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Trader Vic's Grog Concentrate-Aye or Nay? |
The Blue Kahuna
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 01, 2011
Posts: 354
From: Points East & West
|  Posted: 2013-02-15 5:39 pm Permalink
I went ahead and pulled the trigger too, now my mouth is watering! Me no can wait! Unfortunately the drive to Emeryville is much shorter than the drive back  or I'd be at TV's now!
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TropicDrinkBoy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 27, 2011
Posts: 163 | Posted: 2013-02-15 7:01 pm Permalink
Here is what martiki (a.k.a. Martin Cate of Smuggler's Cove fame) had to say about the Grog Concentrate and the restaurant recipe for the Navy Grog in this post from 2005. He was a bartender at Trader Vic's at that time:
"The restaurant recipe is juice from 1/2 lime, 3/4 oz grapefruit, dash simple syrup, 1/4-1/3 oz rum grog concentrate, and then the rum. This is where some of the locations differ. Emeryville uses 1 oz silver, 1 oz gold, 1 oz dark- all Trader Vic's brand. SF uses 1 oz gold, 1 oz dark and 1/2-3/4 oz Lemon Hart 151. The rum grog concentrate is MUCH different than the retail version. TV is not supposed to sell it, so I suggest you head to Atlanta- that's quite a coup."
http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=15182&forum=10&start=0
The shipping is not cheap but surely it is cheaper than a trip to Atlanta!
Unfortunately he didn't reveal the restaurant recipe for the Tiki Puka Puka which must differ slightly from the one published in Trader Vic's 1972 Bartender's Guide. That one calls for 3 oz. of the retail Navy Grog mix but when using the Grog Concentrate only around 1/3 oz. is required. I've never seen them make up the 2 2/3 oz. difference with charged water. Who knows, maybe someday the restaurant recipe will show up on Tiki Central now that the Grog Concentrate will be stocked in so many home bars.
[ This Message was edited by: TropicDrinkBoy 2013-02-15 19:05 ]
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sneakyjack
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 25, 2004
Posts: 996
From: NYC Area
| Posted: 2013-02-15 7:09 pm Permalink
good deal
u can buy it in sarasota tv sports place ..
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The Blue Kahuna
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 01, 2011
Posts: 354
From: Points East & West
| Posted: 2013-02-16 02:15 am Permalink
Thanks for the info TDB!
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Trad'r Bill
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 14, 2008
Posts: 451
From: Hercules, CA
| Posted: 2013-02-18 09:54 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2013-02-15 13:41, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Trad'r Bill, what are the ingredients listed & is it full of
High Fructose Corn Syrup like other TV mixers?
Thanks...
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ATP -
Listed ingredients: HFCS, water, natural flavors
TDB-
FYI, each Trader Vic's seems to make their drinks slightly differently... I've seen many variations on the contemporary Mai Tai made in different Vic's, and I know TV Emeryville makes Navy Grogs different than Martin did back in SF. We'll see which recipe TV sends to us: "EACH ORDER WILL COME WITH A RECIPE FOR A TIKI PUKU PUKU AND NAVI GROG" (nice spelling btw)
Emeryville Navy Grog:
1/4 lime (squeezed)
3/4 oz Grapefruit juice
1/2 oz Lemon juice
1/4 oz rock candy syrup
1/4 oz rum grog concentrate
1 oz each Light, Gold and Dark TV Rum
-Trad'r Bill
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Atomic Tiki Punk
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 19, 2009
Posts: 4207
From: Costa Misery
| Posted: 2013-02-18 10:15 am Permalink
Thanks Bill!
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4814
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2013-02-18 10:54 am Permalink
They would sell this stuff to me at TV ATL when I asked. Makes an easy Navy Grog. They gave me their recipe and I think from memory it was
3/4 concentrate
2 oz dark rum
splash of grapefruit and syrup
And maybe lime...
They also use a sugar stirrer so it gets sweeter as it goes.
_________________
Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!
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cyndigo
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Mar 18, 2011
Posts: 23
From: Bangkok & Boulder
| Posted: 2013-02-18 11:21 am Permalink
Just ordered. And I've never even HAD a Navy Grog, so I hope it's good.
I have a feeling this may become JUST what I need ... another expensive habit.
