Day 27: Maple Sizzurp

What do you get when you combine light rum, lime juice, and maple syrup? The Van Vleet, which just happens to be today’s TBIAW libation. I think it is named after “Hungry” Jack Van Vleet, the inventor of syrup.  We already knew that maple syrup improved waffles, the Cowboy Cocktail, ice cream, spaghetti and sexy time so it was a no-brainer to assume the Van Vleet would be vlantastic.

Pour Some Syrup In Me

Mrs. Bottle thought drinking the Van Vleet was like drinking a waffle.  At first I didn’t realize she meant that as an insult.  I know I would probably buy liquid waffles if they existed, but as far as I can tell, they don’t.  It does turn out that you can smoke waffles, though, if you have electronic cigarettes. I had no idea there was such a large variety of flavors available for electronic cigarettes.    They even make cotton candy flavor.  If you are an adult and you choose to smoke cotton candy flavored electronic cigarettes, you may have a problem.  If you are a kid it is perfectly okay.

Van Fleet

I liked the Van Vleet a little more than Mrs. Bottle did.  The maple syrup’s sweetness balanced the lime juice’s acidity nicely.  It also complemented the rum, which seems to mix well with sweetness, probably because rum is distilled from sugarcane.  The Van Vleet did have a fairly strong maple flavor that seemed a little out of place in a drink.  It could find a maple-lovers niche, though, just like the McGriddles.   It also had a bit of a syrupy mouth feel which became stronger as you approached the bottom of the glass.  One solution to that problem is to add more rum.

That can solve a lot of problems.

Overall Rating for the Van Vleet

Taste: 3 – Would be a four if you were smoking a waffle cigarette
Ease of Preparation: 4
Presentation: 3
Drinks until blackout: 5 – 24% but we recommend light syrup if you are watching your waist

Ingredients:

3 oz. Light Rum
1 oz. Lime Juice
1 oz. Maple Syrup

Day 8: Assailed by the Chief

“A Lemon”

“A Lime”

“A Bad Relationship”

“Vinegar”

“Pickle Juice”

“El Presidente Cocktail No. 1”

That’s right! You win the $20,000!



We are only eight drinks in and we have had three sour attacks on our taste buds.  I minored in math so I know that three out of eight is almost half.  I’m not sure why so many of these drinks are exceedingly acidic, but hopefully one day we will get to the bottom of it. I’m beginning to think the Mr. Boston guide is some kind of sick joke, like those Jelly Belly jellybeans that taste like rotten eggs.

The El Presidente Cocktail No. 1 is a mix of light rum, lime juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine.  Unfortunately the ratio of rum to lime juice is 1:1. Even our delicious Bacardi could not overcome this tart taste terror. 



El Presidente William Howard Taft



Sadly, we actually made a double batch of this drink so it would not look ridiculous in our muy gordo glass.  Since today isn’t “Masochist Monday”, we weren’t about to drink the whole thing as-is.  We were also reluctant to pour it out when there are so many thirsty people in the world, so we decided to rebuild it – we had the technology.  We first added a little more pineapple juice.  This was like putting lipstick on the proverbial pig.  We then added a spoonful of simple syrup. And another. And another.  After about 3 tablespoons of syrup it finally became potable.

I certainly hope that this El Presidente is a one termer.

Rating on a 10 point scale:

Taste: 2

Ease of Preparation: 8

Presentation: 5

Drinks until blackout: 8 – Only 17% alcohol, but the sour taste leaves you wanting less.