Shingle Stain

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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 fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then aged, often in charred barrels, to develop a full-bodied, caramelized flavor.

Rhum Agricole: This is a type of rum made in the French Caribbean Islands with fermented sugarcane juice and yeast, which are distilled to develop a grassy, vegetal flavor.

Grenadine: This is a sweetener made with pomegranate juice and white sugar, which are heated and infused into a syrup with a deep, sweet-tart flavor.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.

Allspice Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with allspice berries, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended, infused, and sometimes aged to develop a warm, spiced flavor.

Aromatic Bitters: This is a concentrated flavoring made with a blend of herbs, spices, roots, and botanicals, and distilled alcohol, which are macerated or steeped to develop an aromatic, bittersweet flavor.

Mint: This is an herb made from the leaves of the mint plant, which are harvested and used for their cool, aromatic flavor.

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.