Bahama Bob's Ginger Tea

Looking for a cocktail that has the flavor of a fine agricole rhum and the zing of spices and lime?  This is a take off on a T-Punch, but it really comes to life in your glass.  This is another really nice cocktail for a sunny afternoon on the lanai or the aft deck.

Bahama Bob's Ginger Tea

• 1 ½ oz. Damoiseau XO
• 1 oz. Ginger Liqueur
• Juice of ½ Lime
• ¼ oz. Sugarcane Syrup
• Splash of Barritt’s Ginger Beer

        Place all ingredients except the Ginger Beer in a shaker filled with ice  and shake until chilled.  Strain into a tumbler filled with fresh ice and top up with Barritt's Ginger Beer.  Garnish with a lime and a sprig of mint.

A Taste of Pusser's Spiced Rum

     There is a new Red Pusser’s Rum Bottle out there, It is Pusser’s Spiced Rum.  In the glass the rum is a lovely amber color. The nose is predominantly ginger and cinnamon with notes of oranges with hints of black pepper and caramel.  Despite being only 35% ABV it still provides a good mouth feel like a real rum.

     Pusser’s Spiced has a little surprise in that the Spices are more subtle and much smoother.  The Spiced is very easy to sip and bold enough to stand up to mixing without getting completely lost in the mix.  There is no noticeable notes of vanilla in the spice blend, but rather a rather spicy and zesty flavor.   Notes of ginger, orange and hints of cinnamon and pepper add to the heat of the finish. The finish is flavorful and lingers offering a nice smooth and easy fade.

Grenada's Westerhall Distillery Grounds

     The once massive Westerhall Estate is still a beautiful place to walk through time to immerse yourself in the days of rum making the traditional way of the 1700’s.  You can see many of the remaining pieces of the original equipment that churned out the rum. Located on the southern side of Grenada in St. David, it is a bit out of the way, but a trip well worth making to get a sense of the history of rum making on Grenada.

HISTORY OF THE DAIQUIRI by Cocktails 101

     This is a well researched piece on the background and evolution of the daiquiri over the year.  This is a cocktail that I find to be one of the most versatile anywhere and a favorite for its flavor and simplicity.

     Ernest Hemingway put away 15 frozen daiquiris in one sitting, while John F. Kennedy sipped daiqs when he beat Nixon in the 1960 presidential election—at least according to legend. Today, daiquiris are the beloved beverage of cocktail aficionados and wannabe vacationers to the newly reopened Cuba. Below, every single thing you need to know about one of the most classic of classic cocktails—history, tips and techniques, recipes, and variations.

     While most vintage drinks lack documentation proving their precise point of creation, the daiquiri's origin is backed up by an actual cocktail recipe card signed by a "Jennings Cox" in 1896.

Cox, an American engineer who lived and worked in Cuba after the Spanish-American War, is believed to have invented the daiquiri after running out of gin while throwing a cocktail party. Since rum is plentiful in the country, it proved a convenient substitute in a punch he was serving. Unlike what's stated on his recipe card, the drink was made with limes—since lemons were unheard of in Cuba—and brown sugar. It turned out to be a huge hit, and Cox christened it the "Daiquiri," naming the drink after a nearby port town, which also happened to be where the U.S. first invaded Cuba during the Spanish-American War.

     However, considering the island has a bounty of lime, sugar, and rum, it's likely that Cox was merely the first to pen the recipe of a cocktail that had already existed in Cuba. Not to mention that a prototype of the daiquiri—"grog" with lime juice, sugar, rum, and water—had been saving the British Royal Navy from scurvy for centuries before. And variations of rum-lime-sugar drinks previously populated Cuba (el draque, the precursor to the mojito, was invented by Sir Francis Drake during the 1500s) and the Caribbean (ti' punch from 1887).

     But, in 1909, Cox's cocktail, which until then could only be found in Cuba, was brought to America by Admiral Lucius W. Johnson. The U.S. naval officer, who had visited Cox and fell in love with his daiquiri, introduced it to Washington, D.C.'s Army and Navy Club.

Then, four years later, bartender Emilio "El Maragato" Gonzalez of Havana's Hotel Plaza started serving the daiquiri up, shaken and strained into a coupe glass, as opposed to shaken and poured into an ice-filled flute. He also swapped in white sugar for brown sugar. This new presentation, along with the sweetener switch, allowed the rum to shine. Plus, it wasn't as diluted.

