what is your method re pouring a float?

Also, are you supposed to drink floated drinks from the bottom up with a straw, or from the top with no straw?

I've always drank floated drinks from the top without a straw, but now that I'm trying some of these tiki drink recipes calling for a 151 float, I'm thinking I may have been doing it wrong all this time!

On 2011-01-27 13:06, thePorpoise wrote:
Also, are you supposed to drink floated drinks from the bottom up with a straw, or from the top with no straw?

I've always drank floated drinks from the top without a straw, but now that I'm trying some of these tiki drink recipes calling for a 151 float, I'm thinking I may have been doing it wrong all this time!

Sometimes, I've wondered the same thing. It seems that most of the tiki drinks with a float have a straw skewered through them. So, I'd gather that you drink from the bottom and wait for the rum float to get you in the end. Then, there's always someone that sees that float and garnish and stomps them to the bottom of their glass as if they were Godzilla.

I bent a soup spoon (wife was not pleased) into a shape that I can place over the glass and let the booze drizzle over the convex side of the spoon.

On 2011-01-27 13:06, thePorpoise wrote:
Also, are you supposed to drink floated drinks from the bottom up with a straw, or from the top with no straw?

Generally?

From the mechanical side of the question you should drinks with a float through a straw. The Float is decorative, but also to keep the proof and/or flavor of the drink going and balanced as the ice melts watering the drink.

From the presentation side of the question, whatever makes you happy. If you float some 151 on the drink and then sip from the top, you just got a mouthful of 151 and possibly lost some nose hairs in the process. If you float something a bit tastier on top then it aint so bad to sip off the top and get the float first.

The folks that do the godzilla thing and smash the garnish, and float, to the bottom of the drink are probably getting a different kind of enjoyment from their glass than you are form yours, but as long as everyones smiling in the process its all good.

How's that for a non-committal answer?

I place a spoon in the top of the drink, with rim of the bowl just barely below the surface, then gently pour the float into the spoon, and let it spread out. Then I carefully 'twist' the spoon bowl up out of the drink.
Unless it's a drink specifically designed to drink the float off the top (e.g., Pousse Cafe), I would drink with a straw. The taste of the float will slowly mix into the drink, from the movement of handling it, causing the taste to evolve. Meanwhile, the float gives the drink its "nose".
If you drink off the top (if it's 151), you burn your throat, lose the aroma, and probably the ability to taste anything subtle in the drink.

Drinking a drink with a float... You're doing it wrong!

Sorry, I could not resist.

Use a straw as said before. The float is there for looks and maybe aroma, and lastly to drink.

Let's get to the root of the problem with floats. Most people are floating a Bacardi 151. And who wants to drink that stuff anyway? Cruzan or Goslings, maybe. But if you're floating Lemon Hart 151, shame on you. It deserves to be treated better than that!