Trader Vic's Grog Concentrate-Aye or Nay?

So for us who weren´t lucky to get the concentrate, what are the best way to sub it? St Elisabeth dram dilluted with some honey water/syrup?

I am going ot focus on the Tiki Puka Puka this weekend . . . who says I have no goals?

I've made both the Navy Grog (vers with gold, dark and LH151) and Puka Puka a few times each and have upped the grog concentrate to 1/2 Oz. Have never used the commercially available Pimento dram, just my own Allspice syrup, from the Bum's recipe.

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-03-01 09:05 ]

Helena, I will try a few experiments this weekend to see how close I can come to replicating the grog concentrate using the only Pimento Dram I have on hand, St. Elizabeth's Allspice Liquor. I doubt it will be a perfect match though.

There is a recent Tiki Central thread (within the last year) on replicating the Trader Vic Navy Grog without the concentrate. Unfortunately I can't find it right now. One of the last recipes in that thread was pretty successful and, although a little sweeter than the TV version, it was very tasty. It used a Pimento Dram and honey mixture. I used orange blossom honey so maybe clover honey would result in a closer match.

I always make my honey syrup on demand. I put a 50:50 honey and water mixture into a shot glass and heat it in a microwave for 15-20 seconds, until it starts to boil. At that point it mixes and pours easily so I give it a quick stir and pour it last into the drink before shaking/mixing. Only around 1/2 oz is used so the fact it is warm when added is of no consequence.

Made my first Tiki Puka Puka last night using the concentrate. Thought it came out really well. Used Cruzan light, Coruba dark and Lemon Hart 151. Didn't have a gardenia as it suggests for a garnish, so I used this pretty flower that grows in our front yard (haven't a clue as to what it is).

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.

I agree completely with GatorRob above. Took the words right outa me 'ed!

GatorRob, that will be great if you succeed in duplicating the Grog Concentrate and share the recipe with us. Although I have at least six bottles I know I will eventually run out and there is no guarantee that I'll be able to buy more.

My experience differs from yours in that I was disappointed that I couldn't replicate the flavor of the Navy Grog and Tiki Puka Puka using St. Elizabeth's Allspice Dram, but as I mentioned earlier in this thread, did experience some measure of success with the Navy Grog recipe that I found elsewhere on TikiCentral. The concentrate certainly does have an allspice flavor, but to my taste, there are other flavors as well.

I know for a fact that it can be made with "off the shelf" items so here's to our eventual success!

Regarding gardenias, they are much more fragrant than most flowers. My only source of them are that I bring them home from Trader Vic's after enjoying a Tiki Puka Puka at the restaurant and reuse them. They keep in the refrigerator for a few days. I put them in a little cup with water, supported by wax paper with a hole in the middle so the petals don't get soaked and deteriorate.

I happen to work next door to a nationwide flower shipper and they sell fifty gardenias for $45. If I ever have a luau I know where to get them!

For me, the beauty of the TV Navy Grog is the subtlety of the concentrate, I've experimented with the St. Elizabeth's dram, recipes here, my own, others, etc. and the dram is sooooo potent it really screams through a drink. The concentrate is there, but its not, its almost a phantom and it just marries so well with all of the other ingredients, its a perfect drink for me and the trick is being consistently sublime!

I still like the Navy Grog at TV Emeryville in comparison to those proffered at TV LA and the now defunct TV Palo Alto (sob).

The FI Navy Grog is delightful, but I still prefer the TV Navy Grog. As far as Smuggler's Cove's Navy Grog, I must confess, by the time I have one I can't remember what it tasted like (confession is good for the soul, right?)!

As the French say, "Vive la difference!" to each his own!

Oh, btw, is there anywhere you can by Coruba in California?

I totally agree, BK.

Using the concentrate tastes 'like' a Navy Grog w/ pimento dram, but for my tastes it creates a more balanced drink overall.

Coruba is easily available at Hitimewine in Costa mesa or via mail order. Also I think mission wines & spirits also carries it.

