That’s what I asked myself this Summer. Rated R Cocktails used to be a glee filled expression of my love of Tiki and hell just making drinks. At some point I lost that fun aspect. Blogging just became a job I wasn’t getting a check for, but had a mountain of expenses because of. You have to be a little insane to run a niche blog. You’d have a better chance of getting paid by selling wigs made out of hobo body hair. My friend and associate Dan reminded me however that fun was perhaps even more important than rum to Tiki. That fun was the ingredient I was forgetting to throw in, and that has to stop.

You may remember our Hipsters in Hanalei drink from various spots. I’ll always be grateful to Michael Dietsch for his lovely article that included it and the Planter’s series I had so much fun doing. This drink shares a lot with the HiH, in theme and ingredient it’s not made to be art it’s made to be fun. It’s also the closest I’ll ever come to making a low alcohol cocktail. On paper it should taste awful, and really I made it expecting it to. Shockingly it was actually pretty good. Giffard’s amazing liqueur played a big part in that, so don’t cheap out on us there. Try subbing Bols and your cocktails is better off being called Le Poopsauce. I love Lemon Hart, but in this instance it would have really overpowered the other ingredients. If you must avoid an amber 151 then just use Mount Gay. As for the drink: The name is silly, the drink is silly, but we hope you have fun with it to.

Saru-Pantsu (Monkey-Pants)
1 oz Cruzan 151
¾ oz fresh lime juice
½ oz coffee/espresso syrup
½ oz Giffard’s Banane Du Bresil (no substitutes!)
2 ½ to 3 oz of Pabst Blue Ribbon beer
a small pinch of flake sea salt.

Shake ingredients except for Pabst well then add Pabst to the shaker. Hawthorne strain into a flute and garnish with a lime wheel.

 
Awesome aromas of coffee, lime, bananas, you don’t smell the salt but the freshness of the drink reminds you of the sea. The flavors of coffee and banana combine for a toasty explosion of flavor that makes this a great alcoholic’s breakfast. Lime and amber 151 get friendly in the middle and on the finish. The little bit of salt acts as a flavor enhancer making the other ingredients taste more like themselves. It only adds a whisper of a grin behind the lime at the very end to aid in a refreshing bright quality. Regardless if your worrying about this cocktail being salty, don’t. It’s silly not salty.

So strap on your monkey pants and get to drinking. Whether it’s Tiki or whatever your passion is don’t forget the fun. I really believe it’s an ingredient people can pick out. Until next time…

 
“You get Hammered America” – JFL