Mixing ratios of rum drinks for beginners

[lperry]

I'm trying my hand at rum cocktails this summer, and with the mint overtaking my garden, so far I've had lots of mojitos. I used a recipe from DrinkBoy that had specific volumes of simple syrup, lime juice, and rum. Using a recipe like this made it easy for me, as a beginner, to get the balance of the drink about right the first time, after which I could tweak it to my own tastes.

Reading through the forums here, I see lots of people experimenting with different fruits, syrups, and other mixers, but it is rare to see any specific proportions mentioned. I've stocked the freezer with fruit pulp from the international market (guanabana and passion fruit are in the front), and I have a cabinet with light, amber, dark, and agricole rums. I'd like to start mixing more creatively, but I'm not sure where to begin, and I don't want to waste good rum.

Can anyone give me some ideas about proportions in a basic fruit and rum cocktail? Have you found that certain rums marry well with different fruits? If you have recommendations, or if you have a favorite recipe, I would appreciate the help.

Cheers! -Linda

[Tiare]

Hi Linda! a good basic formula for a rum/fruit punch is the rum punch rhyme:

1 of sour
2 of sweet
3 of Strong
4 of weak

I always try to use about equal amounts of sweet and sour ingredients in a drink but that also depends on what else is in the drink, if say using Mango juice, that is a sweet juice or using Grapefruit juice which is sour, one has to adjust.

How much of the strong you want is up to your own taste, same with the weak, the juices or sodas. I like my own drinks a bit on the strong side.

party2.gif

[Scottes]

If you like to experiment, but still like well-known exact proportions, you can't do much worse than any of the following books:

Grog Log, by Jeff Berry
(And Intoxica, Surfin' Safari, and Taboo Table)
The Craft Of The Cocktail, by Dale DeGroff
The Joy Of Mixology, by Gary Regan

All of Jeff Berry's books cover Tiki cocktails, with plenty of rum drinks, and rum-and-fruit-juice drinks, and many with interesting unique syrups and stuff. Great for a rum lover who likes to experiment, and they're full of classic, well-tested drinks that are sure to please a rum lover.

The other two are classic cocktail books that will teach proper mixology techniques and equipment, while teaching you a hell of a lot about cocktails and mixology. And they do this in an interesting manner, not as "rules." The alcohols - and liqueurs and bitters and syrups - are all over the map, meaning that there's a lot of recipes which cover many subjects. (Whereas Berry's books primarily contain rum.)



Once you get to know a cocktail, you'll know how to play with it and adjust it and even come up with a new, well-balanced cocktail of your own. But to start, it's nice to have an exact cocktail recipe, which helps a lot more than a general guideline for what is in a drink.

[lperry]

Once you get to know a cocktail, you'll know how to play with it and adjust it and even come up with a new, well-balanced cocktail of your own. But to start, it's nice to have an exact cocktail recipe, which helps a lot more than a general guideline for what is in a drink.

This is exactly where I am right now! Thanks for the recommendations, and Tiare, thanks for the poem. I have Dave Wondrich's Killer Cocktails book, and I am learning some basic drinks and mixology.

The trick with rum is that "rum" encompasses an entire world of spirits that aren't very well covered by a lot of cocktail writers, or at least the ones that have been previously recommended to me. And I'm not knowledgeable enough (yet) about the different rums to hazard a guess at different combinations. My plan is to try to master a few recipes to build my repertoire (and confidence), and go from there. Plus, I'll get to pick up a few interesting ingredients along the way.

[The Scribe]

In general, I start with a drink that already exists. Take, for example, the simplest cocktail that exists: the old fashioned or simple cocktail:
3-4 pts. spirit
1 pt. syrup
1-3 dash bitters.
If you use bourbon, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters, you have the old fashioned. If you use rye, simple syrup, and a combination of Peychoud's bitters and absinthe, you have a Sazerac. Now, instead of using simple syrup, you could use some other syrup. I like maple syrup, or you can try fairly complex syrups. If you use ginger syrup, nix the bitters, and then top up with a little seltzer water, voila! You now have yourself a rum and ginger (or a dark and stormy).

Another family of drinks is the sour. Usually you are looking at something like:
2 pts. or 8 pts. spirit
1 pt. or 3 pts. syrup
1 pt. or 1 pt. sour juice
Use rum, simple syrup, and lime juice, and you have a daiquiri. Tequila, use triple sec, Curacao, or Coitreau instead of syrup, and lime juice, tweak the proportions a little, and you have a margarita. Split the sweetener into half orange liqueur, half orgeat syrup, use a mixture or rums, and lime juice for the sour element, tweak the ratios a little, and you have yourself a mai tai.

There are a half dozen different major categories of cocktail. Once you are familiar with them, mixing is just finding interesting ingredients, pairing them in interesting ways, and tweaking ratios. The first bartending manual, Jerry Thomas's Bartender's Guide or How to Mix Drinks sets it out quite nicely. You can find it online at Darcy O'Neil's website:
http://www.theartofdrink.com/book/
You'll here a lot about Jerry Thomas because his work is much the Thucydides in The History of the Peloponnesian War, Jerry Thomas said everything there is to say on the topic, and, since then, people have just been restating it.

