Buzz
This past Sunday lived up to its name, offering a perfect opportunity to indulge in a few cocktails at a sunlit bar in southeast Portland. I began with a coconut gin Negroni, but soon enough, a lively cocktail with Squirt (a nostalgic favorite from my younger days) caught my attention.
The drink was called the “Sting Wray,” crafted with overproof rum, lime juice, and a generous splash of citrus soda. Naturally, I was inspired to recreate it myself, eager to relive those nostalgic flavors. To my surprise, I discovered that it worked just as well with standard rum.
This effervescent, bright drink is so easy to enjoy that I nearly drank it all before a meeting on an empty stomach—its citrus sweetness was that captivating. I prefer a stronger lime flavor (3/4 ounce), but you can adjust it to 1/2 ounce if you're not as fond of acidity. Here's how you make it:
1 1/2 ounces light rum
1/2-3/4 ounces lime juice
Squirt (the Mexican version with real sugar, if available)
In a shaker filled with ice, combine rum and lime juice, then shake to chill. Strain the mixture into a lowball glass, fill with crushed or regular ice, and top off with Squirt. Garnish with a lime wedge or a strip of zest, and resist the urge to drink it all in one go.
