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Trader Vic's Navy Grog |
PiPhiRho
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 1004
From: Redondo Beach
|  Posted: 2007-05-06 8:03 pm Permalink
Eureka! I believe that I have very closely reproduced Trader Vic's Navy Grog without using the Trader Vic's Navy Grog Mix, which much like the commercially available Mai Tai mix is nothing like the restaurant Mai Tai. I had to make my own syrup to do it, but this works very well and tastes a whole lot like a Navy Grog at Trader Vic's.
So this recipe goes on my own personal bar menu along with the Cannibal, Suffering Bastard and the Purple Jade.
A hint: The Ancient Mariner in the Grog Log is pretty close but this recipe uses Navy rums instead and the syrup (but a larger amount) in place of the Pimento Liqueur.
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arriano
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 13, 2006
Posts: 1214
From: Dog Patch - San Diego
| Posted: 2007-05-07 09:38 am Permalink
So what's the deal? Cough 'em up!
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GentleHangman
Grand Member (6 years) 
Joined: Jun 23, 2006
Posts: 418
From: Stuart, Florida
| Posted: 2007-05-07 1:24 pm Permalink
Yeah . . . c'mon . . . spill the beans - I mean Grog!
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PiPhiRho
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 1004
From: Redondo Beach
| Posted: 2007-05-07 5:14 pm Permalink
I had to make a syrup. I made the syrup myself, not really expecting much of a result but it actually came out better then I expected on the first try. I think I got the syrup a little weak, so the next time I try I will use more sugar and boil the spices a little longer.
The syrup is the secret. It is what makes this work. I won't go into the history of this, but suffice it to say I have been trying to reproduce the TV Navy Grog for some time. It was getting my hands on some pimento liqueuer and making an Ancient Mariner that gave me the idea.
Making the syrup.
the syrup is not perfected yet, but the first try came out pretty good so here is what I did:
I went to the Mexican section of the supermarket where there are pre-packaged spices. I got one package of cinnamon sticks and two of dried allspice berries. If your local supermarket doesn't have a Mexican section, improvise. There are like 5 or 6 cinnamon sticks in a package, and I don't know hoe many allspice berries in a package but I used two of them. Be sure you get the ALLSPICE Pimento and not the black peppercorn pimento 'cause they call them both pimentos.
Using my ice crusher hammer, I busted up the cinnamon up so the the sticks cracked and split but did not pulverize. I did the same to crack but not pulverize the allspice. I put the spices in a pot with a single vanilla bean, sliced lengthwise with a knife but not cut in half. I filled the pot with water and put it on the stove to boil. When it started boiling, I reduced the heat to low and let it simmer like that for about 1/2 hour, stirring occasionally. I figured it was done when the water durned to a tea color and tasted spicy.
I turned off the heat and filtered the "tea" to get just the liquid and discarded the solids. Then I put the liquid into a clean pot and brought it back to a boil. When it strted boiling I again reduced the heat to the lowest setting and let it settle down so that it was not visibly bubbling. Then I added the sugar. I had about 6 cups of liquid and I ended up adding about 4 cups of sugar a half cup at a time and stirring until the sugar completely dissolved. I think I should have used an equal amount of sugar, that is, 6 cups rather than 4 but it seemed sweet enough to me. What didn't work after was the viscosity. It was still a little too fluid once it had cooled.
When all the sugar had dissolved and the liquid had cooled a bit, I bottled the syrup and let it cool overnight. The next day I tried mixing drinks. Here is the recipe that seemed to work best.
- 1 1/4 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime (took 2 limes - see the thread on limes)
- 1/2 oz Grapefruit juice
- 1 1/4 oz syrup
- 2 oz Pusser's Navy Rum (blue label)
- 1 oz Cruzan Black Strap Rum
Put all the ingredients except the black strap into a shaker with crushed ice. Shake and pour into a double old fashioned glass. Top with the black strap rum. Add lime shell and mint sprig. I don't have the rock candy stick. The syrup is sweet enough that it probably is not needed.
This is a work in progress, but so far this recipe works pretty well and tastes pretty darn close to a Trader Vic's Navy Grog. I am going to call it Pirate Grog, and the recipe may change as I play with the combinations some more and maybe make my second batch of syrup.
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Quince_at_Dannys
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 29, 2004
Posts: 151
From: Command Records International HQ
| Posted: 2007-05-10 10:45 am Permalink
Awesome, thanks for posting the recipe! I might try making some--there's lots of recipes in the old Trader Vic's books that call for Navy Grog Mix that might be out of this world with your homemade stuff. Regarding the viscosity, how about using some honey? Maybe that would do the trick (plus it's a nod to the original Navy Grog recipe.)
