Bike Week Gets Underway Today in Key West

     The 41st Annual Phil Peterson's Key West Poker Run and Key West Bikeweek all start today.   Running through Sunday there is a full schedule of events happening all over town.  For the complete "Agenda" check out http://www.petersonsharley.com/custompage.asp?pg=agenda      This site has all of the information that you need to keep abreast of the fun.

This evening beginning at 5:00 pm is the 6th Annual Bike Week Bar Stroll & Upper Duval Crawl. It starts at 5:00 pm at Southernmost Beach Café at the end of Duval Street on the Atlantic.
For $25 you get a T-Shirt and a map of the 10 participating bars that you stroll to and receive a free drink. For more info call 305-296-6577 or http://www.southernmostresorts.com/    The Rum Bar is a part of this fun event and you would be remiss to have missed all of the fun of the opening night of the 2013 Bikeweek.

    The week offers numerous events throughout the city and you really don't want to miss any of them.  Come on down to Key West and become a part of all of the shenanigans and the color of thousands of bikes stretched up and down Duval Street this weekend.

Vintage 1930's and 1940's Cocktails with a Rum Touch

Clark Gable and Constance Bennett in Office After Hours

     The idea of revisiting the 1930's or 1940's through cocktails is a really fun one.  I only have one problem with doing this, most of the cocktails of that era were based on Gin.  There were some rum and whiskey cocktails, but most of that era was gin based.

    It was an era of glamorous movie stars and flapper dresses, and tied together with depression era dancing, canapes and big band swing  jazz.   Cocktails for the most part were served in Martini Glasses and had a very strong glamorous look to them with unique garnishes.

     Again I would like to take two of the more famous cocktails from the era and make them into a rum cocktail.

     The Manhattan was a very popular cocktail of the era that was made with rye whiskey.  I think that if you use a rum like Abuelo 12 or 7 year old rum this will be a really nice cocktail.


Abuelo Manhattan

• 2 1/4 oz. Abuelo 7 Year Old Rum
• 1 oz. Sweet Red Vermouth
• Dash of Bitters

Place all ingredients into a shaker filled with ice and shake until chilled. Strain into a Martini Glass and garnish with a cherry.





Plantation Sidecar

• 1 oz. Plantation Barbados 2000 Rum
• 1 oz. Cointreau
• 1 oz. Lemon Juice

Place all ingredients into an ice filled shaker and shake until chilled.  Strain into a sugar in the raw rimmed Martini Glass and garnish with a lemon zest or an orange .


Give both of these a try, I think you enjoy revisiting the Big Band Jazz era with the help of some very fine rums.  Rums carry the notes of the original spirits, then add a certain sweetness that the whiskey lacks.   Enjoy these cocktail when you get an opportunity

Color Season is Fast Approaching

Gatlinburg In Fall

     If there is one thing that I miss living in the perpetual land of summer is the beautiful vistas of fall in North Carolina.     Going up in the mountains around Ashville and seeing Mother Natures tapestry of reds, yellows and oranges painted all over the mountain.   It was always fun to jump in the car and drive up Interstate 40 and see all of the splendor of fall.  I can remember going to Gatlinburg and taking the tram up to the top of the mountain, looking down on the color of the valley and just being absolutely in awe of the visions.



Royal Poinciana in Bloom

    I guess that living in any area has it perks and it's price for living there.  I do miss all of the beautiful colors of fall up North.  Down here we have color season the summer when the Royal Poinciana's goes into bloom.  Flying into Key West is like having a red carpet rolled out in front of you on final approach to the Key West Airport.    Up North the wide spread color even reaches  into my back yard where I had over an acre of deciduous trees, this made the yard absolutely gorgeous for about 2 weeks.   Then the leaves fell on the ground and I had to rake up that acre of leaves.  Not so pretty then, especially when spring came and I had to shovel all of the mulch back out into the gardens to make the plants and leaves grow again so I could repeat the process the following fall.


    I guess that you get to choose what is really more important to you, for me I'll take the summer blossoms of the tropical trees and living where it is warm year round.   By the way those Royal Poinciana blossoms fall on the ground too, yes and they have to be raked and swept up as well.   I guess that is the real price for the beauty that you behold.  ;o)

Like Fine Wine, Hangovers Get Better With Age

    

I ran across this great little article in "The Huffington Post" and thought you might enjoy reading all about it.

