropics deal with every day.  You need to keep your water intake up every day or this will bite you for sure.  The warm temperatures and the humidity of the tropics cause your body to sweat out way too much liquid and leaving you dehydrated in a very short time, especially if you are at all active.  

     According to the study a dehydrated driver is just as dangerous as a drunk driver.  If you are mixing the dehydration with the excessive intake of alcohol, this could be double the trouble.

     As part of the study, a range of tests were carried out over two days on male drivers using a laboratory-based driving simulator. During the normal hydration test there were 47 driving incidents, but when the men were dehydrated that number more than doubled to 101. These errors included lane drifting, late braking and touching or crossing the rumble strip or lane line.   In fact, the number of errors made by dehydrated drivers was similar to that expected of someone driving under the influence of drugs or with a blood alcohol content of 0.08%, the current UK legal driving limit.

     Professor Ron Maughan, professor of sport and exercise nutrition at Loughborough University who led the study, said: “We all deplore drunk driving, but we don’t usually think about the effects of other things that affect our driving skills, and one of those is not drinking and dehydration. There is no question that driving while under the influence of drink or drugs increases the risk of accidents, but our findings highlight an unrecognized danger and suggest that drivers should be encouraged to make sure they are properly hydrated.”

You can read more at   http://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2015/04/dehydrated-drivers-as-bad-as-drunk-drivers/

     The truth of the matter is that we are mostly water in out physical make up, and we cannot afford to loos much of the volume of water before some very negative effects start to occur.   Whether you are drinking or not, it is really important to keep yourself hydrated, because you could be as dangerous to people around you as someone that has been drinking excessively.
 

Model Chrissy Teigan stars in Captain Morgan Ad

27th April, 2015 by Amy Hopkins

     Supermodel Chrissy Teigan is starring as a peg-legged buccaneer in a new advertisement for Captain Morgan’s flavored rum range. 

     Chrissy Teigan stars as Paquita Pantalones in Captain Morgan’s new advertisement.   Teigan, who is married to musician John Legend, stars as “Paquita Pantalones”, a sword-wielding female counterpart to the Captain Morgan character in the new US advertisement.

     The advertisement, which can been viewed in full below, promotes Captain Morgan’s new flavored range consisting of Pineapple, Coconut and Grapefruit variants.   In the ad, entitled “I know what you drank last summer”, Teigan slices pineapples with a sword and smashes grapefruits to create cocktails for beach holiday-makers.

     On her Instagram account, Teigan said: “Watch my new @CaptainMorganUSA video! My co-stars are the most delicious cocktails of all time, and I dyed my hair black and cut my leg off because I commit to my craft.”

     Brand-owner Diageo launched the collection in the US in February this year, announcing its intention to roll out a summer-themed marketing campaign throughout the year.   Diageo launched its first Captain Morgan White Rum in the US in February 2014. Click on the link below to see Teigan in action as Paquita Pantalones.

See the video at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/04/model-chrissy-teigan-stars-in-captain-morgan-ad/

    

In 2015 St Maarten will Host the 5th Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival

     St Maarten has become the latest host country for the roving Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival which will take place on 6 – 7 November 2015. Now in its fifth year, the festival brings together some of the finest rum and beer products from the Caribbean and beyond, in a vibrant setting complete with Caribbean food, culture and entertainment.

     Festival Director Ms. Cheryl Collymore explained, “As a genuine Caribbean festival it is important for us to hold the event throughout the region. We have previously been in Barbados and Grenada and now we are in “Amazing” St Maarten. St Maarten is an ideal location for this growing event; it is beautiful, it attracts over 2 million high-end visitors from around the world to its shores each year, and its duty free shopping is some of the best in the Caribbean.” 

     “We are looking forward to working closely with the tourism agencies in St Maarten to market the destination and the festival to the widest possible international audience.” 

     Azure Management Services Inc., a Barbados based company, is responsible for the Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival. Operations Director Dr. Glyn Williams commented, “Our festival exhibitors recognise the benefits of taking part in a boutique event where they can introduce their products to a sophisticated international audience, to build brand recognition and support. The fact that this all takes place in a fabulous Caribbean setting all helps to create a memorable experience for the patrons. ”  

 

Sonesta Maho Resort and Casino

 

 

     This is one of the outstanding events that I get to be a part of.  They are always in the most fun places and provide a great event that is fun and informative.  Make your plans now and I'll see you at the Sonesta Maho Resort and Casino for a seriously fun event.