In northern California you can get Coruba at Beltramos, between Atherton and Menlo Park. They ship free in California for orders of $250 or more. Beltramos is family run from the 1880's, has a huge selection of spirits and wine, and usually has the best prices around. I consider it to be the best liquor store in NorCal. Check out their inventory at http://www.beltramos.com and http://www.beltramos.com/spirits/Rum . Other favorites in the bay area are Ledgers, Cask, K&L, and Moraga Liquors but Beltramos is the best for overall selection and price and to my knowledge none of the others mentioned carry Coruba. None of them carry everything in my inventory so I have to shop around.

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-03-02 08:54 ]

Awesome, thanks!

[ Edited by: The Blue Kahuna 2013-03-02 12:27 ]

My pleasure. It is the least I could do for the person who brought the Grog Concentrate deal to my attention!

By the way. I just tried the Tiki Puka Puka recipe as sent to us with the concentrate but adjusted it to 1/3 oz. grog concentrate and 1/8 oz. Trader Vic's Grenadine. It was closer to the restaurant version but still not quite right. I then tried it again the same way, this time leaving out the 1 oz. lemon juice and that was a pretty good Tiki Puka Puka. I'm not sure if I like it better than my usual recipe but it was pretty good. Since I have some chores to do today I can't have a third at this time to compare it with my usual recipe but I think they are pretty close. I'll follow-up with pictures later. The chores will be a pleasant distraction from my Tiki Puka Puka experiments now!

Can you list your two Tiki Puka Puka versions, I'd like to sample them . . . off to make the version that came with the concentrate. Went to BevMo this morning and they had two bottles of TV Dark Rum (was there last week and there weren't there then) so grabbed them up - made the perfect Navy Grog for lunch! Yumm!

B.K., I think the 1oz. lemon juice in the recipe included with the concentrate causes the flavor to differ from the restaurant version. I used fresh lemons from my backyard so the freshness of the ingredients isn't the problem!

Here is the formula for the one I made yesterday that I liked. It just lacks the 1 oz. lemon juice, reduces the Trader Vic brand grenadine to 1/8 oz. and ups the grog concentrate to 1/3 oz.:

1 oz. OJ (I freshly squeezed mine)
1/3 oz. grog concentrate
1/8 oz. Trader Vic grenadine
1 oz. light rum (I used Eldorado Silver)
1 oz. dark rum (I used Appleton 12 year)
1 oz. Lemon Hart 151 (I used the old label)

The version that I had yesterday that I didn't like as much is the same recipe except it included the 1 oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice.

The above recipe is essentially the same recipe as printed in Trader Vic's 1972 Bartender's Guide, except it uses 1/3 oz. of the grog concentrate instead of 3 oz. of the retail Navy Grog Mix listed in the 1972 guide and only 1/8 oz. grenadine instead of 1 dash grenadine. I would probably use more grenadine (1/4 oz.?) when using another brand.

I specify the Trader Vic grenadine above only because I had it on hand and you mentioned your interest in attempting to reproduce it as they make it in the restaurant. I don't know for sure if they really use the retail version of the Trader Vic's grenadine in the restaurant. I've never been served a Tiki Puka Puka in either NorCal Trader Vic's restaurant as red as the one I made with 1/4 oz. of Trader Vic's retail grenadine. Let's just say that it isn't my favorite grenadine! It has tons of red food coloring, ultra strong flavor and questionable ingredients.

I currently also have Monin, Sonoma Syrup Classic Grenadine, Sonoma Syrup Pomegranate Grenadine Simple Syrup, and Small Hand Foods Grenadine. I even bought "Mid East Pomegranate Molasses" from a Middle Eastern food market. Previously I've used Stirrings and Roses as well. I've tried so many because for some classic cocktails with few ingredients the quality of the grenadine can make a big difference. The Small Hand Foods Grenadine (made in Berkeley) is easily the best, and may be the best commercial grenadine in the world. It is very hard to find and is expensive, $12 for 8.5 ounces or $20 for 17.5 ounces. They sometimes have it at Cask (in San Francisco) or Ledgers (which is in Berkeley).

