the mixing of exotic cocktails
99 posts
Mixergiltron - Giltron's Mixings - Tumblr Blog
Arrr Laddies!
Aye,be it that time o' year a'gin. The day where we speak the tongue o' the buccaneers. 'n t' save ye seadogs from scurvy,I've a pair o' grogs t' make ye merry. Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!
Mix #227 Peg Leg
1oz Plantation 3 Star 3/4oz Lemon Hart 151 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz simple syrup 1/4oz Demerara syrup 2-3 dashes grapefruit bitters
Shake wit' ice 'n pour inta mug.
Sink me,t'is a beauty of a riff on the traditional grog/daiquiri. Birthed by a landlubber named Kyle Davidson,a barman in the former tavern Blackbird in Chicago,this will send you t' Davey Jones if ya have t' many. Blackbeard hisself would'a drank dis.
Mix #228 Capt Vadrna's Grog
2.5oz spiced rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz white grapefruit juice 3/4oz Demerara syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake wit' ice 'n pour inta mug.
That 'ol seadog Beachbum Berry made dis t' honor his matey Cap'n Stanislav Vadrna. 'tis a bit tart,but then mayhap so was his heartie? The 'ol pirate Hemingway would'a toasted Calypso with this'n.
'n here be some more pirate drinks I've done,t' keep ye smilin'.
Mix #10 Traditional Grog
1.5oz navy strength rum 1oz lime juice 1/2oz Demerara syrup
Shake with ice and pour into glass or mug.
Mix #11 Navy Grog
1oz light rum 1oz dark rum 1oz Demerara rum 1oz honey syrup 3/4 oz lime juice 3/4oz grapefruit juice 2oz club soda
Shake everything except soda with ice. Pour into double rocks glass and top with soda.
Mix #12 Sailor's Grog
1.5oz spiced rum 1/2oz 151 Demerara rum 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz orange juice 1/2oz falernum 1 dash Angostura bitters 1.5oz ginger beer
Shake everything except beer with ice and pour into double rocks glass. Top with beer.
Mix #15 Black Beard's Ghost(mine)
2oz light rum 2oz orange juice 1oz lemon juice 1oz blackberry brandy 1/2oz orgeat
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
Mix #14 Pirate's Parley
1oz Demerara rum 3oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz apricot brandy 1/2oz orange curacao
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
Mix #13 Corsair Punch
2oz Appleton Estate 8yr Reserve 2oz orange juice 2oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz grenadine 1/2oz orgeat
Shake with plenty of ice and pour into mug.
Mix #51 Blackbeard's Ghost
1.5oz white rum 1/2oz demerara rum 1.5oz orange juice 1oz lemon juice 1oz falernum 1/2oz apricot brandy 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake with plenty of ice.
Mix #84 Mariner's Ghost
3/4oz dark rum 3/4oz light rum 1oz mango juice 1oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz allspice dram dash of simple syrup
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
Mix #94 Skull & Bones
1.5oz Lemon Hart 151 rum 1/2oz Bacardi Gran Reserva Diez rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/2oz grenadine 1/8tsp Pernod 1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and pour into your spookiest mug.
Mix #124 Tortuga
1oz Demerara 151 rum 1oz gold rum 1oz sweet vermouth 1/2oz orange curacao 1/2oz white creme de cacao 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz lemon juice 1/2oz orange juice 1/4oz grenadine
Shake with plenty of ice and pour into classic style Tiki mug.
Mix #116 Buccaneer's Bounty
1oz Navy rum 1oz dark rum 1/2oz Demerara 151 rum 1oz honey syrup 3/4oz grapefruit juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 2 dashes bitters
Shake with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice.
Mix #130 Yellowbeard's Grog
2oz Pyrat XO Reserve rum 1oz lime juice 1/2oz Pierre Ferrand Yuzu 1/2oz Small Hand Foods orgeat 1/4oz Demerara syrup
Shake with ice,stagger-stagger-crawl-stagger,then pour into upturned skull of someone you don't like. Garnish with Mr Prostitute's moustache and a speared piece of Spam.
Pleasant seas me hearties,'n here be a pirate's blessin':
May your ANCHOR be tight, Your CORK be loose, Your RUM be spiced, And your COMPASS be true.
Two more.
Just two mixings from Facebook this week,but they're good'uns. Hope you enjoy them.
Mix #225 Coconut Doppelgänger
1.5oz coconut rum 1oz pineapple rum 1/2oz velvet falernum 1oz lime juice 1/4oz orgeat 1/4oz simple syrup 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and pour into glass.
I found this in Tiki Recipes on Facebook. It's sweet with a coconut base and spice on the end. Very nice. It was apparently created for a German brand of rum. I can't find their rum on this side of the Atlantic,but their recipe was good,so I'm guessing their rum isn't bad either. If you're in Europe you might want to give it a try.
Mix #226 Two Metres Apart Gets You One Step Closer To Paradise
2oz dark Jamaican rum 1/2oz amaro* 3/4oz falernum 1oz pineapple juice 1oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz lime juice Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and pour into glass. Top with bitters and some grated nutmeg.
