Lee Hester

Victor Jules "Trader Vic" Bergeron II (1902-1984) opened "Hinky Dinks" in Oakland in 1932, later renaming it "Trader Vic's." It was noted for its exotic Chinese and later Polynesian Cuisine, but it was perhaps best known for its drinks. With the repeal of prohibition in1933, everyone was experimenting with fancy drinks and Trader Vic did as well, but as he experimented he came to focus on rum and on drinks that were more subtle. His most famous drink is the well-known Mai Tai, which he invented in 1944. His restaurants have entire menus just for rum drinks. Trader Vic's became a chain of restaurants in the mid 1950's when the Hilton hotel chain asked him to put a bar first in their Seattle Hotel and then in several of their more important properties. The Western chain followed. He also opened some stand alone restaurants. The kitschy tiki bar style of Trader Vic's was less appreciated in the '70's and 80's and the chain declined after Trader Vic's death. I don't know how many Trader Vic's there were at the height, but today Trader Vic's (www.tradervics.com) says there are 21. Locations like Seattle, Dallas, St. Louis, Denver, Honolulu, Boston, Detroit and even the Oakland and San Francisco Trader Vic's are all now closed. A few U.S. locations are still around, like Chicago and Beverly Hills, but their real strength is now overseas like the London location, or the three in Germany, two in Japan and three in the United Arab Emirates?! Evidently tiki kitsch never went out of style overseas. Trader Vic's fame really grew during World War II. He was unable to serve because of a leg amputated when he was six, but he did what he could for servicemen. His bar become a hangout for naval officers. Through his contacts he was able to make a back-door deal to send free booze to the troops overseas. Though a lot ended up in the officer's clubs, the enlisted men got some too. Many officer's clubs in the pacific were called "Trader Vic's" in his honor. Trader Vic was quite a character and was well-known for his philanthropy. In particular, he had great empathy for amputees. He first started helping amputees when he found that the care afforded U.S. servicemen with amputations was not what it should be, becoming a outspoken proponent for their care. When he was making a fortune with his restaurants, he made a deal with a prosthetics firm and would hand out chits good for a complete prosthetic to impoverished amputees he found on his many world travels. He was acerbic and down-to-earth, with a great folksy philosophy. He did not appreciate people "putting on airs." Though he admitted that the standard lists of what-wines-went-with-what might serve as a starting point, he said people should drink what they liked and not what others thought they should like. He believed that liquor was a social lubricant, but that people could and should behave as ladies and gentlemen and not drink "too much." He really believed in having a good time. Trader Vic Books that I have (there may be more): Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink Trader Vic's Kitchen Kibitzer: The Cookbook for Men Trader Vic's Pacific Island Cookbook Trader Vic's Rum Cookery and Drinkery Trader Vic's Book of Mexican Cookery Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide Frankly Speaking: Trader Vic's Own Story, a Candid and Informal Autobiography

