12 Days of Christmas Cocktails: The Play Date

The very best rum and cola drinks are about to be revealed! The following recipes have been tested time and time again, and have been met with 99.9% enthusiastic approval. We have a monthly 4-table euchre party that lasts twice as long as it should due to the frequent refills of these drinks. Folks can’t get enough of ‘em. If you think you’re not a fan of rum and cola, try one of these and see what you think.

Sailor Jerry is my brand of choice. It’s vaguely similar to Shcaptain Schmorgan (like cold is similar to hot). Sailor Jerry has a slight vanilla-y flavor. It’s not a tropical, coconut-y rum. I keep a bottle of Sailor Jerry in the freezer for these drinks. 

The Play date V1
2oz Sailor Jerry Rum
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Cola

The Play date V2
2oz Sailor Jerry Rum
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
Ginger Ale

Add rum and lime juice to a double old fashioned glass full of ice (really full, not just a couple cubes). Fill with cola (I use Coke Zero) or ginger ale (Boylan’s ginger ale, if you can find it, try it — much better than Canada Dry). Not done yet though -- here’s a trick that will surprise and delight you and whomever you make this drink for: take a lime wedge and run it around the rim of the glass, leaving a light coating of lime juice on the rim. Oh! That’s a trick you can use with other drinks too, perfect for a gimlet.

Bonus rum drink! Now that you’ve tried V1 and V2, you’re ready for V3. The Kraken is a rum I recently discovered and it is awesome. Not a replacement for Sailor Jerry — The Kraken has a different flavor, almost slightly chocolate-y.

The Play date V3

2oz The Kraken Rum
Cola

Add rum to a double old fashioned glass full of ice (really full, not just a couple cubes). Fill with cola. No lime with this one — it doesn’t work as well with this rum. Enjoy!

Comments

[whoorl]

Oh, my dad would LOVE this. His frequent reminder to me is, "say yum to rum."

[Kristine]

Thanks a million for posting these. It's such a great idea! Now I can stun my husband with my vast cocktail knowledge this holiday season. :-)

[Adam]

I realize its only 10:15 in the morning but I am drinking on of these right now and it's glorious!

[Teresa]

Love this column. This should be a permanent piece!

[Brian]

Logan, these recipes are great! Melissa, awesome, awesome countdown idea!

I've made way too many 7 O'Clock Bedtimes in the last couple of days for my wife and me. They're sure to be a hit when I come prepared on Christmas Eve!

[Liz]

I crept over from Matt's blog a little while ago, I love your posts and think you are histerical and after this post I realized we have soooo much in common. Imagine my delight to check in today and see that you have a monthly Euchre party and you drink Sailor Jerry while playing, sounds like a dream night to me and you do it once a month(I'm very jealous)! Have you ever had a Sailor Sunrise? It's just like Tequila sunrise, but with Sailor Jerry instead of Tequila. It's delicious!

[Kelly H]

Melissa & Logan - YOU ROCK! We are a cocktail group of friends (which is uncommon in the Sonoma wine country)and you have offered major inspiration with this series. We can't wait to try all your recipes. In fact, we do a wicked New Years Eve party and are thinking of doing all 12 days of cocktails ALL on New Years Eve! Too much?

Keep 'em coming!

[Amy]

Um, You need to do a Shutterfly cocktail book. Excuse I need to run to the liquor store.

[Melissa Summers]

Ooh! That would have been a great tie in! Maybe next year.

Sent from my iPhone with fat fingers on tiny keys.

[Medusa]

I keep thinking of having that "liquor luggage" (where you open the small boxy piece of luggage and it's like a bar inside it) to take with me on vacation. All those small bottles would probably be great to try every single one of these cocktails. Now, can you make a cocktail book for me? It would fit perfectly in my luggage.

[lynne]

It just occurred to me that my upcoming Christmas vacation is exactly twelve days long, including weekends. Now I know exactly what to do.

[BonDotts]

Release the Kraken!

Sailor Jerry has become my favorite over Captain So and So as well. It is stronger in the proofage dept., so keep that in mind too.

[Kathy]

Hi. Okay, you have totally sold me on the Kraken... but how to obtain, especially in the proverbial 'in time for the holidays' sense? The website is attractive but singularly uninformative.
Also, that bottle is awesome.
Any hints? I'd love to bring this to my brother's house for Christmas dinner.
Thanks!

[Pants]

BonDotts: you are right, it's a strong liquor. The Kraken is even stronger!

Kathy: it's only available right now in a limited number of states. Like 4 states I think. Need us to buy and ship a bottle to you?

[Cindy]

I have to add that I'm also really enjoying this series of posts. Great idea! Thanks Melissa and Logan!

[April]

I would totally buy a Melissa and Logan Christmas cocktail book, these recipes rock and I hope to try a few of them out over my upcoming Christmas vaca! :)

[jill]

Are these the perfect ice cubes made from your the perfect ice cube tray?

[Kathy]

Pants: Thank you for the information and offer! I guess I will have to sign up for email alerts from Kraken. Thanks all!

[ageekymom]

Ok.. so now that the holidaze are over, I'm on the hunt for Sailor Jerry and The Kraken. I'm local, so can you suggest a liquor store?