Rum Shacks

Rum shack is the generic name for the local small bars that serve rum to eager customers in various measures, and they are located all over Grenada. They are certainly not built for show, nor luxury, nor opulence. They are meant to be functional and most of them are not much more than brightly painted shacks. They serve their main purpose, which is to get people drunk as quickly as possible. You will find them scattered or clustered along the main roads and also hidden inside groups of small homes. In addition to pouring fiery shots, they serve as central communication, news and gossip sites for the neighbourhood. When you see one you like, step right in and check it out, but you should know that local patrons are sometimes a boisterous vocal lot. Politics, religion and sports are touchy subjects, and it's usually best to leave those discussions to the regulars.

A number of these rum shacks are called ‘People’s Bar’ or variations on that. The Poor People’s bar in Grenville lives up to its name as there was virtually nothing on show inside other than a counter. Behind that, there is usually enough potent stuff to serve for the day, as no money seems to be tied up in providing an inviting display of choices ...seems the right thing to do as those bottles are not earning anything for the owner. They make sure that they have enough stock for the days when there is a greater demand, such as the weekend or holidays. But the stock on hand is kept to a minimum, and might only include two selections of OMG or OMG+ to fire your esophagus.

The common denominator to all these places is the number of people who may have had too much – especially the OMG+ over-proof. Most of these are 69% alcohol per volume and some are more. Double strength means 80% or more. There is usually a warning message about smoking and naked flames (inflammable liquids) as these rums are not allowed on airline flights for fear of explosions! How people can consume these is beyond me – I digress.

There is a bit of a ritual with this type of rum. It is served in shots in small plastic cups to the customer along with a bottle of water - normally in a bottle that once would have held rum - kept in an ice bucket and available on the counter for all to use. Some customers knock back a shot and then drink 2 or 3 cups of the cold water to prevent the burning sensation from becoming too great. Others would water it down first and then sip it at a slower pace. The former method was definitely the option for those who had planned to come into the rum shack for a quick drink and then move on to another rum shack. We have seen the wobbly effect of this in the evening hours while walking past these busy noisy establishments.

Rum shacks sometimes make their own version of spiced rum with herbs, leaves and spices right in the bottle. The rum they use is almost always over-proof and the rum picks up the flavours from the contents. You are definitely at the mercy of the maker when you ask for a shot but might be pleasantly surprised.

As a tourist you won’t likely see a centipede in a bottle of rum - if they have them they are usually kept under the counter... Putting centipedes in rum is illegal in Grenada, but if you manage to find it “Oondadeecanta,” you may be in for a unique treat as Grenadians swear by it! Grenada has one of the largest centipede species in the world, (see google images...) the Amazonian Giant Centipede. These creepy crawlies are extremely venomous with a nasty bite and can grow to a foot long. No, we haven't tried it! No, we don't plan to either...

If you spend enough time at a rum shack in Grenada, you’ll probably end up hearing a heated argument about the best way to distill and process rum, and which island makes the best rum. If there happens to be a customer from one of the neighbouring islands arguing with a Grenadian, it could turn out to be a full on argument. Grenadians love their rum and they take great pride in their history of producing it. If you find yourself in a rum shack, it’s best that you just taste the local rum, agree that it’s the best in the world and move on. (We have several favourites and they are mentioned in a previous post.)

Most small rum shacks are frequented by locals who are serious about their daily rum intake, and, (in our opinion) most are not really considered touristy type bars. This street has a long string of them and there is a party here every night... We tend to stop in at more main stream local beach bars - but not part of a hotel - where Canadian tourists might hang out to meet new friends... We live in the south west area of Grenada and the beach bar locations mentioned below are close by. We are sure that there are also many more very interesting places that we have not mentioned here, that others have visited on the island...

