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Painkiller
The broadside firepower of navy rum balances sweet pineapple and coconut in what is an all too delicious Tiki-style libation
28th July 2023 at 20:07
Reading your followup comments, Chris and Brian (sorry I can't seem to reply directly) - I'm using Pusser's Navy rum, so maybe that's why the tangier storebought juice tastes right to me. Tried once with a Demerara and storebought and it was good, but something was missing. I like the punch of the Navy rum for this one. Thanks for your tips.
17th February 2023 at 14:00
@Brian Flanagan tried it again with freshly processed pineapple juice from the store (so not raw) and you maybe right regarding the rum. It may be more akin to using a Demerara rum instead of a true Navy Style rum. It worked for my wet palate, nevertheless.
4th February 2023 at 19:32
@Chris Dimal
Okay so this is interesting. I haven't had Old Monk before, but I imagine its flavor profile is not nearly as intense as Navy Rum. That could explain why you enjoyed the fresh juice over story bought.
With Navy Rum, the added zing from store brought will help to pop through.
But with a less intense rum, the more delicate flavor profile of fresh juices could play nicely.
Cocktails are fun.
Okay so this is interesting. I haven't had Old Monk before, but I imagine its flavor profile is not nearly as intense as Navy Rum. That could explain why you enjoyed the fresh juice over story bought.
With Navy Rum, the added zing from store brought will help to pop through.
But with a less intense rum, the more delicate flavor profile of fresh juices could play nicely.
Cocktails are fun.
4th February 2023 at 16:42
Could be true, but I think raw but fresh pineapple juice can do the trick as well. Our pineapples were tart and they nicely balanced the drink. Good pungent rum notes with fruitiness from the orange and pineapple, ending with a coconut sweetness. Good drink. Used Old Monk, as we don't have Navy style rum here.
2nd September 2022 at 19:12
So I've made this with fresh juices, and I've made it with store-bought juices. IMO, the store bought was a superior drink. No idea if the story behind your theory is true, but you're definitely onto something.
Given the limitations of the Soggy Dollar's island location in the 1970s, I am certain this drink was developed with standard bar ingredients of the time, including canned pineapple and orange juice.
Fresh juice is too sweet and lacks thrust. You need the acidic bite of the canned juice in order to cut through the sweet coconut. The acid is the tip of the marlin spike, to use a naval metaphor.
Try it both ways, I think you'll agree.