About:

Matt Pietrek, a former software engineer, is a spirits expert, writer, and educator with a passion for rum and whiskey.

Website:

Specializations:

Interests:

Spirits Science Technology Drinks Rum Whiskey

Incoming Links:

Subscribe to RSS:
The post discusses the emergence of banana liqueurs in Tiki cocktails, focusing on Giffard’s Banane du Brésil, Tempus Fugit’s Crème de Banane, and the new Clément Bana Canne. It highlights the distinct flavor profiles of these liq...
The blog post discusses the history of falernum, a staple ingredient in many classic and modern recipes. It explains the differences between the Barbados-made falernum and the modern falernum, and how the latter has evolved over t...
The blog post discusses the history of the Tequila Ambassador V.O. and the process of creating the book. It also mentions the success of the first three Wonk Press books and the expansion of the Wonk brand. The post provides insig...
The blog post discusses the new house rum blend for 2023 at Rumba. The bar manager, Josh Ibañez, shares the new blend recipe and the thought process behind it. The post also explains the changes made to the daiquiri blend due to B...
The blog post discusses the history of passionfruit syrup and passionola in Tiki drinks, tracing its origins back to the 1930s and 1940s. It explores the rarity of references to passionfruit syrup in cocktail books and the early u...
The blog post discusses the discovery of a 1949 Trader Vic recipe for Maori Punch, which is a simple and refreshing cocktail. The author found the recipe in a 1949 newspaper and adapted it for modern tiki drink makers. The post al...
The blog post provides a comprehensive guide to the nine essential Tiki rum styles, including examples and showcase cocktails for each style. The author emphasizes the importance of having at least one bottle from each style to ma...
The blog post discusses the flavor combination of Campari and passion fruit in Tiki cocktails, highlighting the Tropic of Cancer recipe by Chad Austin. It emphasizes the importance of understanding unique flavor combinations in Ti...
The blog post announces the release of a new book, Polynesiacs - Tiki at Home, by Tom Jaynes, published by Wonk Press. The book showcases 75 elaborate home tiki bars in America, with narratives about their origins and creators. Th...
The blog post discusses the author's revised falernum recipe, distinguishing between traditional and modern falernum, and provides a detailed recipe for making modern falernum. The author also shares his thoughts on the flavor pro...
The author announces the release of their second book, Modern Caribbean Rum, and explains that they have started a new platform called Rum Wonk to better serve their rum-focused audience. They also provide a sneak peek inside the ...
The blog post discusses the differences between simple syrup and Demerara syrup, highlighting the unique flavor profile of Demerara sugar. It also provides insight into the sourcing and color variations of Demerara sugar, and offe...