rum

The Birthday Daiquiri

/ Dani DeLuna / Leave a comment

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Howdy y’all! It’s been a minute! How is everyone doing? Are we all collectively melting into a pool of sweat and heatstroke?

Last week was my Birfday and I had a fun filled week! It all started on Sunday when I decided I would “ring it in” with a couple of Daiquiri variations. I liked one of them enough to do a proper write up and so I present to you:

The Birthday Daiquiri!

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What’s so special about this Daiquiri that now it’s my Official Birthday Drink™? Just check the ingredients:

  1. Denizen Aged White Rum*: hands down the most used Rum in my Home Bar cause it’s totally flavorful and super versatile. I love this Rum. #TeamDenizen
  2. Apricot Liqueur + St. George Absinthe Verte: recently discovered this flavor combo and DAMNNNNNNN, it’s fabulous! Put these two in a drink and your mouth will rejoice!
  3. Lime and Cane Sugar syrup: cause it’s a Daiquiri and we’re keeping it classic

*Note, Denizen Aged White Rum has a brown label now. I’m still working through this bottle and will get the updated bottle soon.

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Pro Tip: I’ve put the Absinthe into a lil bottle with a dropper cause I’ve started adding it by the drop for more control.

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Why no garnish? Cause when shit is this delicious, you don’t need to add anything else!

The Birthday Daiquiri

  • 2 oz Denizen Aged White Rum
  • 1/4 oz Rothman & Winter Apricot Liqueur
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz 1:1 Cane Sugar Syrup
  • 8 drops St. George Absinthe Vert
  • No Garnish

Combine ingredients and shake it like a rocket. Double strain into chilled coupe. Sip, smile, IT’S YOUR BIRTHDAY NOW!

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If you’re an August baby like me and it really is your Birthday, Happy Happy to youuuu! Cheers!

L’Orgeat Mai Tai

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Summer Monday. Summer Mondaaaay. On one hand, it’s summer and on the other hand, it’s freaking monday! Fortunately, I’ve got something really cool to share with y’all on this paradoxical day of the week!

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Behold: L’Orgeat Almond Liqueur!

A couple of weeks ago L’Orgeat hit me up on Instagram and asked if I wanted to try some of their brand new Orgeat Liqueur. I obvi said, ‘Yes PLS!” and so here we are.

As a Tiki fanatic, I was a bit skeptical but I’m really digging this stuff. Made from California Almonds, it’s 20% ABV, has the viscosity of a really great Orgeat, a nice amount of Orange Flower Water, and really really works in a Mai Tai!

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Like, I was shocked how well it worked in a Mai Tai! SHOCKED I SAY!

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L’Orgeat provided me with a lil booklet of recipes (how thoughtful!) including one for a Mai Tai. The recipe called for “Jamaican Rum” so I used my fave Denizen Merchant’s Reserve 8 Year Rum. I’m also obsessed with this Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao, so boop, it went into the drink. They suggest using Smith & Cross as a float and gurrrrrrrrrl, it was goood.

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L’Orgeat Mai Tai

  • 1 1/2 oz Jamaican Rum (Denizen Merchant’s Reserve Rum is killer)
  • 1/2 oz L’Orgeat Liqueur
  • 1/2 oz Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao
  • 3/4 oz Lime Juice
  • Garnish: Lime shell with Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, Mint Sprig

Combine ingredients over crushed ice and short shake. Dump contents of shaker (ice and all) into chilled Double rocks glass. Plop your Lime shell in there, add some Smith & Cross to the shell, and a Mint Sprig. Whenever you feel like dunking your Smith & Cross into the drink, dooooo it.

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Btw, this Rum and this Curaçao are BEST FRIENDS y’all! BEST FRIENDS!

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A million hot as hell Mai Tai cheers to all y’all and I totally recommend L’Orgeat for all your future Mai Tais!

DP Swizzle

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Y’all, it’s JULY and hot and swampy as hell up in this piece. I know that Tiki doesn’t really have a season (Tiki The Snow Away, duh) but if there was ever a time for a tall, icy, Tropical Cocktail, that time is now!

