El Camillo Loco

Bar Shira

Jun 22

What cocktail should we enjoy while trying to open a crazy lock called “Loco”? It should be something equally crazy, don’t you think? Israeli bartender Bar Shira from Imperial Craft Cocktail Bar in Tel Aviv won the Bacardi Legacy cocktail competition held in San Francisco in 2016 with this crazy cocktail. International relations were warming between the US and Cuba at the time and he took his inspiration from this, playing off the simplicity of a Cuba Libre and also a Michelada.

In his research for the drink and the competition’s sponsor, he discovered that Bacardi had once produce Hatuey, the most popular beer in Cuba, which was always delivered with a block of ice to keep it nice and cold. So in addition to Bacardi rum, his drink would need both beer and ice too. Like the Cuba Libre, he wanted a drink that would be easy to make, using common ingredients found in most any bar. The drink should be built in the glass it will be served in, no need for a separate mixing tin or shaker. So easy! Of course, it is also crazy good, which may be why it won the competition. Shira recommends making his drink while wearing a camel head mask, and calls his creation “Untameable”! Cheers!