 

 

     The 5^th Caribbean Rum & Beer Festival will take place in St Maarten on 6 – 7 November 2015 at the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort & Casino. (www.rumandbeerfestival.com)

Yolo Rum: Another Fine Rum from Don Pancho Fernandez

Phillip Guerin

     Yolo Rum was one of the discoveries from the 2015 Miami Rum Festival that has come home with me.   They have a ten year old rum and a silver expression from which to choose.  The idea, the philosophy came first, says Phillip Guerin, .   The brand's name is the acronym for the popular credo  "you only live once."  Next, he and his wife went on a search for a fine rum and discovered Francisco "Don Pancho" Fernandez, a Cuban master rum blender (ronero), who lives in Panama and now distributes two of his formulas exclusively through Yolo   Yolo also added another Gold Medal to their collection in Miami.

    The silver is a very clean mixer that works well in any cocktail because it is not encumbered with added flavors of its own to upset the balance of your cocktail.   This is a rum that suits my taste with Barritt’s Ginger Beer, as an evening refresher, It allows the flavor of the rum and the mixer to combine in a cocktail that really tastes like it is suppose to.

     The ten year expression on the other hand is one that truly stands alone.  It is a honest and real sipper.  Don Pancho has come through again for the people of Yolo Rums.  His mastery of the aged rums really shines through in this wonderful little rum.   It has an aroma of dried fruits and bourbon that slides across your palate with an incredible smoothness.  It has a lasting finish of vanilla and caramel from the oak barrel.

     Both of these rums are of a fine quality and a welcome addition to my rum collection.  ;o)

The Single Estate Rum from Georgia

     This is a term that is creeping into the spirits industry, but what is it really?   What it is all about is taking a spirit back to its roots.  Growing the grains, sugarcane or other materials on the estate, harvesting them, and then producing the spirit on the same plantation.  This is what single estate is traditionally about, but there are no "cut and dry" rules about it as of yet.

Erik and Karin Vonk

    At the Miami Rum Festival two weeks ago, I had the opportunity to spend some time with Erik and Karin Vonk or Richland, Georgia talking about their Vennebroeck Estate where they grow sugarcane, harvest it, and turn it into a fine Georgia Single Estate Rum.

Erik and Karin Vonk  bought a large tract of rolling land outside of Richland. They named their farm Vennebroeck, Dutch for “ponds and brooks.”   Beyond the spot’s natural beauty, the Vonks were intrigued by the area’s history of sugarcane farming, which scratched an old itch. “I just sort of had this ‘aha’ moment,” Erik says. “I’ve had a strange fascination with rum for a very long time.”

     They started in the late 1990s, they set out on his quest to grow, distill, and barrel-age sugarcane into something that would evoke the lost character of pre-Prohibition rum.    He is quick to point out that nearly all commercial rum today is made from molasses, the by-product of sugar refining—rather than the cane syrup used during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.   Working with the University of Georgia extension office, Erik Vonk identified the variety of cane that grows best in southwestern Georgia’s climate—Georgia Red—and secured permission to build a still for personal consumption. 

     When he decided to turn his hobby into a business, in 2007, Vonk knew he would need to jump through a few regulatory hoops, as Vennebroeck straddles two dry counties. As luck would have it, Richland had a long-standing law allowing alcohol within its limits, and the town council was eager to repopulate its long-shuttered downtown storefronts. Vonk selected a general store that had been boarded up for more than a quarter century. 

     “Sometimes people got angry,” Vonk says of that first year. “One guy told me I was an idiot not to have any rum to taste. I told him it just takes time.”

