WSJ article: Tiki's Next Wave

“Tiki’s Next Wave” by Luke O’Neil appeared in the online edition of The Wall Street Journal on November 12. It briefly discusses Tiki drinks and recommends looking beyond rum. You’ll be surprised at the logic: “While rum is an exceptionally diverse spirit, the one thing you can't change is that it's essentially sugar.” A few “winterized” tropical drink recipes are listed...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204190704577024552850538014.html?grcc=7dc27c2b5906c926992b0400b6ff4e16Z3&mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_lifestyle

-Tom

On 2011-11-15 05:32, TikiTomD wrote:
“Tiki’s Next Wave” by Luke O’Neil appeared in the online edition of The Wall Street Journal on November 12. It briefly discusses Tiki drinks and recommends looking beyond rum. You’ll be surprised at the logic: “While rum is an exceptionally diverse spirit, the one thing you can't change is that it's essentially sugar.” A few “winterized” tropical drink recipes are listed...

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204190704577024552850538014.html?grcc=7dc27c2b5906c926992b0400b6ff4e16Z3&mod=WSJ_hpp_sections_lifestyle

-Tom

Wow. That's like saying "the one thing you can't change about Kentucky Bourbon is it is essentially corn. If you ever wondered why your bourbon drink tastes sweet, its because creamed corn tastes sweet."

All liquor is essentially sugar/starch based. Rum is cane sugar, but sugars and starch made alcohol. But that alcohol is coming out of the still as something akin to PGA, not molasses... Anyway...

I can only summarize my response as "dumbass writer". A drink is sweet if you put pineapple juice or simple syrup in it. He is still in the foggy world where a "Tiki drink" is what we refer to as a Hawaii Mai Tai of fruit juice and a Myers' float. If he ever had a real, good "Tiki drink" he'd know what a balanced cocktail it is, or can be.

Sorry for the rant Tom...

Swanky, a good and appropriate rant! The writer’s absurd rationale may also be extended to, for example, an avoidance of vodka cocktails because of the cloying undercurrent of potatoes...

-Tom

Rum is too sweet and the drinks he offers to contrast this theory contain falernum, cinnamon-vanilla syrup and orgeat respectively? Not sure you should be looking to the WSJ for social hipness, although a while back they did have a recipe for a Manhattan that called for the sweat of the working class that was pretty good!

Rum does retain some of the flavor from the cane, so he's kinda on to something...Kinda. :)

I made the first drink (A Day at the Races) and it was very good. Not sweet at all.

The WSJ actually has a lot of good spirits and cocktails coverage, although not as much since Eric Felten moved on to another beat.