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The Hemingway daiquiri recipe is one of many mixed drinks and alcoholic beverages that are influenced by Ernest Hemingway. Hemingway is known for his many hobbies, historical facts, and habits. His life story could fill as many books as he wrote, if not more.
The Hemingway daiquiri is different from a strawberry daiquiri recipe, banana daiquiri recipe, cherry daiquiri, or watermelon daiquiri. It's also unique among many of the frozen daiquiri recipe treats. Hemingway’s influence led to a unique drink that pairs well with any of his titles. In this blog post, we’ll walk through the history of the Hemingway daiquiri and the mix of cocktail ingredients that go into the drink.
Hemingway Daiquiri History
The creation of the Hemingway daiquiri is one of the many interesting stories from Hemingway’s life. As the story goes, Hemingway was at El Floridita, one of his favorite bars in Havana, Cuba. The bartender there, Constantino Ribalaigua, had been mixing up daiquiris for a while.
Hemingway’s contribution to the drink stemmed from his diabetes. He sampled the daiquiri Ribalaigua was serving, then asked for another with less sugar and more rum. It was a hit of a variation, and Ribalaigua brought the Hemingway daiquiri on as a regular drink of all the great cocktails on the menu.
"Key Takeaway: The Hemingway daiquiri recipe is one of many mixed drinks and alcoholic beverages that are influenced by Ernest Hemingway."
Hemingway Daiquiri Recipe
The Hemingway daiquiri recipe that you’ll drink today at most any bar is different in terms of the brand of rum being used. Other than that, it’s the same drink that Hemingway and Constantino Ribalaigua crafted together. The recipe to make one serving calls for:
- Ice, preferably cubed
- 2 ounces of white rum
- 3/4 ounce of fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce of fresh grapefruit juice
- 1/2 ounce of maraschino liqueur–maybe you’ll make your own maraschino cherry recipe
- 1 lime wheel as a garnish
To mix it up, start with a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add the white rum, lime juice, grapefruit juice, and maraschino liqueur, and shake it well. Strain the mixture into a chilled coupe glass, and add the lime wheel garnish.
As a writer, Hemingway was a supporter of creative freedom. With that in mind, you can try your hand at finding new variations of the Hemingway daiquiri. Use a maraschino cherry for the garnish, or even a grapefruit wheel. Test out different types of rum, and maybe include some grapefruit schnapps in the mixed drink.
The Hemingway daiquiri was created due to the personal preference of Hemingway. It’s only fitting that his drink should be played with, to find new personal favorites and mix up a drink he would enjoy.
Best Rum for Hemingway Daiquiri
If dreams came true, the best rum for the Hemingway daiquiri would be a classic Cuban rum. Perhaps something you would find on the shelves of the El Floridita. That would be as close to the original drink as you could hope to get.
Sadly, because of the U.S. embargo against Cuba, a bottle of Cuban rum can be difficult to get. Of course, it can be purchased duty-free outside of the U.S., which is why we included a Havana Club option on this list. These light rums will all help you create a Hemingway daiquiri that Hemingway would be proud of:
- Plantation 3 Stars
- Havana Club Añejo Blanco
- BACARDÍ Superior White Rum
- The Real McCoy 3 Year Old
- Wray and Nephew Overproof Rum
- Don Q Rum Cristal
- El Dorado 3 Year Old
- Flor de Caña 4-Year Extra Seco
- Diplomatico Planas Rum
- Rhum J.M. Agricole Blanc
- Cape Cornwall White Rum
- Denizen Aged White
- Mount Gay Silver Rum
- Banks 5 Island Rum
- Brugal Especial Extra Dry
- Caña Brava
Of course, this is just a fraction of the white rum you can find in your liquor store. There are plenty of options out there. The range of opportunities goes from white and silver rum to a light golden rum if you’re feeling adventurous. Some of the best surprising daiquiris are made with darker rum options. The best rum for daiquiri drinks all depends on your personal preference.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hemingway's Daiquiri
When you search for the Hemingway daiquiri, there’s plenty of information about the drink, but there is even more about the man himself. Hemingway led quite a curious life, and learning about him is just as interesting as learning how to mix up his daiquiri.
For these frequently asked questions, we found a mix of questions about the Hemingway daiquiri and other aspects of Hemingway’s life and drinking habits. Our answers will give you insights into his life to read up on as you sip on a Hemingway daiquiri:
How Do You Drink Like Hemingway?
To drink like Hemingway means to drink a lot, and drink in style. As much as we love Hemingway, he wasn’t known as a responsible drinker. To be responsible and still drink like Hemingway, the trick is to drink with style, and enjoy an afternoon cocktail. Additionally, you need to have a hard limit and stick to it.
If you want one day of drinking strictly like Hemingway, start around midday. Enjoy a mix of absinthe cocktails, some of the best red wine types, types of vodka, whiskey sodas–different from a whiskey sour, and of course, the Hemingway daiquiri. You’ll find yourself looking for a hangover cure the next day.
A more sustainable way to drink like Hemingway is to enjoy one of his favorite cocktails on the weekend. From an absinthe and champagne mix on Friday night to a daiquiri for Sunday brunch, you can channel Hemingway with responsible drinking in mind.
What Was Ernest Hemingway’s Favorite Bar?
It’s hard to narrow down Hemingway’s favorite bar to just one place. An article in Architectural Digest made a list of eight of his favorite spots around the world. That list includes:
- The Ritz in Paris
- Sloppy Joe’s in Key West
- Hotel Lutetia in Paris
- Bar Ingles in Lima, Peru
- Harry’s Bar in Venice, Italy
- El Floridita in Cuba
- La Bodeguita del Medio in Cuba
- Casino Bar in Ketchum, Idaho
Overall, this list shows the diversity of Hemingway’s drinking habits. He had many favorite bars and favorite drinks. Over the years, his drinking habits grew in a similar fashion to how his writing grew.
What Is Ernest Hemingway’s Most Famous Quote?
Hemingway was a man of many great words, and it’s hard to narrow it down to just one most famous quote. One of the best is “Courage is grace under pressure.” For book lovers, one popular option is, “There is no friend as loyal as a book.”
For every fan of the Hemingway daiquiri, there is, “Always do sober what you said you'd do drunk. That will teach you to keep your mouth shut.” It’s safe to say Hemingway is known for many quotable moments.
What Was Hemingway’s Favorite Wine?
Like many aspects of Hemingway’s life in activities and alcoholic beverages, it’s hard to say whether he had one favorite wine. For much of his life, he did tend to favor red wines. One, in particular, is the Valpolicella red wine blend. Hemingway drank the blend in Venice, Italy, alongside a seafood meal.
The Hemingway Daiquiri: A Daiquiri Feast
The Hemingway daiquiri is a must for all types of menu options in a restaurant or bar. If you’re looking to include a few daiquiris on your menu, the Hemingway daiquiri alongside the classic daiquiri is a good start.
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