Post #735497 by ickytiki on Mon, Jan 19, 2015 12:31 AM

Ahoy kkocka!

I still believe that the Ray's Mistake is based from the Captain's Grog recipe from the defunct Captain's Inn restaurant. I think it unlocks the whole mystery... It answers the correct ingredients and proportions. Maple syrup is definitely in the drink and I'm guessing the amount is correct also. I believe we have the correct components and measurements; we just do not know the specific name brands of a couple of the syrups. And, truthfully, those can be tweaked to your pallet.

CAPTAIN'S GROG

1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
1/2 oz Grapefruit Juice (White ONLY!!!)
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
1/2 oz Falernum
1/2 oz Orange Curacao
1 oz Soda Water
3 drops Vanilla Extract
3 drops Almond Extract
3/4 oz Myer's Rum
1/2 oz Light Puerto Rican Rum
1/2 oz Dark Puerto Rican Rum

If you haven't made a Captain's Grog, I highly recommend it. It is an absolutely wonderful drink. It's, now, one of my all time favorites and is made quit often at my house. The ingredients for the grog listed above were probably more on the high end considering the reputation of the Captain's Inn restaurant. So, I'm sure that real maple syrup was used in the original recipe.

There are basically two types of maple syrup that you can use in this drink. And the one that you pick completely changes the flavor. The two grades of maple syrup are "A" and "B". And most people instantly believe that Grade "A" must be the best... Because "A" comes before "B", right? (haha!)

Well, that's not the case at all... The grading is actually the season that the syrup is produced. Grade "A" is collected early in the season and has a lighter flavor. (Like a smoky agave.) Whereas, Grade "B" is darker and has a strong maple flavor. Grade "B" is what most Americans know and what most artificial pancake syrups are trying to, unsuccessfully, reproduce.

I absolutely detest fake pancake syrups... They are full of artificial flavorings, colors and usually contain high fructose syrup. They all taste different and none of them come close to the real thing. However, real maple syrup is very expensive and I would guess a commercial brand (Ex.: Log Cabin, Aunt Jemima, Mrs. Butterworth's, etc.) is probably being used.

You couldn't pay me to sit down and do a bunch of taste tests on these types of syrups... (My stomach is turning knots even thinking about it.) But, I'm sure one brand is less "pancakey"...

However, if you don't like the maple flavor note in your Ray's Mistake, a simple solution is buying real, Grade "A" maple syrup and pouring the suggested 1/2 oz in the drink.

RAY'S MISTAKE

1/2 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1/2 oz Maple Syrup
1/2 oz Simple Syrup
1/2 oz Orange Curacao
1 oz Soda Water
3 drops Vanilla Extract
3 drops Almond Extract
1/2 oz Light Puerto Rican Rum
1/2 oz Barton's Gin
3/4 oz Coruba Dark Rum (Floated)

Blend the above ingredients (Except the Coruba Dark Rum) with a cup of crushed ice for several seconds at low speed. Pour everything into a Collins Glass and float the dark rum. Garnish with a cocktail cherry and pineapple wedge.

Cheers!

~icky