Thanks to John for getting us going and on-track. Until he mentioned them, I had forgotten the older Trader Vic's books. I've got most of his books (including a few autographed) but usually only use "Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide Revised" for drink recipes. That book usually only uses generics like I mentioned in the first post, like "Dark Jamaican" or "Light Puerto Rican." So, I got down "Trader Vic's Rum Cookery and Drinkery" (one of his later books -- 1974) as well as the original 1946 edition of "Trader Vic's Book of Food and Drink." The newer book mostly used generic terms, though he did specify the original "Mai Tai" rum as 17yr old J. Wray and Nephew Jamaican Rum, which he supposedly ran them out of (not Barbancourt), though he clearly was a fan of Barbancourt and specified it and the number of stars for several drinks. I'll bet Barbancourt was what he switched to. He specified Rhum St James at least once. Unfortunately, he doesn't specify rums for any of the drinks I listed in my first post. In the older book, he is very specific. Unfortunately, he doesn't list any of the key drinks I mentioned above (not even Mai Tai, though he is supposed to have invented it two years earlier) except for the Scorpion. For it he lists Ron Merito or Brugal. The older book is valuable, in that for each drink he mentions the generic and then a couple of specifics, which I assume he thinks are among the best of the variety. So, here is a list of rums that you all can comment on. Are they available? Is there something better for mixing? In some cases (like Sloppy Joe's) he mentions it for a specific drink, but most of these occur over and over in the recipes. In some cases it appears the generics don't necessarily match with the specifics... Martinique: Rhum Negrita, Rhum Charleston Dark Jamaican: Red Heart, Sloppy Joe's, Myers's 151 proof Demerara: Lemon Heart 86 proof Demerara: Lemon Heart, Hudson's Bay unstated proof Demerara: Seigert's Haitian: Rhum Sarthe Barbados: Bellows Cockade Puerto Rican: Ron Merito, Boca Chica, Brugal 123 proof listed instead of a demerara: Havana Club In the section on rum in the 1946 book, he lists them geographically and provides a long list of preferred brands/versions in each. Slightly shortened it is: Barbados: Bellows Barbados, Bellows Cockade, several versions of Cockade, Goslings, Lightbourn Cuba: Bolero, Caney Ron Extra, Carta Camp, Havana Club, Ron Carta Parejo, Ron Lavi, Royal Scarlet, Sloppy Joe's, Bacardi 1873, Bellows Ron Malecon. British Guiana (Demerara): Booker's Demerara, Hudson's Bay Demerara, Lambs Finest Navy Demerara, Lemon Hart, Southard, Three Diamond, Seigert's Bouquet Jamaica: Bellow's, Berry's, Burke's, Charlies Royal Reserve, Coruba, Finzi's, J Wray's, Hedges and Butler, Kelly's (several versions), Lamb's, Lemon Hart (several versions), Myers's light vatted, Myers's Mona, Red Heart, Southard's, Trower's Gold Lion. Martinique: Bellows, Black Head, Rhum St James, Barum, Casa Grazia, Goslings Martinique, Rhum Charleston, Rhum Chauvet, Rhum Risetta, Rhum Negrita Puerto Rico: Boca Chica, Brugal Gold Label, Brugal White Label, Daiquiri, Ron El Lider, Ron Merito, Ron Rey, Riondo, Ron Valentino (151) Virgin Islands: Cruzan St. Croix, Government House (Several versions), Old St. Croix I had a "dress rehearsal" for the grand Trader Vic Party (before John got me to look at the 1946 book) using (from light to dark) Matusalen Platinum, Appletons and Coruba. Any comments on these? Thanks

http://www.internetwines.com/rws26479.html Explains what it is all about. I take it, your bottle isn't making sounds like it should? I'm going to have to get some Coyopa. As a gadget guy, this looks pretty cool. I just hope the rum measures up. Some of the R.L. Seales I've got was certainly good enough.

