Rum War with Cuba Warming Up

     Will the hostilities between the US and Cuba ever go away?    We have had more confrontations with this country 90 miles to my south and still nothing seems to ever get solved.     Today we have a bitter dispute over the cane spirit and the trademark "Havana Club", the country's flagship rum that is sold in over 120 countries world wide, but not in the United States.   The 50 year-old embargo the US has imposed on goods that are produced in Cuba is the reason for the exclusion of Cuban Havana Club Rum.  

     Cuba stands to lose all chance of a legal claim against Bacardi who distributes a limited quantity of it's version of "Havana Club" in  Florida, with plans to expand into other states soon.   Cuba has owned the trademarking the United States since 1976 after the family that originally owned the brand let the registration elapse.   The renewal for the trademark came up in 2006, and the treasury department  who enforces the embargo refuses the renewal payment.     Cuba has sued the US Government and lost.  The Supreme Court declined to review the ruling on May 14th.   The 30 day countdown for the patent office to cancel the trademark began.   June 13th is the day that Cuba's claim to the "Havana Club" name will expire.   Pernod Ricard the partner that distributes "Havana Club" world wide vows that the battle isn't over.  "We will still fight to keep this trademark alive" according to Olivia Lagache, general counsel for "Havana Club".

     The US is a very lucrative market, having some 40% of the world's rum drinkers, that would most likely jump at the chance to enjoy this mystical rum that has been made into a holy grail of rums because of the fact that it has been banned in the US for 50 years.

    No matter what the outcome of the trademark battle, the real losers in this war are the Americans that enjoy fine rum and are banned by the same government that allows trade with Russia, China, Korea, and Vietnam, countries that gave us a lot more grief that the tiny country of Cuba has ever given us.    I guess that we need to think about why is this such a problem for our government when the people of the United States would really like to travel to Cuba and enjoy their rum.   ;o(

Oh, the Dirge Hangover

The party is fun, but what about tomorrow?

   In any discussion with a person that has had a cocktail or two, there is a mention of the dreaded hangover.    Every party has the potential for a serious set back the next morning.     It is a well known fact that people who do not drink will never know the dirge of the hangover.    For those of us that do drink ourselves into a drunken stupor, the hangover is the predetermined price you pay for over indulgence.    Now that we have gotten ourselves into this fix, what are we going to do about it?   

Stomach rolling like the ocean?

     What is a hangover?   The symptoms are caused by a combination of the toxic by products of alcohol metabolism, dehydration, and Vitamin A, B (Specifically B6), and C depletion as a result of the chemistry of alcohol and the functions of the body.    Symptoms usually include dry mouth, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, and the dreaded headache.    These are the same symptoms of a mild depressant drug overdose.   This is the effect of flushing a large amount of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients from your body and causing a degree of metabolic shock that your body will take the next 8 to 24 hours to recover from.  
    
     There are thing that do and do not work to relieve the symptoms, but the cure lies in replacing the elements that were flushed away by the alcohol you consumed.    Things like a "hair of the dog" really is a myth, because your adding to the problem with more alcohol that will continue the process of flushing essential fluids.   Coffee just makes you a wide awake drunk and does nothing for the hangover, greasy foods is just a "wives tale" and will most likely do more to irritate the stomach and the intestines than cure a hangover.

Feel like you are playing with fire sometimes?

     Then what are the options that really do help?     The only true cure for a hangover is time, but some of the symptoms can be relieved.   Water and drinks that are high in electrolytes help to replace the fluids flushed away by the alcohol.   Aspirin and Ibuprofen can help relieve some of the pain, but under certain circumstances cause problems that will make the nausea worse.    Fruits, fruit juices, poached eggs, bouillon soup and bananas all help to replace vitamins and minerals lost as a result of the metabolizing of the alcohol.

     The bottom line is that if you keep yourself hydrated while you are drinking, as well as after you have stopped drinking for the evening you can soften the symptoms of the hangover substantially.   Remember that you are playing with fire when you fuel  your body with too much alcohol that hasn't been diluted with water and electrolytes.   Keep it together by keeping your body hydrated is the best cure, prevention is a lot easier than trying to cure it later.   ;o)

Monday and Another "Day Off"

    It's a home day today, a day of chores and repairs of boats, scooters, and appliances.   The really good news is that I had a fun night last night singing karaoke at the Hurricane hole with a bunch of good friends.     Outdoor karaoke is fun with the sea breezes and the beautiful Key West night sky.