     They have found a number of obstacles that got in their way over the year, but they have persevered and are now producing a true Georgia single estate rum.  Richland Rum is a full bodied rum with some of the better characteristics of a fine agricole.  It has a pale amber color, with attractive aromas and flavors of coconut creme brulee, mocha, polished wood, and toffee.  The finish is a supple, dry,  nutty, spicy, coppery taste to the finish.  This is a dry, serious oak aged pot still rum for sipping or bold cocktails.  Erik puts it best when he says that his rum only has three ingredients, Sugarcane Juice, Yeast and pure Georgia aquifer water, that is all you need.

     Today it is only distributed in Georgia, but there are plans for Florida distribution very soon.  ;o) 

 

 

 

Copacabana 1940 Coming Soon

Don Pancho Fernandez

Chef Alex Garcia

     The spirit of the  Copa is back, and will be in full swing with the introduction of a new rum named for the famous beach in Brazil and the night club in New York City.   This is a collaboration that include some very knowledgeable people in the rum and restaurant industries.    Don Pancho Fernandez, Chef Alex Garcia and Spencer Rothschild have teamed up to create this new rum expression.  


Spencer Rothschild

     The rum is a golden rum created by Don Pancho Fernandez, which he describes as a 7 year old  blend that is a full bodied sophisticated rum. Copacabana 1940 is aged in white oak and has notes of orange citrus and butterscotch.

     "After many years traveling the world to source the finest rum, I am thrilled to introduce New York to Copacabana 1940 Añejo rum" says Rothschild. "I am so proud of the experts that have come assembled to create an añejo rum worthy of bearing the name of the most famous nightclub and beach in the world."

Chef Alex Garcia and Spencer Rothschild, of  Barrio Spirits are introducing Copacabana 1940, to the restaurant and spirits people at an official launch event on July 8 at the iconic Copacabana Nightclub.

 

     Today this rum is only available in New York, but when it becomes available in Florida, you can bet it will become the newest member of the collection at the Rum Bar in Key West. 
 
 

Leapin' Tarpon

   What a week last wee was, two leisurely trips on US 1 from Key West to Miami and back.  The fun of hitting so many watering holes and enjoying the beautiful scenery that the keys present you.  The birds and the fish also add to the adventure.

Huge Tarpon leaping out of the water chasing scraps from the fish cleaning tables.

 

 

Fashion World and the Drinks World Unite

     Because the spirits industry produces "lifestyle" products it seems to be following along with the trends and what is fashionable with the other "lifestyle" happenings.  What was old and out of date seems to be reworked a little and becomes "Vogue" again.  Many of the classic cocktails have bees tweaked a bit and are being served in big numbers again.  The spirits are just like the cars, the retro revolution is happening now.

     Bacardi recently appointed Akiko Maeda into the newly created role of vice president of fashion.   According to insight from Spiros Malandrakis, senior alcoholic drinks analyst at Euromonitor International, the alcohol industry falls within the lifestyle category and as such follows similar trend patterns as would be found in other industries.   “While trend cycles tend to last longer than six months it is becoming an indisputable fact that drinking patterns evolve much faster and more frequently than they used to,” said Malandrakis.

      “Alcohol is first and foremost, a lifestyle industry. In other words, the drivers of change are aspirational and start with symbolism and the semiotics of style.”   He continued to explain how many consumer choices are formed off the back of celebrity collaborations with specific brands, from Iggy Pop and Sailor Jerry to David Beckham and Haig Club.   Furthermore, he added it was Bacardi’s most recent statement of creating the role of vice president for fashion that “formalized the affair”.

     “From the ‘Mad Men’ effect making Old Fashioned cocktails suitably fashionable once again to immaculate fashionistas sipping Aperol Spritz shortly before it became the ubiquitous, pop culture and the zeitgeist provide the cues for both industries’ future directions, positioning and core message,” he explained.
 

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/04/evolution-of-drinking-patterns-picks-up-pace/





     I love seeing the fashion world going back to short shorts and skirts and I love to take some of the oldies and revamp them with rum and share them with my friends.   I think that Bacardi was right on with its moves to become a part of the world of fashion.

From the Classics to Today

     One of the most fun things for me is reviving some of the classic cocktails made with various other spirits using an appropriate rum.   The Bloodhound is an old gin cocktail from an era long past that I felt like had a real possibility as a great summer cocktail.  It is made with fresh strawberries and vermouths this makes a wonderful fruity daiquiri style cocktail ideal by the pool or in the evening on the patio.

