After one sip, you’ll be building sand castles on the beach with Wilson.

Show of hands, how many of you want to be in the Bahamas right now? Ok, hands down, I can’t see you remember. I’ll take a salty guess and say about 99% of you had your hands raised skywards. That other 1% must either be somewhere in the islands already or have scurvy.

The Abacos Islands in the Bahamas are a boaters dream, gin clear water, hundreds of islands for exploring and some really great beach bars. One of those Bahamian beach bars goes by the name of Nippers. Sitting on a cliff-like sand dune on Great Guana Cay, Nippers is one of the most well known beachside watering holes in the Bahamas. Live music, a pool and a lot of fun loving beach bums; Nippers has earned its spot as a Bahamian hot spot. And as with other well known beach bars, it has a famous drink to go with it. Let me introduce you to the infamous Nipper Juice.

A combination of fruit juices, rum and sunshine; Nipper Juice will have you dancing on the decks and cannon balling into the pool in no time. Sunshine as an ingredient? You caught that huh. Yeah, I had to make it up. The actual Nipper Juice recipe is secret. I hate that! Sure I respect the original drink creation and understand the owners don’t want it copied, but as a blogger I’m all about sharing, and when I can’t share the best information with you Castaways it annoys me.

So after a little rum research, here is the closest recipe I could find that best replicates the Nipper Juice.

Nipper Juice Cocktail Recipe

• 2 parts rum
• 2 parts Pineapple Juice
• 2 parts orange juice
• 1 part cranberry juice
• Splash of Nassau Royal liquor (hint of vanilla)

Mixing Instructions: In mixing glass with ice, combine Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, Light Rum and Cranberry Juice. Mix. Add splash of dark rum. Raise glass and toast.

You can also get the Nipper Juice frozen. Obviously just toss all the ingredients into a blender and with ice.

If you’ve been to Nippers Beach bar on Great Guana I would love to hear your stories. At least the ones you CAN tell. I know that place can get pretty wild.

Cheers to another infamous boat drink.
RumShopRyan

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Wait for me! I tell my girlfriend Erin, who has already beat me to the bar and half consumed a VooDoo Juice.

We walk in the door of the Bolongo Bay Resort on St. Thomas and no sooner can we put our bags down, a cold rum punch is thrust into our hands. It disappears in less than 3 minutes. It was a long flight, what can I say. While the rum punch definitely hit the spot, my mind was on the drink that Bolongo Bay is known for, the VooDoo Juice.

We take our bags to the room and stare out the window to the neon blue Caribbean sea. Mesmerizing. But no rest for this pirate, I meet up with Colleen who is the Advertising/PR Manager, and also part of the owning family. We walk the grounds and she gives me the history of the resort as I snap photos and make mental notes. During the tour I lost track of my assistant/girlfriend, whom I’m guessing was either seduced by a beach side hammock or eaten by the large iguanas that roam the grounds.

The tour ends and I go in search of Erin and the other Castaways. I find them all, sitting comfortably on the beach with buckets in their hands. The joy found in these buckets is the infamous Bolongo Bay VooDoo Juice. A cocktail so sweat, so delicious, it will have you committing crimes just to get another taste.

Erin had wondered off and beat me to the bar and now teases me with her half empty bucket of fun. Isn’t the dude with the name RumShopRyan suppose to be the first to finish a bucket of VooDoo Juice! It wasn’t so in this case.

Want to make you’re own VooDoo Juice? Check out this video that Castaway BigKahuna and I shot at Iggies Beach Bar at Bolongo Bay. Good times and lots of rum!

VooDoo Juice Cocktail Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1oz. Cruzan Pineapple Rum
• 1oz. Cruzan Banana Rum
• 1oz. Cruzan Coconut Rum
• 1oz. Cruzan Citrus Rum
• 0.5oz. Cruzan Dark Rum
• 3oz. Cranberry Juice
• 3oz. Pineapple Juice

Mixing Instructions: Fill bucket (or really large glass) with ice and pour in the Pineapple, Banana, Coconut and Citrus Cruzan rums. Then add the Cranberry and Pinapple Juice and top with Cruzan Dark rum. Raise bucket and toast.

