Cocktail Spotlights: January 2010 Archives

Grog seems to be a very, very old word, and while it might not qualify as the very first cocktail, it certainly is one of the earliest. Originally, Grog was a term used to describe rum that had been diluted with water and then sweetened with citrus juices, sugar, or other flavors.

In the days when Grog rose to fame throughout the British navy, around 1740 AD, it was not known that boiling water would purify it. Sailing ships would put to sea with fresh water stowed in barrels, only to have the barrels foul and begin growing algea three or four days out of port. To make the water palatable the officers would mix it with rum, half a pint of spirits to a quart of water (1 part to 4 parts). The water was effectively sterilized by the alcohol and thus safe to drink, though it was still terrible to taste. To help this, the sailors began to add citrus juices (mostly limes because of their shelf life), and sometimes sugar or honey, if they had it. This concoction was known as Grog.

Reportedly, this practice of adding citrus was introduced by Admiral Edward Vernon, and his sailors were noticeably healthier than those of other ships. The Vitamin C in the citrus would help combat the diseases of malnutrition so common to long sea voyages, most importantly scurvy. Legend has it that Grog got its name from the admiral, whom the sailors aboard his ship referred to as "Old Grog", referencing an old Grogram coat that he was never seen without.

However, it seems there are references in books to earlier usages of the word Grog, meaning merely water and rum, or sometimes water, rum, and molasses. So the origin of the word is anyone's guess. Perhaps Old Grog's family made up the legend of the Grogram coat to explain away his affection for this cocktail.

In any case, I don't recommend taking water from your goldfish tank and mixing it with rum, despite how accurate that might be. No, instead, my version makes use of soda water for the dilution, and a variety of rums give it a complexity to match the sweetness of the sugar and the tang of the lime. Enjoy!

Ingredients
Glassware: Old-Fashioned Glass
1 oz. White Rum (Bacardi Superior)
1/2 oz. Spiced Rum (I prefer Captain Morgan's Private Stock)
1/2 oz. Dark Rum (Whaler's or Myers Dark, both work well)
1/2 oz. Lime Juice (about 1 lime's worth)
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
2 to 3 oz. Club Soda
Garnishes: 1 lime wedge and one mint sprig

Instructions
Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice
Combine all the rums in the glass
Add the lime juice and simple syrup
Fill the remainder of the glass with club soda
Garnish with a lime wedge and a mint sprig

Tip: Remember to rub the mint sprig vigorously between your hands so it is fragrant when you serve the cocktail!

When I first read about this cocktail, I was immediately intrigued by the combination of ingredients. Rum plays well with most of the bar, but dark rum is slightly less social. Whiskey occasionally finds itself escorted by a bit of sweet vermouth or triple sec, but when compared to vodka, whiskey looks pretty shy. I'd never heard of putting them both in the same drink, and adding port to the party seemed like a recipe for disaster! I had to try it.

To my surprise, the result was something like a Manhattan, but sweeter, and much more assertive. The bitters add a complexity that can only be found in the classic cocktails from before Prohibition. Through experimentation I discovered that the most satisfying Suburban is shaken very well. Tiny ice chips floating on a foamy surface give the drink a refreshing arctic texture while the extra time in the shaker smoothes out the dry sting of the straight rye. While the source I found mentioned no garnish, I find that a Maraschino cherry gives a sweet finish to a very satisfying drink.

By my calculations, this cocktail comes out to about 80 proof (or 40% Alcohol by Volume), give or take a few points for adding the bitters and then shaking the cocktail over ice. So even though it has a healthy amount of Rye (typically 101 Proof or 50.5% ABV), this cocktail competes with a typical dry martini. Given the sugars native to rum and port, I imagine its calorie count to be slightly higher.

This bit of nostalgia hails from the illustrious Waldorf-Astoria, a luxury hotel in New York, famous for its recipes in an era where cocktails were king. It's namesake is the Suburban Handicap, a horse race that first took place in Brooklyn (circa 1884), and then later in Queens. The quirky classic has earned a special place in my heart and I hope to bring it back to compete with its more famous playmates in today's cocktail world.

Ingredients
Glassware: Cocktail Glass
1 oz Straight Rye Whiskey (Wild Turkey makes a Straight Rye, as well as Old Overholt, but my favorite is Rittenhouse Bottled in Bond)
1/2 oz Ruby Port (I find the red color of ruby is preferable to Tawny's brown hue)
1/2 oz Dark Rum (I like Myer's Dark or Whalers)
Dash Orange Bitters
Dash Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Maraschino Cherry

Instructions
Chill a Cocktail Glass on the bar using ice and soda
Fill a Boston Shaker with ice
Combine all ingredients
Shake and strain into a Cocktail Glass
Garnish with a Maraschino cherry