The Tiki Drink Discussion Topic

[KD1191]

FAA hazardous materials regulations forbid alcohol of 140 proof (70%) or higher on planes (checked or carry-on) in the U.S. (hence George T. Stagg's nickname "Hazmat"). I don't know if this definition of hazardous materials extends to non-aircraft transportation. I hope not, because my driving route from Kentucky to Chicago would then require a detour around Indianapolis, where there are various signs on the Interstate warning against transporting hazardous materials through the city.

[sadistick]

If we had enough people we could have the LCBO bring in a half case of the Lemon Heart 151 and split it?

[mkayahara]

If we had enough people we could have the LCBO bring in a half case of the Lemon Heart 151 and split it?

Pretty sure the LCBO only brings in whole-case quantities... but it's a good point: we should get some Ontarians together and see what we can split up a case of. I, for one, would be happy to lay my hands on some Carpano Antica Formula vermouth.

[Tri2Cook]

K&L Wines and Spirits in California ships to Ontario but they have to ship through the LCBO which makes it pretty much cost prohibitive. I've been in contact with them and they were up front with the information that the markup from the LCBO/Ontario government would be somewhere in the area of 100% which would quickly make for a costly case of booze. Also, I'm not sure what method K&L uses for shipping but is says on their site that they can't ship the 151 proof spirits.

[BennyAdeline]

K&L Wines and Spirits in California ships to Ontario but they have to ship through the LCBO which makes it pretty much cost prohibitive. I've been in contact with them and they were up front with the information that the markup from the LCBO/Ontario government would be somewhere in the area of 100% which would quickly make for a costly case of booze. Also, I'm not sure what method K&L uses for shipping but is says on their site that they can't ship the 151 proof spirits.

I live 2 blocks from a K&L. Maybe I could be of assistance with this shipping issue.

[Tri2Cook]

I live 2 blocks from a K&L. Maybe I could be of assistance with this shipping issue.

Shipping spirits into Ontario from outside of Canada pretty much has to go through the LCBO. They frown upon trying to bypass the sytem so, very kind though the offer is, it's really not worth it to try to sneak around it. It's not a K&L shipping issue, I'd gladly pay their shipping charges to get the stuff I want, it's the upcharge due to the monopoly the LCBO maintains on spirits in Ontario that is the killer... I'm sure I can still have a lot of fun with this tiki stuff without the 151 even if some things won't be authentic.

[KD1191]

I live 2 blocks from a K&L. Maybe I could be of assistance with this shipping issue.

Shipping spirits into Ontario from outside of Canada pretty much has to go through the LCBO. They frown upon trying to bypass the sytem so, very kind though the offer is, it's really not worth it to try to sneak around it. It's not a K&L shipping issue, I'd gladly pay their shipping charges to get the stuff I want, it's the upcharge due to the monopoly the LCBO maintains on spirits in Ontario that is the killer... I'm sure I can still have a lot of fun with this tiki stuff without the 151 even if some things won't be authentic.

Not to mention that putting alcohol into the mail in the U.S. can be a felony...laws vary by state, but most shippers will refuse to accept packages containing alcohol except from licensed distributors.

[sadistick]

Yes.

I abhor (and love) the LCBO all at the same time for this very reason.

The largest purchasing entity of alcohol in the WORLD, and our prices are terrible, selection is mediocre, and just a royal pain in the ass all around.

[Tri2Cook]

Going to do a weekend of extreme tiki-ness. Bought lemons, limes, oranges, grapefruits and (sorry gang but the pineapples at the only local store were not nice) a container of pineapple juice yesterday. Last night I made 5-minute falernum and used the same method to make pimento dram. I also made orgeat and grenadine while I was already making a mess. Got up really early this morning and made simple syrup, demerara syrup, honey syrup, vanilla syrup, ginger syrup, cinnamon syrup and kona coffee syrup before work. I have a pretty nicely stocked cabinet for a small, remote town in Ontario, Canada and a decent selection of rums. The only thing spoiling the fun is the lack of a 151 rum. The only one available is Bacardi. Nothing I can do about that but I'm not going to let it stop me from playing. I haven't invested in tiki mugs or bowls yet so pictures will not follow.

[KatieLoeb]

Awesome! You've been busy! I made smoked pineapple syrup earlier this week and made a non-Tiki, but nonetheless tasty tequila based cocktail with it. Might try do something with rum and falernum later on. Will report back any success.

[mkayahara]

Sounds great, Tri2Cook! What time should I stop by? Looking forward to hearing what you make, and what you think of them.

[Tri2Cook]

Tonight I did...

Monkey Suit

1 1/2 oz Mount Gay Eclipse rum (Mount Gay XO)

1/2 oz Cruzan Black Strap rum (Gosling's Black Seal is the best I could do here)

1/2 oz Firelit Coffee Liqueur (used 3/4 oz of the coffee syrup I made this am)

1/2 oz simple syrup (omitted)

1/2 ripe banana

2 dashes Bittermens Xocolatl Mole Bitters

Blend with 1 cup crushed ice for 30 seconds.

