A Taste of the Rum Bible: Castaway

Try this puppy for a sweet and yummy summer drink. Imbibe responsibly!

2 oz. Dark Rum
1 oz. Banana Liqueur
1 oz. Cream of Coconut

1. Combine ingredients with ice in cocktail shaker and shake well.
2. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass.

Although some rum is bottled directly from the still, most rum is aged and then blended before it is bottled for consumption. Once the spirit is bottled, the aging process is arrested and little change occurs.

The Rum Barrel rolls out Delivery Loyalty Program

KEY WEST, Fla. (July 25, 2011) --  Free Philly Cheesesteak Rolls or $10 off food or drink buys at The Rum Barrel? Say it ain't so?

But it is indeed so. So good, that is.

The Rum Barrel Restaurant/Bar, in conjunction with local restaurant delivery service, Key West Food To Go, is rewarding Rum Barrel delivery customers with Loyalty Cards, where each delivery goes toward food and/or drink rewards.


Our infamous Philly Cheesesteak Rolls

Every Rum Barrel delivery customer will receive a card from their delivery driver, to be presented at each delivery. Key West Food To Go delivery drivers will custom punch the card and, after 10 deliveries, the customer can redeem the card for a free delivery order of Philly Cheesesteak Rolls or $10 off any food or drink purchase in-house.

"I know from personal experience that there are quite a few delivery customers who never come to the restaurant, so my hope is that people will see the value in visiting the restaurant," said General Manager JC Picco.

ABOUT THE RUM BARREL: Launched in 2006 by former Philadelphia 76ers President Pat Croce, the Rum Barrel evokes the aura of a 17th-century pirate hangout. This southernmost Philly sports bar is the local hotspot for all things Philly. Open daily for lunch and dinner, the Rum Barrel's scenic Quarterdeck overlooks Key West's Old Town with daily specials, nightly entertainment, and an outstanding dining experience crafted by Executive Chef Patrick Dunn. For more information about the Rum Barrel, visit www.rumbarrel.com

SxSe

SxSe tweeps hang out on The Rum Barrel Quarterdeck.
Photo courtesy of Soul of Miami

Last weekend, we hosted a fabulous group of tweeters (that would be Twitter folk) from all over the country, who had their 4th annual SxSe tweet up this year in Key West.

Check out this round-up of their trip/event on Soul of Miami. Looks like they had a blast! So glad we could be part of it!

The Soul of Miami blog post was also linked on South Florida Daily Blog.

The Rum Bible & other secrets

"Where we find rum, we find action, sometimes cruel, sometimes heroic, sometimes humorous, but always vigorous and interesting."- Charles William Taussig in Rum, Romance and Rebellion (1928)

Everyone remember JC Picco, our new GM? (If you don't, we'll take a moment for you to refresh.)

Since JC joined The Rum Barrel team, he's had some great ideas about making The Barrel even more awesome to visitors, diners, and imbibers. There's not much I can divulge right now, but one of our upcoming features has something to do with The Rum Bible.

(Remember The Rum Bible? If you don't, we'll take a moment for you to refresh.)

More details, you ask? When we say we have over 100 of the finest and most divine rums in the world, we mean it.

But it wasn't enough to have it on our shelves. We inked a testament of those rums dating back to The Rum Barrel's inception that includes Rum 101 and interesting facts about libation that helped kickstart the American Revolution.

Of course, all the rums you'll read about are all available for your sampling pleasure at The Barrel.

Anyway, that's all I can say for now. Stay tuned for more details on what JC has up his rolled-up sleeve. I know. Such a tease.

What's in that mysterious brown bottle with the white label, bartender?

If you've ever ordered a cocktail at any respectable drinking establishment *cough*Rum Barrel*cough*, chances are you might've seen our dexterous bartender putting a few dashes of this mysteriously aromatic flavor in your drink. But what is it?

Angostura Bitters

Angostura Aromatic Bitters was created in 1824 by Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, a German doctor who moved to the town of Angostura in Venezuela in the 1820s.

Believe it or not, Bitters was first created after years of trial and error, as a natural herbal cure to severe fevers and internal stomach disorders that plagued Spanish soldiers.

Angostura Bitters went international when ships came into Angostura's port on the banks of the Orinoco River and sailors sought it out to relieve sea-sickness. By the 1860s, it was a magic secret ingredient used to spice up the monotony of traditional alcohols.

Thanks to political instability in Venezuela, Siegert's son and younger brother moved their operations to the island of Trinidad just off Venezuela's coast (which, by the way, is where I'm from!). Eventually, they would go into rum production. Today, they have a 20-acre complex where Angostura Bitters and several internationally known rums are made (like my favorite, Angostura 1919! Yes, we serve it at The Rum Barrel...)

Photo courtesy Angostura Ltd.

When I was a kid, I remember driving by the Angostura factory on the way to school with my mom every morning. And every morning I'd wait with anticipation to inhale the overpowering scent of bitters and rum that rose for miles around.

Now distilled in Trinidad using the secret recipe from 1824 and the same natural blend of herbs and spices, Angostura® aromatic bitters is one of the few remaining true trade secrets.

Angostura® aromatic bitters subtly marries flavours, turning every drink into an unexpected experience. A lesser known fact is that it's also used for cooking: A bottle of Angostura® aromatic bitters in the kitchen is the hallmark of a good Caribbean cook!

New GM JC Picco brings “fresh look” to The Rum Barrel

JC Picco

Pat Croce's Rum Barrel Restaurant/Bar has added JC Picco as General Manager of Mile Zero's popular 17th century-styled pirate tavern.

Picco, owner of a successful local restaurant delivery service and a food and beverage industry stalwart, will head Rum Barrel operations and its top-notch staff.

"I just want to bring that positive vibe that Key West is famous for and offer a fresh look at a great brand," said Picco, who owned and operated his own bar in Texas.

The former shift leader and trainer at Key West's Hard Rock Café has also been director of food and beverage at full service event venue, Kelly Square, in Sherman, Tex., and assistant GM at Crabby Bills Seafood and Big Daddy Conch's in Key West. Picco currently runs Key West Food to Go, a rapidly growing local restaurant delivery service.

"I'm very much a hands-on kind of guy, more than your typical "office manager" type," Picco said. "I love mingling with customers and working alongside staff."

Picco has lived abroad and across the U.S. as the son of a military civil serviceman. But one thing that never changed was his love for music--he's a bonafide drummer--and the food and beverage scene.

"It's the only thing I've been able to find that comes close to playing live on stage," said Picco, who visited Key West 12 years ago, took a job as bartender at a local hotel, and never quite left.

"There's this rush in a busy restaurant, the clanging plates, customers murmuring," Picco said. "It's a part of me that just never left. It started in high school and here I am today."

Rum Barrel Managing Partner Jeff Sorg weighed in on the team's new addition.

"We're psyched to have JC join our management team," Sorg said. "He brings a wealth of restaurant industry knowledge, an entrepreneurial mindset and strong leadership abilities."

It doesn't hurt that Picco looks the pirate part, Sorg added with a laugh.

If you're a member of the media and need more information on JC or The Rum Barrel, please contact Kari Cobham at kari@thepiratemuseum.com.