All that is to say that my favorite home made Tiki Puka Puka is the same recipe that I listed above but it uses a more liberal dose (maybe 1/4 oz.) of Small Hand Foods Grenadine. I've used various white rums so I don't think El Dorado Silver is essential for this drink.

By the way, to measure small amounts I use the Oxo mini measuring cup: http://www.amazon.com/OXO-Grips-Angled-Measuring-Capacity/dp/B004VLYQEK/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1362332261&sr=8-5&keywords=oxo+measuring+cup . They also stock them at Bed Bath and Beyond.

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-03-03 09:51 ]

I did a few experiments to see if I could approximate the flavor and consistency of the Trader Vic's Grog Concentrate. These were just quick and dirty experiments and not comprehensive by any means. The only Allspice liquor I have on hand is St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, which has some pretty harsh flavors.

I settled on equal parts 2:1:1 honey syrup (I used orange blossom honey), Allspice Dram, and Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup. That's a lot of sweetener but I think it is needed to counteract the bitter flavors of the Allspice Dram. The result is a little sweeter than the concentrate and has a little more of the Allspice flavor but the overall flavor profile is similar, but not exactly the same. Next time I would cut back on the Allspice Dram a little bit. I think the orange blossom honey is important in that its flavor helps counteract some of the harsher notes of the Allspice Dram. The Rock Candy Syrup helps tame it further and gives it a consistency closer to the concentrate. I tried going without the honey but the Allspice Dram harshness couldn't be tamed with Rock Candy Syrup alone.

Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup isn't just a 2:1 "rich simple syrup". I think it is closer to a gum (or gomme) syrup in that it has an additional thickening agent. It might have a little vanilla flavor as well: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=14074&forum=10 .

I invite others with the concentrate to contribute to this endeavor and share their recipes.

I haven't tried a drink with this yet but plan to do so later today.

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-03-03 11:14 ]

Thanks T.D.B. I'm going to give your formula a go one day soon. We don't have the St. Elizabeth's here in Ontario but I have a big bottle of my homemade allspice dram on hand. I've been perfectly happy with just adding a 1/4 oz of my allspice dram to my standard Navy Grog but with all this discussion of the concentrate, I'm curious now. My homemade allspice dram is pretty potent in flavor but I don't know how it compares to St. Elizabeth's. I don't syrup mine down as much as most recipes say to, I keep it at about 30% abv, so the sweetness may balance out more than it did with the St. Elizabeth's. If the rock candy syrup has vanilla in it, are you basically doing honey syrup and Don's #2 at 1:1? Or is the rock candy a lot lighter on the vanilla flavor than that? I've never tried it.

Thanks TropicDrinkBoy for keeping us updated! i have the St Elisabeth too.I wonder how a gomme syrup would work? i got some gomme at home so i could make some.

On 2013-02-25 06:56, Little fragrant Tiare wrote:

On 2013-02-22 19:54, heylownine wrote:
You know, I was on the fence about buying the concentrate, and due to procrastination the choice was made for me. Oh well.

On the other hand, using other threads in Tiki Drinks and Food, I've been able to come up with a spice syrup (sans HFCS) that when combined with fresh lime and grapefruit juice, comes really close to the Trader Vic's Navy Grog taste (and thereby the Tiki Puka Puka taste). So that'll help temper any disappointment I may have felt.

Thanks for the reports from those that obtained the concentrate!

kevin

I missed the grog concentrate..but most likely they didn`t ship outta the states anyway...

Kevin, do you have a recipe for your spice syrup to share?

---

http://www.amountainofcrushedice.com

[ Edited by: Little fragrant Tiare 2013-02-25 06:57 ]

Sorry, it's been a busy week and I've been meaning to post to this thread. This is a funny, circular topic.

I found the spice syrup recipe on Sloshed! in a post detailing their attempts to piece together a Tiki Puka Puka. The author of the piece wanted to replicate not just the Tiki Puka Puka, but also just the Trader Vic's Navy Grog mix in general. The article itself (keep in mind this was written in 2008), referenced this 2007 thread on Tiki Central which was started by PiPhiRho and his attempts to replicate the Trader Vic's Navy Grog mix. :) Clearly this is a topic that has managed to captivate these here forums for many years.

