How About a Rum Sour This Evening?

     Nothing fancy, but that's what the appeal is  for a Rum Sour.    Sometimes you don't feel like challenging your palate, or even thinking about it very much, all you just want a nice, easy drink.
You have just gotten off of work and it is time for a Rum Sour, a very simple cocktail that just eases the tensions of the day away.

The Rum Sour

• 2 1/2 oz. Flor de Cana 7 Year Old Rum
• Juice of a Half Lemon
• 1 teaspoon of Agave Nectar

Place all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until really chilled.  Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice and garnish with an orange twist and a cherry.



Now you can move out on the patio of aft deck and let the evening roll away into the sunset.  ;o)

Alaska Air Looks to Fly the Commercial Airliners Fueled with Renewable Alcohol Based Jet Fuel.

     Alaska Air has plans to fly a demonstration flight using renewable biofuel made from corn and other plant materials.

     Alaska Air plans to launch a demonstration flight using the clean-burning ‘alcohol to jet’ fuel – made by Gevo, a renewable biofuel company, which is made from by converting corn and other plant waste into isobutanol.   Isobutanol is then processed into jet fuel, which can be a clean replacement for petroleum-based fuels.

     The test flight will happen providing Alaska Air receives approval from the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM International, sometime near the end of the year.   Gevo has been doing research based on the guidelines set out by ASTM International for more than six years, they looking for a final approval in order that the fuel be available for standard use on any commercial aircraft.

 

     Alaska Air has been proactively searching for alternative fuels in order to achieve its target to use sustainable biofuel in at least one of the airports by 2020.   The company was the first airline in the US to have flown multiple commercial passenger flights using biofuel created from used cooking oil.

 

Read More at http://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2015/05/alcohol-jet-fuel-to-power-first-commercial-flight/?article-source=newsletter&source=427&date=2015-05-15

     This is interesting news, maybe more research with sugar cane might yield more places for the use of alcohol to fuel the aviation fleets.  Any renewable fuel is a positive move to power our world instead of a quickly disappearing petroleum fuels.  ;o)

Dreaming of Havana Club and Cuba Times

    There has been a lot of talk about Cuba being opened up so Americans can come and go like we can to the Bahamas, but to date it is mostly just political noise.   I am so looking forward to the time when I can jump into my boat and cruise thee 90 miles across to Hemingway Marina and tie up for a few days and sip the Havana Club 7 or 15 year rum and then cruise back home with only the usual customs procedures.  

     This is the church that the Havana Club logo was drawn from in Havana.   ;o)

Rich Women and Uneducated Men Seem to Drink More Alcoholic Beverages

     Well-educated, wealthy women and poor, uneducated men are more likely to engage in hazardous drinking habits according to a new report from Organization of Economic Co-Operation and Development, an international firm that studies global trends, looked into the patterns and social differences of alcohol consumption.   The new study suggests that wealthy women and uneducated men are more apt to engage in unhealthy drinking habits.

     Hazardous habits such as binge drinking were found to be most common in rich women in Australia, Canada, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Spain, Switzerland and the US.  The study concluded that across both men and women those who are “better educated” and of “higher socioeconomic status” drink more alcohol than anyone else.   However, the gap between men and women’s drinking behaviors appears to narrowing with both genders displaying similar drinking habits.

     “No single variable predicts the likelihood that a person will adopt a given pattern of consuming alcohol,” the study stated. “People with more education and higher socioeconomic status are more likely to drink alcohol, but social gradients differ in men and women for hazardous and heavy episodic drinking.   “Men who are less educated and have higher socioeconomic status, and women who are more educated and have higher socioeconomic status, are more likely to drink at risk in many countries.”

     I find this study to be an interesting one, especially from the view I have from behind the bar here in Key West.  My view is one of a pretty fair cross section of international, American, and locals.   I fee that the study has a lot of merit , but like all other studies it is a cross section of the people that actually are doing the drinking.   As for me I put myself into the educated male group of moderate drinkers, except when at a rum festival judging rums where I would have to classify myself as a short term binge drinker.   I'll just stick with my moderate status and go on living in my own happy little world down here in the Keys. 

    

 

 

 

    

 

 

American’s Tastes in Rums are Getting More Sophisticated-and More Expensive

     As a bartender and purchaser of rums for the Rum Bar in Key West, one thing that I am noticing is the consumption of more premium expressions by my clientele.   The premiumization movement by the rum producers is being appreciated by the consumers.   It seems that here in America, people are drinking less, but what they are drinking is of a much higher quality.
    
     According to research by Guestmetrics, a firm that tracks drinks sales at 6,000 bars and restaurants, US adults are going out less frequently and drinking less alcohol instead opting for more expensive cocktails, beer and wine.   “When consumers do go out, they’re trading up to more expensive drinks,” Peter Reidhead of the research firm GuestMetrics, told Bloomberg.    Furthermore, consumers are also more inclined to spend more money for specialty of high-quality liquor options, paying 5% to 7% more compared to two-years-ago, according to Nielsen.

