Lemon Hart 151 is coming back ... AGAIN!

On 2017-04-09 23:14, RumScrummager wrote:
Sorry to get back to this thread so late.

This is in response to AceExplorer's query regarding Stroh 80.

Here's my personal take:

Stroh is not even a rum - that is, in the modern sense of the word.

Just like Hum is a botanical 'spirit,' Stroh 80 is an Austrain rum-based 'spirit'. It really has very little to do with rum. For example, how many people actually knew that Midori is cognac-based? Exactly. Malibu is a rum-based coconut liqueur and Kahlua is a rum-based coffee liqueur. Rum is used for a LOT of bases. In Stroh's case, the rum component is merely the slave base. The rum base itself (as one would expect) is quite unremarkable and more akin to paint stripper or de-natured alcohol. 80% of these bases are made from by-products (using special centrifuges) since they cannot be traditionally processed.

However, due to savvy marketing and clever hype, Stroh 80 has become 'Stroh 160' and is now not only a rum, but a 'spiced rum.' Funny that.

Utilizing Jagermeister-worthy ad campaigns to promote the product in North America, including drinking games and slapping 'Stroh 160' labels over the old 'Stroh 80' labels (they didn't bother to pull the old bottles), they are trying to creep out of grandma's kitchen in Austria and appeal to the uber-hip, manbun-wearing North American crowd. Nothing wrong with that at all since ALL spirit companies are really marketing companies in disguise. Grey Goose and Sidney Frank taught us all about that donkey's years ago.

Just so people know, the change from 'Stroh 80' to 'Stroh 160' was only so they could tap into the higher proof/overproof market craze; the larger numbers look more impressive on the bottle you see. Ask any craft cocktail bar or mixologist and 80 proof is 'meh' nowadays.

Finally, the devil is in the detail: if you scrutinize the bottle label, it pretty much lists every ingredient that is (nowadays) considered anti-rum, anti-craft, and almost unethical. Artificial flavour, anyone? How about certified chemicals and colors? Or, how about a healthy dose of FD&C Yellow #5, perhaps?

ps. I actually happen to LOVE the product myself and use it in many of my Tiki cocktails. I sometimes force unsuspecting guests to take a shot too. However, I do not consider it a rum. To me, it is a great 'spike' - something very high-octane in terms of pushing heat, but not flavour.

RumScrummager, thank you for the awesome post on Stroh 80 / Stroh 160. I don't disagree with any of your points, you made me re-think a few things on my end. Especially your point about the "base spirit" - I think you nailed that. Just for fun, I'll share some of my thoughts when I read your post:

1. You stated that it's not a "rum" really, and I hadn't really thought of it that way before. So I think it's really a "carrier" for all the other spices and flavors. I also see that the alcohol content between the various proofs does simply seem to be for heat, although I don't know if they also dial up or down the spice flavorings between proofs.

2. Marketing -- wow, didn't know they are re-labeling the Stroh 80 to be Stroh 160. That makes sense though since their competitor's products have been marketed by proof instead of percentage. Now, given a choice for flaming garnishes, I'm gonna guess that Stroh's 160 will be a bit more pleasing to the nose than another generic 151 rum, although Stroh's would be an expensive flaming agent, especially in light of the good availability of lemon extract.

Interesting point -- here in Flori-duh we're not allowed to import anything stronger than 151 proof. Stroh's 160 must be mail-ordered or carried in from surrounding states. I love checking liquor stores in other states when I'm travelling. It's always a surprise what you can find in smaller liquor stores. Just because a store is in a small town doesn't mean the owner won't carry some great stuff.

I also fully agree about Stroh's trying to "pull themselves out of grandma's kitchen in Austria." I think this is how they came to be so integrated into Austrian cooking and baking. The spices in Stroh's are heavenly for some baking applications. But for drinking, nah, unless you mix with it, which is really the only way I use it. Once in a rare while I'll take a small sip to re-familiarize myself with the flavor profile. But the 160 proof has a strong burn and interferes with sipping unless you water it down.

