Tiki, why?

[ThinkingBartender]

1) How does Tiki influence Modern Cocktails?

2) How does Tiki influence you, and what you drink?

3) Do you even know what Tiki is?

4) Whats your favourite Tiki drink?

5) Do you drink at Tiki Establishments?

6) Is Tiki over-rated?

Come on lurkers, what is your opinion?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiki_culture

http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/

http://wiki.webtender.com/wiki/Category:Tiki_Drinks

Cheers!

George S.

[alacarte]

If you haven't already read it, a new book, "And A Bottle of Rum" has a chapter exclusively devoted to the origins of tiki bars, as well as the controversy over who created the Mai Tai.

Great book chronicling the history of rum in America, I recommend it.

[eje]

Certainly not a lurker here; but, I'll bite.

1) How does Tiki influence Modern Cocktails?

I don't know my perception is accurate; but, to me tiki opened the door to ingredients being used in cocktails beyond the standard repetoire of bar ingredients. That is, vermouth, bitters, and simple syrup. Since tiki also benefits from the use of fresh ingredients, I think it also pointed the way for bartenders to stop using so many mixes. Of course, it could be argued that the relentless product flogging of Mr. Trader Vic actually started the mix craze to begin with...

2) How does Tiki influence you, and what you drink?

Doesn't really, beyond encouraging me to purchase Orgeat and Falernum for my home bar and make my own Pimento Dram. Those are fun to play with. Oh, and, purchase far too many rums for my own good.

4) Whats your favourite Tiki drink?

Well, I've always been fond of a good Planter's Punch. Though, I'm not entirely certain I've ever had a "real" one.

5) Do you drink at Tiki Establishments?

Not very often; but, I've heard there is a good one in a suburb near San Francisco, Forbidden Island. Unfortunately, I haven't been there yet. It's on an island across the bay that is a pain to get to by public transit. And if there is one thing you shouldn't do, that's drink tiki and drive.

6) Is Tiki over-rated?

I don't think it's anymore over-rated than any other drink "trend". Well made tiki style drinks can be as satisfying, in their own way, as any other style of drink. It's all down to the bartender and the ingredients.

[Kent Wang]

Are we in the midst of a tiki revival?

[slkinsey]

I think there is a growing interest in tiki drinks due to a combination of 1) there is a cocktail revival well underway; 2) many tiki drinks are nonthreatening, easy-drinking and approachable to those who cut their teeth on "vodka with 6 different kinds of fruit juice" drinks; 3) there are some genuinely good tiki drinks out there; 4) 50's-era kitsch appeals to the "ironic hipster" set these days. These things combine to make it more likely that certain individuals will say "yes" to a Mai Tai in a tiki mug.

[slkinsey]

I have a follow-up question:

What makes a drink a tiki drink?

I ask this after looking through George's webtender wiki list of tiki drinks, where I see several that I would not consider born of the tiki tradition. In particular, I'm not sure I'd call the Dark and Stormy, Hurricane, Piña Colada, Queen's Park Swizzle, any variety of Margarita or Daiquiri, or the non-Trader Vic Suffering Bastard a "tiki drink."

[ThinkingBartender]

I have a follow-up question:

What makes a drink a tiki drink?

I ask this after looking through George's webtender wiki list of tiki drinks, where I see several that I would not consider born of the tiki tradition.  In particular, I'm not sure I'd call the Dark and Stormy, Hurricane, Piña Colada, Queen's Park Swizzle, any variety of Margarita or Daiquiri, or the non-Trader Vic Suffering Bastard a "tiki drink."

←

The Daiquiri, and its variations, seem to be the mainstay of the Tiki movement, so it is hard to discount it. Trader Vic was serving Mojitos back in the 30's. Its all seems to be a mish-mash of styles, kind of hard to put a finger on exactly what it is.

Some people are bringing up the fruit juice and syrups experimentation thing, but these have been around for years. Tom Bullock has a few examples.

Perhaps Tiki is just a feeling, rather than an actual thing.

[slkinsey]

Perhaps Tiki is just a feeling, rather than an actual thing.

Maybe you have a point. The "faux Polynesian" thing's got to figure in there somehow.

I don't know... there's something inherrently "tiki" feeling about drinks like the Scorpion, the Demerara Dry Float and the Mai Tai -- not least of which is that they were created by the likes of Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber specifically in the tiki tradition. If, for example, Trader Vic's had been serving a lot of Manhattans, I don't think that makes the Manhattan necessarily a "tiki drink." This is why I don't think drinks like a Margarita, Daiquiri or Mojito belong. They belong to other traditions. Now, on the other hand, if one would like to suggest that a frozen and blended, fruit flavored "Margarita" or "Daiquiri" is a tiki drink, I might listen.

[eje]

[...]

Some people are bringing up the fruit juice and syrups experimentation thing, but these have been around for years. Tom Bullock has a few examples.

[...]

←

Well, there's no question that there was a huge spirit of experimentation among early bartenders.

To me, though, it all seemed pretty ossified after prohibition, with the Dry Martini and the Highball representing the state of the art from WWII up through the 50s.

From my perspective, tiki was what brought color back into the bar.

Even if it was often garish color.

Probably a simplification, I'll admit.

[mbanu]

I have a follow-up question:

What makes a drink a tiki drink?

I ask this after looking through George's webtender wiki list of tiki drinks, where I see several that I would not consider born of the tiki tradition.  In particular, I'm not sure I'd call the Dark and Stormy, Hurricane, Piña Colada, Queen's Park Swizzle, any variety of Margarita or Daiquiri, or the non-Trader Vic Suffering Bastard a "tiki drink."

←

Well, it depends. "Tiki drink" is really a blanket term for several styles of drink, usually revolving around a core location (Hawaii, Jamaica), or an influential bartender (Trader Vic, Don the Beachcomber, Harry Yee, etc). Usually the only common denominator is striking glassware/garnishes and an emphasis on tropical ingredients.

Edited November 30, 2006 by mbanu (log)