Tag: sweet ‘n’ sour

Fire Nation Flaming Rum Punch

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Let’s get one last cocktail recipe in before Lent shall we? I’ll be taking these 40 days before Easter to sober up and give my liver a break, but for today it’s party time! For today’s cocktail I’m finally ready to share the third cocktail in the Avatar Universe drink set. The “Fire Nation Flaming Rum Punch” is a kick in the gut in it’s intense volume of alcohol, but a wonderfully balanced mix of flavors similar to that of a classic Zombie.

The Flaming Rum Punch is a spectacle of color and real fire! If done correctly you’ll be able to ignite the cocktail and for your guests turn cinnamon into sparks with your fingertips. When the fire is out and the glass’ rim has cooled you’re greeted with a toasty cinnamon aroma and an inviting red-orange color. The first quarter of the drink is super intense as you sip off the layer of 151 rum, which hits hard but with a toasted cinnamon flavor with a simple fruity mix underneath. After you’ve gotten through initial shock layer, you’re left with a complex rum punch recipe. The drink starts sweet, moves to a smokey cinnamon on the mid palette with a little falernum and citrus creeping at the back end, and finishes with a “PUNCH” of rum on the back end with a sweet fruit tail as it sits.

Much like it’s predecessors in the series, this cocktail isn’t to be taken lightly. It kicks you from front to back, but is sweet enough to not be overpowering. Overall it’s a fun drink to pull out for a party, but not something I’d make everyday. If you’re got a well stocked bar, you might want to give it a try.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 8.5/10 (then 7/10)
Overall Rating 8/10

Fire Nation Flaming Rum Punch

3/4 oz Sloe Gin
1/4 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Falernum (or 1/4 Orgeat, 1/4 Lime Juice, pinch of clove, pinch of ginger)
3 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Sweet/Sour
1 oz Spiced Rum
1/2 oz Gold Rum
1 oz Dark Rum
3/4 oz 151 Rum
Powdered Cinnamon

Shake everything except 151 with ice. Strain into a highball or pint glass (no ice). Float 151 rum over the drink. Ignite. Sprinkle powdered cinnamon over as desired. Blow out flame and enjoy.

fnfrp cocktail
“Everything changed when the fire nation attacked!”

Alpine Glow

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You know how sometimes you’re just in the mood for something. Well, today I was in the mood for some brandy. It is that mood which lead me to find the “Alpine Glow” which according to my records is a drink I’ve actually made once before (just not for the blog).

Like many modern cocktails the name makes pretty much no sense in regard to the presentation, the color, or the aroma of the cocktail, but that shouldn’t stop you from trying it. This is also not really a brandy drink as much as it’s a rum drink with brandy, but hey being rum biased myself I’m perfectly fine with that.

With the case of many tiki style drinks the float of rum causes the flavor to shift halfway through the drink. A visually pleasant sandy brown (which may change with the use of a red dyed grenadine) with a dark floating section of the rum with a lemon twist is very inviting for a short glass. It’s aroma is dominated by the rum, but if you squeezed your twist it should bring some citrus aroma to that as well. Your first half of the drink will greet you with a sweet tropical rum with an aftertaste of brown sugar (which is impressive for a drink that doesn’t contain any). After you’ve sipped off most of the dark rum float and cleansed your palette with some crackers, that’s when the real taste comes through. It starts with a sweet orange, hits a general sweet and mostly indistinguishable taste on the mid palette (likely rum and sweet/sour), and finishes with a citrusy brandy flavor. Even with the float this is a cocktail for those who’s palette leans on the sweet side. Since starting this blog I’ve always leaned sweet, but I do appreciate the complexity of something like an old fashioned or a Manhattan. However, this drink plays right into my love for sweet things, especially on a warm day. It may be far from perfect, but I’m actually surprised I haven’t included it on my regular menu (as it contains many common ingredients). So is the “Alpine Glow” worth it? Yes and no. It doesn’t leave you with a great impact, but it IS a great drink for a midweek cocktail.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 7.8/10 then 6/10
Overall Rating: 8/10

Alpine Glow

1 1/2 oz Gold Rum
1 1/2 oz Brandy
1/2 oz Orange Liqueur
1/2 oz Grenadine
2 oz Sweet and Sour
3/4 oz Dark Rum
Lemon Twist

Shake all except garnish and dark rum. Strain into an iced tumbler. Float the dark rum and garnish with a lemon twist.

DSCF7837
“It Glows…until you drink the rum off.”