Between the 1920s and 1930s in Cuba, the daiquiri underwent an important transformation. Constantino "Constante" Ribalaigua Vert, bartender and owner of a little bar in Havana called El Floridita, perfected the drink with just shaved ice and the whir of an electric blender. And the frozen daiquiri was born.

Soon after, Ernest Hemingway, who was living in Cuba, happened into the bar and, after sampling Constante's frozen creation, requested it sans sugar and with double the rum on account of his diabetes. This, of course, made the cocktail conducive to epic drinking sessions and motivated Hemingway to become a bar regular. In one account from Berry's book, Hemingway put away 15 double frozen daiquiris in one sitting. This earned the cocktail a permanent spot on Floridita's menu as the "E. Hemmingway [sic] Special."

Papa Hemingway's super tart recipe eventually evolved to the more drinkable Hemingway Daiquiri, a classic that now includes grapefruit juice and maraschino liqueur, in addition to rum and lime.

Read More at http://www.eater.com/drinks/2016/5/12/11327350/daiquiri-cocktail-recipe-rum-lime-cuban-drink 

Gruppo Campari Tests New Spiced Rum Brand, Baron Samedi

     Gruppo Campari is testing a new spiced rum as it looks to extend its presence in the category.   Speaking to analysts following the release of the company's first-quarter results yesterday, CEO Bob Kunze-Concewitz said the move was a "major new innovation" for the company. The new product is called Baron Samedi - named after a Haitian voodoo god.   "The spiced rum world is awash with sailors, pirates, admirals and such," Kunze-Concewitz said. 

Baron Samedi James Bond Movie

  "We're coming with, I think, a very distinctive proposition built on the voodoo storytelling available in the Caribbean.   So, let's see how that goes." Kunze-Concewitz did not disclose test markets on the call but the Baron Samedi website's age gate gives Australia, Canada, US and Mexico as country options.  

Read More at http://www.just-drinks.com/news/gruppo-campari-tests-new-spiced-rum-brand-baron-samedi-ceo_id120184.aspx

     The Baron Samedi features Caribbean column still rum and a small amount of Jamaican pot still rum.   It is made up of 100% natural ingredients including vanilla,  cocoa, cinnamon and our signature spice, Haitian Vetiver - a bunch grass that adds earthy and woody notes.

      On the palate, it is smooth and rich.  Baron Samedi is specifically blended to be paired with traditional spiced rum mixers such as cola or ginger beer, or to be enjoyed as a shot.  Served up at 45% abv this is not your mamby-pamby spiced rum.  It truly packs a punch.  Suggested Retail price is around $29.00.

You Can Buy Your Own Spirits Still, You Just Can't Use It

     Here's the good news. You can own a spirits still. There's no law against that. There's even a company, Clawhammer, that will sell you a beautiful copper still that's designed specifically for producing booze. The bad news? You can't actually make booze in that still. "It's legal to own a still of any size," says Kyle Brown, founder of Clawhammer. "You can have it for decoration, distilling water, distilling essential oils. but it's illegal to distill alcohol without having either a distilled spirits permit or a federal fuel alcohol permit."

     A Federal Fuel Alcohol Permit, which is free and easy to get. "We've never heard of anyone being denied this permit and have never heard of anyone even being checked up on after obtaining the permit," Brown says. The ingredients, the process, and even the final product is the same when making high proof distilled spirits and fuel alcohol. "With this permit, you can make distilled spirits," Brown says, "but the product is supposed to be used for fuel alcohol purposes only."   Legally, you're not supposed to drink it. You're supposed to put it in your lawnmower.

Read More at http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/05/you-can-buy-your-own-whiskey-still-you-just-cant-u.html

     The real question is what is being done about this?  There is an outfit called the "Hobby Distillation Association" that is working toward legalization for the hobby distiller. 

  LEGALIZATION PROGRESS

    The Hobby Distiller's Association is working towards the legalization of hobby distilling.   Unless you live in New Zealand it is most likely illegal for you to distill alcohol at home, even if it is purely as a hobby. This is in contrast to making beer or wine, which is legal in most countries without permits, licenses, or payment of tax. It is time for change!   The hobby distiller is not a backwoods moonshiner distilling for profit.    He often uses sophisticated equipment, distilling mainly for enjoyment, and often as the next step in the legal hobby of wine or beer making. 