Anyway, the author on Sloshed! settled on this recipe for spice syrup:
"Using a hammer or other blunt object, break up 3 sticks of cinnamon, 2 whole cloves, 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds and 2 generous tablespoons allspice berries. Add the broken up (but not completely pulverized) spices to 3 cups of water in a small saucepan. Boil vigorously until reduced by half, then strain out the spices. Return the spiced water to the pan and add 1½ cups of sugar. Simmer over low heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture has thickened slightly. Cool before using."

I follow this recipe pretty much as written, except that I double the cardamom.

This spice syrup is then combined as follows into makeshift Trader Vic's Navy Grog mix:
1/3 cup spice syrup
1/3 cup lime juice
1 1/2 oz grapefruit juice

I use this mix when I make Tiki Puka Pukas at home, and I feel it comes pretty close to a good Trader Vic's version (the LA Live Trader Vic's has varying success with their own recipe). I also use this mix when I'm making Navy Grogs from the "Trader Vic's Tiki Party!" book, though my typical Navy Grogs are not that recipe.

kevin

Here is a picture of the Tiki Puka Puka I made today with my home made substitute for the grog concentrate:

and here is the Navy Grog:

.

They both tasted pretty reasonable although the Allspice flavor was not quite as subtle as with the grog concentrate. If I didn't have the grog concentrate I would work the recipe a little more but it is pretty close as it is.

I hope my meager efforts to recreate the grog concentrate are useful Helena! amountainofcrushedice.com is an awesome blog!

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-03-04 00:18 ]

Sorry, it's been a busy week and I've been meaning to post to this thread. This is a funny, circular topic.

I found the spice syrup recipe on Sloshed! in a post detailing their attempts to piece together a Tiki Puka Puka. The author of the piece wanted to replicate not just the Tiki Puka Puka, but also just the Trader Vic's Navy Grog mix in general. The article itself (keep in mind this was written in 2008), referenced this 2007 thread on Tiki Central which was started by PiPhiRho and his attempts to replicate the Trader Vic's Navy Grog mix. :) Clearly this is a topic that has managed to captivate these here forums for many years.

Oh my! i didnt know Marleigh at Sloshed also been into this! ;-D thanks for the recipe and links, im gonna try her version as well as others to try find the one i like the best. The bad thing, for me is that since i dont have the grog concentrate i cant make any comparaison. But anyway, the one that tastes best to me will do...

On 2013-03-03 22:56, TropicDrinkBoy wrote:
Here is a picture of the Tiki Puka Puka I made today with my home made substitute for the grog concentrate:

and here is the Navy Grog:

.

They both tasted pretty reasonable although the Allspice flavor was not quite as subtle as with the grog concentrate. If I didn't have the grog concentrate I would work the recipe a little more but it is pretty close as it is.

I hope my meager efforts to recreate the grog concentrate are useful Helena! amountainofcrushedice.com is an awesome blog!

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-03-04 00:18 ]

Thank you TropicDrinkBoy! the pictures makes me thirsty! i`ll def try these recipes too.

It will be interesting to learn if the Sloshed recipe is anything like the grog mix. It's not clear from the blog post that they've ever had a Trader Vic Navy Grog. The vanilla flavor of the Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup is subtle.

Has anyone checked on the Blue Kahuna lately? I hope he made it through the weekend!

. . . barely made it . . . it was worth it though . . . :D

. . . thanks for checking!

Check the TV website.
The Grog concentrate is back in stock!

Yeee haaa! While you're at it you might as well pick up the new reproduction of the original skull mug. It only recently became available again and is an exact copy of the one Trader Vic patented in 1938: http://www.shoptradervics.com/products/trader-vics-skull-mug . The ad speaks of using it with dry ice but today they serve it with a float of flaming 151 proof rum. Please extinguish the flame before drinking!