   I'm hoping to get every thing done in time to relax for a while and recuperate from another busy and fun week at the Rum Bar.   I guess that even on a day of chores I really can't complaining to loudly, but maybe I'm feeling a little sorry for myself having to work on stuff on such a beautiful day.   I guess that if I just get after it,the chores will be done and I can do what I really want to do.

   Mondays for everyone is about the same, a lot of procrastination even when you have a day off you seem to be able to put things off until you just can't get it all done, even play time.   I guess it is time for me to dig in and "gitter dun" so I will have a bit of play time left before dark, or even maybe a little after dark.   ;o)

Sunday Morning Serenity

Serenity is such a wonderful thing to wake up to as you head to the office.

Overproof: Making a Strong Return to the Forefront

   In the past year overproof rums have started to move back to the forefront and are providing a wonderful alternative to some of the tamer 80 proof rums and the gasoline stile overproofs in the recent past.     The "new breed" of overproof rums seem to have some smoothness and flavor to them that has been lacking for some time in the genera.     There has been a need for more aging of these high potency rums that has been ignored for quite some time.    

     Plantation introduced their overproof last year and it took many of us by surprise because you could actually sip this rum with a cube of ice or two.     There are a few others that have been around for a while like Smith and Cross and the Scarlet Ibis that also have shown some quality in flavor and smoothness in an overproof rum.

     This year we gained the wonderful new Panama Red from the master blender Don Pancho Fernandez.  This is another example of a new fine overproof that can be used to bring your "Tiki" cocktails to life.  Panama is famous for quality rum, and this is no exception to the rule.

     Another on that has appeared on the scene in the past month or so is the revival of the legendary Lemon Hart 151 from the Demerera Valley of Guyana.    This is a revival of the rum that made all the "Don the Beachcomber" and "Trader Vic" cocktails the wonderfully strong cocktails that made them famous.

     If you have the desire to trace back into the "Tiki" era, then one of these wonderful overproofs will be an important part of your mixology.    This was a fun era and one that I also enjoy exploring every now and again.   Join me in the fun, who knows, we might even run a rum lab that explores these fabulous rums.  ;o)

Cocktails Anyone?

It is amazing to me what fine libations you can make from such very fine rums today.  Here are just a few of the really nice rums that are out there.   make yourself a fine cocktail today or stop by your favorite rum bar and have your favorite mixologist fix you something special.   ;o)

Fishing in Paradise: Camera Fishing

     I'm asked all of the time if I fish, but I guess I really can say that I do, but not with a spear gun or a rod and reel.     I find that fishing with a camera is an even bigger challenge than to catch them on a hook.    These Parrot Fish are reef cleaners and by eating dead coral and creating sand .   These are not fish that you catch, but rather watch them as the soar in vee like a flock of geese over the reef.   Many of the fish I am looking for while drifting through the mangroves and in the salt ponds around Key West won't be seen by a normal fisherman.  

     I love to stumble across an unsuspecting  Sting Ray and watch as the sands are stirred as it swims away.   The real challenge is to actually be able to capture the image of the fish as they swim beneath the sparkling water.   This is my thrill of the catch, and one that I can look back on anytime I care to.

    Here are a few other fish that I have been able to catch as I have been drifting around the crystal clear waters that make the keys so attractive to me and so many others.  ;o)

St. John, USVI: It's Tough Living

     When you speak of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John always comes up in a conversation.    St. John is more of a residential island  than St. Thomas, the commercial island  or St. Croix the industrial.   The Virgin Islands National park consumes some 7,000 acres of the island of St. John, giving us some of the most breathtaking and beautiful mountains, valleys and beaches anywhere.    The park also offers history of the many free and enslaved complex civilizations that depended on the land and the sea for survival as far back as 1,000 years ago.   There are many of the most spectacular meeting of the land with the sea with in the park as well.

