Ten Forward

Romulan Ale

Romulan Ale

1 cup Blue Curacao
1 cup vodka (unflavored)
1 cup white rum
2 cups clear lemon-lime soda (Sprite, 7-Up, Sprite Zero, etc.)
2 cups club soda
1 cup tonic water

Pour all ingredients into a growler. Cap it and gently tilt once to mix, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve in a clear glass without ice.

Notes:

The quintessential Star Trek drink, this stuff is technically illegal in the Federation, and for good reason.

This is my official Star Trek Day (September 8) drink, and I'll also usually whip up a batch whenever a new series or movie comes out.

Other recipes for Romulan Ale can be found elsewhere (this is the one   I derived the recipe from). None of them worked well for me, so I made my own modifications. A little Blue Curacao goes a long way, and I believe that these proportions create a poured product that best reflects the bright blue coloration shown in the series.

The combination of BC and Sprite tends to make a drink that's on the sweet side; the addition of club soda and tonic water tends to cut that sweetness a bit, while maintaining a delicate effervescence that justifies the term "ale." Obviously, tastes differ, and you can experiment like I did—but be aware that apart from the BC, every other ingredient should be clear so that the bright blue color can be properly displayed in the final product. You can even try flavored vodka, but do so at your own risk. Also, these quantities nicely fill up a growler.

It's not meant to be consumed all at once. Because a growler is designed to maintain its contents' carbonation, any leftovers can be placed back in stasis (that is, refrigerated) for a few days, but any longer than that and you do risk losing the fizz—though it's still tasty.

One final note: You can mix this with absinthe in a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1 (add some ice or use chilled absinthe); this is called a Cloaking Device. The result, when mixed, displays a fascinating blue-green color not found anywhere else in the quadrant, but be warned: this can cause a warp core breach.