    Danelle, Kosmal, vice president of Nielsen’s Beverage Alcohol Practice said the increase in costs is not a reflection of stores putting their prices up, but “it’s more a reflection of consumers trading up”.   More bars are hiring mixologists to create US$20 cocktails, and with the boom of “craft” distilleries, consumers are seeking more locally made spirits.   While GuestMetric explained “luxury” spirit drinks – those costing more than US$12 – are still rare, comprising just 3% of the volume of spirits sold at bars and restaurants, this is now 15% more than in 2013.

Read More at http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-05-08/americans-are-drinking-less-but-spending-more-on-fancy-booze

     I feel that this movement is a positive one at least from my point of view, it means that my customers are drinking at a slower pace and savoring the flavor and feel of these premium and ultra premium rums and enjoying them and sharing their experience with those around them.   Today many of my customers are buying one or two premium rums or premium cocktails and leisurely enjoying them rather than tossing back some cheap mixture that really lacks taste and loaded with sugar.   I'm really glad to see this trend and I hope that it continues.   ;o)

Tuesday at Bahia Honda Relaxing on the Boat

     Sitting in the cockpit of  "Lil Sanity" with a nice rum cocktail, I'm reminded of what Ernest Hemingway said about writing drunk and editing sober.   My mind is really out there today as I sip another wonderful rum cocktail ad enjoy the warmth of the sun.   I'm taken to the wonderful world of the tropics and a good rum cocktail and all of the fun that I am allowed to have down here.

     I just completed a really fun four days of working at the Rum bar with so many of my mainland friends visiting.  I wonder why I'm so lucky to have so many friends that continue to visit me year after year and some times even more  often.   This week it was Dave, Carlos, Amy, Brett, Joy, Niki, Mary, Kimberly, Chrissy, Iris, Streeter and Carlton that kept me company and enjoying a whole bunch of fun rum cocktails.

    Today it is my day for cutting loose and  just having a fun day on and around the water.   The flowers, surf, birds and serenity of Bahia Honda make today so wonderful.   I love the work here in the keys, but after a week of taking care of all of my friends it is a wonderful thing to just sit in my deck chair and down a few rum and ginger beer cocktails and let the rest of the world just drift away.

     Sorry for the rambling, but this is one of those really fun days after a great work week that makes me just want to let loose and really enjoy the tropical life and have some fun my own way.  For those of you that have to be in a place that is not quite as neat as where I am today, I'm very sorry, but for me this is just a really wonderful thing that I can't help telling you about.   Here is to my world and all of the fun that I hope I get to share with you someday soon.  ;o)

Barbara Perina Retires from the Rum Bar and the Speakeasy Inn

The Rum Bar in 2011

     Six years ago, Barbara Perina took the helm of the Speakeasy Inn and Rum Bar and has molded it into one of the finest Bed and Breakfasts in Key West.   Today is her last day as our General Manager.   She has decided to go back home to Delaware and spend some quality time with her grand daughter in a place that makes her very happy.  We will miss her, but her happiness is the most important thing in my mind.

The Rum Bar Now

     Barbara has brought this little run down inn so far with her vision and eye for what people really want when they stay in a small guest house.  The service, good food and a clean and comfortable room, these are the things that people really remember and the things she has brought to our customers for the past six years. 

     I'm hoping that she enjoys her retirement.  She will really be missed down here in Key West by all of us that have had the pleasure to work with her these past years.   ;o)

Barbara is always there to back us up when things get busy.

Now a Machine that Freezes Your Favorite Liquor Into Ice Cubes!

     This is a concept that I feel has real possibility.  Chilling your cocktails with the booze that you are using to create it rather than water which will eventually just leave you with a last few sips that are watered down and tasteless.   As a bartender this is going to be very interesting , choosing the correct ice cubes for the cocktail, this will mean several ice bins.   It will definitely help the cocktail though.

     Add ice to cool down your favorite cocktail and you end up with a watery, insipid flavored mix that tastes nothing like the drink you intended to have. But now, you can banish watered down cocktails into oblivion, thanks to a Miami-based company that has been developing a machine which freezes liquor into ice cubes.

     The company, called Beyond Zero, is interviewing contact manufacturers at the moment to build the namesake devices. Inventor, founder, and CEO of Beyond Zero Jason Sherman has revealed that commercial units are expected to roll out in about six to eight months, while public units should be available by late 2015.

     The product was first introduced in May at the National Restaurant Association Show in Chicago.

How it all began

     Sherman revealed that the idea behind Beyond Zero has been in the making for several years. He quit Florida State before he graduated to work with his parents, who were among those first few business people who were adopting Internet e-commerce. The spirit of entrepreneurship was alive in the entire family, but it was only when Sherman separated from his family that he began his own foray into the world of business. He started to experiment with an ice cream process that used liquid nitrogen, but it never took off.

     Sherman then returned to Georgia State for a degree in finance and also attended law school. He began experimenting with freezing liquor during his second academic stint. The seed for Beyond Zero was germinated when he froze an ice cube of solid tequila and found that the taste could be enjoyed without the burn.