     The modern civilization live in some very spectacular homes perched on the hills.    These modern day castles boast the ingenuity and skill of the craftsmen that constructed this wonders.   The land appears very arrid, with all of the cacti and other desert like plants that are naturally growing on these hills.   I really don't know who lives in these homes, but there are said to be several well known celebrities that own homes today on St. John.

     I love to travel by boat around St. John and the other islands that make up both the U.S. and the British Virgin Islands.  I love seeing the magnificent joining of the land and the sea plus these "modest" homes that are so interesting as they look down to the sea from the precipice above.

     This is a magic island and one that I never tire of traveling around and seeing the many sights that it has to offer my eyes and camera.   Whether you travel over the land or on the sea you will find more spectacular vistas than you will ever believe possible.    This is a place that keeps drawing me back whether it be in a blog or in person, but either way I keep going back again and again.  ;o)

Day Off in Key West: What Shall I Do?

   There are really so many thing to do here in Key West that it is sometime difficult to try and decide what it is you really do want to do.   I guess that I could travel into town an wander with the tourists and see what is happening on Duval Street, but that would mean that I would be bouncing around with the crowds.    Checking out the entertainment and trying a new cocktail or two can be fun, but the weather is much too nice and it can be hot when you are strolling between the buildings.

     I guess that I can head for the beach and see what is happening down there today.    The sea turtles are about due to be laying their eggs this time of year and it would be fun to see if there are any signs of the turtles coming ashore.   It is always fun to observe all of the different tracks that are in the sands of the beaches.     Maybe I'll just hop into the boat and cruise out to a more deserted beach and maybe get to see more interesting things that are inhabiting these remote beaches and keys.

     I'm really beginning to get hungry, so maybe a trip over to the Hurricane Hole and have some lunch.    There I maybe able to decide what it is that I really want to do today.    It is always easy to sit and have a good lunch and gab with whomever happens to be there.   This will free my mind up and maybe find someone that has something in mind for the afternoon.

     I guess that a trip in the dinghy is really what I need to be doing today to get away from the hustle bustle of this little tourist town that may actually be slowing down with the passing of Memorial Day weekend and heading into the "off-season" and a bit slower pace.   I think that I'll just head out to one of the tiny keys and see what interesting things that I can find there.   Maybe just anchor in the shade of the mangroves and take a nap.

     At the end of the day the only thing that really matters is that I did enjoy my day and I'm ready to return to the Rum Bar and have some fun with my old and new friends that stop by to visit.   I really hate all of these difficult decisions.   ;o)

Diageo to Buy Ypioca

    Diageo, the huge London based distillery consortium has agreed to buy the Brazilian Cachaca brand Ypioca for a reported $453 million.    Ypioca Agroindustrial Limitata is the second largest brand and third largest by volume produces an annual sales of approximately $90 Million in 2011.    Brazil is the real interest for Diageo, who is looking for faster growing emerging markets.   "Brazil is an attractive fast-growing market for Diageo with favorable demographics and increasing disposable income," according to Diageo chief executive officer Paul Walsh.      The transaction is expected to be completed in about a month.    Diageo is also the owner of such brands as Smirnoff, Johnnie Walker, Captain Morgan, Zacapa, and many more in the spirit world.

     Cachaca is the primary ingredient in "Caipirinhas" a cocktail that is a combination of cachaca, lime, sugar and ice.   Cachaca is fermented from sugar cane crushings, fermented and then distilled.     There are two types of Cachaca, unaged (white) and aged (gold).  The white is bottled straight off of the still and us usually a much harsher version and the most prevalent.   There are some of the white cachaca that are aged in wooden barrels for up to 12 months and then filtered back to the white color.    The aged or gold cachaca is usually rested in wooden barrels for up to 15 years in the case of the ultra-premium cachacas.   Like so many other cane spirits, aged cachaca is used in premium cocktails rather than the harsh white.