I hope that was a bit of a help.
Cheers. - S

[Scottes]

The trick with rum is that "rum" encompasses an entire world of spirits that aren't very well covered by a lot of cocktail writers,
Rum is pretty well-covered by Jeff Berry! The cocktails in his books use 10 or 12 different styles of rum (maybe more?). And he gives a good guide on exactly what rums to use when the recipe calls for "Gold Jamaican" or "Light Puerto Rican" - listing rums that you can get today, such as using Appleton Gold for "Gold Jamaican" and Cruzan White when the recipe calls for "Light Puerto Rican" - very helpful info.

The drinks in the Grog Log are simpler, with good info. Surfin' Safari has tons more great info (It's a great read, not just a cocktail book), plenty of recipes for syrups, a great guide of what brands to use (like which orgeat, or which passionfruit syrup). The drinks are, for the most part, more complex in Surfin' Safari.

[lperry]

I'm learning about some of the basic drinks from Wondrich's book, although his mixes tend to be on the sour side IMO. Berry's books are on order. Many thanks for the help - I realize that I'm probably overanalyzing all this. :)

Here's a question about drink components. I understand switching out liqueurs, syrups, and some fruit nectars for the sweet portion of a drink, but does a sour component need to be as acidic as lime and lemon? I've got some tart, unsweetened passion fruit juice and I like the idea of swapping it for the lime in a daiquiri. I've also got some cactus pulp that is pretty tart and is just a gorgeous fuchsia color. So I'm guessing I can use a sour-ish juice and lower the simple syrup and have a nice drink.

[Scottes]

So I'm guessing I can use a sour-ish juice and lower the simple syrup and have a nice drink.
The short, quick answer is:

Yes.


The longer answer, but one I think you'd be interested in, is this:

Some cocktail books - particularly Gary Regan's off the top of my head - go into this type of ingredient-switching thing by a method of teaching cocktails. The general gist, to paraphrase, is that there are 4 basic cocktail families. Once you learn how to make the "parent" of the 4 families you will find that you know how to make 80% of the rest of the cocktails on the planet because they're all a variation of the basic 4.


"Now, the first thing you should know is that there are basic families of drinks. Learn how to make one drink in the family, and it’s all a matter of substitution from there on out."
http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2006/ask-your-bartender-new-to-bartending/

Also:
http://caskstrength.wordpress.com/2008/04/21/it%E2%80%99s-all-the-same-drink/


The other 20% of the cocktail recipes are going to be tougher. Most Tiki drinks fall into this category, and shooters, the Mojito... and plenty more. But the basic 4 cover tons and tons of cocktails, "and it’s all a matter of substitution from there on out."

[Papa Jules]

This summer I decided to not use recipe anymore.

I do it simply

Method

1. Bore two 2.5cm-diameter holes in the watermelon, about 5cm apart.

2. Turn the watermelon upside down in the sink and allow the juices to drain for 1-2 hours.

3. Once drained, stick the open bottle of rum upside down in one of the holes and allow the watermelon ‘to get drunk’ for 24 hours. Refrigerate the melon while the flesh is macerating.

4. To serve, cut the chilled watermelon into slices and eat with your fingers.

[rumdog007]

I'm learning about some of the basic drinks from Wondrich's book, although his mixes tend to be on the sour side IMO. Berry's books are on order. Many thanks for the help - I realize that I'm probably overanalyzing all this. :)

Here's a question about drink components. I understand switching out liqueurs, syrups, and some fruit nectars for the sweet portion of a drink, but does a sour component need to be as acidic as lime and lemon? I've got some tart, unsweetened passion fruit juice and I like the idea of swapping it for the lime in a daiquiri. I've also got some cactus pulp that is pretty tart and is just a gorgeous fuchsia color. So I'm guessing I can use a sour-ish juice and lower the simple syrup and have a nice drink.

lperry, I believe that you are very much on the right track. Start out by following The Scribe's suggestion and begin with a "template" by using a good recipe and, then, vary it to suit the flavor profile which you like. If you like it, then, the rum (any spirit) is never wasted. Tiki Central, the Tiki Food and Drink forum, has countless suggestions regarding variations for the Beachbum recipes. Most of the suggestions concern the tartness/sourness or the sweetness of the drink. If you end up buying all 3 of Jeff's books, check out his quest to find the "true Zombie". It's was quite an investigation. But, my point is that I loved all of those different Zombies at one time or another. Now, I have done some change-ups and have my own signature variant and THAT Zombie is all mine!

[rumdog007]

This summer I decided to not use recipe anymore.

I do it simply

Method

1. Bore two 2.5cm-diameter holes in the watermelon, about 5cm apart.

2. Turn the watermelon upside down in the sink and allow the juices to drain for 1-2 hours.

3. Once drained, stick the open bottle of rum upside down in one of the holes and allow the watermelon ‘to get drunk’ for 24 hours. Refrigerate the melon while the flesh is macerating.