By the way, there is a recipe for Pimento Liqueur on the website Cocktail Chronicles. Go to http://www.cocktailchronicles.com/index.php?s=pimento+liqueur and scroll way down to the bottom of the page. I'm making some right now--tonight I will be able to add the sugar syrup and in another month or so I'll be able to try it. I have some of he bottled stuff on hand so I will be able to do a side by side comparison. Patience...
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4940
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2007-05-10 12:33 pm Permalink
At the Atlanta Trader Vic's they will sell you the concentrate the use. The stuff marked not for resale. If you can get that, it's the bomb. 2 ounces of dark run, a splash of sugar syrup and a splash of grapefruit juice.
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pablus
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 23, 2003
Posts: 2154
From: www.crazedmugs.com
| Posted: 2007-05-11 6:27 pm Permalink
They won't sell just anyone the mix at Vics.
You gotta be a 23 skidoo hep cat like Swanky.
Or tip good like me.
THEN the elixir is proffered.
(I got some last night as a matter of fact.)
Huzzah for Joel!!
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Kon-Hemsby
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 17, 2003
Posts: 1257
From: Andover, England
| Posted: 2007-05-22 05:53 am Permalink
When's the second batch due?
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PiPhiRho
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 1004
From: Redondo Beach
| Posted: 2007-05-22 6:50 pm Permalink
After the first batch is gone, which is probably going to be a while.
Next Batch: Less Cinnamon, more sugar.
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dshoemaker
Member
Joined: Feb 02, 2008
Posts: 1 | Posted: 2008-02-02 9:33 pm Permalink
OK, I've tried a few of the Navy Grog recipes here, and I'm even making some homemade Pimento Dram. BUT, in the meantime, I have a possible substitute ingredient that seems to have a lot of the allspice/cinnamon/herbal character we're looking for. It's called Herrljunga Glogg, and it's available (at least some of the time) through IKEA, of all places. (It might just be in the stores, not online.) Just a splash of this stuff in the shaker brings a certain spiciness to the Navy Grog that is otherwise missing. Try it and see what you think!
David
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Little fragrant Tiare
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 12, 2007
Posts: 192 | Posted: 2008-02-03 11:58 am Permalink
I`m not surprised you find Herrljunga Glogg in Ikea as both the Glogg and the Ikea is Swedish. The Glogg is something that is drunk here over Christmas and yes it contains a lot of spices.(cardamom. ginger and allspice)It comes in many different flavors and each year there is a new flavor out only for that year. I never thought about that it could be used in tiki drinks....I can find this Glogg just a few steps away from home..
But only during Christmas so next Christmas i`ll have to start experimenting.. 
Which one of the Herrljunga Glogg did you get? if its the original Glogg the recipe is the same since 1930.
[ This Message was edited by: Little fragrant Tiare 2008-02-03 12:03 ]
[ This Message was edited by: Little fragrant Tiare 2008-02-03 12:27 ]
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DJ HawaiianShirt
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 04, 2006
Posts: 148
From: NoVA, DC
| Posted: 2008-02-04 07:04 am Permalink
What is the overall opinion of the Grog Log recipe for Navy Grog? Or how about TV's normal Navy Grog syrup?
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PiPhiRho
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 1004
From: Redondo Beach
| Posted: 2008-02-04 11:04 am Permalink
The Navy Grog recipe in the Grog Log is for Don the Beachcomber's Navy Grog. The one we are discussing here is Trader Vic's. The recipes were somewhat different. Don used ground spices in his, which I think included nutmeg (although the Grog Log recipe does not list that but I remember them being in the drink). Vic used the Pimento liqueur, or a variation on it when it became unavailable. Vic also did not use the honey as a sweetener.
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Kahuna Kent
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 19, 2007
Posts: 79
From: Woodland Hills, Ca
| Posted: 2008-02-04 11:06 pm Permalink
Got a copy of TV's "Pacific Island Cookbook" for Christmas. There's a recipe for "Trader Vic's Grog" But it has no Pimento Liqueur, just Lemon juice, Pineapple juice, Passionfruit Nectar, rum & bitters. Haven't made this one, yet - but I'm assuming this is NOT the "Trader Vic's Navy Grog" that's being didcussed here? I enjoy the Grog Log Don Beach recipe, but I like to add 1/2 oz homemade pimento liqueur and a dash of bitters. Yummy!
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PiPhiRho
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 1004
From: Redondo Beach
| Posted: 2008-02-05 10:37 am Permalink
"Trader Vic's Grog" and Trader Vic's Navy Grog are different drinks. Both are on the current Trader Vic's cocktail menus. I have had the Trader Vic's Grog before and to the best of my recollection I enjoyed it. But the TV Navy Grog is one of my favorites and I prefer it to the Don the Beachcomber version.
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