The Tiki Drink Discussion Topic

[tanstaafl2]

I've wanted to try the ...- for a while. I've been trying to decide what I could use to at least get the general idea without an agricole (which is not to be found where I live).

I wonder if there is any correlation to Morse Code with this odd drink name? Three dots and a dash is a "V" but not sure I see a ready connection.

[Rafa]

It was the Morse code for "Victory" in WWII, when Don the Beachcomber made the drink.

[tanstaafl2]

It was the Morse code for "Victory" in WWII, when Don the Beachcomber made the drink.

Ah! That would indeed explain it.

[FrogPrincesse]

We had a mini heat wave in San Diego last week (32C/90F), so I used the occasion to make a Montego Bay (Donn Beach). Typical flavor profile with dark Jamaican rum, allspice dram, grapefruit, lime, honey syrup, angostura, pastis. I used Appleton 12 for the rum. It would be fun to try with other Jamaican rums.

[Hassouni]

Unphotogenic shot of my 1934 Zombie. Made according to the standard recipe à la Berry, using Appleton Extra and Barcelo Imperial for the JA and PR rums (obv Barcelo is not from PR, but I wasn't going to use my precious bottle of Barrilito 3 star!). Also used my homemade grenadine, homemade cinnamon syrup for the "Don's Mix", and homemade falernum.

Unbelievable drink. I can see why Don had a 2-per-customer limit. I made the 1950s recipe a week or two ago, and that's less of a pain to make, but this one just hits like a sledgehammer being swung by tropical angels. Amazing.

[FrogPrincesse]

Named after the old name for St Lucia ("Land of Iguanas"), this drink is normally made with Chairman's reserve silver. I did not have it on hand so I used Flor de Cana 4 year white rum. Interesting alliance of Campari with allspice, lime and strawberry. It works quite well. Refreshing, tropical, a little tart, and with intriguing spices. It reminds me of the Jungle Bird which is one of the rare tiki drinks that uses Campari, but it feels more light & subtle.

Louanalao (Richard Boccato): white rum, campari, allspice dram, lime juice, cane syrup, muddled strawberry.

Edited June 27, 2013 by FrogPrincesse (log)

[FrogPrincesse]

We had these fun little snow cones at Son of a Gun, a restaurant in LA. They are great with only one complaint - way too small.

The Sidewinder Fang in the front (Atlantico rum, Smith & Cross rum, passion fruit) was nice and tart with depth from the S&C; the Lost Cause in the back had a Don the Beachcomber feel to it with the spices from the aquavit (Korgstad aquavit, Banks 5 rum, coconut, lemon, lime).

[FrogPrincesse]

Not quite a daiquiri but very close in spirit, the Halekulani cocktail from the Tiki+ app: okolehao, pineapple juice, lemon juice, orange juice, grenadine, angostura bitters. Much more interesting than I had anticipated based on the ingredient list. It was tart and exotic with intriguing notes from the okolehao liqueur.

[tanstaafl2]

Not quite a daiquiri but very close in spirit, the Halekulani cocktail from the Tiki+ app: okolehao, pineapple juice, lemon juice, orange juice, grenadine, angostura bitters. Much more interesting than I had anticipated based on the ingredient list. It was tart and exotic with intriguing notes from the okolehao liqueur.

A shame there isn't good way to get you a bottle of the 100 proof Okolehao to try. I find them significantly different and expect it would make the cocktails different as well. Whether for better or worse is hard to say!

[FrogPrincesse]

tanstaafl2 - I may "need" to go to Hawaii to get a bottle... I am long overdue for a visit already.

[Hassouni]

Jasper's rum punch last night, probably the best tiki-style drink in terms of the simplicity/ease of preparation to deliciousness ratio

1.5 oz WN overproof

.75 oz lime

.5 oz 2:1 re-hydrated cane syrup

a few dashes of Angostura

stir with crushed ice, grate nutmeg and a pop Maraschino soaked cherry atop, and rock on.

[Plantes Vertes]

Does this count as a tiki drink? Falernum and lime are there - on the other hand there isn't any rum and the glassware has no face. And it contains elderflower. And there are a very restrained five ingredients only.

Ninth Ward

Brother Cleve, Tales of the Cocktail 2008

1 1/2 oz Bourbon

3/4 oz Falernum
3/4 oz Lime Juice
1/2 oz St. Germain
2 dash Peychaud's Bitters

[FrogPrincesse]

I made this Volcano Bowl for MxMo.

It's hard to go wrong with these rums (Plantation 5 Barbados, Appleton 12 Jamaican, Eldorado 5 Demerara, and Lemon Hart 151 Demerara) and a Don the Beachcomber recipe! Also a very interesting use of maple syrup as the sweetener.

[FrogPrincesse]

We need more Tiki love...

Here is the Luau Grog from Stephen's Crane defunct restaurant in Beverly Hills. After attending a fun seminar about Stephen Crane by Martin Cate at Tiki Oasis a few weeks ago, it's fun to recreate these drinks at home. This one calls for Demerara, dark Jamaican and gold Puerto Rican rums (I used Barbados for the Puerto Rican rum), grapefruit and lime juice, honey syrup, and Angostura bitters. It's really nice - in general tiki drinks with grapefruit and a bit of spice work quite well. The recipe is in Sippin' Safari.

