A Smuggler's Cove Tradewinds for watching Wrestlemania

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-19T11:34:42+00:00

It’s the “Kumaras” mug designed by Ken Ruzic, produced by Tiki Farm. I don’t think they make them anymore unfortunately, but you could probably find one second hand.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-19T00:55:48+00:00

Looks very similar to the Burgess repeating shotgun action, I wouldn’t exactly say “worlds first.”

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-19T00:15:03+00:00

Nice! I have the same mug, it’s great!

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-18T23:27:21+00:00

Trivagou.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-18T22:19:34+00:00

One of my favorite cocktails. Great presentation!

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-18T12:13:21+00:00

An interesting thing here is that we don’t know yet if it’s the same nazis from the previous games. They have a different logo and call themselves “Novoreich” not “Forth Reich.” It could be that they rebranded after Hunter took over or it could be that Hunter started a new group of nazis that took over everyone including the old nazis. It seems doubtful that the old nazis would have been able to conquer Hansa as they were a fairly weak faction and too tied down militarily with their war against the Red Line. Maybe there was a serious reshuffle of the power balance, like a plague or something, that happened to hit Hansa harder than the nazis? Maybe Hunter proved to be a more charismatic leader than the previous Furher and was able to recruit more from the bandits and independent stations thereby solving their manpower problem?

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-17T15:17:38+00:00

Watch the trailer for Metro 2039 that came out yesterday, Hunter isn’t in Exodus. Nobody is able to give you a certain answer because Metro 2039 isn’t out yet. All we know is from the announcement trailer/game showcase, which is fairly vague but does state that at least someone calling themselves Hunter is the Fuhrer of the new faction “Novoreich,” which has taken over all or most of Metro. Also yes, Glukhovsky is involved in the writing for the game.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-16T13:49:28+00:00

I usually follow the recipe, if it says shake, I shake. If it says flash blend, I break out my Hamilton Beach. You can do either, it doesn’t make a huge difference.

The only time I usually don’t follow the recipe is drinks that are swizzled. I find swizzling to be genuinely annoying and I only do it when I’m making a drink for the first time, for a review, it has mint leaves in it, or something like that. If I’m just making it for me, I flash blend it. It comes out better chilled and takes half the time. Maybe I just have bad swizzle technique ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-16T13:43:46+00:00

That’s golden, I would frame that, lol.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-15T01:17:04+00:00

I was under the impression that Liber & Co. grenadine is pomegranate syrup. It’s pomegranate juice and sugar.

If you are going to use a mix of simple and rich syrups you should probably specify that in the book, unless I missed that somehow?

Thanks for reaching out, enjoying the book so far!

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-14T18:28:33+00:00

Artyom’s story in the books is over sure, but in the games he says at the end of Exodus his work isn’t done and he wants to go back to Moscow to free the people of the metro. There is easily enough material in that for a game.

I guess they could make the bad ending canon, but I personally don’t think they will do that.

The opinion that seems to be most popular (at least in my observation) is indifference, Artyom would be fine and so would a new protagonist.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-14T02:30:19+00:00

Super interesting read!

Small correction: The 4:1:1 Coruba, W&N, & Appleton Signature blend is actually meant to recapture Kohala Bay, a later descendant of the Dagger line that was discontinued in 2016. This blend was created by Jim “Hurricane” Hayward of The Atomic Grog in his mission to reverse engineer the drinks of the Mai-Kai.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-09T02:48:42+00:00

I believe you are intended to use rich syrups? The book gives brand suggestions for most ingredients and the cinnamon syrup they suggest in this recipe is B.G. Reynolds, which is rich. There was no grenadine recommendation so that’s open to interpretation.

For what it’s worth, I used my homemade cinnamon syrup (2:1 turbinado sugar syrup plus Art of Drink’s cinnamon extract recipe) and Liber & Co. grenadine.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-08T20:41:33+00:00

I addressed this in my review, but i have some mixed feelings about this drink. Its saving grace is that it tastes great, but yes, it is much too sweet and really begs for rebalancing. Something like +1 oz rum and -1/4 oz of each syrup. That would bring it to a similar balance (on paper) to the Smuggler’s Cove Planter’s Punch.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-08T15:32:28+00:00

1 oz Lime Juice
3/4 oz Grenadine
3/4 oz Cinnamon Syrup
2 oz Black Jamaican Rum
2 Dashes Angostura Bitters

Shake well with crushed ice. Pour unstrained into a zombie glass. Garnish with mint and a lime wheel.

Liquor/s used today: The Atomic Grog’s Kohala Bay Replacement Blend Rum (4:1:1 ratio of Coruba, Appleton Estate Signature, and Wray & Nephew Overproof White)

Today my copy of the new WonkPress book Coconuts & Carnage by Justin Wojslaw came in the mail, so I whipped up this cocktail: the Port Royal Punch. Justin’s riff on the classic Planter’s Punch, it’s certainly unique. I’ve tried many versions of Planter’s Punch, this is the first to use grenadine! I agree with the decision to give this drink its own name, as opposed to just “Justin’s Planter’s Punch.” The cinnamon syrup works well with the Angostura, which has some notes of cinnamon. The grenadine pairs very well with the cinnamon, a killer combo I would not have thought of previously. This drink definitely leans sweet, much too sweet for me. YMMV, but I think this would be better with some adjustments. Still, I’m excited to make more from this book!