A bit dark and heavy (if that makes sense, I'm kinda new to the tasting notes thing) for what I generally think of as a tiki drink but that could be due to all of the substitutions involved. The coffee and banana play nice together and making Mount Gay taste bad doesn't seem to be an easy thing to do any time. I liked it.

Missionary's Downfall

1 oz white rum (El Dorado 6 year silver)

4 whole fresh sprigs of mint

1/2 slice fresh pineapple (used 2 oz pineapple juice since the pineapples available were junk)

1 1/2 oz fresh lime juice

1/2 oz peach brandy

1/4 oz simple syrup

Strip mint leaves from sprigs and discard stems. Place leaves in blender with all other ingredients and 14 ounces of crushed ice. Blend until smooth.

Light on the alcohol for a tiki drink but really, really (really!) refreshing.

Stop by any time you're in the area Matt but it's a long way to travel for drinks you could probably make better at home. I'm not in a prime area for ingredient access.

[Tri2Cook]

Today's fun... Hawaiian shirt optional:

Horse Tonic

1 1/2 oz dark rum (I used Flor de Cana 7 to try to bring back some of the missing molasses since I don't have the Cruzan)

1/2 oz Cruzan Black Strap rum (again, had to sub Gosling's Black Seal)

3/4 oz lemon juice

1/2 oz ginger syrup

1/4 oz falernum

1 egg white

Dry shake then shake with ice. Strain into a glass with 1 oz of soda water. Finish with a pinch of espresso and an orange twist.

Probably not really a tiki drink but it's rums, citrus and syrups so I called it close enough. Tasty. Next time I might try replacing the pinch of espresso with a dash or two of the coffee bitters I picked up from House Made just for fun.

Thurston Howl

1 oz Appleton Estate V/X rum

1/2 oz VSOP brandy (I used E&J)

1/2 oz Tangueray Rangpur gin (can't get that here, I used N2O cavitation to infuse regular Tanq with lime zest and called it close enough)

2 oz pineapple juice

1/4 oz grapefruit juice

2 oz papaya nectar (I used fresh papaya juice)

1/4 oz cinnamon syrup

1/2 oz ginger syrup

Shake with ice, pour into a glass.

Now we're back in tiki land.

I really want to make a Jet Pilot but that means going with Bacardi 151 or not fueling the jet.

[Tri2Cook]

Last one of the weekend.

Beach Cruiser

1 oz Zaya Gran Reserva 12 Year Rum (don't have it, used Doorly's XO for no particular reason)

3/4 oz Fernet Branca

1/2 oz falernum

1 oz Coco Lopez cream of coconut (I used coconut milk and didn't miss the extra sweetness)

1 oz orange juice

1/2 oz lime juice

Shake with ice and strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with 4 mists of Bittermens Elemakule Tiki Bitters.

I didn't find this particularly exciting. I like the Doorly's, Fernet Branca would be good squeezed out of a sweaty sock and the Tiki bitters are really nice but, while the overall drink sat well above something I wouldn't drink, it sat well below outstanding for me. I think upping the lime may have helped it for my taste, maybe not though.

[slkinsey]

I actually think that subbing coconut milk for cream of coconut was the bad idea. Sugar content isn't the only difference. There is way more richness and coconut flavor in cream of coconut.

[Sunny&Rummy]

As good as Doorly's XO is, it's just not going to bring the same thing to the cocktail as Zaya. For that rich vanilla-nutty sweetness, you could quite readily sub Zacapa or Ron Atlantico. Lacking these, I would actually reach for Kraken before grabbing a Barbados rum. It obviously doesn't have the complexity that Zaya has but it certainly hits some of the same flavor notes. It's darker than the other choices but if a darker cocktail doesn't bother you I bet it would be very good.

[Tri2Cook]

**I meant to and should have prefaced my posts in this area with a disclaimer. Their are a lot of things not available through the LCBO and substitutions are going to be fairly frequent. My comments will be based on the drink as I made it with no intention of that reflecting on the original.**

I actually think that subbing coconut milk for cream of coconut was the bad idea. Sugar content isn't the only difference. There is way more richness and coconut flavor in cream of coconut.

That's entirely possible. I didn't have coco lopez on hand but maybe I'll grab one for my adventures in tiki land. I'm already going to have to do enough substituting with spirits so I probably need to keep everything else as close as possible to original.

As good as Doorly's XO is, it's just not going to bring the same thing to the cocktail as Zaya. For that rich vanilla-nutty sweetness, you could quite readily sub Zacapa or Ron Atlantico. Lacking these, I would actually reach for Kraken before grabbing a Barbados rum. It obviously doesn't have the complexity that Zaya has but it certainly hits some of the same flavor notes. It's darker than the other choices but if a darker cocktail doesn't bother you I bet it would be very good.

