Vera Rush

Vera Rush first attempt.

If there is one thing Tuna, Mike, and I agree upon is that having a bottle or two of good dark rum available on game day is of the utmost importance. The smooth, rich flavors of quality rum, soothes the savage beasts in us all and allows us to put up with one another. The hundreds of Dark & Stormy cocktails we have made and consumed over the past year is a testament to our collective love of the spirit.Yet, we also understand one can over do a good thing eventually. There comes a point when your favorite cocktail just becomes "plain old hat", and you find yourself wanting something different.

Recently Mike told me he had purchased a bottle of Gosling's Black Seal so he could mix up a recipe he had for Hot Buttered Rum. (I'll be making these once I can procure some nice Irish coffee glasses) Having quite a bit of rum left over he asked me what he should make up with the remainder? I spouted off a couple of the usual and familiar drinks but I could tell he wanted to try something new. So I made a mental note to dig around and try to find an easy to make but tasteful libation that he could enjoy at home with his lovely wife Heather.

Well after a few days of surfing the internet I found this remarkably simple, but flavorful cocktail, the Vera Rush. Having but two ingredients this little drink will definitely please any and all lovers of rum, from your highbrow sophisticates, and posers, to people like us, of lesser society. Blending the island flavors of Pineapple (tangy and sweet) and rum (a subtle bitterness) the Vera Rush does a balancing act on the tongue which is both pleasing and relaxing.

There are two methods for making these, neither of which takes longer than two minutes to put together.



I over stirred this one which made it go pink?

Ingredients:
2 oz. Dark Rum (your favorite brand)
.5 oz. Pineapple Juice (fresh if you have a juicer)

Method #1:
Start by placing an Old Fashioned glass in your refrigerator , or if you have room, the freezer to chill it up.

Next fill your shaker/mixing glass with ice, pour in your rum followed by the pineapple juice. Stir it up with your bar spoon.

Finish by pouring your mixture, through a strainer, into your chilled glass from earlier. Add an Ice cube or two and serve.

Stock photo of what it should really look like.

Method #2:
Fill a rocks glass with ice, pour in your rum and float the pineapple juice on top. Give a quick stir and you are ready to drink.

Notes: I generally reserve stirring for Highballs and drinks that have more than one alcohol in them and shaking for any that have fruit juices etc. You can shake this drink to mix with no bad effect it just seems to be a bit more work than its worth for something so basic. If you use cracked ice the dilution while mixing is increased which I recommend for the first go around. Also the bare juice and rum may seem overpowering to those who do not appreciate the natural flavors inherent in them so, if you like, add a drop of agave, or simple syrup to ease the edge off.

I expect that Tuna will give this recipe a good once over and a thumbs up, and maybe even Mike will enjoy the simple easy flavors mixed together. (Especially if he juices up some fresh pineapple). For me?  I'll have to give it a miss, the aroma of pineapple juice gives me a case of the shivers.

However, just because my neurotic sense of smell prohibits me from enjoying this interesting little drink doesn't mean you should not give it a try. I am but one man suffering from psychosis, whereas the rest of the world for over one hundred years has given this cocktail its proper's.

Cheers
AL