_________________
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TropicDrinkBoy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 27, 2011
Posts: 163 | Posted: 2013-02-19 10:49 pm Permalink
Trad'r Bill and Swanky (and martiki),
Thanks for the Trader Vic's restaurant Navy Grog recipe variations. I'm looking forward to doing a taste test of all the recipes once I get my shipment with the "official" recipe.
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Aquatic Safarinaut
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Sep 06, 2008
Posts: 167
From: Valley of The Joe
| Posted: 2013-02-20 3:41 pm Permalink
Got the box today...
And here are the enclosed recipe's...
Thanks again Bill for the heads up!
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Coffee Pirate
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Aug 13, 2012
Posts: 22
From: The Green Hell of Salem, OR
| Posted: 2013-02-20 7:29 pm Permalink
U snooze u lose  . I waited til verdicts were in before I bit. TV products have bitten me in the past. Still working on getting rid of Spiced Rum... Looks like the concentrate sold out on lone. Anyone know if any of the locations are selling it? Oh well, it is not like I can't mix drinks from scratch. I thought if the mix was secent, then my brother could have quality Navy Grogs when he travels with little fuss. 
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TropicDrinkBoy
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 27, 2011
Posts: 163 | Posted: 2013-02-20 9:15 pm Permalink
Wow, I can't believe they sold out so quickly. I just got my shipment today also. It's interesting that the label says it is 100 calories per ounce and since a serving is really only 1/4 to 1/3 of an ounce it's really only 25 to 33 calories of grog concentrate per drink. So you dieters, don't let that thick syrup consistency put you off!
I think martiki's Navy Grog recipe above is closest to the recipe that was supplied with the concentrate. I'll compare them all though. Tonight I'm comparing/contrasting five of my white rums (I constantly have to refresh my memory, I hope it isn't the alcohol!) so my Navy Grog investigation will have to wait until this weekend.
When using the Grog Concentrate I recommend measuring the concentrate early so the other measured ingredients help to wash the extremely thick grog concentrate goodness in your jigger or measuring cup into your drink. When making the Tiki Puka Puka be careful to not put too much grenadine into the drink. Do a Bing or Google image search for Tiki Puka Puka to see examples of properly and improperly (too red from the grenadine) constructed drinks. A properly constructed Tiki Puka Puka should have an amber color, not red! Red ones will likely be too sweet as the grenadine will overwhelm the drink. Regarding the amount of Grog Concentrate in a Tiki Puka Puka, I tend to go a little heavy with 1/3 oz. or so. If you use Lemon Hart 151 and quality white and dark rums it won't overwhelm the drink and all will be well. So if you don't like the drink with 1/4 oz. of concentrate, add a little more next time and I bet it will agree with you.
Using the retail Navy Grog mix, which also doesn't seem to be available anymore, here are the recipes that were published in Trader Vic's 1972 Bartender's Guide for the Navy Grog and the Tiki Puka Puka. A while back I compared Tiki Puka Pukas made with the retail grog mix to the concentrate and the grog concentrate version is much superior.
Navy Grog
- 1 lime
- 3 oz. Trader Vic Navy Grog mix
- 1 oz. light Puerto Rican rum
- 1 oz. dark Jamaica rum
- 1 oz. 86-proof Demerara rum
Tiki Puka Puka
- 1 oz. orange juice
- 3 oz. Trader Vic Navy Grog mix
- 1 dash grenadine
- 1 oz. light Puerto Rican rum
- 1 oz. Trader Vic 8-year Jamaica rum
- 1 oz. 151-proof Demerara rum
- 1 gardenia sprinkled with orange flower water
So glad I have an additional 400 of these drinks in my future!
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Trad'r Bill
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 14, 2008
Posts: 451
From: Hercules, CA
| Posted: 2013-02-21 2:20 pm Permalink
Pro tip: I usually make a small bottle of 50/50 Rum Grog concentrate and Rock Candy syrup... that way I don't have to struggle with the micro measuring of the 1/4 oz. pours of each. I can just pour one 1/2 oz measure.
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Hale Tiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 19, 2004
Posts: 1607
From: Pittsburgh
| Posted: 2013-02-21 2:27 pm Permalink
DAMMIT! I missed it. That's what I get for waiting. Hopefully it'll come back in stock.
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The Blue Kahuna
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 01, 2011
Posts: 354
From: Points East & West
| Posted: 2013-02-21 3:35 pm Permalink
. . . ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh . . .
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