Great VooDoo Juice photo by my friend Old Mango.

If you’ve had the pleasure of sitting on the beach at Bolongo Bay or cooling off at Iggies Beach Bar with a VooDoo Juice sitting in front of you, then I’d love to hear what you thought of the drink.

Cheers to Boat Drinks!

RumShopRyan

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I’ve said this before, I’m not the biggest fan of Mojito drinks. Just not a big fan of mint. But it has been years since I’ve had one so for the sake of research one needs to be open minded.

This past Saturday I was at Conch Republic Seafood Company (or Conch Farm) in Key West. I opened up their cocktail menu and was greeted by 7 or 8 different Mojito recipes. I was standing on the edge of the plank, about ready to fall overboard and try one of these tropical libations. Then the bartender tells us that the Mojitos were on special for $10, normally $12. Corona please!

Damn tourist trap.

So in honor of almost trying a Mojito, I give you a recipe to make your own…The Coconut Mojito.

Coconut Mojito Recipe

• 3oz. Coconut Rum
• 1oz. lime juice
• 1 tablespoon Simple Sugar
• Shredded coconut
• 5 Mint Sprigs

Mixing Instructions: Muddle mint in lime juice and sugar in a mixing glass. Add ice and pour coconut rum over ice. Dip the rim of an iced martini glass in shredded coconut. Shake and strain cocktail into glass.

What do you think, are you going to mix this boat drink up? Are you a fan of Mojitos? Should I get over my fear and sample a few of these minty rum drinks?

Cheers,
RumShopRyan

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Do you like rum? Of course you do, why else would you be reading this story. Today’s Boat Drinks cocktail recipe has mucho rum in it, so I hope you truly do love this rowdy spirit. Let me introduce you to the Cuban Crime of Passion cocktail.

As most of you Parrotheads know, Cuban Crime of Passion is the name of a song off the A White Sport Coat And A Pink Crustacean album, written by Jimmy Buffett and Tom Corcoran. The lyrics tell the story of a piano player named Billy from Miami, he did a gig in Havana and met a pretty little thing, they fell in love and all was groovy. Then he came back one night only to find her in the arms of a shrimper named Dan. Well as you can imagine Billy was quite upset and took old shrimper Dan’s life. That is what they refer to as a Cuban crime of passion. What that has to do with rum I have no idea, but I’m thirsty so let’s get to mixin’.

I’m curious, how many other Buffett songs have drinks named after them? I’m not sure but I bet it’s more than a dozen. Here is the recipe for the rum soaked Cuban Crime of Passion drink.

Cuban Crime of Passion Cocktail Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 part Pineapple Juice
• 1 part Triple Sec
• 1 part Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Coconut Rum
• 1 part Bacardi White Rum
  
• 1 part Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum (Sub with Havana Club Añejo Especial)
  

Mixing Instructions: In a mixing glass filled with ice add the rums and Triple Sec. Then add the Pineapple Juice, shake and pour into a tall glass. Raise glass and toast.

As you can see the recipe asks for a Captain Morgan Spiced Rum. Boring. If you’re going to have a drink called the Cuban Crime of Passion you better add a taste of Cuba to it. Problem is getting your hands on some Havana Club Rum. Damn embargo. So if you happen to have a bottle that you got from Canada or somewhere in the Caribbean, definitely substitute it for the Captain Morgan.

Enjoy the Boat Drink everyone and keep an eye out for those shrimp boat captains, they have an eye on your lady.

Cheers!
RumShopRyan

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With Christmas only a couple days away, it wouldn’t be right to do anything but a holiday drink recipe. Last year we sipped on the Mistletoe Margarita and some Rum Nog. I’ve never been a huge fan of Egg Nog, even if you do add rum to it. Just something about it makes this pirate quiver in his boots. That’s why this year we’ll take a look at a Puerto Rican Christmas drink called the Coquito.

