Post #525033 by croe67 on Tue, Apr 20, 2010 5:45 AM

Agreed with the comments above.

Bartending is like cooking in some ways & it's surprising what you can learn by switching-up just a single ingredient.

Of course it's not a "real" navy grog when vodka is used rather than rum (the "navy" part of grog = RUM), but that doesn't automatically make it a drink unworthy of being made.

Have you tried it?

me either.

but you never know.....

I do know that I once tried a Trader Vic's MaiTai at a Trader Vic's made with Vodka. The bartender suggested it & I said "no. I don't think so....." He brought me one to try anyway - to prove to me that it wasn't so bad. And, you know what? It was actually quite drinkable. Surprisingly so, I'll say. Did it replace the standard MaiTai for me? Absolutely not! But is wasn't a horrible drink unworthy of being made either.

Your bartender should have made what the customer wanted.

& then maybe served-up a 1/2 size one to the patron (on the house) made the traditional way to work with the patron & maybe (or not...) educate them a bit with both the flavor & the history of why it is traditionally made the way it is made. Give 'em what they want & then try to bring them into the light. They may or may not come into the light, but there's no harm in trying. If something like this had transpired, the write-up may have been a very very different one about how knowledgeable the bartenders are, a reco for an outstanding place to go for a well-made cocktail by bartenders who know their stuff, etc, etc.....