Piranha Club Initiation

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This is a great example of a very STUPID drink! The only way a drink like this will impress your friends is if they’re looking for the cocktail equivalent of a bottle of knockout drops. That said this IS a surprisingly well balanced cup of citrusy rum.

A visual spectacle (as any layered drink is) the Piranha Club Initiation (or just The Initiation) certainly seems like a “dare” awaits you for your first sip. With the aroma at the front of your choice dark rum, you can only imagine the layers of flavor to come. Deciding to go with a Black Seal over my usual Kraken, you start with a strong and rich rum flavor and move to a smooth citrus blend with a sweet finish inviting you back for more (which isn’t a good idea at all). Overall it’s actually a fairly well balanced drink if not a little strong on the edges (and in the middle too for that matter).

The Initiation is actually worth a try for it’s great blend of rum and juice…provided you don’t drink more than one of them in a night.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 8/10
Overall Rating: 8/10

Piranha Club Initiation

1 1/2 oz 151 Rum
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
3/4 oz Blue Curacao
1 1/2 oz Sweet/Sour Mix
Fill with Orange Juice
3/4 oz Dark Rum

Straight build in an iced tumbler. Float the dark rum on top.

“You’re in!”

Straw House Hummer

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Figured it was about time I got around to posting this one. This is a leftover from about 4 months ago when I was planning on doing another “blended cocktails week.” However I instead just made this for 4 days straight, because it was just that good! (Glad I wrote down my tasting notes).

A wonderfully blended and sweet drink, this one comes very close to perfect. My recipe book calls for a whipped cream and banana garnish, but honestly I feel it kinda ruins it a little that way.

For this cocktail you are greeted with a wonderful rum and banana aroma. First taste (it may be hard to pick it out) starts with citrus and sweet then moves to a creamy rum on your mid palette. After just a second or so you’re lead straight into a dominant banana flavor with subtle amaretto on the finish. This drink is absolutely worth making! For yourself or a crowd I highly recommend checking this one out!

Straw House Hummer

1 1/4 oz Light Rum
3/4 oz Creme de Banana (Torani Banana Syrup Used)
3/4 Amaretto
1 Whole (Peeled) Banana
1 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Sweet/Sour Mix
3/4 oz Dark Rum

Blend all ingredients except the dark rum with a cup of ice. Pour into a Pint (or other tall) glass. Float dark rum (Kraken Preferred) on top. Optional garnishes: Banana Slice and Squirt of Whipped Cream

"mmmmmmmmm"
“mmmmmmmmm”

Mediterranean Freeze

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Today’s blending cocktail is probably my favorite thus far for the week. The Mediterranean Freeze is an interesting color, but is well complemented by the garnishes. The opening aroma is very orange-y making for a very inviting drink. It starts off with the taste of a basic screwdriver (vodka and OJ), then moves to a sour citrus, then finishes with a subtle melon that keeps you going back for more. I wouldn’t say that the peach schnapps is lost in this drink, but it does lend itself to the overall sweetness in the first few sips. This is really solid blending cocktail and worth making again, perhaps in a larger quantity for a party.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 2-3/10
Overall Rating 9/10

Mediterranean Freeze

1 oz Vodka
3/4 oz Midori
1/2 oz Peach Schnapps
2 oz Sweet/Sour
3 oz Orange Juice
Orange Slice and Cherry

Blend liquid ingredients with ice, pour into a pint glass. Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.

Med. Freeze
Chilly!

Slipped Disk

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Well this is one of those cocktails that can be described as “everything but the kitchen sink.” The drink actually doesn’t have much of an aroma which starts off very deceiving. The drink starts off like snow cone…sweet and icy, you’re then greeting by the wonderful mixing of rums, and you’re left with a complex mixing of juices, and liqueurs. The Grand Marnier and Amaretto are very subtle in this drink, but they are there. If you weren’t told about them you might just say “oh that tastes like spiced rum,” but when you recognize the flavors in the drinks aftertaste you’ll want to go back for more!

Alcohol Taste Rating: 5/10
Overall Rating: 9/10

Slipped Disk

1 1/4 oz Gold Rum
1 oz Spiced Rum
3/4 oz Amaretto
3/4 oz Grand Marnier
1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz Orange Juice
1/2 oz Grenadine
1/2 oz Sweet/Sour
1 oz Coconut Cream Syrup
1 oz Pineapple Juice

Blend all ingredients with ice. Pour into a large pint, or 3-4 short glasses.

Slipped Disk Cocktail
“Drink this too fast and you might just slip a disk”

Blended Cocktail Week! (Meadow Snow)

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Well I’m back again after a long hiatus, for a bunch of blending cocktails! This week I’ll be posting a blended cocktail every day!