     This is an important step for Diageo because it can only grow it's sales by expansion into emerging markets where there are few economic conditions that are going to hold back the sales.   Diageo is looking for at least 50% of it's sales from emerging markets.   ;o)

    

Remembering the Days of Flying in the Caribbean

Turks and Caicaos Arrival

Caliche Rum: From the Distileria Serralles

    Caliche super-premium rum is the brain child of sixth generation rum producer Roberto Seralles along with hospitality and night club impresario Rande Gerber.       The March launch of Caliche Rum at New York's Whiskey Park bar, with Cindy Crawford, Gerber's wife, on hand,  provided a "hot launch" for this new super-premium rum.   The rum took 4 years to get the blend the way they were looking for it to be, Gerber wanted this to be a spirit that he could "drink on the rocks" and be able to share with  his friends proudly.    The name comes from a limestone that is quarried around Ponce, Puerto Rico where the rum is produced.

     The rum is made through the use of multiple distillations and carbon-active filtration to produce the cleanest possible rum.   A portion of the rum is aged in American white oak barrels and some in a solera system, then blended for the desired characteristics of the rum.    The rum has a very nice and smooth flavor with notes of vanilla, caramel, and oak.  The rum is more viscous that other white rums and produced by Distileria Seralles.

     I recently received Caliche at the Rum Bar in Key West, and it is a great upgrade for any cocktail that uses white rum as it's basis.    The smooth aged flavors brings any fine cocktail to life.   Try it in a Mojito, it blends well with the mint and lime flavors of the Mojito to yield a perfect ultra-premium cocktail.
Caliche Rum is now available in Florida, New York, Texas, Illinois, and California, but soon to be available in other places.   This collaboration has yielded a truly fine ultra-premium rum that you need to try soon.  ;o)


       

Botran Reserva in the Rum Bar on Saturday

     Saturday May 26th, from 1 til 5, we will be featuring Botran Reserva at the Rum Bar in Key West.   It will be presented in five special Rum Lab created cocktails for only $5.00 each.   These are usually $8 to $9 cocktails at this special price to introduce you to this very smooth and delightful cane spirit.     

     Botran Reserva is a wonderfully full flavored deep copper colored rum from Industria Licoreras de Guatemala.     It features rich aromas of oak, vanilla, fruity, and mild spice flavors followed by a caramelly oak flavor with hints of sherry.  This is a fairly complex tasting rum has a smoothness with a naturally sweet and smokey finish.

     Botran Reserva is aged in the mountains of Guatemala for 5 to 14 years then further finished through the solera system of aging that features a variety of barrels like American Whiskey, recharred American Oak, and sherry casks all adding to the complexity of the finished product.

    The important thing is for you make it to the tasting of Botran Reserva and experience this masterfully blended rum yourself.   The Rum Bar on Duval Street is the location, and I'll be your host and serving the cocktails.  Hope to see you there.   ;o)

Lemon Hart 151: Now at the Rum Bar Key West

   The legendary Demerara Lemon Hart 151 Rum is now as a staple at the Rum Bar here in Key West.     This classic rum is one of the primary ingredients in many of the classic Tiki era cocktails and one that has not been available for a few years here in the Florida area anyway.     The addition of this legendary rum means I have one more tool to create some of the better cocktails from that era.     I'm looking forward to sharing this rum with you at the Rum Bar and I will be doing some work with it at the Rum Lab as well.    This is a tool that will bring many of the everyday drinks like a Rum Runner or a Pina Colada when you add Lemon Hart 151 as a float.

     The Lemon Hart 151 is not "gasoline" like so many other overproof rums, but rather an earthy and old leather flavor premium overproof rum.   Don't be fooled into thinking this is going to be a smooth, woody and complex experience, because it is not.    This is a full blown 151 proof rum with a healthy burn in the back of the throat and an alcohol equivalent of 2 cocktail in one measure.     This doesn't mean that it doesn't have a good flavor though, because it's the flavor that makes it work so well in so many cocktails.     The reappearance of Lemon Hart151 is going to be a great help to the resurgance of the Tiki cocktails that is currently happening all over the world.

