Aqua Lunas: Tis the Season

Oh what a wonderful time of year it is. Yes, without a doubt, December is a magical month. Oh sure, there's the ho ho ho and mistletoe and goodwill towards all, but what I'm talking about is the beginning of citrus season here in good ole Florida. And with citrus season comes fresh grapefruit which is the gateway to an absolute deluge of delightful cocktails.

A few years ago, I mused about one such cocktail, still a personal favorite, the Hemingway Daiquiri. To open this year's grapefruit season, we are heading into the realm of tiki and mixing up an absolute classic - Donn Beach's Navy Grog. First featured in 1941 at Donn's legendary Hollywood tiki bar Don the Beachcomber, Navy Grog has since become a staple in tiki culture. Thanks to the sensational investigative and archival work of Jeff 'Beachbum' Berry, we have a pretty good idea of Donn's original recipe and can enjoy at home.

The drink's signature garnish, a cone of crushed ice with the drinking straw running through the middle, is omitted here as I do not have an easy way to produce such a garnish. Regardless, it's the rum that soothes the holiday commotion, so I would not sweat the crushed ice cone too much. As for the rums, the silver rum should be a good quality neutral rum. The Beachbum calls for a Cuban or Puerto Rican rum, but here I am using a sugarcane-based rum from Haiti. The drink's funk will come from both the Demerara and the Jamaican rums. Note in the photo below I am using an overproof Demerara rum, but I do proof the rum down to ~50% ABV before using in the cocktail. The honey syrup is easily made - equal parts water and honey heated and stirred in a saucepan until the honey is fully dissolved in the water.