Post #669280 by GatorRob on Fri, Mar 1, 2013 3:06 PM

TDBoy, I like the idea of honey syrup combined with the pimento dram. That sounds like it should work and I'll give that a try. Honey can be a nice secret weapon in Tiki drinks to give them a special flavor component.

I've been making Navy Grogs for years now using Jeff B's Ancient Mariner and Martin's Navy Grog post (referenced earlier in this thread) as references. I've used either St Elizabeth or Bitter Truth pimento dram. Bitter Truth packs more of a punch, so you have to watch your pour. Whether or not what I've been drinking matches what Trader Vic's currently pours is not of much interest to me unless theirs is better. But I've had theirs and while good, I like mine better. :)

That said, I now have the Grog Concentrate and to be honest, I'm a wee bit disappointed. As an allspice syrup, it's just fine. But that's all it seems to be. At least, that's all I can taste. So why not call it "Trader Vic's Allspice Syrup"? By calling it Grog Concentrate and keeping it away from retail sale for so long, I was expecting more than just allspice syrup. I was expecting some flavor component to it that I couldn't quite put my finger on, but that made it special. Sadly, that doesn't seem to be the case. So, while I will happily mix it in many future Navy Grogs, I'm a little disappointed that there isn't more to it.