Coco Lopez - how do you deal with it?

A couple of questions for you all ....

How do you deal with it when opening a can? Right now, I pop it open and try to stir it as best I can. Any other tips for emulsifying the whole thing?

Measuring is a pain as well. Maybe I should be measuring in tablespoons instead of ounces, so I don't have to dirty up my jigger? Right now I spoon into my jigger to measure, then scoop into the blender.

What about keeping partial cans at the end of the night? Right now I'm throwing some cling wrap on it and putting it in the fridge. Anyone dose it out and freeze it or something else?

I think this is already covered in another Coco Lopez thread. But here's what I do - it's not a big deal at all to me.

When opening a new can, either warm it first in a water bath, or just scoop out as much as you can with a spoon. I do the latter and never have any problems. A warm water bath is a hassle.

For storage, I keep it in my fridge in a re-closable glass jar (from spaghetti sauce) and then gently warm it in the microwave when I need it. Then I stir it well, and when the evening is done, refrigerate the leftover for the next shindig.

I like Coco Lopez because it isn't as processed as the squeeze-tube Coco Real, and some of the other alternatives.

Avoid the Coco Lopez Light - the calorie savings come at the expense of flavor and texture - it's not worth buying.

Here's one thread with different strategies.
I just dump the whole can's worth in the blender. Any leftovers seemed to stay better mixed that way, too.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=41447&forum=10&hilite=coco%20lopez

Thanks guys! Seems like a good plan. Wonder how long a can would last, stored like that in a glass jar. I would think that as long as it doesn't get dried out, moldy, or funky smelling it should still be good to go.

I'm thinking I might be able to use my top-down drink mixer to mix the contents in the can, then decant it into a mason jar from there.

On 2016-03-27 20:49, Jeff Bannow wrote: as long as it doesn't get dried out, moldy, or funky smelling it should still be good to go.

That is the criteria I use

On 2016-03-27 20:49, Jeff Bannow wrote:
I'm thinking I might be able to use my top-down drink mixer to mix the contents in the can, then decant it into a mason jar from there.

The challenge with that technique is that the natural coconut oil in Coco Lopez becomes separated (layered) in the can over time. Using a top-down mixer is an option, however due to the resiliency of the coconut oil, you still need to raise the temperature of the material before mixing and blending.

Open the can and try to mix it with a spoon initially, and you'll quickly see what I mean. Then look at ways to raise the temperature of the material and once it's softer you may be able to mix it any way you like.

For longevity of an opened can of Lopez, using a glass jar with a lid and storing it in the refrigerator is fine -- I have never had issues with freshness or anything. We make Painkillers fairly regularly, so my Lopez gets used fairly regularly. Refrigerating the remainder does prevent most of the layering/separation. I think that more speedy refrigeration would prevent separation almost entirely.

Alternative option: Some friends of mine have switched entirely to Coco Real because they dislike how the Lopez oils separate when kept at room temperature. I will re-check the labels of both in the near future to see if my preference for Lopez is still justified. I recall that Coco Real is more processed, especially to prevent separation of the oils and keep it squeezable right out of the white plastic bottles. The "Real" sure is more convenient though, and I don't look down on anyone who chooses to use it.

i've switched to this

Thanks guys. Anyone do a side by side comparison between Lopez and Real?

No comparison between Coco Lopez & Real here I'm afraid - the Real is twice as expensive round me so would have to make a superior drink to make me adopt it.

I open can at room temp or run it under a hot tap of its cooler than room temp.

I measure it in to the jigger.

I add it to the blender with the citrus & rum, then blend without ice, then I add the ice & continue to blend.

If I have a part can I FREEZE it. Shock horror I know!

It scoops out easy & doesn't entirely freeze - if you freeze it flat & then put it on its side later (still in the freezer) it slides. In using the frozen stuff I repeat the 'add it to the blender with the citrus & rum, then blend without ice' for a little longer.

I have no doubt the luke warm / room temp works slightly better but I make drinks with it once a blue moon so just have a little patience.

Cheers! :)

You know those freezer pops things.
well buy those eat them then use the plastic tube thing to hold the Coco Lopez
then freeze.
You can put just the right amount in per serving so it would be like using a Ketchup packet.

Now it's a pain and mess when you make these packets, but it would be a one time deal
and you can make a bunch.

https://www.google.com/search?q=freezer+pops&espv=2&biw=1280&bih=633&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiXneuN4ePLAhWkr4MKHbHNDu8QsAQIOg#imgrc=QcFZOhLlNUM-XM%3A

On 2016-03-28 08:18, AdOrAdam wrote:
If I have a part can I FREEZE it. Shock horror I know!

Thanks for that - I will definitely give it a try.

On 2016-03-28 09:10, tikiskip wrote:
You can put just the right amount in per serving so it would be like using a Ketchup packet.

Very interesting idea - something like this idea I have seen for camping / hiking:
http://equip2survive.com/ss/survival_drinking_straws.html

Coco Lopez has a much better flavor than Real. Although, when it is mixed into a Painkiller, the flavor differences are less noticeable.

I often just use Real just because of the ease of use. When you are making a dozen PKs, opening and dealing with 4+ cans of Lopez gets pretty old.

As far as the price difference, I noticed that Target started to stock the Coco Real. At first they only had 1 or 2. I would go and buy them all out every time I was in there. After a while they would have 2-3 and I kept buying them all. Now when I stop in, they are fully stocked. You just have to make them think that there is a big demand for it in your area and they will start to stock it regularly.

Target - Coco Real - $2.47
Bevmo - Coco Real - $4.47

Sometimes I can find Lopez cheap (like $1 a can), but it is also kinda hard to find anywhere around me. Usually Lopez costs over $2 per can so the cost difference is minimal in my area.

I guess it depends how much you want to deal with messing with the Lopez. It is the superior product as far as flavor, just inferior as far as convenience.

I talked a little about this in episode 51 of 5 Minutes of Rum. Coco Real does have a lot of convenience on its side, but I generally prefer the flavor of Coco Lopez. When I travel and want a Painkiller, Coco Real works fine. At home, I open the Coco Lopez can, dump it into the mixing cup for my spindle blender, and then hit it with an immersion blender instead of that spindle blender. It makes really short work of blending the mixture back into a usable format.

I then pour it into an empty rum bottle for storage in the fridge and frankly, it makes it easier to dose out. It tends to stay mixed and not separate in the refrigerated bottle and you just need to either bring it out to room temperature a bit before you need it, or run the bottle under hot water for a few seconds to loosen it in the bottle.

So there's another option to consider.

Thanks,

kevin

Thanks all, and a great episode. Just finished listening to it.

Lots to test now at home. Wonder how well an old Coco Real squeeze bottle would work for dispensing Coco Lopez ....

Warming the Lopez is the key for me. It mixes well and pours well when it is warmed. That is also the easiest way to get it into a bottle for storage in your fridge, although I use a jar.

"5 Minutes of Rum" is a very informative and useful podcast.