Following quoted from John Reekie on the Royal Navy Flagons topic: << Hello Lee.... there are a few other 'Pussers Rum' containers that I have or are aware of. in the line of Jugs. There is a 1.75 lt jug, a 1lt jug ( which I think is yours) and a .750 lt jug that used to be packaged with a .750 bottle of Pussers rum. This was also sold seperately at some time. To follow through get hold of a "Wade" pottery collectables catalogue through an antique dealer. There one would find the various resale values of the various jugs, decanters, water jugs etc . also the various Jim bean Collectable special editions of the Jugs and Decanters. .......The Hip Flask has also been utilised with many different custom add on lettering or graphics.(At the time of the second firing) ie Americas Cup...Victory... I have five flasks with different lettering. >> Actually, I've got both the 1.75 and .750 liter flagons or jugs. I ran across the .750 liter yesterday and put it up with the rest of the collection. I also tried changing my picture above, but it seems like my old computer ability didn't come through (YET) and I didn't want to post a repetitive picture. The .750 liter flagon is generally similar to the 1.75 in the picture and described above, except that it only has front and back decorations. The front has the standard Pusser's logo with a white ensign, but the 1.0 liter also has "Nelson's Blood" in an arch surmounting the logo. The back decoration concerns Drake's voyage. The stopper decoration is just an anchor. I wish the terminlogy for the containers was a bit more precise. RN personnel often refer to the rum containers as "jars" --- even though the dictionary definition says they are "wide-mouthed" and doesn't mention a handle. The standard conainer aboard ship was usually a demijohn, which is fairly precise... "a large narrow necked bottle usually contained in wickerwork." The Pusser's containers with the handle might be called a flagon, since it has a handle, though flagons usually have lids rather than stoppers and often are on pedestals. I think jug is the closest to the handled container, since a jug is "Large, deep earthenware or glass container with a narrow mouth and handle." So, it looks like they at least have the following styles/sizes Earthenware: Jug: 1.75 liter, 1.0 liter (per John), 750 milliliter, 50 milliliter Ship's Decanter: 1 liter, 50 milliliter Flask: 200 milliliter Crystal: Ships Decanter (per John, size unknown) and it looks like there are various decorations available, particularly on the ship's decanter and flask. I've only got the standard British versions I listed earlier, but I've already tracked down a couple of copies of the U.S. ship's decanter with John Paul Jones. With luck, I'll add one to my collection soon. Thanks John Reekie! The crystal ship's decanter, 1 liter jug and various flasks, I can't get a lead on... but it sounds like the crystal ship's decanter was out of my league anyway!

On another thread the SRD dispute seems pretty well solved... Stuart Disbrey stated fairly authoritatively that SRD stood for "Supply Reserve Depot." Another post backed this up with the following arguments: 1) There was never any such liquid as 'Services' rum - all rum consumed by British and Commonwealth forces was, in fact, Navy rum. So, for this explanation to be correct, the acronym would have to be NRD. 2) Rum was not stored in diluted form. Land-based forces generally received their rum ration neat, from the jar. For the Navy, the rum tot was diluted on issue to the individual - not before - in which case it was termed 'grog', that is watered-down neat rum. So again, the explanation of the D standing for 'Diluted' cannot be correct. 3) So-called 'rum jars' were used not only for the storage, transportation and distribution of rum, but also for a number of other liquid commodities including acids, alkalis, oils and even ink. Hence the R in the acronym cannot stand for 'Rum'. 4) The SRD acronym was used on a number of other official British military storage vessels - crates, boxes, etc - with no association with rum or any other liquids, whatsoever. 5) I have seen - and the Imperial War Museum in London has in its collection - sealed rum jars with the words 'Supply Reserve Depot' actually moulded into the official wax seal. 6) I have spoken with a number of former Royal Army Service Corps storesmen with experience going back to World War Two who are unanimous in stating that the SRD acronym stands for Supply Reserve Depot. And they should know! 7) Steve is partly correct in stating that there was not a single Supply Reserve Depot (though during World War One there was - at Deptford, London). By the end of World War Two there were, I believe, five SRDs. Three were in the UK, one was in Germany and one was in the Far East. The Deptford SRD was closed down in 1940 because of fears of Nazi invasion and air raids. The SRDs were pretty much the 'top tier' of the British supply system with a number of 'echelons' of supply bases getting progressively smaller and more local in influence as they neared the front line, from Base Supply Depots downwards. Much of the rum supply for the war in North Africa was, I believe, stored in Tobruk. I have read accounts of the supplies being poured away and/or polluted with petrol and oil to prevent them falling into the hands of the advancing Afrika Korps.

Sorry about my mixed-up terminology in the last post. After some research, the thing I called a "jug" has a handle and can probably be properly called a "flagon" while the thing I called a "flagon" can perhaps best be called a "Ship's Decanter" --- though there may be even better names for each.