Brugal Bloodhound

• 1 1/2 oz. Brugal Especial Extra Dry Rum
• 3/4 oz. Sweet Vermouth
• 3/4 oz. Extra Dry Vermouth
• 3 or 4 Fresh Strawberries

Cut up the strawberries and place them in a shaker with ice along with the rest of the ingredients. Shake until really chilled and strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a fresh strawberry.

     Tis really turned out to be one of those really flavorful cocktails fitting for the aft deck in the early evening.  I just hope that you enjoy it equally as well.

What is a Cocktail Name Really Worth?

     The battle over what ingredients have to be used in a "trademarked cocktail" is heating up again.  A few years back Pusser's Rum flexed its muscles about the use of rums other than Pusser's in the "Painkiller", now Gosling Brothers Ltd. is making noise over their "Dark 'N Stormy"

     "A margarita doesn't have to made with Patron tequila, and a bloody mary doesn't need to made with Stolichnaya vodka, but, according to Gosling Brothers Ltd., a "Dark 'N Stormy" can only be made with Gosling's Black Seal Bermuda Black Rum. "  

    " That's because the name of the cocktail - dark rum, ginger beer, ice and lime, apparently invented after World War I - is a registered trademark of Gosling Brothers, one that the Bermuda-based distiller told The New York Times a few years back it "defends vigorously." 

 

     "So the company didn't take it lightly when a black rum rival - Proximo Spirits' upstart Kraken Black Spiced Rum, which is made in Trinidad and Tobago - applied for a trademark registration on "Kraken Storm" for use on its own line of ginger beer."   "Gosling and others have long promoted the mark 'Dark 'N Stormy' as designating a cocktail made exclusively with Gosling's Black Seal Rum and mixed with ginger beer," the company said, noting that its rights go back "decades."

 

Read More at http://www.law360.com/articles/644722/brand-battles-procter-gamble-l-oreal-dark-n-stormy-

 

Whether it be a Bacardi Cocktail, Hand Grenade, Sazerac, or a Painkiller, the laws of this country allow the trademarking of cocktails and their ingredients.  In the opinion of this writer, you really have to choose your battles.  Is it worth drawing the ire of a lot of bartenders and writer just to make a point.   This is an issue that keeps coming up again and again, but who really wins and who loses?  I think that this is one of those lose, lose situations.  There are times that the property needs to be protected and there are times that you need to "let a sleeping dog lay".  You can sometimes win the battle and loose the war of sales.

 

 

Afrohead Rum From Harbour Island in the Bahamas



The Landing, Harbour Island

     Afrohead Rum is a very unique rum, that is produced from Dominican molasses, fermented with special Trinidad yeast, and distilled and aged in Trinidad.  Toby Tyler will then blend the rum into his own special expression and it is then bottled in Barbados.   The rum was initially made for the consumption by the customers of Joe Farrell's The Landing on Harbour Island in the Bahamas, but because of the demand it is available here in Florida, Tennessee and available at the Rum Bar here in Key West.

     Toby Tyler moved to the Bahamas and immersed himself in the island’s rich West Indies culture.  He has established himself as the island’s resident rum expert.   When he was asked, “Which rum is your favorite?” and he replied, “It hasn’t been made yet.”   In 2008, after 18 months of blending, Toby tasted his favorite rum.   Nothing defines Toby Tyler, he is this free spirit turned rum blender who  effortlessly moves from behind the bar to the recording studio to catching waves.

     The very special logo pays homage to the West Indies culture and traditions.  There are many components to the afro stylized head.  If you look carefully at the hair, you sill see images of a crown, junkanoo, a mind's eye, rising sun, and a seashell that makes up the shape of the head,

     The rums are of a rich amber mahogany color, boasting aromas of spices with notes of bourbon.   On the palate, there is a very natural sweetness from the barrel with notes of tropical and dried fruits, in addition to  a light spiciness that leads to the long and tastefully smooth finish.

     All in all a very special rum with a very special story behind it.  Joe and Toby make up a very special team that has done wonders to bring this fine rum into the mainstream of the spirits business.