It’s summertime (except in San Francisco) and the Great Lime Shortage of 2014 has seemingly come to an end with lime prices dropping back to normal. That means it’s time for gin and tonics and other citrus-spiked drinks.
I’ve long believed that most rums were too sweet for my taste, but it turns out that I just hadn’t spent enough time exploring the spirit. If you haven’t already been introduced, agricole r(h)um is nothing like the brown syrupy liquid that you’ll find behind your average dive bar. It is made from pressed sugar cane juice instead of the molasses, giving the spirit grassy notes with hints of sweetness throughout. Younger expressions can be extremely funky while barrel aging can present something closer to bourbon. My current favorite comes from the “Terroir Kings” at St. George Spirits.
Glass
Recipe
2 oz r(h)um (St. George Spirits California Agricole Rum)
.5 oz simple syrup (recipe below)
.5 oz lime juice
Combine all ingredients into your favorite cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain and pour the drink into the glass and serve. Having trouble with your shaker? Check out this tutorial.
Simple syrup:
1 part sugar
1 part water
Combine water and sugar in a small pot and bring to a simmer. Turn down and stir until sugar has dissolved. Alternatively you can just add hot water to sugar and stir until dissolved. Simple syrup will keep in the fridge for a long time, but it’s so easy that you shouldn’t ever need to make a huge batch.
Photography and styling by Hannah Levy and Kasey Fleisher Hickey.
