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Cocktail History
The Shingle Stain is a classic tiki cocktail that was originally created by Victor Bergeron at his bar Trader Vic’s in San Francisco, California. The recipe first appeared in 1946 in Victor’s book Trader Vic’s Book of Food & Drink and, at the time, it was made with two types of rum, pomegranate, pimento dram, and citrus. Over the years, the list of ingredients evolved to include more fruit juices, but this version by David Kinsey at Kindred in San Diego, California harkens back to Trader Vic’s classic.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with molasses or sugarcane juice, spices, and alcohol that has been barrel aged for a long period of time. I used J. Wray & Nephew Gold Jamaican Rum.
Rhum Agricole: This is a type of rum made in the French Caribbean Islands that is distilled from freshly squeezed sugarcane juice. I used Clément Rhum Vieux Agricole VSOP.
Grenadine: This is a sweetener made with pomegranate juice and white sugar. I made mine using this stovetop recipe.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. I used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Allspice Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with allspice berries, spices, sugar, and rum. I used St. Elizabeth’s Allspice Dram.
Aromatic Bitters: This is a food product made with botanicals, herbs, and alcohol. I used Angostura Aromatic Bitters.
Mint Sprig: This is an herb. I used Mojito mint.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. I used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. I used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
This cocktail has the following flavor profile:
• Appearance: Brown-ish orange color
• Aroma: Cool mint and fruity pomegranate
• Taste: Tart grenadine balanced with tart lime and funky rum
• Finish: Various spice notes
Kendall’s Take: “This is another fascinating tiki drink made with a pretty interesting mix of ingredients. I didn’t know what to expect when I saw allspice dram, pomegranate, and rum mixed together, but they make a delightful and slightly tart pairing that nods to beachy themes but not as much as other tiki concoctions do. And as far as those tiki drinks go, it’s also very easy to make since it doesn’t have a long list of necessities. I will be retaking the Shingle Stain again!”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was found in the book Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.
Shingle Stain
Description
The Shingle Stain is a classic tiki cocktail that was originally created by Victor Bergeron at his bar Trader Vic’s in San Francisco, California. The recipe first appeared in 1946 in Victor's book Trader Vic's Book of Food & Drink and, at the time, it was made with two types of rum, pomegranate, pimento dram, and citrus. Over the years, the list of ingredients evolved to include more fruit juices, but this version by David Kinsey at Kindred in San Diego, California harkens back to Trader Vic's classic.
Ingredients
Method
Add dark rum, rhum agricole, grenadine, lime juice, allspice liqueur, and bitters to a shaker.
Fill shaker with cubed ice.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Fill a tiki glass with fresh cracked ice.
Using a Hawthorne strainer, strain into tiki glass.
Garnish with mint sprig.
