HEMINGWAY HAMMER

HEMINGWAY HAMMER
1 ounce Bacardi 151

1 ounce white rum

1 ounce blackberry brandy

1 ounce strawberry liqueur

1 ounce banana liqueur

Man’s man Ernest Hemingway was born on this day in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. Sure, Robin Williams, Don Knotts and Cat Stevens were all born today too, but they don’t have a cocktail named after them (that I know of anyways.) But Hemmingway? He has multiple cocktails and cigars named after him.

The cocktail I chose for tonight is the HEMINGWAY HAMMER. You can find it at Sloppy Joe’s in Key West or at your house bar after a trip to the liquor store that will be heavy on the arms, but not on the wallet. The HEMINGWAY HAMMER has five kinds of liquors, but none of them are expensive. To make the cocktail, combine all of the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake and pour it into a highball glass filled with ice and serve with a lime wedge.

I served a round to friends in the hot tub at our weekend retreat in Deepcreek Lake, Maryland, and true to its name, the HEMINGWAY HAMMER got a few of them hammered. Because even though it is concocted of five alcohols, it is mysteriously and magically sweet and fruity. Cieren, a Hemingway fan, could see why he would have liked it, but he still didn’t believe Hemingway would have drank anything other than brown liquor. Joe, who is strictly a wine and scotch man, said it was the first drink he’s every liked. But Robin, she didn’t like it and thought it tasted like children's cough syrup. I shut her up with some pineapple and rum, and she was happy. And Hubby simply said, "Now that's a man's drink."

In The Snows of Kilimingaro, Hemingway said he likes to drink a warm beer at sunrise, because that is the coldest the beer will ever be. But the HEMINGWAY HAMMER may have been a close second for him and it definitely beats a warm beer! Give it a try.

Drink Up^

Cocktail Connie