     In the United States, distilling alcohol without proper permits is illegal.   And although there are permits for distilling alcohol for use as a fuel, there's no such license for distilling small amounts of beverage alcohol.   That leaves the hobbyist with two options- distill as a hobby illegally, or don't distill. The HDA (Hobby Distillation Association) is pressing to change to this by forming the first single, unified, consistent, and strong voice for the hobbyist.   “We absolutely do not support ‘moonshining’ activities where individuals sell their shine for profit.”.

     It is going to be interesting to watch if this idea of making small quantities of drinking spirits for personal consumption will ever happen here in America.   Right now you can get into serious trouble if you get caught today.

Troy Roberts of Drum Circle Displaying his 1 Gallon Research Still at the Miami Rum Festival

Grander Panamanian Rum

     “Grander Rum is a new, independently owned spirits brand that’s producing an eight year old

Cane Being Hand Cut in Herrara Province

Panamanian rum. “  The process begins in the sugar cane fields of Herrara, Panama, where the sugar cane is hand-harvested and turned into Grade-A molasses.   Grander is fermentation from molasses and distilled at the Ingenio San Carlos Distillery with copper plated column stills.   Grander is aged for eight years in once used Kentucky Bourbon barrels.     This expression is aged for eight years in the warm Panamanian temperatures  and then blended before being reduced to 45% ABV and bottled.   This expression is unaltered rum that is rich and full bodied as a result of its higher proof presentation.

     Panama is home to some wonderful rums, like Ron Abuelo, Zafra, Ron Duran and Yolo.  This is why when a new expression comes onto the market there is so much excitement about getting our hands on it and tasting it.    The area that surrounds Herrara Province is loaded with fields that produce high quality cane from the rich soiland a great group of master distillers to produce the high quality rums on a regular basis.   Grander comes from a solid stock being produced in this area.

      Grander Rum shows with a rich amber color that brings a blend of vanilla, spices and heavy oak to the nose.   Grander is rich and with flavors of vanilla and spice notes that hint of nutmeg and cinnamon, in addition to those of dried fruits.   The finish turns decidedly dry, leaving a taste of warm oak with some notes from the bourbon casks that they were aged in.  Eight years in barrel brings out a spirit with plenty of wood without being overpowering, instead yielding a nice balance of the wood with those of sweet spice and fruit. 

     Selling in the 750 ml size here in the United States at about $37.00, it makes a nice package of enjoyable tasting.

Papa: Hemingway in Cuba

  The new movie Papa: Hemingway in Cuba has just been released in the theaters.  This reminds me of so many places that he would hang out in Havana, San Francisco de Paula and Cojmar, Cuba. The film relates a story of a young journalist that ventured to Havana in 1959 to spend some time with his idol.    Roger Ebert made this comment on the movie.  “The script was written by Denne Bart Petitclerc and was based on his own experiences with Ernest Hemingway, whom he befriended as a young journalist. Petitclerc passed away a decade ago, and he would’ve been thrilled to learn that the long belated project would become the first Hollywood film shot in Cuba since 1959, and that various scenes would be shot in the locations where Hemingway once resided. Even Mariel

Pilar at Finca de Vigia

Hemingway, the writer’s granddaughter, turns up in an all-too-brief cameo. These behind-the-scenes factoids are the most interesting aspects of the film—and, regrettably, the only interesting aspects, as well.”   Read More at http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/papa-hemingway-in-cuba-2016

Having a Papa Doble With "Papa"

     Earnest Hemingway loved his life in Cuba,  pre-revolution

El Floridita

Cuba, in particular.  Nothing made him happier that big game fishing in the Caribbean, Cuban cigars, and Great Cuban Rum.   Although he didn’t drink his rum straight, his daiquiris, made with a higher quality Cuban rum.   During the 50’s most of the rough “Kill Devil” rums of earlier eras were gone and replaced by smoother, sweet, white expressions crafted to accommodate the cocktail craze currently of the new era.  Hemingway embibed at the El Floridita, this was his favorite Havana watering hole.  There he was served his self-created daiquiri, known as the “Papa Doble” This was a very clean sugar free version of the #4 El Floridita Daiquiri that was sans sugar and double the rum, thus the name.