     Lemon Hart 151 is still being produced along the Demerara River in Guyana, but now being bottled in Canada.   This is a must addition to your rum cabinet if you are going to be following in the Tiki culture of cocktail mixing.   Enjoy it either at home or stop by the Rum Bar Key West and let me mix you one of the Tiki Cocktails featuring Lemon Hart 151.   ;o)
 

Boca Grande Beach: The Collecting Point

     Boca Grande Beach, to the west of Key West is one of my favorite destinations in the dinghy.   It offers a unique collection of stuff that has be deposited on her sand and driftwood shores.   Her driftwood collection snags so much stuff brought on shore by the tides and the wind blown surf.   I find the blend of nature and the fishing industry makes for some very beautiful scenery as I walk down this beach.    Whether it be a fish net, a crab trap, or some trap marker balls, they all seem to become a part of the scenery that is so colorful against the beige sand and the grey driftwood.

     I don't get to go out to Boca Grande as often as I would like to, but it is a place that always intrigues me because I never know what will appear as I walk around the corner on the beach.   The sea turtles will soon be visiting this beach in the next month or so to lay their eggs on the upper edge of the beach, this is a time that we need to stay away from the beach until the eggs have hatched and the young turtles have made their way to the ocean and relative safety.   Afterward, it is interesting to see how many egg shells you can see and the tracks of the turtles progress to the sea.   This is a sanctuary for birds as well, one of the natural enemies of the turtle hatching's, and signs of the birds taking some of the young turtles are prevalent as well.

      Just writing about this place puts a smile on my face as I run my hands over the keyboard using words to try and describe what I feel for this wonderful little key that lies about 15 miles to the west of my home.    What is wonderful is that it is not littered with beer cans and other trash.   I have to say thanks to the many people that do visit Boca Grande, because they do take the trash back home with them and leave the next people a chance to enjoy the same pristine beauty that they came to enjoy.    Remember you trash bag on your next outing and take your refuge back home with you and dispose of it properly.   If you find someone else's trash lying on the beach pick it up too.   We will all be better for that and the natural events of the key will be able to happen again and again for future generations to see.   ;o)

Botran Reserva in the Rum Lab Yesterday

Botran Reserva, a fine mixing/sipping rum from Guatemala fared very well in the Rum Lab.  It stood up to nearly all of the mixes and ideas that we threw at it.  We ended up with a great collection of new cocktails that you can sample at the Rum Bar in Key West  this coming Saturday, May 26th from 1 til 5PM.    I'll be behind the bar to create any of the five Botran  Reserva cocktails that you wish for only $5.00 each.     This will be a chance for you to get acquainted with the Botran Reserva, a rum that I know you won't want to be without in your rum collection.

Bahama Bob's Botran Cinnamon Sour 

     ·         2 oz. Botran Reserva

     ·         1 oz. Cinnamon Syrup

     ·         1 oz. Sour Mix

Place all of the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Island Reserva

·         2 oz. Botran Reserva

·         ¾ oz. Banana Liqueur

·         ¾ oz. Crème de Cocoa

·         1 oz. Pineapple Juice

·         1 oz. Sour Mix

·         2 dashes of Fee’s Bitters 

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.   Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice and garnish with an orange wheel. 

Botran Surprise
     ·         2 oz. Botran Reserva
       ·         ¾  oz. Lime Juice
       ·         ¾ oz. Agave Nectar
       ·         Dash of Bitters
       ·         Top up with Barritt’s Ginger Beer

Place all ingredients except the Ginger Beer in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.  Pour into a Collins glass and top up with Barrett’s Ginger Beer.  Garnish with a lime wheel or a sprig of mint. 

Coco Botran

·         2 oz. Botran Reserva

·         ¾ oz. Peach Schnapps

·         ¾ oz. Amaretto

·         ¾ oz. Hot Damn Cinnamon Schnapps

·         ¾ oz. Crème of Coconut

Place all of the ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.  Strain into a Collins Glass filled with ice and garnish with an orange and a cherry.

Botran Reserva Punch

·         2 oz. Botran Reserva

·         1 oz. Sour Mix

·         1 ½ oz. Pineapple Juice

·         ¾ oz. Grapefruit Juice

Place all ingredients in a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled.    Strain into a Collins Glass filled with ice and garnish with a lime wheel.