Many older people report being unable to bounce back from a night of drinking as quickly as they did when they were younger.

But, contrary to popular belief, older people actually are less likely than younger people to complain of a hangover following a night of drinking, according to a new study from Denmark.

Researchers looked at the drinking habits of 52,000 people aged between 18 and 94, which included how often they experienced a hangover after binge drinking -- defined as consuming more than 5 alcoholic drinks in one sitting. They found that people are not as prone to hangovers after binge drinking as they age.

Janne S. Tolstrup, a research program director at the University of Southern Denmark, noted that this is the only really large population-based study that has included information on hangovers.

Hangovers are characterized by headaches, exhaustion and queasiness. And the cause is primarily dehydration.

"We found that the tendency to have hangovers decreased by increasing age," Tolstrup said in a press release. "The first explanation that pops up is that this finding would be due to differences in drinking pattern in different age groups.

"However, trying to account for such differences as much as we could, did not even out the differences in hangover tendency," she said. "In other words, while it is true that older individuals on average binge-drink less often than younger individuals, we did not find in our data that results were due to differences in drinking patterns."

According to the research, the chances of experiencing a hangover after binge drinking were 11 times greater among men aged between 18 and 29 compared with men aged 60 or over. For women, the chances of experiencing a hangover were 8 times greater among those 18 to 29 compared to those 60 or over.

You can read more at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/13/hangovers-and-age_n_3920531.html

 

I found this to be true about myself , I have not really had a hangover for several years.  I have always attributed it to the fact that I am drinking a higher quality spirit these days, but I can accept age has something to do with it as well.  ;o)

Big Sails on the Waters

     I had some friends by yesterday at the Bar and the thoughts of sailing season started coming to mind.   I member a day out on the waters in America 2 enjoying the races and the sights of all the sales in the air pushing the boats around.  All of the antics of the crews to get into the positions they needed to be in for the start and through out the races.   ;o)

Adding Rum to the Vintage Cocktail Recipe

     Most of the pre-war vintage cocktails are based upon Gin, Whiskey and Vodka, but with the properly selected rum, you can create a modern version of these classics that is very fine tasting and maybe even an improvement over the original.    I have been doing some experimenting with this idea for about a year now and I've found that many of these classic cocktails translate very well to the replacement of vodka or bourbon with the correct selection of rum.   

     I have had a good success using the classic Old Fashion recipe, replacing the bourbon with several different rums like Mount Gay XO or Black Barrel, Zafra, or Abuelo 7 Year.  This has worked very well on many occasions.  Today we are going to take another Classic cocktail and do a rum make over.

     The Morning Glory Cocktail first seen in the late 1880's, was a common cure for a hangover.  It is a basic cocktail that is based on some very strong spirits.   It starts with Rye and Cognac a bit of sugar and a trace of curacao for flavor and a softening of the cocktail and a couple of dashes of bitters for medicinal purposes and topped with a few drops of Absinthe and a splash of soda.  This drink was known to be soothing and yet it would go down easily the morning after.

   My idea is similar with a few small adjustments to bring it into my world of rum.

Panama Morning Glory Cocktail

• 1 oz. Zafra Rum
• 1 oz. Cognac
• 1 tsp. Cane syrup (or simple syrup)
• 1/2 tsp. Cointreau (or Triple sec)
• 2 dashes of bitters
• 2 drops  Absinthe (Don't get carried away)
• 1 oz. chilled Club Soda
• Strip of Lemon Zest

Mix all ingredients except the club soda and the lemon zest in a shaker filled with ice.  Shake until chilled, and strain into a rocks glass and top with club soda.  Garnish with a strip of lemon zest .

     This is a fun cocktail, that has its roots in the earliest days of cocktailing with a new twist of quality rum.   Give it a try, you will really

Friday 13 September, 2013

    Friday the 13th,  with a second 13 in it.    This should be an interesting day, I'm not really superstitious, but a double 13 on the same Friday.   I guess it is a day to put your best foot forward and charge straight ahead into it with a huge smile.  That usually does the trick, it will drive those who are having a bad day crazy and give me a way to avoid all of the negative energy.