3. I don't recall ever reading the label and scrutinizing the ingredients. I'll definitely do that sometime. Sounds pretty crappy to me, and fortunately Stroh's tends to only be used as a minor ingredient in cocktails.

4. You and I are 100% in agreement on your final point -- I also love having Stroh's on hand. It really does have the ability to make some very good flavor contributions to cocktails. Frankie's Tiki Room demonstrates this quite well because they successfully use Stroh's in a number of their cocktails. Stroh's reminds me of how cinnamon syrup can provide a pleasant and subtle background flavor in a cocktail, except the Stroh's is MUCH stronger. It really is very good to have on hand. I definitely cannot bring myself to dismiss Stroh's entirely even though I wouldn't drink it neat. It does have good value for some drinks, but I don't think it's essential. Someday I may come to drop a few bucks on their Jagertee ("Hunter's tea") and give it a try. And - just for grins - every now and then I make people taste it too. It's pretty funny to watch their reactions.

Again, thanks for your response. It's difficult to get good feedback on this stuff. Too many people just don't want to touch it.

On 2017-04-08 22:46, hang10tiki wrote:
Well that took forever

I got 3 bottles the other day!!! Finally!

Don't know if this needs it's own thread or just a mention here, but you could now find the 1804 and spiced Lemon Harts on the shelves in Austin. The 1804 is a 80 proof demerara. I picked up a bottle in Vancouver a couple years ago and it was underwhelming (still haven't finished it). This will not fill the void for the old yellow label 80 proof if anyone was getting their hopes up... assuming this bottling is the same recipe as what they had in Canada a while back.

The spiced rum is surprisingly good if you need a spiced rum in your life but neither of these are essential for me to keep stocked. Nor is the new bottling of 151. For the time being I'm happy using Hamilton 151 for guests, red label LH151 for myself or people I really like (still have 7 bottles in reserve), and for 80 proof I often go with El Dorado 12.

I plan to check out the 80-proof Lemon Hart this weekend at Miami Rum Festival. I haven't seen it (or the spiced) on the shelves in any Florida stores. If anyone has seen it down here, do let me know.

The reviews I've seen are similar to Mike's, so I'm not getting my hopes up. I have none of the original yellow label 80 left, but I do still have a blend that's basically a diluted and decanted red label 151. It's what The Mai-Kai was using before Hamilton 86 came along. But now, between that and the various El Dorado ages (I lean toward ED8), there's not much reason to hunt it down.

Curious to taste the spiced, though. Foursquare Spiced seems to be the gold standard among those I've tasted.

Supposedly here in Philly, we can buy it and have it shipped to a state liquor store. Since you have to call the 1 800 number for this one, my husband has been trying to get somebody on the line to confirm and then buy a bottle. So far, not luck.
Living in where the state runs the liquor store is exhausting.

Do any of you have experience with Lemon Hart 151 and Plantation OFTD?

Do you think the Plantation would be a reasonable substitute? (Let's suppose you literally couldn't get the LH). The reason I ask is I'm based in the UK, and we can't get Lemon Hart (nor Hamilton, Cruzan, or Coruba.. the list goes on).

I suspect it may be the best I am able to do, and the reviews are certainly great! - but it's way more pricey than the LH seems to go for Stateside.

Ah, also - I saw someone mentioned above using El Dorado 8yo as a proxy for the regular Lemon Hart. What do you think to that match?

I use the ED8 a lot, and I find it works great in drinks that require a "Demerara rum".

On 2017-04-27 16:41, Early Landed Larry wrote:
Do any of you have experience with Lemon Hart 151 and Plantation OFTD?

Do you think the Plantation would be a reasonable substitute?

The short answer to your question is yes. OFTD has been blended by the leading tiki maesters in the field today very specifically for the purpose of being used as an overproof rum in Tiki drinks, and from experience, I'll tell you it works wonderfully in both swizzles and as a float. I prefer it over both the red and newer label LH151, and in many cases more than the Hamilton 151. So that just about covers the main contenders. Just my 2 cents.