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The inspiration for today’s Swizzle was this tasty bottle of brand-new-soon-to-be-released Berentzen Peach Liqueur. Berentzen were actually the first brand to send me products and I have loved them ever since cause QUALITY. All of their liqueurs are crisp, clean, bright, and come through very well in cocktails without being overly cloying.

The Peach is great! It’s Peachy with lemon and floral notes and not too intense or overwhelming. 20% ABV

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Cast of Characters:

  1. Peach Madness: Berentzen Peach + Bitter Truth Peach Bitters. Berentzen also sent me The Bitter Truth Peach Bitters and they’re really great too! Not too bitter, more like essence of peach. I decided to throw a couple of dashes in the drink to increase the “peachness”.
  2. Rum: I really wanted to make the sweet Peach flavor work with aged Rum, so I picked Denizen Merchant’s Reserve cause it’s dry, funky, grassy and just really lovely.
  3. Juices: I was debating between Lemon or Lime and asked some cocktail friends. One them replied, “Why not both?” Yeah dude, good call!
  4. Sugar & Spice: To give this Swizzle a lil pop I added, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Demerara Simple Syrup for body + depth, & Angostura Bitters on top.

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I have a couple of Rhum JM swizzle sticks, but they weren’t long enough for this big Tiki mug. I opted to use my copper-plated Skull Barspoon from Cocktail Kingdom instead and it swirls really nicely. Yarrrrrrr, matey!

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Big Mint sprig for big aromatics.

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Don’t you love this mug? I like how serious he looks but then his moustache is so long and his lips so small!

DP Swizzle

  • 2 1/2 oz Denizen Merchant’s Reserve 8 Year Rum/Rhum
  • 1 oz Berentzen Peach Liqueur
  • 1 barspoon St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
  • 1 1/2 oz Demerara Syrup 1:1
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 1/2 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3 dashes Bitter Truth Peach Bitters
  • 5-6 Mint leaves
  • Crushed ice
  • Garnish: Mint sprig, Angostura Bitters, colorful swizzle stick

How to make the DP Swizzle:

  1. In the bottom of a large Tiki mug, add Mint leaves, Lime Juice, Lemon Juice, Demerara Syrup, and muddle.
  2. Add Rum, Peach Liqueur, Peach Bitters, Allspice Dram, crushed ice and *swizzle with a long Swizzle stick or long Barspoon.
  3. “Paint” the top of the ice with a few dashes of Angostura bitters, add Mint sprig and colorful swizzle stick.

*To swizzle: place the stick/barspoon between your hands and rub them back and forth rapidly so the stick/barspoon swirls the ingredients of your drink together and causes some dilution.

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Swizzlin’. I’ll be swizzlin’ all day loooooong. Tiki Cheers to y’all!

Thanks to Berentzen for the tasty Peach Liqueur and bitters!

Barb’s Rhubarb Daiquiri

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Oh my y’all. This drink. This one is just like “slurrrrrp”!

As you may or may not recall, I got some Rhubarb from the farmer’s market and made syrup with it. When I posted the photo to Instagram, a very nice man named mr.zsolt left an exciting comment, “I made a rhubarb daiquiri, my customers love it!”

RHUBARB DAIQUIRI! BRILLIANT!

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I mean, this syrup in a Daiquiri? Come on, how awesome would that be?

Also, look at the color. It’s like a jewel from the heart of a dragon…it’s like a a Ruby from the blood of 1000 Kings…it’s like the sun just before it disappears below the horizon…it’s really damn pretty.

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I asked Mr. Zsolt what his recipe was and he said 2:1:1 with Pampero Blanco. Well, I don’t have that Rum but I do have Denizen Aged White Rum (my fave) and all the grassy funky notes in it were sure to go well with Rhubarb.

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I also didn’t want to have quite as much juice as Mr. Zsolt, so I picked a different set of specs – 2:3/4:3/4. Since I used Barb’s Rhubarb Syrup, I named the Daiquiri after her.

