Doesn’t taste quite as good as Squirt to me, though the use of sugar and not corn syrup is a plus for this Mexican soda brand. Works just fine with Wray & Nephew Overproof rum.
The Castaway
Appropriate for the finale of Survivor tonight, a show I still watch and like. I love the tropical island eye candy, the dramatic challenges, and all the castaway twists. This is a cocktail from the original Grog Log, circa 1994.
The Castaway by Beachbum Berry
3 oz Pineapple Juice
¾ oz Kahlua
1½ oz Gold Puerto Rican Rum (Bacardi 8)
Shake with crushed ice and serve in a Pilsner glass.
The Trader Vic’s glass seems right on point for the castaway theme and I enjoyed this cocktail. Pineapple and Kahlua make a good pair, and this cocktail still has plenty of booze. That Beachbum did it all right.
Regression at Dr. Funk
We ventured to downtown San Jose to check out DJ Otto von Stroheim‘s holiday tunes for “Traditional Tiki” Tuesday at Dr. Funk. The place is decked out quite nicely for the holidays and Otto’s tunes were upbeat and festive. A great set from Otto, like always.
It does seem that there’s been some regression in the quality of the cocktails here, thanks in part to a great deal of turnover of the bar staff during 2023. We saw bartenders free-pouring ingredients, which might explain why the balance of my Mai Tai was just a bit off. Not terrible but more limey than in my past visits. When Dr. Funk opened in 2021 their Mai Tai rum blend was Appleton 12 and Smith & Cross, but last year Appleton 12 had supply issues and they replaced it with Denizen Merchant’s Reserve rum that is less expensive but doesn’t work as well (the Dr. Funk website still lists Appleton 12, even after a certain lifestyle blogger informed them of the error months ago). We’re hoping for better results on our next visit.
The Tropical Itch we ordered was really off track. It supposedly contains Wild Turkey 101 along with Coruba and Lemon Hart 151 rums, plus Dry Curacao and “caramelized pineapple.” I couldn’t taste the bourbon at all, and there was a flavor that neither Mrs. Mai Tai or I found pleasant. Probably the caramelized pineapple, but in either case the cocktail was not good.
Thankfully, Mrs. Mai Tai found her Thai-Chi to be made well. This rich and creamy cocktail has a host of ingredients including Allspice dram, milk syrup, and falernum. Perhaps this is one of Dr. Funk’s batched cocktails.
Dr. Funk is still pretty good in downtown San Jose, but the corporate ownership isn’t doing any favors to elevate the experience for fans of the genre and the constant shuffling of crew members also does not bode well. I hope they can right the ship.
Mai Tai Monday with Hampden C Diamond H
C<>H was my favorite rum from the Hampden 8 Marks Collection, so I decided to make it in a Mai Tai. With an ester level of 1300-1400 gr/hlpa there’s no doubt there’s plenty of flavor coming from the rum and it is maybe a little more approachable for some in this cocktail format.
Go big or go home, I always say.
Glassware: Vatos Who Tiki
Batched Mint Julep
Our friends have a yearly Christmas party with a different theme each year. This year the theme was Kentucky Derby, so I volunteered to make a batched version of a Mint Julep.
The typical Mint Julep recipe is nearly all Bourbon, so this one has a bit more sugar and water. Nonetheless it was quite boozy, as we are all feeling today. The small cups filled with ice were an attempt to limit the intake, but some of us succeeded better than others.
The mint syrup was made to a higher volume but you can see the ratio below. The syrup worked really well and meant nobody had to muddle these cocktails by hand and for a mixed crowd a tempered balance of Bourbon was better for most.
In terms of the Bourbon, I used a half-filled bottle of Buffalo Trace plus a nice 1.75ml bottle of Old Crow. And then I used about a half bottle of First Call Rye to add a bit of spice.
Batched Mint Julep
2 parts Bourbon
1 part Mint Syrup
½ part Water including large ice cubes to chill
Serve in a small glass with crushed ice and a mint sprig
Mint Syrup
1 cup water, heated
Add 1 cup granulated sugar, then stir to dissolve
Remove from heat and steep 1 cup mint leaves for 3-4 hrs
Chill in refrigerator
Trader Vic’s Hot Buttered Rum
It isn’t a Mai Tai at all, but some fine Hot Buttered Rum from Trader Vic’s. This commercial product compares favorably to the handcrafted Hot Buttered Rum kits you see for sale at craft cocktails bars during the holiday season.
Vic’s mix is jarred with sugar, butter, and spices mostly, and is $9 at BevMo where I picked it up. I like to use a little extra mix just to make it a bit more rich. Pairs well with heavier rums such as those from Jamaica or Guyana, but use your favorite. Might be a good use of a spiced rum if you have some.
Recipe: Rum Flip
This all time classic cocktail evolved over the centuries and this particular recipe is based on the one from Smuggler’s Cove. Rather just using an egg white in the cocktail, we’re using the entire egg. The result is creamy, though not as much as something like an Egg Nog that includes dairy.
The result is pretty good. I went with the traditional style and medium body of a Barbados rum, though something more flavorful would probably pair better with the rich taste of the egg.
Rum Flip
2 oz Old Brigand Barbados Rum
½ oz Demerara Syrup
1 medium egg
Dry shake for 10 secs, then add 1 cup ice and shake. Double strain and top with nutmeg.