To start things off we’ve got a easy and fun drink to help you finish of your summer. The Meadow Snow’s official garnish of a cantaloupe cube, may not be in everyone’s regular bar stock, so you may want to substitute it with the more aromatic lemon peel as I did. the lemon peel makes for an amazing opening aroma as it mixes with the familiar fragrance of Midori. Like most blended cocktails it’s a sweet drink with a nice balance of a bit of sour as well that isn’t lost in the mixing process. Mid-palette you’re hit with Midori and your finish up with a refreshing aftertaste of gin. I’ll leave it up to your tastes/wallet on whether or not to use a nice gin or a cheaper one.

Alcohol Taste Rating: 7/10
Overall Rating: 8/10

Meadow Snow

2 oz Gin
3/4 oz Midori
1 1/2 oz Sweet and Sour
Cantaloupe Cube (or lemon wedge)

Combine liquid ingredients in a blender with ice. Pour into a lowball glass. Garnish and enjoy.

DSCF6535
“It’s Green!”

Sassafras Sunset

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Possibly one of the more interesting names for a drink I’ve come across and it certainly didn’t disappoint on taste. The Sassafras Sunset has a pleasant citrus aroma and starts with an equally light citrus flavor with a bit of fizz. Mid palette it hits you with a nice juicy mix and finishes off with a mild rum and hit of raspberry. The shift in flavors in this drink are exactly what I like to find in a drink, and the addition of club soda makes this a perfect drink for any occasion. The taste of alcohol in the drink in minimal sitting at around 3/10 and overall it’s a solid 7/10. I do wish the juice and club soda was a bit more balanced, but that is something that can easily be tweaked depending on which type of tall glass is used.

Sassafras Sunset

1 oz Light Rum
1 oz Gold Rum
3/4 oz Triple Sec
1 oz OJ
1 1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
1 1/2 Sweet/Sour
Club Soda
3/4 oz Raspberry Schnapps
Orange Slice and Cherry

Shake Rums, triple sec, and juice ingredients with ice. Strain into an iced pint or highball glass. Top with Club soda and float raspberry liqueur (sinks to bottom). Garnish with an orange slice and a cherry.

sassafras sunset
“Kick back and enjoy the sunset”

 

Tidal Wave 2

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Today’s drink is one of many drink variations, this one I actually didn’t even know I made before. Actually it was a blue tidal wave, this however is more of a brownish rum drink.

This version has a simple appearance which could be improved with a lemon wedge to bring some life into the drink. It has bits of citrus and rum aromas and tastes as well. It starts light with a sweet cranberry flavor. Mid palette you’ll get a sweet and sour rum taste, followed up by a tart spiced rum burn. It’s a decent drink, but certainly isn’t one of my favorites. It could be improved a bit with some bitters.

Tidal Wave (2)

1/2 oz Vodka
1/2 oz Gold Rum
1/2 oz Spiced Rum
1/2 oz Cranberry Juice
1/2 oz Sweet and Sour

Shake and strain into a chilled rocks glass.

Overall Rating: 7/10
Alcohol Taste Rating: 7.5/10

Tidal Wave
“Look out! Oh, never mind it’s pretty plain.”

Tropical Dream

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Today we’ve got one hell of a great blending cocktail! With a few minor substitutions to the “Bacardi Tropical Dream,” you’ll find this or a variation of your own to really impress your friends. While the original recipe calls for Orange Rum and Bacardi Gold, I feel my replacement of Cruzan Aged and Parrot Bay Pineapple certainly didn’t hurt the outcome. In fact it may have made it better.

If blended well you’ll start with the icy sweet and tropical flavors of orange juice and your flavored rum. Then on your mid palette you get that flavored rum with the gold embodied in the bits of ice. Finally you get a mild sour from the underlying sweet/sour mix to really bring this drink home. I do wish there was another juice component in the  though as I found myself wanting a little more body in the drink. Although this could easily be solved with a little less ice.

Bottom line, this is a great tropical drink for any occasion, and with a big enough blender it could be a great party highlighter.

Alc. Rating: 4/10
Overall Rating 8.8/10

(Bacardi) Tropical Dream

1 3/4 oz Gold Rum
1 1/4 oz Tropical Flavored Rum (Orange, Pineapple, Citrus, or Coconut)
3/4 oz Amaretto
1/2 oz Rose’s Lime Juice
1 1/2 oz Sweet/Sour
2 oz OJ

Blend with ice, garnish with a Lime, lemon, and orange slice

bacardi tropical dream
“I’m dreaming of something like this!”