I don't have any of the options you mentioned other than the Kraken available in Ontario and I don't even have that one in my cabinet. Maybe I should add it.

Because I'm pretty new at this, I'm going to list the rums I have in my cabinet at this time and any suggestions regarding substituting will be greatly appreciated as I continue on with this. If I make a substitution and something else would have served the drink better I'll go back and try it again.

El Dorado 5 year

El Dorado 12 year

El Dorado 6 year Silver

Havana Club Anejo Blanco

Havana Club Anejo Reserva

Havana Club 7 year Dry

Appleton Estate V/X

Appleton Estate Extra

Appleton White

Mount Gay Extra Old

Flor de Cana 7 year

Doorly's XO

Gosling's Black Seal

Pusser's British Navy

Angostura 1919

Wray & Nephew Overproof

[Sunny&Rummy]

Because I'm pretty new at this, I'm going to list the rums I have in my cabinet at this time and any suggestions regarding substituting will be greatly appreciated as I continue on with this. If I make a substitution and something else would have served the drink better I'll go back and try it again.

El Dorado 5 year

El Dorado 12 year

El Dorado 6 year Silver

Havana Club Anejo Blanco

Havana Club Anejo Reserva

Havana Club 7 year Dry

Appleton Estate V/X

Appleton Estate Extra

Appleton White

Mount Gay Extra Old

Flor de Cana 7 year

Doorly's XO

Gosling's Black Seal

Pusser's British Navy

Angostura 1919

Wray & Nephew Overproof

That is a totally respectable rum chest. Add a couple of rhum agricoles and figure out how to get your hands on a good dark overproof rum and I'd say you are ready to mix up just about anything you'd care to.

[Tri2Cook]

That is a totally respectable rum chest. Add a couple of rhum agricoles and figure out how to get your hands on a good dark overproof rum and I'd say you are ready to mix up just about anything you'd care to.

The agricole is a problem right now. None available in Ontario or Manitoba that I've been able to locate. A friend is going to be in the U.S. in the fairly near future and I'm recruiting her to see if she can find at least one agricole plus a good 151 and maybe a bottle of Zacapa 23 while she's there. She's driving so there will be no issues with bringing a 151 on an airplane... so we'll see how that goes. I can get the Zacapa 23 in Manitoba but at $80/750ml I'm going to wait to see if she can get it for me before I go that route.

[Tri2Cook]

Are swizzles tiki? Anyway, rum, citrus and orgeat made it close enough for me. The kick in the pants from Campari was the clincher on deciding to try it. Good stuff.

Witchy Woman

1 1/2 oz. Campari

1 oz. white rum (I used Havana Club Anejo Blanco)

1 oz. orange juice

1/2 oz. lime juice

1/2 oz. orgeat

1 dash Angostura bitters

Build on crushed ice. Swizzle.

[vice]

I'd say swizzles are definitely tiki. What's more, Campari is really fun to play with in tiki drinks (smarter people than me were already well aware of this, of course). One of the more interesting drinks I've made that incorporates it is the Ken-Tiki:

1.5 oz bourbon

0.75 oz falernum

0.5 oz Campari

0.5 oz passion fruit juice

0.5 oz lemon juice

2 dash absinthe or pastis

shake | strain into a rocks glass filled with crushed ice

Fred's link above has the absinthe/pastis enter as a rinse, but I like to incorporate it directly if a drink's going to be served in a glass full of ice.

[mkayahara]

Campari is really fun to play with in tiki drinks...

There's also the Bitter Mai Tai in the latest issue of Imbibe magazine, though I haven't tried it yet (and it's gotten terrible reviews over at Tiki Central):

1.5 oz. Campari

0.75 oz. Jamaican rum (ideally Smith & Cross)

0.5 oz. orange curacao

1 oz. lime juice

0.75 oz. orgeat

Shake, strain into a glass filled with crushed ice, garnish with a mint sprig.

[Sunny&Rummy]

Cutting the Campari to 1 ounce and upping the rum to a full 2 ounces makes the Bitter Mai Tai a much more palatable drink. Not an every day drink by any means but not bad for a change of pace.

[Tri2Cook]

I'm definitely going to do some more Campari-tiki, thanks for all of the leads and suggestions. That Ken-Tiki sounds especially interesting. Bourbon tiki! But for tonight I went with...

Montegomatica

1 1/2 oz Wray & Nephew Overproof

1 oz Fernet Branca

1 oz Falernum

1 oz lime juice

Shake with crushed ice, pour into a glass, float 1/2 oz Cruzan Black Strap (Gosling's Black Seal had to stand in again), mint garnish.

[Tri2Cook]

If a drink calls for an 80 proof white rum and a 151 demerara in equal amounts would using an overproof white like Wray & Nephew and an 80 proof demerara be a reasonable approximation in a pinch? Something tells me it's probably not that simple but I've never minded being the one to ask the dumb questions.