Tiki drinks, by their very nature, lends themselves to excess. Why use one rum when you can use three? A tasteful, simple lime wedge garnish? That simply won’t do! Not when you can layer together pineapple fronds, mint, a swizzle stick, and perhaps a flaming lime shell for good measure. Indeed, short of molecular mixology,... Continue Reading →
One of my favorite things about writing Cocktail Wonk is the opportunity to sit down with key people in the rum industry and go deep with geeky questions of interest to rum enthusiasts. Without any space constraints, I can let them really elucidate their unique perspectives. While these interviews are long, you really get a... Continue Reading →
It’s time once again for my year-end roundup of the most important Cocktail Wonk stories of the year - 2019 Edition! Despite my lest frequent posting in 2019, it was an extremely busy year, and my first full year focusing entirely on writing, education, and research. No pesky software job to keep me away from... Continue Reading →
Picking out a gift for a friend or family member who loves rum, but you’re not a rum expert yourself? This short guide has your dilemma in mind!In what follows, you’ll find concrete recommendations for readily available rums that have a much greater chance of delighting the giftee. I can’t promise you that every bottle... Continue Reading →
History presents a special challenge to those writing it or seeking knowledge from its pages: It constantly changes underneath your feet. Facts we once believed to be true may be contradicted later by later-arriving sources. Reasonable assumptions made about one era may not apply to another. New sources come to light which recast conclusions made... Continue Reading →
Heartbreak. Rocky Yeh is suddenly gone, leaving an entire industry struggling with how to process his life and his impact on so many people. Although I first met Rocky six years ago, it was only the last year I really got to know him. To sit with him 1-on-1, tell stories, strategize, and muse on... Continue Reading →
A quick post to share a recipe which several people asked for after my social media post. The Coquito is a sinfully rich drink associated with Puerto Rico and Christmas. Some call it the Puerto Rican answer to Eggnog. I shall not describe its history and cultural significance here as there are many sources readily... Continue Reading →
As any US-based distilled spirit enthusiast knows too well, many great bottles don’t make it to our shores for several reasons. One particularly frustrating reason is bottle sizes. Here in the U.S., the government, in the form of the Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) only allow certain bottles sizes for distilled spirits. The allowed sizes50ml,... Continue Reading →
As Caribbean rum gains in popularity and rum enthusiasts push back on the “rum has no rules” trope, an oft-heard refrain is, “The United States doesn’t recognize rum’s rules.” It’s been said by well-meaning advocates online and from the stage at public events such as Tales of the Cocktail. In fact, I’ve said something along... Continue Reading →
As you may have seen recently, Reàl Ingredients has generously agreed to supply the prize money for a fun little contest involving our book, Minimalist Tiki. In brief, thirteen bartenders and ten bars are featured in the book, along with their recipes that follow the Minimalist Tiki ethos – about 100 recipes in total. The... Continue Reading →
Proudly powered by WordPress | Theme: Baskerville 2 by Anders Noren.