On 2017-04-28 05:25, Scaramouch wrote:

On 2017-04-27 16:41, Early Landed Larry wrote:
Do any of you have experience with Lemon Hart 151 and Plantation OFTD?

Do you think the Plantation would be a reasonable substitute?

The short answer to your question is yes. OFTD has been blended by the leading tiki maesters in the field today very specifically for the purpose of being used as an overproof rum in Tiki drinks, and from experience, I'll tell you it works wonderfully in both swizzles and as a float. I prefer it over both the red and newer label LH151, and in many cases more than the Hamilton 151. So that just about covers the main contenders. Just my 2 cents.

I would second that, with the caveat that you're not quite getting the full 151-proof punch when using OFTD. But I've spoken to bartenders who will (in a pinch during busy times) use OFTD as a sub for both 151 Demerara and 80-proof Jamaican (in the Zombie or 151 Swizzle, for example).

You'll have to wait to see my ratings when I post them on The Atomic Grog, but there are only shades of difference in all of these rums.

And in regards to El Dorado 8 as the preferred 80-proof Demerara rum, I'd also agree. For the price, Hamilton 86 is equally good in my book. The new Lemon Hart 80, from what I've tasted (details to come) is not quite up to the same standard. It's close, but falls a bit short. The old LH80 yellow label was the bomb, of course, but I'd put ED12 and ED15 a bit higher up on my scale. They're just not priced to be everyday mixers.

As fate would have it, I headed straight for the VIP tasting area within minutes of my arrival at Miami Rum Festival last Sunday. It was there that I enjoyed many of Robert A. Burr's most prized spirits.

And, as promised, Lemon Hart was on the menu ...

Like the new 151, the revamped release of the Original 1804 (aka 80-proof) seems to fall a little short of past standards. It's not a bad rum by any means, so perhaps it's an unfair comparison since the bar was previously set so high. I'd certainly stock it in my bar if I could get my hands on it.

The spiced rum, on the other hand, is a totally new beast. A bit of a surprise, it was dark and rich, more comparable to a liqueur than what you may be expecting from a spiced rum. Further testing is needed, but I'm sure I'd find a use for it.

Mahalo Rob for the hospitality!

On 2017-04-28 22:39, Hurricane Hayward wrote:

On 2017-04-28 05:25, Scaramouch wrote:

On 2017-04-27 16:41, Early Landed Larry wrote:
Do any of you have experience with Lemon Hart 151 and Plantation OFTD?

Do you think the Plantation would be a reasonable substitute?

The short answer to your question is yes. OFTD has been blended by the leading tiki maesters in the field today very specifically for the purpose of being used as an overproof rum in Tiki drinks, and from experience, I'll tell you it works wonderfully in both swizzles and as a float. I prefer it over both the red and newer label LH151, and in many cases more than the Hamilton 151. So that just about covers the main contenders. Just my 2 cents.

I would second that, with the caveat that you're not quite getting the full 151-proof punch when using OFTD. But I've spoken to bartenders who will (in a pinch during busy times) use OFTD as a sub for both 151 Demerara and 80-proof Jamaican (in the Zombie or 151 Swizzle, for example).

You'll have to wait to see my ratings when I post them on The Atomic Grog, but there are only shades of difference in all of these rums.

And in regards to El Dorado 8 as the preferred 80-proof Demerara rum, I'd also agree. For the price, Hamilton 86 is equally good in my book. The new Lemon Hart 80, from what I've tasted (details to come) is not quite up to the same standard. It's close, but falls a bit short. The old LH80 yellow label was the bomb, of course, but I'd put ED12 and ED15 a bit higher up on my scale. They're just not priced to be everyday mixers.

Many thanks Scaramouche, Hurricane! It's good to know I'll be using a fairly close approximation of the recommended ingredients for these great recipes. I agree about the El Dorado marks - I can't see myself ever using EL 12 or 15 as a regular mixer but I think the 8 punches through nicely, and it's a great rum to use "behind" other rums to back them up.