     If you go at it with a positive aura the day will be just wonderful, but if you become one of the evil thoughts types you might find yourself face to face with your old buddy "Jason" and probably not have a very good day.

    Just look at this one a being just another fun day and come down to the Rum Bar and enjoy the day with me and the 235 bottles of fine rum that I have there to make the day very special.  This day will be as good as you make it, so lets get out and have a really fun Friday the 13th of September, 2013. 

How Does Rum Present Itself?

     The world of rum dredges up nautical and adventuresome images, that is what the "Madison Avenue" types are focused on when they pour out the rum ads.    Rum has the image of a sexy and exciting outlaw spirit.  It is thought of with the idea of getting you away from the city and the doldrums of life, getting you into the high seas adventures of pirates and other swashbucklers.  There is also the whimsical side of rum as well, like the 10 Cane ad on the right.

    Cruzan takes a look at the dramatic in their ads of high drama flying.  Both of these ads are geared to get your adrenaline pumping and headed out to purchase their spirit.   I truly mean spirit, not only is rum the spirit of the sugar cane, but a spirit of the mind as well.  It has the spirit of adventure and all of the fun that is associated with it.

     There is a truly sexy side of rum as well.  The pirate wench, the lovely salsa dancers of the Caribbean or the Polynesian hula girls of the Pacific.   The lure of the opposite sex is always a part of any ad campaign, and especially one that rum is a part of.

     Even the ads during Prohibition that lured the rum lover to an exotic time in Havana and a chance to enjoy their Bacardi brought the visions of an adventure in a far away place and a chance to skirt the law and enjoy the "demon rum" that the states had outlawed.  Pan American Airways and Bacardi teamed up to lure the prosperous Americans to Havana for rum, gambling, extravagant shows and a bit of larceny.

     Today it is still much of the same, and the ads that you remember are the sexy adventuresome ones that get your imagination going and take you to a place with "Jack Sparrow" or "Gilligan" on an abandon island with Ginger and Maryanne.   Isn't a wonderful spirit that does all this for us and we don't even have to leave the house to enjoy it.  ;o)

 

9-1-1

     September 11, 2001, a day that to this very day really haunts me.   I can't believe as I was measuring a chassis that would be driven by Jimmy Johnson in the Busch Race the next weekend, the crew chief came in and dragged me over in front of the shop TV and I saw a rerun of the first plane hitting the tower, and then it cut to live and the second one hit.   It was like a bad movie.

     The sad part of the whole thing is we have gotten totally involved again in someone else's problems and twelve years later we are still loosing American lives without solving a single problem.

     Always remember, but it is time to memorialize the losses and move ahead.  It is time to leave the revenge in the past and make progress again.   It is a lot like Pearl Harbor, we memorialize our losses and quit looking for more blame.  ;o)

A New Artisan Louisiana Rum

     Rank Wildcat Spirits  from Acadiana, Louisiana is hitting the ground running as one of the newest artisan rum producers. Founded in the middle of 2011, David Meaux and Cole LeBlanc  decided to open their distillery.  They have created their little niche in a very impressive manner, including the making of their own still (Lulu) and virtually all of their other equipment.  Then most importantly they created their rum in their own way also.   This is a true grass roots operation that had to create all of the equipment, contacts and formulas with out any outside influence.

M.A. Patout and Sons Sugar Mill

    It was really important that all of the raw materials were gotten from the local area assuring the legitimization of the grassroots Acadiana rum.   All of the cane juice and raw sugar is supplied by M.A. Patout and Sons LTD in Acadiana, this is one of the largest sugar mills in Louisiana.   First opened in 1825, the family owned and operated sugar mill fits the bill perfectly for this local rum producing operation.

David Meaux and Cole LeBlanc

     "Sweet Crude Rum" is the result of their trial and error method of creating a rum that met their tastes and the tastes of the community.   Sweet Crude has an all natural flavor with nothing added to enhance or change the rum.   This is an all natural product and they are extremely proud of that fact.   In fact it is 100% gluten free.   There is a smooth sweet richness  to this rum that comes only through a tightly controlled process and a small batch operation.  