Tucked away in the Grand Anse Craft and Spice Market on Grand Anse Beach is Esther’s Beach Bar. Esther's Bar is a bit of an institution as tourists stop during the day, especially when there are cruise ships in, and on weekends and evenings its a local pub of choice for many locals, including big groups of university students in their bathing suits and bikinis. It is a very laid back casual place to visit with friends and they let you run a monthly tab if you wish. It’s easy to walk by it while strolling down the beach and not know it's there. But it’s so popular with the locals that they don't need to advertise. They show up on google maps and they have a Facebook page to communicate their latest creations. Esther and her son Kimani are warm and friendly and have been running this bar for 25 years. Known for her very reasonably priced cocktails, Esther's serves up the best Mojitos on the island, with locally sourced fresh mint that she hand picks and prepares for use.

Just a quick shout out here... right next to Esther's is the Fish Pot kitchen. Ralph has a nice menu of local food to enjoy at the beach – wraps, burgers, chicken, seafood, full meal plates of Caribbean dishes, etc. - all of it is delicious to savor and enjoy on while sipping on a drink or two at Esther's. We highly recommend the chicken wings.

It's not really fair to include this location as part of local "rum shacks" as it is likely the most popular local restaurant on the island. However, seeing as it's our blog, and can do what we want on it, we have included Umbrellas Beach Bar as they do serve beer and rum with a nice view of beautiful Grand Anse Beach, Umbrellas Beach Bar is a highly popular watering hole with a buzzing mix of locals, students and tourists and is famous for its potent cocktails, big measures of liquor and oversized beers. This is not a small rum shack by any means as the menu offers a mix of grilled seafood, wraps, patties, and salads with a great-value Happy Hour – complete with live dance music three days a week at sundown. Just walk up from the sea, shower the salt off at the bar and grab a table overlooking the white sand and turquoise blue water. This is our favourite refreshment and meal stop on Grand Anse Beach.

Coconut Restaurant and Beach Bar is another one of our favourite spots on Grand Anse Beach and doesn't fall under the definition of "rum shack" either. But it's a stand alone beach location with great food and drinks and we have spent our share of time sitting under the palapas.

With its wooden deck, rustic balustrade and thatched lid, Rocky's Bar is one of Grenada’s most authentic beach bars, right on the sands of Morne Rouge Beach. Friendly, casual and lacking in all airs and graces, this quaint beer joint beneath the palms doesn’t care about the sand on your feet or your soaking wet beachwear. It greets you with a warm smile and the island’s coldest beer. Though the bar has been updated from the dilapidated shack it once was, it retains its rustic flair and easygoing vibe the locals. For the best view in the house, prop yourself up on the wooden patio and enjoy your drinks just a couple of steps away from the water’s edge.

La Plywood Beach Bar and Cafe is a great little bar also located right on Morne Rouge Beach. It looks like it was built in one afternoon with hammer, nails and a few planks, but has a wonderful friendly vibe with locals and tourists mixing together. Basic food like burgers, fish and fries are on the menu and are served by friendly staff and a very talented chef. The fish tacos and fish kabobs are amazing – so is the laid-back atmosphere as it is very much a "come as you are" type of place. Don't let the limited menu fool you - there is something for everyone and it also makes it easy on the chef to create perfection in each serving.

Cummin Up – just a very small place on the beach next door to Umbrellas on Grand Anse Beach that operates out of a 10 foot long food trailer. They prepare a variety of local Caribbean dishes, but most folks come here for the jerk chicken or curried chicken roti. They have a BBQ made out of an old tank cut in half and it is fired up daily to create chicken and fish dishes. There is no running water so we don't eat there (memories of Montezuma in Mexico still haunt us), but we do enjoy stopping by for a cool refreshment there as their rum and beer drinks are much easier on the wallet than most other places. Eugene and Sheron are great hosts and make sure you feel welcome.

So there you have it. A bit of background and a few places to visit when you come to Grenada. We will be sure to continue checking them out while we are still here. Many of our friends will continue to do that too while we take a short break and head to Mazatlan for a while...