     Pick up a bottle of Botran Reserva and enjoy it to the max soon.   Try one of my recipes or just create your own, it is a great rum to work with and the results are all really enjoyable.   The rums flavor comes through even with the strongest mixes.   Join me on Saturday at the Rum Bar Key West or get your own bottle of Botran Reserva, but don't miss this gem of a rum.   ;o)

Maybe The Weather is Going to Improve

Panama Red: an Overproof

     One of the latest of the new rums from master blender Francisco "Don Pancho" Fernandez, Panama Red is a wonderful sipping overproof rum and one that is a must for you overproof collection.     Don Pancho is famous for his long standing as a master blender beginning in Cuba and later in Panama and throughout Central America.   This his latest creation is a real masterpiece that I find to be a must in my Rum Lab as well as on the list of fine sipping rums.

The name comes from a legendary bar maid and entertainer named Carolina Cansino, of Spanish decent and the daughter of very talented parents, she became known far and wide for her performances at her magnificent bar and show lounge named Cantina Roja's.     The American sailor and soldiers from the Canal Zone became regular customers and later nicknamed Carolina "Panama Red" a name that she graciously accepted in reference to her long and beautiful auburn hair.   Most of the patrons would come to see her perform and ogle her beauty as she performed on the stage of her club.   Cantina Roja's had become the "in place" in Panama and found many a celebrity showing up there on any given evening.   Ernest Hemingway and his wife, Martha Gelhorn, or even John Wayne was said to have made an appearance there.

     On to the Rum, this is an auburn colored overproof rum of extraordinary quality.     This rum has character unlike the majority of overproof rums and big bold flavor that is truly unique.   This rum is a great overproof mixer for cocktails like Hurricanes or Zombies  where a big bold overproof can really bring the cocktail to life.    This rum has a unique Panamanian flavor that really excites the palate and finishes very smoothly if you can call 108 proof rum smooth.   I really enjoy good overproof rums, and find them so flavorful, something that is missing from many 80 proof rums.   A cube of ice or a little bit of water will open up the flavors and tame the afterburn a bit making the rum easier to sip.     Taking very small sips and spending the time it takes to enjoy the big flavor, you'll find this a very rewarding experience.   ;o)  

Overcast in Paradise

   The past three days have been cloudy and gloomy, but it hasn't dampened the spirits of our visitors much.   Yesterday was one of those fun filled days behind the bar with people from all across the country stopping by to visit and enjoy the spirits of the sugar cane with me.    The rain and cloudiness was just an inconvenience to most of the people that stopped by, and they were still having a fun time in Key West anyway.

     This is the great vibe of Key West, no matter what the weather, people are here to have fun and know how to enjoy themselves in spite of the weather.    You got to remember, it is still nice and warm here even when it is overcast, the warmth is what it is all about, the warmth of the people and the air.   The waters are calm and the fishing is great right now, and the coast line blends right into the sky making this feel like you are in a magic sphere.

     This is just what you need to do in your everyday life, you can look at all the gloom or you can sit high on your perch and enjoy what is laid out there in front of you.   I choose to enjoy and have fun day and maybe just go play with the rest of doom and groomer's heads on the way.     Besides you need some overcast to appreciate the sunny days when they return.   ;o)

Rosy Days are Back Finally

   The weather and the many of us here in Key West have been struggling with a strange flu like affliction here lately, but I'm finally coming out of my funk from this stuff.    I don't do sick very well, and thank goodness I don't do it very often.    Had a fun day at work for the "Monday" of my work week, and it was nice to get out on the water and cruise over to the Hurricane Hole and enjoy a couple of adult beverages last night and begin to feel like a human being again.

    You really don't appreciate how good you have it until you spend some time under the weather and no energy or drive to get things done.    Today I am feeling the best that I have felt in a couple of weeks, and I can tell by the enthusiasm I have today about writing.    I get to start on some new projects and develop some new cocktails during the week and I'm really looking forward to getting this started.    

     The world that you see when you are under the weather is a view from the bottom, and not one you really need to share with others, but like today when you are feeling back on top of the world, it is easy to share these feelings and carry a smile for all the people you meet.     I'm just glad to be back on top of things and feelin' good again.   ;o)