Well Grenada has it's own version. I was introduced to it by Nimrod who ran the little rum shop at the head of the bay while I was waiting for the local 'dolla' minibus into to town. . When he established that this was my first visit out came the book for me to sign and he insisted that I have a drink with him. He produced this bottle from the freezer and poured both of us a generous tot. Now I should have been suspicious when he also poured some water and insisted I downed it in one.
Rums are one of those drinks you take seriously and you know can pack a serious punch . That is till you’ve been to Grenada and sampled their local “firewater” rum. The River Antoine Rum Distillery has seen more than it’s share of tourists being on the tour map of everyone there and why not? They make one of the meanest brands of rum you’ll ever find anywhere. Supposedly, what they offer tourists is a sugarcane based rum with up to 75% ABV!!! However, the have the 69% bottles which tourists can take home because the 75% one is just so inflammable, the airlines won’t allow it. Rumor has it among circles that the locals get another version of the rum sold exclusively to them which goes way beyond the 75%ABV mark. Now that world make a lethal rum punch!
Well I can confirm it is no rumor. River Antoine has the capability to produce rum with 87% alcohol. I have seen the hydrometer in use and the slightly furtive look when it was sold off in unlabeled bottles just before carnival.
I think that is what Nimrod served me that day. I know that I don't remember anything much after drinking it. I came too as I wandered round St Georges with a slight headache and some considerable loss of coordination.
What prompted this trip down memory lane, well the BBC article here CLICKY is the answer.
I tried the Jamaican equivalent with Uncle when we took some laborers up the mountain to help out a friend. Stopping to let them wet their whistles on route I was persuaded to try the local firewater. To broad smile I chucked it back only for my throat to say Nooooo just a fraction too late to stop it burning it's way down. Like you the rest of the journey passed in a bit of a haze until the cool mountain air blew out the cobwebs. I won't be doing that again.
ReplyDeleteIn the past on Carpe Diem I used strong rum in place of methylated spirits to start my Tilley lamp.
ReplyDeleteWell diluted with fruit juice it was drinkable but watching the locals down it as shots scares me. Got to be damaging.