𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖕𝖊𝖗𝖋𝖊𝖈𝖙 𝖜𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝖉𝖗𝖎𝖓𝖐 (Patreon)

as we enter the coldest part of the season, I would like to brighten up your winter with a drink recipe I have come to love and, over time, perfected. I hope that my adaptation of a classic pirate's grog will help you survive the hardest stretch of the cold season (or get excited for fall). you will need...

❅ 1 shot Cruzan aged light rum

❅ the juice of 1 small lime + 1/2 small lemon

❅ 2.5 tbsp light brown sugar

❅ 7-10 whole cloves 

❅ (optional) 2-3 drops bitters

❅ (boiling) hot water

❅ 𝕽𝕰𝕮𝕴𝕻𝕰 ❅

in a heat proof cup, squeeze the juice of one small lime and half of a small lemon. add two and a half tablespoons of sugar, a pinch of whole cloves (seven to ten), a shot of Cruzan aged light rum or your choice of a light rum, and, if you have it, two to three drops of aromatic bitters. finally, fill the cup with boiling hot water and stir with a spoon to dissolve the sugar. now your warm and aromatic hot grog is ready to enjoy! 

❅ 𝕹𝕺𝕿𝕰𝕾 ❅

the cloves will release their aroma incrementally over time. though it is best to enjoy this drink while it's hot - that's why I recommend you err on the side of flavor and add more rather than fewer cloves. 

if you do not like floating spices in your drink, you may prepare a clove infused syrup for future cocktail mixing. to do that, simply boil a generous pinch of cloves (15-25 per desired potency) in one cup each granulated sugar and water for ten minutes to create a clove infused simple syrup. strain out the cloves if you do not wish for the aroma to develop any further and fill into a sterile glass bottle. in the final recipe, use one shot of clove syrup to replace the cloves and omit one of the two and a half tablespoons of brown sugar. 

the aromatic bitters add another layer of flavor to the cocktail, but are not necessary and I doubt you will notice their absence if you do not happen to have a bottle of bitters in your cupboard. 

I do not recommend you swap out the cloves for another spice, but if you must, use an equal number of lightly crushed allspice berries. use this substitute only if you absolutely detest the flavor of cloves. 

you may substitute the light brown sugar for one and a half tablespoons of granulated sugar and one tablespoon of dark brown sugar, or two tablespoons of granulated sugar and half a tablespoon of molasses. without the molasses aroma the drink will not taste as deep and complex, but if you have none of these ingredients on hand, simply granulated sugar will undoubtedly work. 

I do not recommend you use dark rum for this recipe - if you don't have aged light rum, simple light rum will suffice. 

and lastly, use measuring spoons to scoop out the exact amount of sugar. too little or too much sweetness can easily spoil the drink. 

I hope I didn't overwhelm you with these notes and instructions - I tried to be as specific as I could regarding any questions I thought you might have. 

let me know if you give this recipe a try - I am optimistic you will enjoy this drink as much as we have this winter. cheers ❅