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-03-06 01:18 ]

Just tried to place an order... it lets you go through the entire checkout process right up to the confirmation page then says "sorry, we don't ship to Canada". Oh well.

Don't be discouraged. A few years ago, I tried ordering through their website (this was before it's revamp, mind you) and was told the same thing. Then I emailed them and was told that, in fact, they COULD ship to Canada, but that their website was not set up for that type of transaction. I ended up buying two of their large ceramic rum barrels and a few of their drink mixes (Navy Grog, Mai Tai, Ko Ko Kreme). I spoke to a very nice lady on the phone and she was quite accommodating figuring out totals, exchange rates, etc. I've since lost the emails from them, so I can't be much help I'm afraid. But start by emailing [email protected] and see where that takes you.

Mahalo KahunaTiki for the e-mail to TV because i need to find out if they ship to Sweden. But if they dont...no grog concentrate for me..jeez i just hope it wont sell out again!

Also i can`t find anywhere on their site to set up an account..

In the mean time i`m gonna try to make this grog concentrate recipe by WillTiki
from the navy grog thread:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=12468&forum=10&39

http://www.amountainofcrushedice.com

[ Edited by: Little fragrant Tiare 2013-03-07 02:42 ]

On 2013-03-06 07:34, Kahuna Tiki wrote:
Don't be discouraged. A few years ago, I tried ordering through their website (this was before it's revamp, mind you) and was told the same thing. Then I emailed them and was told that, in fact, they COULD ship to Canada, but that their website was not set up for that type of transaction. I ended up buying two of their large ceramic rum barrels and a few of their drink mixes (Navy Grog, Mai Tai, Ko Ko Kreme). I spoke to a very nice lady on the phone and she was quite accommodating figuring out totals, exchange rates, etc. I've since lost the emails from them, so I can't be much help I'm afraid. But start by emailing [email protected] and see where that takes you.

That gives me some hope. I too recently tried to place an order only to get the message that they didn't ship to Canada. Three emails have gone unanswered so I had given up. Perhaps I will see if I can get a nice lady on the phone to help!

Has anyone combined the concentrate w/ honey mix yet? I just had one of these:

-juice of one small lime

• 1/2oz TVNGC [this needs turned up from 1/4 oz, I think some of us agree?]
• 1/4 oz honey mix
  -3/4 oz gf juice
• 3/4 oz LH151(old)
• 1 oz Myers
• 1 oz Cruzan lite

Yes, a tad sweet, but one of the best cocktails I've had. Maybe this mix w/ a little soda h2o?

Sounds amazing!

On 2013-03-05 00:49, TropicDrinkBoy wrote:
It will be interesting to learn if the Sloshed recipe is anything like the grog mix. It's not clear from the blog post that they've ever had a Trader Vic Navy Grog. The vanilla flavor of the Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup is subtle.

For what it's worth, I've had enough Trader Vic's Navy Grogs and Tiki Puka Pukas (at various locations) to feel that the author has gotten pretty close with their recipe.

I think there's a (very) subtle distinction to be made between attempting to replicate the restaurant version down to the letter (in this case via the concentrate) and trying to recreate the recipe and its flavor profile by building it up via individual ingredients. Not to say one approach is inherently better than the other, it's just a different approach.

I've been happy to use the research others did to get a base recipe, and tweak it here and there to build a drink that I feel is a very close approximation to a Trader Vic's Navy Grog. And for that matter, Trader Vic's Grog Concentrate and the spiced syrup recipe are not the only 2 routes to that destination.

On another note, given the on again/off again nature of Trader Vics selling their "official" mix, it's good to have a more independent way to throw together a Navy Grog.

kevin

Earlier in this thread it was asked, what other drinks can the Grog Concentrate be used for? Since it is primarily a (kinder and gentler) allspice syrup (with a few nuances) I've found it does well in drinks like the Nui Nui and Three Dots and a Dash (both in "Sippin' Safari"). Smuggler's Cove adds an Allspice syrup to their version of the Planter's Punch to very good effect. I tried a little Grog Concentrate in the "Stephen Remsberg Planter's Punch (found in "Beachbum Berry Remixed") and it was fantastic.