Ambros Mundos Hotel

Finca la Vigia

     I have had the privilege to visit so many of the haunts that where Hemingway spent his time in Cuba, and I couldn't help to wanting to have seen myself walking and spending time in that era in Cuba.  Great shows, cocktail lounges, fine rum and cigars.   From the Ambros Mundos where if first lived when in Havana and wrote For Whom the Bells Tolled, to Finca la Vigia, his beloved villa in San Franciscio de Paula. This was a place to be if you wanted to live the "high life" that was filled with the excitement of the Caribbean.  I am looking forward to seeing the film and see ho well they did bring us back the early fifties in Havana.

The bedroom where he would stand in front of the book case and write

Zafra 30 Year Old Rum Debuts

     Zafra 30 Year Old Rum masterful expression rested in oak barrels in Panama, Zafra 30 Year Old aged rum is a luxury limited edition of 6,720 bottles   The Zafra Master Series, well known for the 21 year old Master Reserve, gained worldwide attention upon its debut in 2009.   This 30 year old luxury rum debuted in Miami last month.   Zafra 30 Year Old aged rum is the latest of a legendary master blender Don Pancho Fernandez’s talent.

      "The product has been aging for 30 years in Bourbon casks. We closely monitored the aging process and we batched until we came to the conclusion that it had reached its optimal condition," co-owner of the brand Gardner Blandon says. "The task of batching many times over is tedious, but was necessary to the fulfillment of our goal of offering our consumers our ultimate expression to date."

    With a color of deep mahogany, with an aroma of old oak and fruit, and caramel vanilla.   In the mouth, balanced notes of wood, vanilla and honey that develops into a complex notes of sherry and bourbon.  The Experience finishes with a long lasting smooth and flavorful experience.

     This is a very limited expression and will not be around for very long.  With only 6720 bottle made it will be gone in no time at all.  The price is around $200 US for a 750 ml bottle.  The expression is presented at

Bahia Honda Convergence

     Nothing provides a better back drop for a sunset than the coming together of the Overseas Railroad double deck bridge and the highway bridge at Bahia Honda.  Nothing leaves me feeling better than when you marry the land, the sea and the sky at the end of a beautiful day.

Kayaking Spanish Harbor Key Quarry

     This week we went to the west out of the Bahia Honda Marina and went to explore a place some of the locals call the horseshoe.  When we got there we found a chunk of local history that was really unexpected and beautiful as well.  Known as the horseshoe by the locals, it is about 35 feet deep and today, the old quarry which was one of many dug for fill from 1905 to 1912 by the railroad crew during construction of the Henry Flagler’s Overseas Railroad is a favorite spot for divers and fishermen.

Old Seawall that kept the sea from the Rail bed and now the Highway

    Originally, there were three keys at this location. They were connected by fills at the time the Overseas Railroad was built. The Keys were West Summerland Key, Middle Summerland Key and an unnamed easternmost key. West Summerland retains its name, but the other two are known simply as the Spanish Harbor Keys; named for the anchorage located between this key and Big Pine Key. Interesting features of this key include Indian mounds and storage buildings still standing from the Flagler Railway construction era.

Old Concrete Railroad Ties

     On the northern side of the keys there are still several sea walls that acted to contain the fill used to connect the three keys.  You can also see mounds of old concrete railroad ties behind the ties from when the rails were removed and the highway was constructed.   Kayaking along this edge of the islands gave us a chance to view the work that made the Overseas Railroad and then the highway possible.

Nurse Shark

Egret

Best of Show Wicked Dolphin Black and a Wicked Cocktail

     Wicked Dolphin has introduced a new Black Rum expression to go along with its other expressions.  Wicked Dolphin Black won the Best in Class at the Miami Rum Festival last month and stands up very well when mixed in a cocktail.  This is another of the really nice cocktails that you can enjoy in the evening out on the porch or aft deck of the boat.

Wicked Cocktail

• ¾ oz.  Wicked Dolphin Gold Rum
• ¾ oz.  Wicked Dolphin Black Rum
• ¾ oz. Pierre Ferrand Orange Curacao
• Dash of Fee Bros. Old Fashion Bitters
• ½ oz. Sugar in the Raw Liquid Cane Sugar
• Juice of ½ Lime

Shake all ingredients in a shaker with ice.  Strain into a Tumbler with fresh ice and garnish with an Orange Twist

MHOBA RUM - NKOMAZI SPIRIT

     MHOBA Rum is the original  Mpumalanga rum, proudly and entirely  hand crafted in small batches from our local Nkomazi cane sugar.  Being produced from sugar cane, MHOBA Rum is what is termed an agricultural rum from the French term "rhum agricole" as opposed to most rum which is produced in large quantities from molasses, a by-product from large scale sugar production. 