4. To serve, cut the chilled watermelon into slices and eat with your fingers.

I'm buying a watermelon today. To hell with jiggers, at least, for a while! Thanks, PJ

[lperry]

Thanks everyone. I will admit to having a vodka watermelon during the past, but never a rum one...

[The Scribe]

We had one about a month or two ago for a party here. Somehow the watermelon clashed with the vodka and made the vodka rancid. We even used decent vodka.
Cheers - S

[BarNowON]

In trinidad, I've heard that they use white rum rum overproof (forrest park) and they do the same method than Papa Jules. They just flame the watermelon before to serve it.

[forrest]

In trinidad, I've heard that they use white rum rum overproof (forrest park)

What there is a rum named after me???

i am honored.
and it is overproof-- these people know me so well...
i have a watermelon, so now the hunt begins for "FORREST PARK"!

[Tiare]

In trinidad, I've heard that they use white rum rum overproof (forrest park) and they do the same method than Papa Jules. They just flame the watermelon before to serve it.

That was interesting, i just flamed a Pineapple yesterday with a mix of Angostura bitters and Lemon Hart overproof, i will post it on my blog after the new MxMo post have been up for a week.

[BarNowON]

What there is a rum named after me???
i am honored.
and it is overproof-- these people know me so well...
i have a watermelon, so now the hunt begins for "FORREST PARK"!

Forrest, i'm sorry, I've done a spelling mistake there. The rum is called Forres Park (you can always add a T on the label if you wish).
It's better known as Puncheon, 75%abv (it's a kind of Wray & Nephew from Trinidad apart that it's 12% abv extra charged and only column distilled i think)...

[forrest]

Forrest, i'm sorry, I've done a spelling mistake there. The rum is called Forres Park (you can always add a T on the label if you wish).
It's better known as Puncheon, 75%abv (it's a kind of Wray & Nephew from Trinidad apart that it's 12% abv extra charged and only column distilled i think)...

i should have known it was to good too be true...

Though it does still sound good!!

[Paulipbartender]

I love the fact our bottle of Forres Park has "Not less than 75% abv" on it.

I'd love to find out what it was 'not more than'! In Trinidad they have a saying. "Ware the Puncheon"..... with good reason...

[VicZinc]

Ratios for beginners…where (and when) to begin. Methinks, Linda, you reference beginning mixologists while I ponder ratios for the novice consumer; and reminisce of my introduction to the cane. It was a neighborhood bar known for generous portions and slipshod concoctions and the barman suggested the zombie to this eighteen year-old newbie (me). “His secret recipe” which he would share with every passerby. It became my staple for many months.

Of course I now know he had omitted several ingredients from the original 1930’s Beachcombers’ recipe yet … with fondness I remember - and with naпvetй I adored - his version. I have yet to find anything to compare.

a shot of dark rum
a shot of light rum
a shot of 151 rum
and a shot of apricot brandy
(that it!) Over ice, in a very tall glass, with a straw

Ratio 1:OMG

[lperry]

^VicZinc, as soon as I manage to obtain a bottle of 151, I'll be mixing one of those. Only one, I imagine. In the meantime, I've been playing with passionfruit puree and the traditional shaken daiquiri proportions. So with many thanks to those who gave advice, this is what I'm currently drinking.

2 oz Cruzan Estate light rum
3/4 oz passionfruit puree
1 tsp of simple syrup
a couple of dashes of bitters

It is rum forward and has enough simple to cut the acidity of the passionfruit without completely obscuring the sourness, and it leaves that wonderful passionfruitiness on your tongue after each sip.

I used Angostura bitters because that's all I have (told you I was new at this), but I think peach might be just marvelous. I've also been seeking Angostura orange bitters only to find out from a helpful salesperson that the distributors in DC only carry regular Angostura. I used La Fe brand puree - if you are looking for something like it, it will be labeled "parcha" or "maracuja." I can't find fresh passionfruits around here, although I'll be all over them when I get back to the tropics. In the meantime, it's hard to beat 14 ounces of puree for $1.29. When the parcha runs out, I've got guanabana to play with.

I also got the Grog Log about a week ago (it was backordered). I have to say, I'm still pondering these cocktails and drinks and all the ingredients involved. I'm going to start with something simple, and since I've got the passionfruit and some Appleton Reserve on hand, it will probably be the hurricane.

Thanks for the encouragement! This is a lot of fun! cheers.gif

[forrest]

I also got the Grog Log about a week ago (it was backordered). I have to say, I'm still pondering these cocktails and drinks and all the ingredients involved. I'm going to start with something simple, and since I've got the passionfruit and some Appleton Reserve on hand, it will probably be the hurricane.

An afternoon with a Hurricane (The Bums Hurricane!!) is an afternoon well spent!!

Thanks for the encouragement! This is a lot of fun! cheers.gif

Thank you for the info on the hot peppers,. and the enthusiasm!!