As a fan of Trader Vic Bergeron, his philosophy, restaurants and drinks I am slowly organizing a Trader Vic party. I am trying to stock up for the party and have come up with a list of ingredients I'll need to make a fair cross-section of drinks featured at his restaurants. The mixers I've already ordered from Trader Vic's, but now I'm trying to come up with good rums. I figured I'd seek some advice here! Among the drinks I'll be set up to do are: Mai Tai, Suffering Bastard, Gun Club Punch, Navy Grog, Scorpion... The Trader divided rums up into 3 main types: 1. Light bodied dry rums, principally from Puerto Rico 2. Heavy bodied sweet rums, principally from Jamaica 3. Medium rums, principally from the Virgin Islands He, of course, recognized that there were a multitude of very distinct rums and gave a rundown of rums by country/islands. However, he usually only gave general instructions as to rums for various drinks... So, my list at this point includes: A. a light Puerto Rican B. a dark Jamaican C. a light Jamaican D. a Martinique E. St James Rhum I am familiar with St James as a brand, but am unsure if the Trader meant the brand... and even if he did, they have several varieties. Several discussions may follow... including: a. is the simplistic tripartite typology at all useful? b. whether there is a perfect "light Puerto Rican" (or "dark Jamaican" and so on) for mixing, or whether even that kind of breakdown is too simplistic. c. particularly if the answer to "b" above is "Yep. Too simplistic." then we might actually need to discuss which are the perfect rums by drink! Any help is appreciated. The posts I have seen here are almost uniformly intelligent and informed. It is clear that Mr. Hamilton and some of the other folks here are the new guru's of rum that can pick up where Trader Vic's generation left off and soar on to new heights. I'll be buying Mr. Hamilton's books and adding them to my collection.

I hope the above image works... I am an old-time mainframe guy, not a webmeister! Anyway, if it did work, you should be seeing an image of the Pusser's ceramics that I've got. John is aware of at least one version I don't have, but it appears I may have some he is unaware of. You'll notice one in the back that might be called a "Jug." It has a white ensign with the words "British Navy Pusser's Rum" on the front, a picture of "Jolly Jack Tar" on one side, a marking "Hand Cast in Britain" surrounding an anchor under the handle on the other side and Nelson's flag hoist prior to Trafalgar on the back. Atop the front label is a red wax cartouche of a sailing ship with the legend "Pusser's Limited - Purveyors of Royal Navy Rum." The jug is 1.75 liters. The picture also has two "flagons" that have the same front as the jug, a portrait of Nelson on one side, a picture of Britannia with the legend "Rule Britannia - Britons Never Shall Be Slaves" on the other side and a series of toasts on the back. The stopper is surmounted by a picture of the HMS Victory and the legens "HMS Victory - Trafalgar 1805." The flask without a stopper is actually still sealed with a red wax seal of an anchor. Off to the left you'll notice a hip flask (would you actually carry a ceramic flask at your hip?). The flask has the standard Pusser's front and has a "Splice the Main Brace" hoist and the toasts on the back. On the right you'll see "miniatures" of the jug and flagon. The jug miniature lacks Jack Tar, Nelson's flag hoist and the "hand cast" marking, instead having a short bit of text about Pusser's. The jug miniature is unopened and I must have bought it out of state, though I can't remember where. You see, in Oklahoma, miniatures filled with liquor are considered an enticement to underage drinking and are thus illegal. The only way we can get miniatures are if the company attaches or boxes an unfilled miniature with one of their regular bottles. That is how I got the flagon miniature, unfilled and attached to a regular bottle of Pusser's. I hope the image got through... but if not, then maybe the descriptions can help.

I don't have any real information in reply to your query, but I am a bit puzzled. I thought that the standard R.N. rum container in the 20th century was something more like a keg. I've got a couple of flagons from Pusser's that are supposed to be replicas of older containers, but I thought those weren't used into the 20th century. Anybody know about that? I've got no idea as to worth, but as an R.N. fan I'd sure like to get in on such a deal!