In our effort to catch up to Matt Arthur’s flurry of posts about the waning years of the 17th Century, here is “Desperate Rogues”

Just coming off of the new mixology kit from Bespoke Post comes a new home-brew kit. Coming complete with just about everything you need to craft one of three unique beers: Blueprint IPA, Paradise Wheat, and Fireside Stout. All you need to add are some empty bottles, which if you’re like most of us, are not too hard to collect in a short period of time. Check out the new kit and everything it comes with here.

Bespoke Post, a monthly subscription box service catering to the good old-fashioned and refined gentleman, launched a new home bar centered box called “Alchemy”. It features 7 components including a Boston shaker and glass, 2″ silicone ice cube tray, bar spoon (with built-in muddler), Japanese-style jigger, Hawthorne strainer, and your choice of three different types of bitters. For $55, it’s not a bad deal for a quality starter kit.

From MyPirateBar to your pirate bar, have a very Merry Christmas! (and drink plenty of eggnog)

The Christmas tree is the focal point of any holiday decorating scheme, making the pirate Christmas tree the first of our festive posts.

Right now, the tree is pretty lean and simple, but this leaves plenty of room for updates in the coming years. At the base is a treasure chest (what other gift box would a pirate expect?) and a jug of rum with some scattered gold coins (what better gifts could a pirate ask for?)

Now, let’s get into the individual ornaments. A couple of them are Hallmark ornaments from Pirates of the Caribbean, and you will also notice a few prop items (back from the days of Master Replicas) as well.

I don’t have all of the POTC Hallmark ornaments (which I intend to change in the future), but I have 5 of the 7 that have been made. The first, from 2013, is my favorite. A 3D version of the POTC logo, it plays the classic Pirates theme song. The second is this year’s (2017), featuring the logo from Dead Men Tell No Tales. It also plays a clip from the theme song. It currently retails for $19.95. Check it out on Hallmark’s site here.

The 2006 ornament is also one of my favorites, depicting that iconic scene borrowed from the original Disney ride. This ornament plays a clip from “Yo Ho, A Pirate’s Life for Me”. The last two I have are from 2011 and 2012 modeling Jack Sparrow.

The next two are prop items from the days of Master Replicas. I loved Master Replicas because they made pretty authentic-looking prop replica items at a very reasonable price point. Sadly, they are no more, but you can still find their collection items on Ebay, Amazon, and other online places. The first is Jack Sparrow’s most famous ring (one that Johnny Depp reportedly already wore before the movies) among several. The second is Hector Barbossa’s pendant necklace.

What pirate-themed tree would be complete without the cursed Aztec gold coin necklace as an ornament? This is the Masters Replicas version, but there are many versions out there for a variety of price points, including on Etsy.

You don’t have to go out of your way to purchase POTC items for decorations, as there are plenty of other more generic but no less acceptable “piratey” items that can be used. One is a novelty replica doubloon necklace that was easy to convert. The second is a rusty old key I found in my grandparents’ basement that just fits really well.

Lastly, what pirate theme is complete without a parrot? This was, I think, a car air-freshener once upon a time, but after a couple months’ service and several years in a toy bin it’s been converted into a great themed ornament.

It’ll grow in the years to come, but a great start if I do say so. If you have any ideas, inspiration, or a pirate-themed tree you’d like to share, please let us know!