Compound It!

ICYMI: Tiki Month has begun on Doug's Pegu Blog. This year the focus is on current Tiki, or the currents within Tiki, or somesuch. Anyway...

There has been and continues to be a lacking in my tiki-ing. While most of the time I make do with a deft substitution or two (as not all rums are available in all jurisdictions) sometimes i have to go without. Once you've tasted enough rum you can make educated substitutions when a recipe calls for a rum you have not got. There is one substitution though that is forbidden. NOTHING can replace Lemon Hart 151.. they say. If you haven't got it or Hamilton Demerara 151 then forget it! JFL advises  such and also against El Dorado overproof meanwhile Kevin Upthegrove suggests some alternatives rather than outright substitutions. Might get you in the ballpark, or the parking lot, but, really, if you haven't got it you're skunked. If the recipe can't accomodate "the ole switheroo" then why bother, right? Well... there was that Golden Grain trick DJ Hawaiin Shirt mentioned...

One could rely on southern friends and chance shipping liquor across a border. One could also travel and hope that dusties can be found in Michigan or upstate NY. If Lamb's 151 would suffice a trip to Quebec might do.. There are "imperfect" substitutions available of course. Most of the year Bacardi and JWray are the overproof options in Ontario. There is Stroh 80 from time to time but it's best left for feats of fortitude and use in the kitchen. But wait, what's this? From St Vincent comes Sunset 169 (84.5% alc/vol). Gadzooks! It's certainly not hooch, after all.

So armed with a bottle of Sunset, the Pearson square (learned from Matthew Rowley's latest book) and Lemon Hart 80 (or perhaps another 40% abv demerara rum?) one can make erzatz Demarera 151... maybe.

It's resting. I'll let you know.

Cheers!
Be Well!

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