I made my first Navy grog tonight with the TV Grog concentrate. I have to say it brought back sweet memories of going to Trader Vic in Beverly Hills and having Alfie the bartender make them for me. However it also tasted a lot like my St Elizabeth Allspice Dram so I have to say maybe I will try the home recipe that Heylownine posted before and compare them both.
I used Happy Buddha's recipe, next time I will try TV's own recipe.
I like the Grog Mix, glad I bought some.

On 2013-03-16 20:13, hiltiki wrote:
I made my first Navy grog tonight with the TV Grog concentrate. I have to say it brought back sweet memories of going to Trader Vic in Beverly Hills and having Alfie the bartender make them for me. However it also tasted a lot like my St Elizabeth Allspice Dram so I have to say maybe I will try the home recipe that Heylownine posted before and compare them both.
I used Happy Buddha's recipe, next time I will try TV's own recipe.
I like the Grog Mix, glad I bought some.

Hiltiki, like i said earlier in my pm i got the grog concentrate today and i did a side by side taste test between the grog concentrate, the elisabeth dram and my homemade grog mix and to my taste buds the TV grog conc wins over all. I find my homemade navy grog mix to be light and limey, the elisabeth dram to be more straightforward and one dimensional allspice while the TV grog concentrate is more complex and it has something in it that i cannot define, but it vaguely reminds me of root - or maybe kola nut?

I`m gonna make a navy grog drink taste test in the weekend and write about it on my blog but i also wanna try the Tiki puka puka with the grog concentrate.

TV grog concentrate is more complex and it has something in it that i cannot define, but it vaguely reminds me of root - or maybe kola nut?

Yep, I always thought the Grog concentrate tasted like Coca Cola syrup, with allspice mixed in.

On a side note, I was telling Jon, the Emeryville bar manager, about us gushing over the grog mix on TC, and he was kind enough to give me a bottle (plus a bottle of the Mai Tai mix - woot!) I noticed a couple changes in their packaging...

New bottle is on the left, mail-order bottle on the right. Notice the absence of the "For Professional Use Only" logo on the new bottle, plus the more consumer-friendly, name change:

This suggests to me that they are planning on selling this to the public for good.

-Trad'r Bill

Tiare, be sure to try the Tiki Puka Puka recipe I posted earlier in this thread as well as the one supplied with the concentrate. The recipe supplied with the concentrate doesn't taste much like what is served in the restaurant. Also, be careful to use only 1/4 to 1/3 oz of concentrate for the Puka Puka. If you use 1/2 oz the allspice flavor may dominate the drink. Of course, a high quality grenadine makes for a better Tiki Puka Puka. Finally, I mix my Puka Pukas with crushed ice in an electric drink mixer (milk shake mixer) to get a good chill and melt enough water to fill my grapefruit supreme goblet.

I just made one with 1/4 oz of concentrate and a generous dash of quality grenadine and WOW, what a great drink! Don't tell them but it is even better than what I get at the restaurant. I used 1 oz of El Dorado White, 1 oz of Appleton Reserve and 1 oz of Lemon Hart 151 "new label". I've been making them the last few nights as my gardenia from my Friday Tiki Bowl still survives and I've found the sweet spot for me! This must be what the Trader had in mind!

[ Edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-04-02 20:44 ]

Trad'r Bill, I wouldn't read too much into the labels. I obtained the bottle on the right at Emeryville near the end of 2010 and it has the same label as your new bottle. Every bottle I've gotten in the last two years at Palo Alto and Emeryville (except the recent mail order bottles) has the label of the bottle in the middle, which is utilitarian compared to the others. It lacks recipes, the Trader Vic bio, etc. Finally the bottle on the left is the retail Navy Grog Mix which evidently isn't available anymore.

So I noticed they do not have it on the site again. Perhaps they are sold out already or am I missing something?

You're right, it is gone again.

Thanks for setting me straight TDB... I think you're right about me reading too much into it.