The Coquito has a nickname of Puerto Rican Egg Nog. Odd because there’s no nog nor egg in this holiday cocktail. Maybe it’s just the particular Coquito recipe that doesn’t have Egg Nog in it, who knows. Whatever the reason I’m glad.

Coquito Christmas Drink Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 15-ounce cans cream of coconut
• 2 14-ounce cans condensed milk
• 6 ounces white rum (use more if you like)
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon coconut (or vanilla) extract

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes

Preparation:

Mix all ingredients in a blender. Refrigerate for about an hour before serving. Serve cold. Raise glass and toast.

Serves:This recipe makes about 36 ounces.

If you have a Christmas drink recipes to share please leave it below in the comments. Would love to know what you celebrate with during the holidays! (Above photo from Seasonaleats.com)

Cheers and Merry Christmas!
RumShopRyan

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To me Cruzan 9 is a versatile great tasting rum. It can easily be enjoyed as a relaxing sipping rum and it can also be the life of the party when combined with fruity mixers. For me it’s my go to rum, I buy the large bottles and end up using it for most of my cocktail creations. It tastes great, price is excellent and saves me from using the harder to find rums.

Cruzan 9 is an aged rum using a unique blend of nine different spices – including vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, mace, allspice, pepper and juniper berry. That combination of spices creates a rich, bold rum with complex layers of flavor that is sure to put a smile on any Castaway’s face.

This week’s rum recipe comes from the good people of Cruzan. This cocktail is a departure from our normally fruity mixtures, this recipe is simple yet sweet. Makes for a good dessert drink in my opinion. Enjoy the Cruzan 9 Tanned.

CRUZAN 9 TANNED

INGREDIENTS:

• 1¼ parts Cruzan 9 Spiced Rum
• ¼ part Cruzan Rum Cream
• ¼ part Whipped Cream

INSTRUCTIONS: Layer in order in a tall shot or pony glass. Garnish with a cherry on top.

Enjoy the drink Castaways, let me know what you think of it.

Cheers!
RumShopRyan

NOTE
Don’t forget to sign up for the Castaway Winter Beach Bash! This break from the cold will take place January 20 – 23, 2012 at the beautiful Bolongo Bay Resort on St. Thomas in the USVI.

The fun will be hosted by yours truly and will include a rum tasting, a complimentary bottle of Cruzan Rum in your room, a sunset sail, a rum snorkel scavenger hunt, nightly entertainment and Castaway room discounts. Take a break from the Winter and come lime Castaway style in the US Virgin Islands! Click here for booking and details. Can’t wait to hangout with everyone on the warm sands of St. Thomas!

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The mad tiki doctor, Kahuna Kevin has been slaving away over the rum bottles to bring us a new round of perfectly created cocktails. His new book, “Kahuna Kevin’s Why Is The Rum Gone? Vol. 2“, is packed with 52 new Tiki-Licious rum cocktails. Each one tested, improved upon, tested again, then perfected. Seriously, the drinks in this recipe book are out of this world good and all newly invented. A metaphorical party in your mouth.

Today’s Boat Drink recipe comes straight from the pages of Why Is The Rum Gone? Vol. 2. The 151 Gun Swizzle is a rum drink that’s ingredient intensive, so a shopping trip may be in order to mix this bad boy up. I’ve talked to Kevin and he said that each ingredient is tested and purposefully added to the mix to give the drink that perfect taste. Can’t argue with the doctor I guess. Let’s see what it takes to bake up this meal in a glass.