     MHOBA Rum is made directly from "liquid sugar" squeezed from individual sticks of Nkomazi cane sugar, grown on the farm surrounding our micro distillery on the outskirts of the small town of Malalane in the heart of the cane-growing area in the Crocodile River Valley of Mpumalanga, South Africa.   The MHOBA Rum Distillery is housed in an old farm building which has been renovated and upgraded to accommodate the rum production.

     Fermentation, distillation, ageing and bottling of our rum is performed at the estate which is home to MHOBA Rum. Everything involved with the production of MHOBA Rum from the preparation of our fermentation wash, through to the printing and application of our labels, forming and sealing of our bottle caps,  is performed by the small team of MHOBA Rum employees.

     Fermentation of the Nkomazi cane sugar wash is performed using a proprietary strain of yeast at the warm ambient temperatures provided by our tropical climate.   Our custom built small batch stills produce extremely pure and concentrated cane rum batches of between 20 and 25 liters. Each batch is distilled with great care and attention to temperature which determines which fractions of the batch are collected, discarded or re-distilled with a future batch. This careful but time consuming method of distilling allows a much more refined raw rum spirit than would be possible with large scale continuous distillation processes which do not separate any of the distillation fractions. Each individual concentrated rum batch is then checked for taste and aroma before being blended with other suitable batches and local rock fissure water to achieve an ideal ageing concentration. 

     MHOBA Rum is then rested, mellowed and flavored using toasted virgin American white oak until the rum has acquired the optimum flavor, aroma and color from the interaction with the toasted oak. Once the rum has achieved the required flavor, color and aroma the rum is filtered from the virgin oak before being blended with other suitably aged batches and bottled at the MHOBA Rum distillery.  

     MHOBA Rum is a unique and wonderful experience that was a great surprise for all of the judges at the Rum Festival last month.  This tells me that the people of South Africa are well on their way to becoming well known rum makers in the near future. 

The First Annual St. Croix Rum Festival, Flavor of Rum is just Around the Corner

        

 It is time to get your tickets and make your reservations at either The Palms at Pelican Cove Hotel (http://www.palmspelicancove.com/ ) or King's Alley Hotel ( No Website, but Phone 800-843-3574 )on St. Croix so you can be apart of this great event in the Virgin Islands.  Festival Tickets are available for all of the events at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-1st-annual-st-croix-rum-festival-tickets-22222518150 

“Flavor of Rum” kicks off this spring with cooking competitions, fashion shows, rum tasting and sightseeing tours.   The festival, which celebrates the historical ties between rum-making and the Big Island, will be held at the historical Fort Frederik on May 29, 2016, from 3 p.m to midnight.   The St. Croix Rum Festival “Flavor of Rum” is about Rum, Rum and more Rum to excite your taste buds,” George Moore Festival Producer, explained.   The “Flavor of Rum” festival is expected to attract visitors from all over to sample a variety of exquisite tasting rums from all over the planet.  Since the 1800’s St. Croix has been producing some of the finest rums around, our event is to celebrate that great history while at the same time offering international rum exhibitors a chance to show off their products.

 

     “You’ll fine great food from some of St. Croix finest local cooks and restaurants, live music from local and international entertainers, arts, handmade crafts all within a celebration of Virgin Islands richness and culture,”    For those that arrive early will be treated to a bikini contest, a rum-flavored BBQ competition, tours, pre-parties  and the Flair Bartender Show among many other exciting events.    Leading up to the one-day rum festival will be two days of sightseeing tours of St. Croix that emphasize the importance of rum-making to the island.   The tours will take place on Friday May 27 and Saturday May 28.

George Moore Festival Producer

     Please visit the official St. Croix Rum Festival “Flavor of Rum” website @ http://www.stcroixrumfestival.com/or Facebook: St. Croix Rum Festival “Flavor of Rum” For additional information please contact Mr. George Moore at (340) 277-8670 or email: gmoore_82@msn.com

The St. Croix Rum Festival “Flavor of Rum” is produced exclusively by George Moore Productions.