Barb’s Rhubarb Daiquiri

Combine ingredients over ice and shake it like a rocket. Double strain into chilled Coupe.

*No garnish cause I was like, “Gurrrl, it’s perfect. How could anything improve this drink?” Well, maybe a dry Cava float…or maybe some of that amazing Amaro Sfumato Rababaro…that stuff is legit!

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This Daiquiri is really really great. I’m not gonna lie, I made it for my girlfriend and we were both like, “oh woooow.” It’s planty but not too planty, elegant, and really refrescando!

I hope y’all enjoy it as much as we do! Cheers!

Capone’s Curse

/ Dani DeLuna / 2 Comments

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I was totally ready to share a stirred drink with y’all, when suddenly it snowed again here in Brooklyn! This change of weather has me feeling pressed to post another Tiki The Snow Away drink (and this one uses Templeton Rye ). MAY THE GODS FAVOR US WITH BETTER WEATHER!

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Warmer climates! Warmer climates! Oh how I wish I was in a warmer climate!

Seriously though, doesn’t the sight of this drink make you wanna get on a plane to Central America/Hawaii/The Caribbean/Southern California? Me too.

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Here are your cast of characters:

  1. If y’all can’t tell, I’m on a bit of a Templeton Rye kick: “The Good Stuff” is so smooth and plays so well with others. It works extra well with Rum!
  2. Speaking of Rum: Smith & Cross + Templeton Rye is a great split base. Highly recommend.
  3. Orgeat, Piña, Lemon: These three make for a really killer Tiki “punch base”
  4. Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters: Tiki in a bottle. Seriously, the spices are perfect.

 

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The name of this one is a play on the fact that Al Capone was obsessed with Templeton Rye during his bootlegging days. I imagine that Capone took a vacation to the Caribbean, and though surrounded by Rum, still couldn’t get Templeton out of his head.

Capone’s Curse

  • 1 3/4 oz Templeton Rye
  • 3/4 oz Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum
  • 3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
  • 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
  • 3/4 oz Orgeat*
  • 10 drops Bittermen’s Elemakule Tiki Bitters
  • Garnish: Pineapple Spear Bunny Ears, pineapple chunk, Luxardo Maraschino Cherry

Combine ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into tall Tiki Mug over crushed ice and garnish.

*Every Orgeat is different, adjust according to the sweetness of your Orgeat.

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Cheers to y’all in this strange February weather!

Tiki The Snow Away Daiquiri

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It’s #NationalDaiquiriDay and I decided to feature this post because Havana Club 3 Year is basically THE Rum for Daiquiris! Cheers!

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Woo! The first week of Tiki The Snow Away is nearly over, so I thought we’d take a “shift break” and celebrate the weekend with a round of Daiquiris!

If you want to share a tropical drink during the month of January, use the hashtag #TikiTheSnowAway on Instagram and Twitter, or tag homebargirl on reddit.

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I’ll be using Havana Club 3 Años for my drink cause I brought it back from Mexico with the sole intent of making classic Daiquiris. Soon Havana Club will be coming to the USA under the brand Havanista and I will try to let everyone know as soon as I hear of its arrival!

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Here’s what you need: Your fave white Rum/Rhum/Cachaça, Cane Sugar Syrup/Simple Syrup, Lime Juice.

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I’m pretty pumped about this Lime wheel, I think I’ve finally achieved the perfect cut!

The following specs are typically my preferred way to have a Daiquiri. I like ’em rather tart, so if you know you don’t want to go as tart as I, use 2:3/4:3/4.

Home Bar Girl’s fave Daiquiri

  • 2 oz Havana Club 3 Años (sub your fave white Rum)
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 3/4 oz Cane Sugar Syrup (sub Simple syrup)
  • Garnish: Lime wheel

Combine ingredients over ice and shake it like a rocket. Strain into chilled coupe, garnish with Lime wheel.