[Adam George]

How does this differ from the Navy Grog?

[FrogPrincesse]

Adam - excellent catch! For his restaurants, Stephen Crane did not really create new drinks from scratch but seemed to have heavily drawn from Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber's signature drinks, with a few nice tweaks here and there. He hired a lot of ex-bartenders from these places, including Ray Buhen who later opened his own place, Tiki Ti. So they are very strong similarities.

The Luau Grog has Angostura bitters that the Navy Grog doesn't have. Other than that, I believe that they are pretty much the same. Of course they may have used a different rum mix at the Luau vs. Don the Beachcomber's, changing the drink somewhat. To me the Navy Grog is a fine drink that is lacking something and is a little bland for a Don the Beachcomber creation - usually his drinks have a distinctive spice profile that this one lacks. Adding a few drops of Angostura makes a difference and I prefer that version.

Note that I skipped the soda water in my rendition (my excuse is that the glass was too small!).

[mkayahara]

We need more Tiki love...

If I could get white grapefruits, I'm sure I would make a lot more Tiki drinks. Alas, the Ruby Red has come to entirely dominate the marketplace where I live.

[FrogPrincesse]

Matt - Excuses, excuses...

[Adam George]

I too found the Navy Grog lacking in some depth so I added a Barspoon of St Elizabeth Allspice Dram.

My recipe was

1oz Skipper Demerera

1oz Appleton VX

1oz Havana Club Blanco

1oz Honey Mix

.75oz Lime

.75oz Grapefruit

.25oz Allspice Dram

Dash of soda in the glass.

Somewhat cheap and cheerful, but lots of flavour.

I actually served these in enamal camping mugs as I thought they fitted the grog theme.

[Rafa]

I too found the Navy Grog lacking in some depth so I added a Barspoon of St Elizabeth Allspice Dram.

Excellent idea. I too do that with tropicals that I otherwise find lacking (like my "Piña Colada," which I make with dark rum, added lime, and a barspoon of allspice dram). In some cases, a small amount of a pie spice amaro (Ramazzotti, etc) can similarly add depth and spice; I like Luxardo Abano, which has a cola character but adds a great savory black pepper note.

My favorite Tiki drinks tend to have a depth of spice to them; it's one reason I generally prefer Don the Beachcomber's drinks to Vic's (as much as I love the glorious Mai Tai).

[JoNorvelleWalker]

I too found the Navy Grog lacking in some depth so I added a Barspoon of St Elizabeth Allspice Dram.

Excellent idea. I too do that with tropicals that I otherwise find lacking (like my "Piña Colada," which I make with dark rum, added lime, and a barspoon of allspice dram). In some cases, a small amount of a pie spice amaro (Ramazzotti, etc) can similarly add depth and spice; I like Luxardo Abano, which has a cola character but adds a great savory black pepper note.

My favorite Tiki drinks tend to have a depth of spice to them; it's one reason I generally prefer Don the Beachcomber's drinks to Vic's (as much as I love the glorious Mai Tai).

Can you give your recipe for the Mai Tai?

I've been studying Wayne Curtis' book, and a Bottle of Rum. Curtis' Mai Tai (which I think is derived from Trader Vic's) is 1 oz Jamaican rum, 1 oz medium bodied rum, 3/4 oz orange curacao, 3/4 oz lime juice, 1/4 oz orgeat.

He also lists a Don the Beachcomber's Mai Tai as: 1 1/2 oz dark rum, 1 oz medium bodied rum, 3/4 oz lime juice, 1 oz grapefruit juice, 1/4 oz falernum, 1/2 oz triple sec, 2 dashes Angostura, 1 dash Pernod.

I'd also be interested to see good recipes for the Zombie. Does anyone use real absinthe in their Mai Tai or Zombie formulae?

[Adam George]

Absinthe in the Zombie, yes as I use Don's formula. Mai Tai, no, as I prefer Trader Vic's.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Absinthe in the Zombie, yes as I use Don's formula. Mai Tai, no, as I prefer Trader Vic's.

Many thanks. I have never made either but in the 1970's and 1980's, on business trips, I was fond of Mai Tais and Zombies. What kind of absinthe would work well?

[Hassouni]

Honestly, absinthe in Tiki drinks is used in such minute quantities that I don't think it matters much what sort, as long as it's one made properly with real herbs and whatnot

[brinza]

The Mai Tai formula I use is basicaly Trader Vic's: 1 oz dark aged or Jamaican rum, 1 oz light or gold rum, 1 oz lime juice, 1/2 oz orange curacao, 1/4 oz orgeat (sometimes I use falernum), 1/4 oz simple. I almost always add a splash of Lemon Hart 151. I never add any other kind of juice.

But I do like the looks of this recipe (ie with the extra curacao instead of simple syrup)

Curtis' Mai Tai (which I think is derived from Trader Vic's) is 1 oz Jamaican rum, 1 oz medium bodied rum, 3/4 oz orange curacao, 3/4 oz lime juice, 1/4 oz orgeat.