The 151 Gun Swizzle Cocktail Reicpe

Ingredients:

• 2oz. Dark Cola (Fentiman’s Curiosity Cola – Chilled)
• 2oz. Guyanan Demerara Overproof Rum (Lemon Hart 151)
• 1oz. Lime Juice (Fresh)
• 1oz. Martinique Cane Syrup (Depaz)
• 1/2oz. Lemon Juice (Fresh)
• 1/2oz. Pineapple Juice (Fresh or Dole)
• 1/2oz. Pomegranate Liqueur (PAMA)
• 1/4tsp. Campari Aperitivo Liqueur
• 1 dash Free Brothers Bitters

Mixing Instructions: Shake all ingredients, except the chilled Cola, over ice for a minimum of 30 seconds to a maximum of 1 minute. Strain into a low fluted glass or Tiki mug filled with 1/2 cup freshly crushed ice. Top with 2oz. chilled Dark Cola and thoroughly stir with a bar spoon. Add additional crushed ice as necessary. Garnish with 2-3 mint sprigs, 1 round lime slice, 1 rock candy swizzle stick and 1 straw.

Kevin’s warning with the 151 Gun Swizzle – Careful with this one as it doesn’t taste like you’re sipping 151 proof rum!

The rum recipe book would make a great Christmas present to any Castaway on your gift list. Click here to check out Why Is The Rum Gone? Vol. 1 & 2. Be sure to like Kahuna Kevin’s Facebook page for fun cocktail creation insight.

Cheers to putting a few holes in that freezer,
RumShopRyan

NOTE
Don’t forget to sign up for the Castaway Winter Beach Bash! This break from the cold will take place January 20 – 23, 2012 at the beautiful Bolongo Bay Resort on St. Thomas in the USVI.

The fun will be hosted by yours truly and will include a rum tasting, a complimentary bottle of Cruzan Rum in your room, a sunset sail, a rum snorkel scavenger hunt, nightly entertainment and Castaway room discounts. Take a break from the Winter and come lime Castaway style in the US Virgin Islands! Click here for booking and details. Can’t wait to hangout with everyone on the warm sands of St. Thomas!

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Rum, pirates and sailing the high seas, they go together like baseball and groin scratching. Sailors of yesteryear were rationed rum, usually mixed with water or beer to make what was called grog. The Royal Navy started this tradition of serving grog to seamen back in the 1700′s, the practice was adopted by pirates who called it Bumbo. Wish I was a deck hand back in those days.

During my recent trip to Grenada, the good people of Island Windjammers had a bottle Clarke’s Court Old Grog Rum waiting in my cabin aboard the Diamant. Thanks guys! I used the rum to mix in rum punch and to slowly sip while watching the moon trace across the sky over the Caribbean. I left what was left aboard the Diamant but knew I had to pick up another bottle at the airport upon my exit.

Below is a video of your favorite Caribbean blogger trying to do a tasting of Old Grog and mixing up newly created cocktail on a dock with no real mixing tools. Yes, I made a mess. Not unexpected. The cocktail…the Excited Pirate. See what makes this buccaneer swing from the rigging.

Old Grog Rum & The Excited Pirate Cocktail Recipe

As I promised in the highly professional multimillion dollar video, information about Clarke’s Court Old Grog Rum. From the Ministry of Rum.

Dark brown rum distilled from fermented molasses. Blend of rum 4 to 10 years old in used whisky and bourbon barrels. A complex, premium sipping rum. The different rums in this blend come through to give this rum a flavor and after taste that include hints of smoky oak. According to the distillery, in the early days when the best Grenada rum was shipped to his Majesty George III of England, the casks were marked G.R.O.G. for Georgius Rex Old Grenada.

Here is the recipe for the Excited Pirate Boat Drink.

Ingredients:

• 2oz. Old Grog Rum (other dark rum may be used)
• 2oz. Red Bull
• 2oz. Coconut Water
• 4oz. Fruit Punch (Stave off scurvy)

Mixing Instructions: Add ingredients and ice into a mixer. Shake. Pour into tall glass with ice. Raise glass and toast.

Free free to use other fruit juices beside regular fruit punch. I like to use the V8 Splash juice combinations.