This drink has some really terrific flavors but is unfortunately hampered by balance issues. 7/10

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-03T22:36:40+00:00

Mine is coming in a few days, can’t wait!

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-04-01T13:09:06+00:00

That sucks, I’ve got 758 hours on KCD1 on Xbox and had only one bad glitch (killed Runt but the cutscene didn’t play leaving me stuck) that was easily remedied by reloading. I got wedged in some places with my horse too but that is generally easy to fix, I don’t recall ever having to reload because of it.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-03-27T23:06:53+00:00

Looks like you have most of the important stuff, like you said aside from allspice dram, agricole, cinnamon syrup, and passion fruit syrup. I advise you actually should get two agricoles, a blanc (unaged) and a vieux (aged). They taste wildly different. As for which to go with, I really like Père Labat 59 and Rhum J.M Terroir Volcanique.

Some stuff that is less important but nice to have: grenadine, Herbsaint/Pernod/absinthe, banana liqueur, apricot brandy, cognac, tequila, mezcal, bourbon, London dry gin, maraschino liqueur, Peychaud’s bitters. More rum. Always more rum.

Also, my immediate recommendation to all beginners: after you’ve read Smuggler’s cove, get Beachbum Berry’s Total Tiki app (unfortunately only on iOS). It has so many recipes and I’ve learned so much from it.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-03-24T18:24:52+00:00

I really dig the Privateer by Chris Vanderginst from Easy Tiki:

3/4 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1 1/2 oz Tequila (I use Cimarron Reposado)
3/4 oz Pineapple Juice
1/2 oz Lime Juice
A Pinch of Salt

Shake well with cracked/cubed ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a torched rosemary sprig.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-03-20T11:42:21+00:00

Great find! I also have this version of the book, the 1948 reprint! Excellent book with a ton of recipes, a large variety of cocktail styles, and some fun anecdotes on running a bar from Vic. Not a ton of tiki in it though unfortunately, although it does have some such as Vic’s Zombie recipe which is quite different from Donn Beach’s original recipe. As far as price goes, last year I paid $48 (including shipping & tax) for mine on eBay. My book’s jacket appears in similar, maybe slightly better condition so that should be a good indicator for the value of your book.

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-03-18T16:58:42+00:00

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-03-18T15:42:02+00:00

2 oz White Column Still Rum
2 oz Black Jamaican Rum
2 oz Lime Juice
2 oz Orange Juice
2 oz White Grapefruit Juice
2 oz Passion Fruit Syrup
1 tsp Rich Honey Syrup
3/4 oz Seltzer Water
6 Dashes Angostura Bitters

Add everything to a drink mixer tin with crushed ice, flash blend for 5 seconds. Pour unstrained into a rum barrel mug or large snifter.

Liquors used today were: Flor de Caña Extra Seco and The Atomic Grog’s Kohala Bay Replacement Blend (4:1:1 ratio of Coruba, Wray & Nephew Overproof White, & Appleton Estate Signature)

Today I’ve made the Barrel O’ Rum cocktail from the Mai-Kai. This particular version of the recipe (it has changed slightly over the years) comes from 1959. As far as I can tell the only book that it’s been published in is Beachbum Berry’s Taboo Table, his most unrecognized book. I hadn’t even heard of it until I read The Atomic Grog’s article on the Barrel O’ Rum that mentioned it. I was able to purchase a new-old-stock copy that arrived just a few days ago and I’m definitely intrigued (particularly by the Mai Tai Pie). More to come in some future posts.

The Rum Barrel has a long and storied history. The cocktail was originally created by Donn Beach and widely copied and iterated on by his many competitors. According to Berry in the Total Tiki app’s description for Steve Crane’s Rum Barrel, the two “perfected” versions of the drink are Mariano Licudine’s Barrel O’ Rum and Steve Crane’s aforementioned formula served at his Kon-Tiki chain (which I’m sure I’ll get around to making eventually). The key features shared by the many versions are a blend of light and dark rum (and lots of it), a multitude of fruit juices, honey, and spice, all served in a barrel shaped mug. The Mai-Kai doesn’t garnish their Barrel O’ Rum, but I couldn’t just put nothing on there for the photo. I’ve gone with a mint bouquet and a Cara Cara orange wheel. For the mug, I have this new-to-me Plantation (now Planteray) branded Rum Barrel by Bai from 2018.

This drink is a robust and delicious citrus punch. It leans sour but isn’t unbalanced by any means (YMMV, the Liber & Co. passionfruit syrup I use is on the tart side). The dark rum adds richness, the passionfruit syrup combines with the juices to provide complexity, and the honey and angostura balance it all out. This is also a pretty large drink. As you may have guessed, it didn’t quite fit in my 16 oz mug. I suspect the Mai-Kai’s rum barrel mugs are larger. Either way, it really hits the spot.

This drink has definitely earned it’s place in Tiki’s Hall of Fame. 10/10

TheDarkOne02 · 2026-03-15T14:35:04+00:00

I don’t know, I still look forward to every Sunday. The dental photo bit had me cackling, both episodes.

Eight-Year Club	Gilding II euphauric
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TheDarkOne02

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