> Monsoon
> 1 1/4 oz light rum
> 4 oz sweet and sour
> 1 oz pineapple juice
> 1 oz passionfruit juice
> 3/4 oz Meyer's dark rum
>
> The caterer allows us to get our own supplies, so it is cheaper. So
> here are my questions:
>
> 1. Sweet and sour mix: I hate the pre-made stuff, so I read earlier
> posts about how to mix lemons (and sometimes lime, which I think
> would work nicely here) with sugar or simple syrup. What's the best
> way to modify the recipe so the caterer can easily create/transport a
> substitute and the bartender can easily make drink after drink?
There are receipes available for making a "fresh" batch of sweet and sour mix.
Simple syrup is simply one part sugar to one part water. Bring the water to
boiling, and then add in sugar and stir until all of the sugar is dissolved.
Then to make it sweet and sour mix, you add in fresh squeezed lemon juice, but
I am unsure of the amount right now, but I will try to find it for you.
Generally when I bartend a wedding reception, I will mix up my mixes (simple
syrup, sweet & sour, etc.) and bottle my juices the night before in gallon
containers (usually gallon milk containers that have been thoroughly cleaned).
I've used the guess-timate of one gallon (of each juice and mix) per 50
(drinking) guests, and have had no problems with that so far.
> 2. Is it necessary to have light and dark rum? What brands are best
> (with only 100 people, we can go with something decent but not
> outrageously expensive).
It is necessary if the recipe calls for both types of rum. They both have
slightly different flavors, and doing without one or the other changes the
flavor profile of the drink.
As for brands, I've found that you can go with a "well" brand as they tend be
cheaper than the "name" brands (think Bacardi, Captain Morgan, etc.). Here in
Hawaii, I tend to use Hana Bay, McCormicks or Bartons. Check with your local
bars/restaurants to see what brands they use in their wells.
> 3. Where do we get passionfruit juice? Is Dole pineapple juice out of
> the can acceptable?
I'm not sure where you can get passionfruit in your area. In Hawaii,
passionfruit is sold by the gallon in the supermarkets and grocery stores.
Check with your local grocery stores, supermarkets and perhaps liquor stores.
If you can not find any there, check with your local bars and restaurants to
see if they use passionfruit. If they do, see if they are willing to sell you
some in a large quantity, or if they will give you the name of the distributor
that they get it from.
Dole pineapple juice out of the can is perfectly acceptable. In fact, it is
what I use.
Best of luck with your wedding and reception!