The Excited Pirate Cocktail

Let me know if you’ve tried Old Grog Rum and what you thought. Next time you’re fumbling through the kitchen trying to prepare a cocktail, mix up an Excited Pirate or two. You’ll enjoy it, I promise.

Cheers!
RumShopRyan

NOTE
Don’t forget to sign up for the Castaway Winter Beach Bash! This break from the cold will take place January 20 – 23, 2012 at the beautiful Bolongo Bay Resort on St. Thomas in the USVI.

The fun will be hosted by yours truly and will include a rum tasting, a complimentary bottle of Cruzan Rum in your room, a sunset sail, a rum snorkel scavenger hunt, nightly entertainment and Castaway room discounts. Take a break from the Winter and come lime Castaway style in the US Virgin Islands! Click here for booking and details. Can’t wait to hangout with everyone on the warm sands of St. Thomas!

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I know most of you Castaways live where the temps are chilly and the snow falls, so this rum recipe might be perfect on a cold night.

While I was doing a little research on Hot Buttered Rum recipes I found this crazy video. It’s a lady by the name of Hilah that is dressed either as a pirate wench or just has an outdated wardrobe. She knows about as much about rum as the pillow sitting next to me, but she’s kind of cute so I can tolerate this fault.

Hot Buttered Rum Cocktail Recipe

Hot Buttered Rum Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 whole cloves
• 2 whole allspice
• 1 inch stick cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 1/2 oz hot light rum
• 1/2 oz hot dark rum
• Boiling water
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Steep the spices in a mug with a couple tablespoons of water and the sugar for 5 minutes. Add the rum, more water, and the butter. Stir. Add more sugar if desired. Raise glass and toast.

She didn’t add a lot of these ingredients in the video, so feel free to experiment with your own recipe. Let me know if you have a better Hot Buttered Rum recipe.

NOTE
Don’t forget to sign up for the Castaway Winter Beach Bash! This break from the cold will take place January 20 – 23, 2012 at the beautiful Bolongo Bay Resorton St. Thomas in the USVI.

The fun will be hosted by yours truly and will include a rum tasting, a complimentary bottle of Cruzan Rum in your room, a sunset sail, a rum snorkel scavenger hunt, nightly entertainment and Castaway room discounts. Take a break from the Winter and come lime Castaway style in the US Virgin Islands! Click here for booking and details.

Cheers!
RumShopRyan

(Lead photo from LunaCafe.com)

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I think it was Pavlov who famously trained his dogs to begin salivating at the sound of a bell. They knew that the sound of that bell meant that food was coming and they began to salivate as a conditioned response. Last week aboard the Diamant was no different, the sound of a bell meant it was time for something to salivate over. And if it was 4pm then that something was “Swizzle Time”. My favorite part of the day.

So the bell would ring and the passenger would scurry to the aft deck and take a seat. Brandon, the Chief Steward aboard the Diamant, had appetizers and a pitcher of his special blend of fruit juices and rum ready for us. Each day the rum drink would be a little different but it still mainly consisted of rum, bitters, nutmeg, then some juice or juice combination. He wouldn’t spill all the juicy recipe details, but I was able to watch him prepare a few.

Diamant Rum Swizzle Recipe 1

Ingredients

• 1.5oz. Grenadian Clarks Court Dark Rum (You can use other dark rums)
• Dash Angostura Bitters
• 5oz. Mango Juice
• Dash Nutmeg

Mixing Instructions: Mix all ingredients into small glass. Stir. Raise glass and toast.

Simple, easy and the taste unreal. I can tell you right now that I don’t use Mango Juice nearly enough in my cocktail creations. These drinks that Brandon made up for us on a nightly bases were out of this world good. They set the mood for the evening and let everyone relax and take in the beautiful shoreline of the anchorage for that night.

Why is the rum almost gone Blaise? Cheers!

Let me know if you decide to give this rum recipe a try. I guarantee you’ll be using more Mango Juice in your cocktails as well.

Cheers!
RumShopRyan

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