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Weekend Daiquiri cheers to all y’all! Keep the Tiki The Snow Away posts coming! I’ve been reposting a bunch on Instagram.

NYE at King Tai in Brooklyn

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King Tai NYE 2015

Happy New Year Y’all! Hope you have tons of fun partying in whatever way suits you best.

For those of you in NYC, King Tai Bar in Brooklyn is having a Tropical Rum party hosted by none other than the Kween of Rum, Shannon Mustipher. I’ll be there with bells on and Denizen Rum drinks in both hands!

Cheers!

Punch for Two: Oranje Punch

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

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Welcome back to Punch For Two! It’s been awhile but let’s not pretend that we ever really forget about sharing a delicious tumbler of punch with our friends and loved ones! Also, it’s October. SEASONALLY APPROPRIATE Y’ALL.

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I’m pretty excited about this one cause it’s 1. Punch, 2. uses Lemon Sherbet, and 3. contains Denizen Merchant’s Reserve.

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When I started the Punch for Two Series last year, I will admit, I didn’t really have much of a clue about what I was doing. The ingredients were tasty, but I was approaching punch-making from a cocktail perspective. Yes, amateur at best and not the best way to create a Punch recipe. Forgive me!

(and now you say to the computer, “Home Bar Gurl, you are forgiiiiiven.”)

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Well, now I’ve read David Wondrich’s immortal book about Punch, and I’m creating Punch recipes with a more informed perspective. Therefore, two things are imperative: 1. that we add water to our Punch and 2. that we get our Nutmeg ready for grating!

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Here are the majestic ingredients. You’ll need to make sure you’ve got Lemon Sherbet  and DD Mix (or another Allspice + Cinnamon Mix) ready. I promise you, Lemon Sherbet will change your life and give your drinks so much more pizzaz. Pizzaz is a thing we like, right? YAS.

Oranje Punch for Two (yields 2-3 servings per person)

  • 4 oz Denizen Merchant’s Reserve Rum
  • 1 oz Smith & Cross (Optional, I wanted more heat & funk)
  • 1 1/2 oz DD Mix
  • 1 oz Carpano Antica
  • 2 oz fresh Orange Juice
  • 1 oz Lemon Sherbet
  • 3 oz Cold Water
  • Garnish: freshly grated Nutmeg

Combine ingredients and stir. Chill in refrigerator for at least an hour. When serving, add ice, add Punch, and grate Nutmeg over each Punch cup.

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I swear to the stars, Denizen Merchant’s Reserve is phenomenal in Punch. Cheers to all y’all’s autumnal festivities!

La Petite Mort with Plantation Barbados Rum

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In the not too distant past, my girl Foodie Tails texted me saying, “Just got Plantation Barbados 5 and Angostura 7 Rums.” I replied with, “Oh shit!”

Seeing as I had just run out of Angostura 7, and had been meaning to get the Plantation Barbados 5 since I threw that 4th of July Daiquiri Party, I immediately ran to the liquor store. Luckily they had the very bottle I was looking for, so I bought it, ran back home and made the drink described below.

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Now, I LOVE Plantation Rums. They’re aged in used Cognac barrels and meticulously scrutinized for maximum flavour. Well y’all, the flavour is totally there. The Barbados 5 Year Rum has tropical fruits, grasses, a bit of caramel smoothness, leaves a pleasant long finish, and plays well with others.

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It REALLY plays well with the above ingredients.

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In fact, Plantation Barbados 5 Year Rum plays so well with these ingredients that it’s been my new favourite Rum cocktail for at least two weeks.

La Petite Mort

  • 2 oz Plantation Grande Réserve Barbados 5 Year Rum
  • 1 oz Lime Juice
  • 3/4 oz Honey Syrup*
  • rinse Pernod Pastis
  • Garnish: Pineapple Wedge

Rinse a double Rocks glass with Pernod and chill. Combine remaining ingredients over ice and short shake. Strain into rinsed glass over cracked or crushed ice and garnish.