An Island of Herbs and Spices Before Dinner

     Looking for something with style and great living flavors of fine rum, herbs and spices, Give this cocktail a try.  The fine flavor of Damioseau VSOP Rum and the herbal and spicy flavors of the liqueurs and bitters make this evening cocktail very sophisticated, dry and flavorful for sipping before dinner or just as an evening on the patio or aft deck experience.

An Island of Herbs and Spices

·         1 1/2 oz.  Damoiseau VSOP

·         1/2 oz.  Liquor 43

·         1/2 oz.  St. Germain

·         2 dashes of Fee Bros. Orange Bitters

·         1 dash Angostura Bitters

 Combine all ingredients with ice and shake until chilled.   Strain into rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with an orange peel.

Effects of the Barrel and Other Things on the Rum

     What is the effect of the charred oak barrels in the rum?   The Oak Wood softens the texture of the rum and stabilizes it.   In addition it, makes the tannins which are polimericen that give a nicer feel and flavor in the mouth. Another effect is that it adds aromas like vanilla, coconut, chocolate, toasted, smoke, tobacco, caramel, and coffee from the roasting of the wood.  The majority of all rums are aged in some kind of oak barrel, some in American Oak and some in French Oak.  Many of them previously used for make wine, bourbon, scotch or even beer before being used to rest rum.

     All of these different barrel sources will introduce the rum to different reactions with the barrels and produce different results.  When you add together a blending of the rums from different barrels you will get a more complex expression that often becomes extremely desirable. 

     The particular type of Oak Barrel used is extremely important, and most major brand-name spirits have very rigorous requirements.   Bourbon whiskey regulations require the use of new oak barrels with inner surfaces that have been charred.   This charring is accomplished by igniting the inside of the oak barrels until a layer of char develops.   Most other whiskeys and non-whiskey spirits are not required to be used in new,   unused oak barrels; nor do the oak barrels have to be pre-charred.   The charring process does enhance and soften the final taste of the spirit, while imparting it with both color and body.

     Spirit manufacturers determine the specific type of spirit to make, and a close relationship between aging and distilling strategies does exist.  For instance rum that is distilled in a pot still to somewhere between 60 and 65% will retain a natural sweetness from the fermented materials, where rums that are distilled to 80 to 90% in a column still will have a much lighter body and a lot drier.  Then the barrel type and the length of time spent in the barrel will determine the color, smoothness, body, aroma and flavor of the finished expression.

     Like so many other processes, this requires the knowledge and experience of the distillers, blenders, and the barrel management people.  It takes a great team of people with knowledge of all of the processes to produce a fine rum expression.  Different people have different ideas of what the rum should taste like, but it still takes a lot of skill to produce your style of rum.

The Beach Separates the Blue of the Sky From the Blue of the Ocean

     The afternoons are also quite beautiful and you head out just beyond the beach here at Bahia Honda.  The sun is getting lower in the sky and everything takes on a different hue.  Looking at the beach with its lone palm tree in the afternoon light is very expressive.   The beach divides the blue of the sky from the blues of the ocean.

High-Tech "Frankenstein Rum" Aged Without The Barrels

     Fans of aged alcohol may want to celebrate a big disruption in the spirits industry.   Bottles of older scotch, bourbon or rum can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars, but one man is changing all that with an invention he claims can produce the equivalent of a 20-year-old spirit in less than a week.

     Charleston, South Carolina, is a town that likes its carriages horse-drawn, its streets cobble-stoned and its rum barrel-aged.   So when Alex Burns recently opened the Rational Spirits distillery in Charleston, his business plan seemed a little -- well, irrational: make rum that tastes old, but without any barrels, reports CBS News correspondent Ben Tracy.   "The reason, no barrels this is because you have this machine,  our science fair project," Tracy pointed out.   He's talking about a reactor, which looks like something you might find in a bio-tech lab, not a rum factory.

     "I came across this article that says, 'Guy claims he can create 20-year-old rum in six days,' and I thought to myself 'Wow, that would solve a lot of problems! Let me check it out!'" Burns said.   The guy making that claim is Silicon Valley entrepreneur Bryan Davis.   He said he can make rum that tastes 20 years old in six days.   "That sounds too good to be true," Tracy said.   "Yeah! Yeah," Davis said, smiling. "Cool, huh?"

     When alcohol is put into a barrel, molecules in the barrel's wood called polymers break down over time.   This causes a series of chemical reactions that help give spirits such as rum, whiskey and bourbon complex flavors like smoke, leather and honey.   "The challenge was figuring out how to make those polymers degrade more rapidly. ... If we can put a man on the moon, right? We can figure out how to hack a piece of wood. I mean, it can't be that hard, right?" Davis said, laughing.