     The future will bring about an aged expression that will tentatively be called
"Black Gold".  The small operation sees this coming in its future, but only when it is to their high standards.  The art of barreling and blending has to be learned before they will be able to accomplish this portion of the art.    If you are in Louisiana, see if you can find a bottle of this fine artisan spirit.  ;o)

Flor de Cana Introduces 25 year Slow Aged Single Estate Rum

    There is little or no information available as to the taste of their new expression.   It is available globally, but only in the travel retail sector at this time.  The retail price is $130.00 US.  This puts it in the realm of many of the other ultra premium rums price point.    I am glad to see more and more of the rum producers adding more of the upper quality rums rather that more of the "bulk rum" expressions of the past few years.

     The company is describing Flor de Cana 25 year Old as "our jewel in the crown".  The brand joins the Centenario Collection in receiving a new decanter style bottle that emphasizes the quality, age statement, and the "Tradicion Artesanal" (traditional craftsmanship) of the rum.   The bottle is beautifully with a great shape and heavy glass base.

     According to the label it is "Slow Aged" for 25 years, which is a trademark of Flor de Cana.   It is also a "single Estate Rum" and presented at 80 proof.

    My next trip out of the United States Flor de Cana 25 Year Old is going to be added to my personal collection.  I'm really looking forward to being able to taste this one.  ;o)

Just Before Sun Rise, So Peaceful

    One of the things I love the most about wandering the docks before sun rise is the reflections in the water as the first signs of dawning appear.  It is the clouds being illuminated and the sky going from dark to pale blue that really puts a smile on my face going to the office.   Try an early morning walk and it will amaze you as the night transforms into day.  ;o)

Clouds and Sunshine Mornings

     This time of year down here in the Keys there is a blend of clouds and sunshine every morning.  This morning it was particularly intense.  As the sun came out and started illuminating the dark clouds.  The pictures were very beautiful and dramatic.   Yes there was a bit of rain beneath the clouds and some booms of thunder, but the blue sky and the white sides of the clouds contrasted with the darker parts of them made for an inspiring formation of opposites.

     It is the always the new vision that the sky presents each morning that makes my mornings here so fascinating, it makes it easy to get up early to enjoy the mornings show.  

     Now with the sun up and the day in full swing, it is time to finish up the blog for today and get on to the Rum Bar for another exciting day of rum classes and cocktailing.  Saturday is the best day of the week during the "off season", and all of the weekend escapees bring a new life to the island for a couple of days.   They seem to be able to just run away to the Keys and release all of the stress and pent up emotions of the week before returning on Monday.   It's definitely time to play down here.  ;o)

 

The El Floridita Daiquiri

El Floridita Havana

     For a lot of people that visit the El Floridita is try the "Papa Doble", but what really made the El Floridita and Constante Ribalaigue was the frozen daiquiri.   With the fame of Ernest Hemingway and his legendary love of the daiquiri, especially the one that Constante developed for him known as the "Papa Doble", loosely translated "papa's double", the original El Floridita Daiquiri has been almost forgotten.
    

Constante at the El Floridita

     "In 1914, the Catalan immigrant Constantino Ribalaigua Vert started working in the bar as cantinero (bartender). Constantino, nicknamed Constante, became the owner in 1918. Constante is credited for inventing the frozen daiquiri in the early 1930s, a drink that became linked to the fame of the place, whose motto is now "la cuna del daiquiri" (the cradle of the daiquiri). The bar became a school of highly skilled cantineros (bartenders) specialised in cocktails prepared with fresh fruit juices and rum, whose traditions are still preserved by the disciples of Constante."

   Today lets take a look at the original El Floridita Frozen Daiquiri and slip back in time to a different place and enjoy a fine cocktail that helped make the El Floridita famous.

El Floridita Frozen Daiquiri

• 2 tablespoons of sugar
• juice of 1/2 lime
• 1/2 oz. Luxardo Maraschino liqueur
• 1 cup of crushed ice
• 1 1/2 oz. of a good quality 3 year old white rum

Place all of the ingredients into an electric blender and blend until smooth.  serve in a Martini style glass with a lime garnish and enjoy your daiquiri responsibly.

