Crazy Laws, Crazy Times
My favourite drink is a Zombie. For those who don't know, or were too lazy to click the link, a Zombie is a very very strong cocktail devised by that genius Don the Beachcomber. No one knows the original recipe but there is a very good variation available in which 151-proof rum in floated on the top and then burned both for effect and taste.
My absolute favourite bar in Wellington made me one and it was fantastic. So when I returned to the bar (that shall remain nameless, for its own protection) and ordered a Zombie I was dismayed that it tasted good, but not fantastic. So I summoned the barkeep:
"Good sir, this drink, while incredibly intoxicating and delicious is missing something"
"Did your server ignite the rum at your table sir?"
"No he did not. May I please have another with flames?"
"Certainly sir, and may I say what a wise and handsome gentleman you are"
At least that's how I remember it. Anyway the chastised bartender returned with a new drink, a bottle and a lighter. He placed the drink down, floated a generous measure of 151 rum on top and then turned to me with the lighter in hand and said something that really did shock me:
"according to a council by-law I am not allowed to set your drink on fire."
That's right folks. Due to, we imagine, idiots ordering flaming sambucas at Jet and then drinking before extinguishing the flames, we all have to suffer. Where was our referendum?!?
We pass this knowledge on to you, the drinking public, so you won't have to go through the same shame of a flameless Zombie. Read on though for the happy ending:
Needless to say my bartender didn't take much cajoling to ignite my drink. In fact he did so twice, meaning I got twice as much rum! And the result was delicious.
Now for those keen to try a Zombie at home here's a recipe from Wikibooks:
4 oz. (½ cup) water
3/4 oz. (1½ tbs.) fresh lime juice
1 oz. (2 tbs.) fresh grapefruit juice
1/2 oz. (1 tbs.) sugar syrup
1 oz. (2 tbs.) dark rum
1 oz. (2 tbs.) golden rum
1 oz. (2 tbs) white rum
1 oz. (2 tbs) 151-proof rum
1-1/4 oz. (2½ tbs) spiced golden rum
3/4 oz. (1½ tbs.) Cherry Heering
1/2 oz. (1 tbs.) Falernum syrup (a spicy sweet syrup)
2 dashes (½ tsp.) Pernod or other anisette-flavored pastis
3 dashes (¾ tsp) Grenadine
Shake with ice, then pour into a highball glass with crushed ice. Garnish with grapefruit peel and a cherry. Float 151-proof rum on the top using a teaspoon and then ignite (safely).
Do not drink with a straw as you won't be able to taste the rum on the top.
If flaming cocktails risks the same permanent damage( read burn scars on her neck) my 19yr old friend suffered as a result of some idiot taking it upon himself to make the flame bigger and better, then good that Council by-laws don't permit it.
At 19 to be scarred for life when appearance is so important when she was an innocent bystander is shocking.
Fortunately she was wearing natural fibres so the damage wasn't nearly as bad if she'd been wearing synthetics. Imagine that devastation!
That's a terrible story. But with all due respect, that had to be a Flaming Moe of a drink. Most burns caused by flaming drinks are when drunks do something stupid. And I think you'll agree if we banned every stupid thing that drunk people did we'd not have a lot of stuff left.
From what you indicate in your story, your friend's terrible injuries seem to have been the fault of an idiot bartender (or possibly another patron). If so a grievous bodily harm charge should be enough of a deterrent for other idiots.
Perhaps there's a happy alternative where bars can be licensed to serve flaming drinks, rather than a blanket ban.
A quick Google reveals what possibly happened in your friend's case.
This (and splashing other spirits on an already lit drink), is a rather different situation to lighting a single drink.
Was that the incident at Maya? In which case, according to the news reports it wasn't a drink that was being ignited but some liquor that had been poured along the bartop. And then said idiot, who wasn't even a bartender there, grabbed some meths and poured it on the fire. So while it's an awful, awful thing that happened to your friend, professional bartenders making classic flaming drinks with proper care and attention isn't going to cause the same problem.
I'm not even sure if this is a bylaw: I'll do some digging. I'm pretty sure I had flames in a Mega Mai Tai not long ago, so if there is a law it's a very recent one.
Yeah when the bartender said he couldn't flame it, I was like "but they do it at the'ho" and he shook his fist at them.
Actually I don't think he did that at all, but I like to think that everyone hates the ho as much as me.
Although actually, I wish more of the people who go to my favourite bar would just fuck off to the Ho so I could always get a seat. Especially the ones ordering bourbon and coke with jager shots.
The Ho?
0_o
The MatterHOrn
There's a Horse and Ho in Jackson Street Petone.
(The "und" has fallen off.)
There used to be Ram's Beach Ho at Otaki Beach!
Then he changed the sign so it said Ram's Beach Store.
Horse and Ho, that's brilliant! Pics?
What kind of a munter brings meths to a bar!?!
Oooh Hadyn, you got burned! ;P
No, Hadyn DIDN'T get burnt. That's the point of having good bartenders...
Ha ha ha nice one. Puntastic, infact.
Greetings Wellingtonistas - just reading the piece about setting fire to drinks. Contrary to the comment of the mystery barperson in the mystery bar, there is no Council bylaw that prevents drinks being set on fire in bars.
However dangerous and moronic behaviour (ie setting fire to patrons, staff, or the bar itself) will definitely bring the bar to the attention of the Council, Fire Service, Police, District Licensing Agency, ACC, OSH and the news media.
cheers
Richard MacLean - Wellington City Council
Thanks Richard!
I shall go back and order a flaming Zombie in your honour.
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