     The answer was enlightening. Davis built this reactor where wood chips soaking in rum are blasted with high intensity light, doing in six days what would take years in a barrel -- and without any artificial ingredients. The end product matches the chemical composition of a decades-old spirit.    "So the idea is that everybody can get a better bottle of rum at a better price tag," Davis said. "For the booze aging business, this technology's a tectonic shift. Everything just changed under their feet. They may not realize it yet, but it just did."

   Traditionally, only large corporations could afford the millions of dollars it costs to age booze in barrels. Now, three smaller distilleries are using Davis' reactors to get similar results, and he said 75 more want to do the same.   Rational Spirits first rum was called Santeria Rum.   Santeria Rum has also become popular with rum aficionados like chef Paul Yellin, who plans to offer Santeria at his new rum bar in Charleston.   It's the only rum less than three years old he will allow on his shelves.   "Rums are very much like human beings. Age and maturity are two different things," Yellin said.   Even if Santeria doesn't quite taste 20 years old, it is certainly wise beyond its years.   "Immediately very good," Yellin said after a taste test. "I find this very similar to about an eight-year-old rum."

In a business where waiting is the hardest part, that's a shortcut worth drinking to.

Read More at http://www.cbsnews.com/news/rational-spirits-distillery-charleston-south-carolina-aged-alcohol/

Why Do People TALK LOUDER When They Drink Alcohol?

     Alcohol may get the conversation going at a party, but as the drinks flow you'll find it harder to tune in. Dr Karl explains how alcohol affects your hearing.   You can't pinpoint it exactly, but there is an obvious change in the party mood, when people's alcohol levels reach that point where they loosen their inhibitions, and start relaxing and dancing.  The obvious clue to the alcohol taking effect is that the noise level goes up.

     Why does the party get louder when people drink more alcohol? What is the alcohol doing to the brain, and what are the flow-on effects?   Alcohol, known as ethyl alcohol it has wondrous properties.   It can remove oil stains from the garage floor, store body parts and axolotls beautifully for centuries, and in small quantities can improve your mood and self-confidence, and get the conversation flowing.  In bigger doses, the effects are less wondrous. It can interfere with your fine muscle control and your higher mental functioning, which messes with your decision making.

Alcohol Dampens Hearing

     But getting back to party mode, usually what you get is just that sudden increase in noise - thankfully!   

We're still not entirely sure as to what is going on, but it seems to involve a feedback loop. Once you have a few drinks, your sense of hearing is impaired. So when you speak, you mistakenly think that you are talking more softly than usual. To compensate, you (without even thinking about it) automatically start talking louder.   Sound information is carried from your eardrum to the central processing center inside your brain. How does alcohol affect your hearing? The simple answer is that we don't know.

     This hearing loss might be a direct toxic effect, or anaesthetic effect, or osmotic effect - or something else. We don't even know exactly what part of the hearing chain it affects.   The alcohol might be acting on your ear drum, or the muscles that can pull on the ear drum to quieten down the outside world, or the cochlea, or the acoustic nerve that carries the information into your brain, or it could be acting on that area that processes this information.  Even so, regardless of the exact pathway by which it happens, once you've had a few drinks, you hear yourself as if you are talking too quietly. And to compensate, you start talking loudly.

Men vs Women

 

     Interestingly, alcohol effects on hearing are different for men and for women.  In typical studies, men and women (in a double blind situation) drank juice, either with, or without, alcohol. Then, once the group drinking alcohol hit around around 0.03 per cent, their hearing was tested at six different audio frequencies running from low to high.   On average, the men would lose between two and nine decibels (dB) of hearing, while women would lose more, between five and twelve dB.   A lot of hearing was lost around the 500-1,000 Hz range - which are frequencies where a lot of speech happens. 

     But the hearing loss was different for long-term drinkers. They tended to have permanent hearing loss, and more often, at the higher frequencies.   We're not sure why.   There are many causes of hearing loss in our modern industrial world. Social drinking in the evening for most people usually happens in a noisy bar. This adds to the noise-induced hearing loss they may have picked up during the day.

 

     We worry about getting blind drunk. But maybe a greater concern for the inebriated, is getting deaf drunk ...

Read More at http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2016/04/26/4448817.htm