     Sherman shows his prototype to a few people who were floored by the idea and the outcome. He went on to pick up an angel investor and has been working on the device ever since.

     In the beginning, Sherman used froze wine and spirits using liquid nitrogen, but found that it was taking up too much space and posed a possible hazard. Despite the fact that Sherman's system froze alcohol without it coming into contact with the liquid nitrogen the potential hazard was done away with.


     You can read more about this interesting concept at

http://www.gizmodo.in/indiamodo/Now-a-Machine-that-Freezes-Your-FavoriteLiquor-Into-Ice-Cubes/articleshow/42280820.cms

Reviving the "Old Fashion" with Rum

     Preparing a good Rum Old Fashion is not real difficult to do.   Just grab a cube of sugar, a bottle of bitters, shake in a couple of dashes, take one bar cherry, an orange slice and muddle it  right in the shaker, add a shot of good dark rum like Doorly's XO plus some ice and  shake it until it becomes chilled.  Strain it back into a glass filled with ice and top it with club soda.   Garnish the finished cocktail with a cherry and an  and then add another one of those cherries and a twist of orange .  

     This is an old classic bourbon cocktail that is really brought to life from the use of a nice dark rum to prepare.   The smooth flavor of the rum gives the cocktail a lot more dimension and character than the original bourbon recipe.   Reviving this wonderful old recipe with rum is a fun exercise in mixology and one that is rewarding when your taste the fruits of your efforts.



Rum Old Fashion

• 2 oz.  Good Dark Rum
• 1 Sugar Cube
• 2 Dashes of Bitters
• 1 Cherry
• 1 Orange Slice

Place the sugar cube, bitters, cherry, and orange slice into a shaker.  Muddle the ingredients, and add ice and the rum.  Shake until chilled and strain into an "Old Fashion" glass filled with fresh ice, top with club s 
oda and garnish with an orange twist and a cherry.

 

 

Spring is in Full Bloom for Mothers Day 2015

     First of all Happy Mothers Day , god bless all of the mothers that put up with all of our nonsense for so many years.

     I guess that a picture is really worth a thousand words, because spring has sprung and the flowers and trees are all in bloom.

Why Can't Liquor be Distilled to 100 Percent Pure Alcohol?

     This is an excerpt  of an article that I ran across the other day.  I am often asked what is the highest proof that you can get, ell here is your answer.  

 

     The highest proof alcohol you can buy is Everclear, at 190 proof. That's nothing! Let's get together and make an alcohol that's 200 proof! Except we can't possibly do that. There's a physical limit to how pure alcohol can actually get, and we'll tell you why.   Ethanol, the business molecule of alcohol, is more volatile than water. Given any set of conditions, it will be more likely to fly away than water molecules. This includes higher temperatures. Heat up a mix of ethanol and water, and more of the ethanol will go away. This proved a bane to liquor makers, until someone stumbled on the secret of distillation. Heat up a mixture of ethanol and water to a point where the alcohol boils but the water (except for the stray molecule or two) does not, and you can make a liquid that's pure water and collect a steam that's pure ethanol. 

     Few people actually wanted pure ethanol, though. Though a little extra kick was good, only the hardcore drinkers demanded pure alcohol - and they weren't going to be repeat customers. So it took a relatively long time for people to realize that no one could make pure alcohol or pure water from ethanol and water.    

     This is because ethanol is not an ordinary mixture, it's an azeotrope. Instead of boiling purely and separately at two different temperatures, its vapor will form a certain proportion. Steam from alcohol is 95.57 percent alcohol. Get a pot of 95.57 percent ethanol boiling and the steam will be 95.57 percent ethanol right down until the last drop evaporates. That's the limit. 

Read More at http://io9.com/why-cant-you-make-liquor-thats-100-percent-pure-alcohol-1701953611  

Bacardi Brings Premium White Rum to the United States

     Bacardi is finally bringing its Gran Reserva to the United States, first introduced in the duty free shops a year ago, this rum will be available to those looking for an extra smooth white rum for premium cocktails or sipping.  I was afforded the opportunity to sample this fine white just over a year ago at the Bacardi Cocktail Party at the penthouse in Coral Gables.   I’m really glad that it has made it to the States and will be available for our mixologist to create some premium and ultra-premium cocktails.

     Set to be officially launched at the 2015 James Beard Foundation Awards in Chicago on 4 May.   This expression is a special blend of aged rums that have spent up to three years in a barrel then filtered through coconut shell charcoal to yield the clear color.   The rum has a “superbly smooth and mellow taste from the ageing process in white oak casks.

     Bacardi said Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron is also targeted towards “aspiring cocktail connoisseurs” who are looking for “superior character” in their serves.    “We are thrilled to announce the launch of Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron, which is yet another stepping stone towards premiumisation within the rum category,” said Arvind Krishnan, vice president and brand managing director of the rum category at Bacardi USA.

“Bacardi has always been dedicated to creating only the best possible rums and we believe we have continued in that tradition with Bacardi Gran Reserva Maestro de Ron. The rum embodies the versatility of a mixing spirit without sacrificing the bold characteristics of an aged, super-premium liquid.”

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.