 

    Try this daiquiri, it is not nearly as tart as the "Papa Doble" and quite the tasty and refreshing cocktail to enjoy on a hot and humid afternoon in these "dog days of summer".  ;o)

4th Annual Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival Coming in November

     From the "Spice Isle" of Granada comes the 2013 Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival running November 22 - 23, 2013.  This is the fourth year of the festival that began in 2010 in Barbados and again for the second strait year will be held in Granada.   With the support of the Granada Board of Tourism as the marketing arm of the festival, this year promises to be even bigger than last.   According to Festival Director Ms. Cheryl Collymore, "it is truly back by popular demand in Granada.  

     This is an exhibition for all the producers of rum and beer throughout the region to show their products to the interested consumers that will be in attendance for the tastings .  In addition it is an opportunity to see how their products fair against the others in the region at the 2013 CAB Taste Contest.  The submitted rums and beers will be blind tasted by a panel of international experts from the beer and rum industry.    To take away one of the Gold, Silver or Bronze Medals by a brand is an extremely important honor to the producer.

    Don't forget the Master Classes by rum and beer experts, Live Culinary Displays, "Rum Cocktail Wars" cocktail challenge, and a large array of other events both nights of the festival.   There is going to be a silent auction to benefit the "Queen Elizabeth Home for Children" and the Caribbean Rum and Beer Festival Golf Tournament, none of these events should be allowed to slip by you.

     If you are coming from America there are packages available through the Granada Board of Tourism, but get there any way you have to, but don't miss this years event.  For more information, go online to www.rumandbeerfestival.com    ;o)

Red Sails and a Beautiful Sunset

    In these "dog days of summer" down here in Key West, there isn't many things prettier than watching the boats in the harbor heading out for their sunset cruises and the blazing colors of a Key West sunsets this time of year.   It reminds me of a line from an old song about "red sails in the sunset".   The sereneness of the evenings with the calm of the seas make for a great way to relax from the day.

     Just sitting on the dock, just watching the boats with their revelers as they head out for the best view of the sunset is absolutely a wonderful way to spend some time on a Key West evening.     This is one of the finer things about living in the Keys, it really takes the edge off of the day and makes you want to get up and dive into tomorrow so you can enjoy the next sunset that much sooner.

Oronoco: Discontinued Brazilian Rum will be Missed

     In or about September of 2010, Diageo made a decision to discontinue the Oronoco brand.   We sold off the last of our available stock yesterday at the Rum Bar in Key West and unfortunately will not be able to replace it.

   "There always has to be something that defies categorization, and in white rum that would be Oronoco. A very different type of rum, made in Brazil from fresh pressed cane juice, with its first distillation in a pot still and two more in a column still. It’s then blended with aged Venezuelan rum and aged several more months in casks made from a Brazilian tree, Amendam."   This rum has many of the characteristics of an agracole rather than a Spanish style rum.    

     The rum is a very shippable rum that seems to blossom on the palate and through the finish.   There is a vanilla and caramel sent along with a slight bit of grassyness on the nose.  This is a very smooth white with a very minimal burn to it.  it is not a dry rum, but rather sweet from the first scent to the finish.  The finish is rather sweet, with a flowery and grassy aftertaste that is very pleasant.

     The bad news is it is no longer available.   Southern Wine and Spirits has been out of it for several months.  It is a good time to search the various liquor stores and grab up any remaining bottles for your collection.  ;o) 

Labor Day: A Perfect Day to Put the Labors Aside

     This is a day that is meant to kick back and relax.  I'm not going to be any exception to this rule, I'm taking it easy today and putting everything off until tomorrow.  I see me on the aft deck of the boat today and it feels like a Panama Red kind of day.  It is my friend Carlos E. Esquivel G's birthday and Panama Red somehow seems appropriate for this occasion.  What a concept, Panama Red and the Keys, fit together like a glove.  ;o)

The Beach Morning at Dunns River Falls

     There is something about a beach early in the morning before all the people arrive with the sea lying there calm and the ebb and flow of the waves.   ;o)

What Made a Bar Attractive in My Youth?

     As a college brat in the late 1960's in a little town in Northern California I found my favorite bar to be a little place just off of the town square called Marino's.Club.    This was one of the coolest bars in Arcata, California, a small lumber town.    This was the place that I had my first Zombie in 1967, and a goodly number of other cocktails during my school years at Humboldt State College.