I don't have the OFTD yet but I'm heading to the new Covent Garden whiskey exchange in a couple of weeks - I could get it online but there's something nice about browsing in a shop. Thanks for the really helpful tips.

Hmmmm
Red label for me

New one smells sweet, but I like the red better.

Not that I usually sip 151 anyway, :)

Next I'll try it in cocktails

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2017-05-03 15:59 ]

If anyone is curious about the Blackpool Spiced rum from Lemon Hart, here's an in-depth review with some nice historical info on the brand ...
http://drunkentiki.com/2017/06/19/lemon-hart-blackpool-spiced-rum/

On 2017-05-03 15:52, hang10tiki wrote:

Hmmmm
Red label for me

New one smells sweet, but I like the red better.

Not that I usually sip 151 anyway, :)

Next I'll try it in cocktails

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2017-05-03 15:59 ]

I agree, I like the taste of the red label better.

The Atomic Grog has a massive update on the history of the Lemon Hart rum saga, with a full chronology of the ups and downs of the past decade ...

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/08/rums-of-the-mai-kai-legendary-lemon-hart-returns-to-the-promised-land/

The focus is on the state of the rums at The Mai-Kai today, but I cover everything from the greatness of the "old yellow label" to the influence of the "red label" bottling on today's "embarrassment of riches."

I also look at the influence of Ed Hamilton and his rums, along with the other new Lemon Hart releases.

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/05/08/rums-of-the-mai-kai-legendary-lemon-hart-returns-to-the-promised-land/

Okole maluna!

Mahalo to Lemon Hart for sponsoring my class at The Hukilau. Let's do it again next year!

Check out photos from the "How to Mix Like The Mai-Kai" class on Facebook and Flickr:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/atomicgrog/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1851915004874996

https://www.flickr.com/photos/28078283@N05/albums/72157669007690057

Events, music, art, cocktails, culture

The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2018-07-11 10:24 ]

Join the Fraternal Order of Moai and Lemon Hart & Sons for a flight of Lemon Hart cocktails at The Mai-Kai on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 5 p.m. There will also be several auction prizes. Proceeds will go to the Broward County Humane Society.

UPDATE: All three Lemon Hart rums will be featured in cocktails. Also: Win Rum Renaissance Festival tickets, plus Tom Fowner artwork!

https://www.facebook.com/events/2183661851891801/

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2018-09-23 22:16 ]

Catching up on a few recent events ...

1. Lemon Hart at Texas Tiki Week

2. Lemon Hart happy hour at The Mai-Kai, presented by the Fraternal Order of Moai, Gumbo Limbo Chapter

More photos from the FOM:
https://www.facebook.com/pg/fomgumbo/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2089578471073413

Mahalo to Lemon Hart for sponsoring my talk, "Demerara Rum: The Mai-Kai's secret weapon," on Saturday, Jan. 19, at 4 p.m. in The Molokai bar at The Mai-Kai.

Attendees will enjoy two sample cocktails, there will be a raffle to win a bottle of Lemon Hart rum, plus an assortment of swag. Happy hour is free, plus there's a special $60 dinner and show ticket available.

Event organized by Retro Rekindled and the Magical Tiki Meetup.

https://www.facebook.com/events/522902038208429/

Mahalo to everyone who turned out to our talk on Lemon Hart and Demerara Rum. Here are a few photos ...

Lemon Hart brought out the full product line ...

Reaching for a secret weapon ...

We enjoyed two sample cocktails, including the classic Demerara Float ...

The organizers reward the happy rum raffle winner ...

We'll update the blog soon with lots more. In the meantime, a few few social galleries have been posted ...
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2019/01/16/magical-tiki-meet-up-special-event:-'Demerara-rum---the-mai-kai's-secret-weapon'/

Okole maluna!

Check out our full event recap, including photos and highlights of our discussion:

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2019/01/30/photos-demerara-rum-flows-at-the-mai-kais-magical-retro-event-featuring-the-atomic-grog/