50 Knots and Draggin’: Onboard cocktails to get you through the storm (literally or figuratively!)

Matt's Marvelous Mouthwatering Morsels on Mondays: 50 Knots and Draggin' Cocktails

In honor of our extended stay at Hoffman Cay due to the Never Ending Cold Front of 2017, I dug up this recipe from August when an unfortunate afternoon Chesapeake Bay squall sent us dragging towards a lee shore. That time the anchor reset, it was over before it began and luckily we have done no dragging here in the nice deep sand at Hoffman. Also, it’s really only 35 knots at the moment, but I think 35 knots for four days straight with no dragging is equal to 50 knots for 4 minutes and dragging. At least equal in terms of drinking potential. 

At any rate, here’s a quick way to churn out two tasty cocktails and even two mock-tails should the mood strike. 

Equipment list:

2- 750-ml glass bottles with spring stoppers or plastic soda bottles (sanitized!)

Grater

Fresh ginger

White sugar

Sprite or Club Soda

Dark Rum or Gin or Both!

Yeast

Lemon

Recipe #1: Ginger Syrup

750 ml filtered water

2- to 3- inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated

1 1/2 cups sugar

Fill one of the bottles with filtered water. Pour all three ingredients into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from heat immediately and allow to cool. Once cool, put into bottle and store in fridge for up to a week. TIP: for a little spice, add a cinnamon stick along with the ginger!

Recipe #2: The “Light and Variable” --Quick Ginger Ale 

Add ginger syrup to club soda or Sprite for a quick, refreshing summer drink!

Recipe #3: The “Cold Fronts Every 5 Days From Now Until Eternity Says Chris Parker*” --Gin and Gin (ger)

In a low ball glass over ice, pour in 1 part ginger syrup, 1 part gin and top with two parts club soda or Sprite. Stir and enjoy! 

Recipe #4: The “Chris Parker* Got You up at 6:30 a.m. So You Have Time To Make This"—Homemade Ginger Beer

In the second 750ml bottle, add 1/8 teaspoon yeast, 1/4 cup ginger syrup from recipe #1 (if you just made the syrup, be sure not to kill the yeast with the hot liquid!), the juice of 1 lemon and top with filtered water. Seal the bottle, shake gently and let sit for a day at room temperature. Open the top. If you get a good pop and fizz, you can put the bottle in the fridge and enjoy as soon as it’s chilled. If no pop and fizz, allow to sit on the counter for another day before chilling. Keep chilled and enjoy within a few days.

NOTE: it’s not actually a great idea to use a glass bottle. It is possible for a forgotten bottle to build up too much pressure and break. I haven’t lost an eye yet, but I would recommend using a plastic water bottle or soda bottle.

Recipe #5: "50 Knots and Draggin’” --Independence’s take on the classic Dark and Stormy

In a highball glass over ice, mix 1 part dark rum (Myer’s or Gossling’s would be classic, but we enjoy the spicy Kraken Rum) and 2 parts ginger beer (see recipe #4). Enjoy!

*For the uninitiated, Chris Parker is a dude who broadcasts weather for cruisers in the Tropics and Bahamas every morning via shortwave radio.