     It was one of those classic bars of the 50's and 60's era, it would fill up nearly every night with a great group of "working class" people and students from the college.    It was a place to go have a few cocktails, good conversation and the occasional "hook-up".    It reminds me of the fun little bar here in Key West (The Rum Bar) that I work at now.   I feel that a lot has been lost with these large show bars that dominate the bar scene today, the homey little places that are quiet enough for conversation and fun really is what a lot of people go to a bar for.  

    The large "dance hall" fast drink places lack the personal touch that I looked forward to when I went to a bar in the first place.   The Rum Bar at which I am a barman today is one of these small 15 seat conversation pits for which many people stop by to have our craft cocktails and enjoy conversing and meeting new people.  It is both a tourist and local friendly, You can usually find it filled with both.  The tourists like talking with the locals getting insights into the town and places to eat, drink and see.   The locals enjoy meeting people from all over the world and especially from their hometowns .

     I guess when it is all said and done,
what I liked in my college days is pretty much what I still like today.  The warm, homey, friendly local tavern or club that people get acquainted and have good conversation and fun.  This is the bar that I still will be frequenting  today.   My hangout bar (The Hurricane Hole)  down here is an outdoor waterfront bar that is about as fun as they come.  I can be arrive at by boat, car or bicycle, but how you get there doesn't really matter, it is the fact that you are there that counts.   Just people enjoying people and having fun, that is all that really matters.   ;o)

Stand Up Paddle Boards in the Mangroves, Pure Nature and Beauty

     One of the most popular water sports these days in the Keys is the "Stand Up Paddle Boards", they are what appears to be a large surf board with a paddle.   The idea is to stand and paddle your way through the calm and shallow areas around the mangroves and observe the incredible marine and other wildlife that make the mangroves their homes.

     Not only do they paddle through the shallows, but there are yoga classes and other exercise groups that get together in the early evening and afternoons on the boards.  You can find groups of 10 or more that will be gathered on the edge of the mangroves just having fun and getting into shape at the same time.  It is amazing to watch as they go through their routines and still stay balanced on the boards.

     No matter how you use the boards, they are a lot of fun and provide a great bit of exercise at the same time.  I can understand why so many people are becoming involved with this sport.   Getting exercise while cruising through some of natures most fantastic views is really great.    I've seen people out on the boards with their dogs riding along, carrying coolers and all kinds of other stuff to get them through their outing.  It really seems to be taking off in a big way down here, in addition to on lakes all over the country.

     There are a number of outfits that will rent you a board and give you instruction around the keys.  One of my favorite is the Lazy Dog outfitters at the Hurricane Hole.  They have a great selection of good quality boards and paddles to suit your needs plus the people that are very good at instructing you on the boards and their use.  They also have Kayaks if you don't feel comfortable standing on a board. 

    Next time you are around a really cool water feature, give boarding a try.  You'll find it to be a lot of fun.  ;o)

The World's Most Expensive Rum

     Legacy by Angostura, there is nothing in the category to compare with this one.    The Legacy is created by  Angostura Distillers as a celebration of Trinidad's 50th Anniversary of their Independence.   There are only 20 decanters of the precious rum that will ever be released.  They will carry a price tag of $25,000 each.   This makes legacy by Angostura the world's most expensive rum.    Legacy is the culmination of nearly 200 years of rum production heritage, it is a blend of seven of Angostura's rarest and most precious rums.   Legacy is present in a "bespoke 500ml crystal and silver decanter specially made by jewelers to the Prince of Wales, Asprey of London.  

     The closure for the bottle boasts a beautiful silver  hand carved butterfly.  There is a unique Barcant Butterfly collection the company bought from Malcolm Barcant in 1974. It has been at the company’s Laventille premises since then and has been viewed by hundreds of thousands of visitors over the years.   Among this collection is a very rare butterfly known as a Faunus-ab Lamonti seen below that looks very much like the one on the decanter's crown.








The real story is in the rum, which according to

Angostura master distiller, John Georges, Legacy by Angostura is crystal polished dark oak in color, with bronze and gold highlights. It enters the palate with sweet, dried fruit flavors and, as it fills the mouth with warmth, the notes become nutty and spicy. The finish is long with trailing flavors of orange zest and oak.   This is a fitting finish for the "world's most expensive rum", and one that if I am so lucky one day may get the chance to sip.  ;o)