*This drink is also awesome with Vanilla Bean Syrup subbed for Honey Syrup.

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Damn, so dreamy, so fulfilling, I would die one thousand of these Little Deaths.

National Rum Day 2015

/ Dani DeLuna / 1 Comment

Rums

I’ve made so many Rum cocktails since I started this blog that I can’t even count them all. With all those #TikiTheSnowAway drinks last January, to a million Daiquiris, to various and sundry Rum cocktails, I am constantly asking myself, “where’s all the Rum gone?” I thought perhaps those crazy Monkeys from the “Blame the Monkeys” series had drunk it, but no.

It was I who guzzled the Rum!

This sunday is National Rum Day, so let’s give a huge round of applause for the glorious Rums you’ve got in your Home Bar! Here’s my lil tribute:

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Brugal Extra Dry is probably the closest I’ve got to a standard light Rum, yet way more delicious than most. It’s excellent in Daiquiris, Piña Coladas, and anything light, bright and fruity. Hailing from the Dominican Republic, Brugal Extra Dry is aged and has a wonderful nose of Coconut, Toasted Marshmallow, and Pineapple/Citrus.

Cocktails: DKO Punch, Classic Daiquiri, Pineapple Cinnamon Daiquiri

Denizen

Denizen Aged White Rum. I’ve probably used this one at least 2x more than all other ones because it this White Rum has loads of flavor. With grassy, banana, and pineapple/citrus notes, Denizen White Rum really packs a punch. I love using it in shaken fruity Tiki cocktails but also stirred drinks. LUV U DENIZEN.

Cocktails: DD’s Shrunken Skull, Golden Banana Grog, Captain Corcoran

Angostura-7

Yes, the House of Angostura makes more than just bitters! They make several killer Rums and a delicious Amaro too! I got this Rum to replace the beloved Flor de Caña 7 (my liquor store switched Rums on me!) and though not quite as smooth, the Angostura 7 makes up for that smoothness with versatility. Totally tasty and has a short, wide finish which makes it really useful for Tiki/Tropical cocktails. Angostura 7 is also great if you’re going to be making a drink with an Amaro, Liqueur or another ingredient with a longer finish.

Cocktails: Blame the Monkeys No. 3, DD’s Shrunken Skull

Smith-&-Cross

The funkiest one of my bunch, Smith & Cross Navy Strength Jamaica Rum is UNBELIEVABLE! Literally unbelievable. It’s so damn good. It is also 1/2 of the greatest split base of all time! I think about it every time I want a drink to get a little bit wild. Tons of fruity funk right in your face and a beautiful finish + that Navy Strength for bite! CHOMP!

Cocktails: Gamekeeper’s Grog, Seafarer’s Sour, West India Docks, Orgeat Gabor

Hamilton-151

If you’re into Rum and haven’t yet checked out the Ministry of Rum, you best head over there and get into it. A very tall man named Ed Hamilton has catalogued nearly every Rum on earth and used his vast knowledge to start a line of his own Rums. I just got this Demerara Hamilton 151 after Lemon Hart went RIP and It’s like 1000x better, no lie! The Tiki gods will bless you when you get this Rum.

Cocktails: my version of a Painkiller, Jet Pilot, Cobra’s Fang

BMD-Rum

Last but definitely not least, Berkshire Mountain Distillers Ragged Mountain Rum. Now, I got this during that trip to the Berkshires back in the spring but DID NOT OPEN IT! Why didn’t I open it? Because it’s a Rum which has been aged in Bourbon casks for the purpose of actually tasting like Bourbon! It’s Bourbon Rum! I tasted it at the distillery and was Bourbon during the first wave, then the Rum hits you on the way down your throat. Totally out of sight! Totally magnificent. It totally won a Double Gold at the SF Spirits Awards. Boom! I wanted to wait til the autumn for this one, so look for it in some drinks soon!

Hope you’ve enjoyed Home Bar Girl’s lil tribute to National Rum Day! Let’s all make some tropical cocktails to celebrate! Cheers!