*See below.
The longest-named drink I've made,this was also found while perusing Tiki Recipes. It was created during COVID by the Shameful Tiki Room bars in Canada. It was intended to be made with an amaro such as Campari or Aperol,but the poster said it was very bitter,so I decided to swap in Disaronno. Mine turned out sweetish with some spice and a bit of tart on the end. Quite a nice drink. If you like bitter,then use the original amaro,otherwise my tweak will make it sweet. Or try both to see which you like best.
So that's it for this installment. Halloween is just around the corner,so stay tuned for some spooky drinks. Aloha!
Mixing with mango.
Mango is a tropical fruit that features in many Tiki recipes. It's very sweet and a bit pungent,so a little goes a long way,and it's good to use sour and bitter to even your drink's balance out. Fun facts: Mango is the national fruit of India, Pakistan,and the Philippines,and the mango tree is the national tree of Bangladesh and considered to be holy by Buddhists. India also has a drink called Aam Panna,a mango drink that is said to be a health tonic and summer thirst quencher,but I haven't made it since it's not really Tiki and sounds more spicy than what I'd like. You can click the Wiki link for the recipe if you want to try it. So without further ado,let's get mixing with mango.
Mix #221 Spellbound
1.5oz Banks 7 rum* 1.5oz Midori 2oz mango juice 1/2oz Don's Mix 1/2oz lime juice 1/4oz orgeat dash Dashfire Creole bitters**
Shake with ice and strain into mug with fresh ice.
*I used Coruba. **I used Angostura.
Another drink card recipe from Ken Holewczynski of House Tabu,this is a drink you want to serve in a mug. It comes out an ugly olive color,but don't worry,it tastes great. Sweet and melon-y with a touch of cinnamon burn on the end,just close your eyes and savor the flavor. It's fairly low octane so it would make a good dinner cocktail.
Mix #222 The Den of Iniquity
1oz Hamilton Pot Still Jamaican rum 1/2oz apricot liqueur 1/2oz Aperol 1oz cinnamon syrup 1oz mango juice 1/2oz lime juice
Shake with ice and strain into Mai Tai glass with fresh ice.
Created by Tim Harnett at Tiki Underground,and featured in issue 23 of Exotica Moderne,this is another sweet drink with a combination mango/cinnamon flavor. The Aperol and lime cut the sweet down and reduce the cinnamon burn so it's not too sweet or strong. It's also low octane,so it would be good for lightweight drinkers.
Mix #223 Maneater
1.5oz gin 1/2oz apricot brandy 1/2oz orange liqueur* 1.5oz mango juice 1oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz orgeat 3 dashes bitters
Shake with ice a strain into mug with fresh ice.
*I used Cointreau.
From Yvonne Langen of the Taste & Tipple blog,this is sweet and citrus-y with a touch of tart on the end. A nice drink if you want a change of pace with some gin.
Mix #224 Mangonada Tiki Cocktail
1oz light rum 1oz dark rum 1oz triple sec 1.5oz mango puree* 1/2oz lime juice 2 dashes bitters
Shake with ice and pour into glass rimmed with Tajin spice.
*I used mango juice.
Uftda. So for the other drinks,the mango's sweetness really came forward. A full ounce of triple sec is quite a lot,but I figured that it would blunt the mango. But instead it overwhelms it,to the point that all you taste is triple sec. I wound up adding another ounce of mango juice just to finish the drink. I did not spice the rim with Tajin,because that stuff messes with my tummy,and good thing because that just would've made the drink even more of a hot mess. I found this drink searching the web for another mango recipe so I could finish off my can of juice. It was on the blog Taryn's Tasting Table,which is not a tiki blog,and that should've been my warning not to waste my rum. Well,at least I can keep you from wasting your rum;stick to proper Tiki blogs and follow your Uncle Giltron's advice and you'll be fine.
So get yourself a healthy dose of vitamin C,with a little rum to make it fun,and do a little mixing with mango. Enjoy!
It's not easy being green.
So your Uncle Giltron is still playing with his bottle of Green Chartreuse. After a year of trying to find it,by the Smoking Baboon I'm going to mix it. It's hard to find good recipes that use it because it's kinda rare,but I've got a pair for you I think you'll really like,provided you can find all the ingredients. Enjoy!
Mix #219 Swamp Angel
2oz rhum agricole blanc 1oz lime juice 1oz pineapple juice 3/4oz Green Chartreuse 1/2oz orgeat 1/2oz falernum 1/4oz allspice dram 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake or blend with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice(I shook it).
From Justin Oliver and Chad Austin on the Facebook group,Tiki Recipes,this is sweet with a creamy mouthfeel and lots of spice and herbs. It also has some real kick. An excellent cocktail with lots of flavor.
Mix #220 Vicious Whale
3/4oz Appleton Signature rum 3/4oz Rittenhouse rye* 3/4oz Green Chartreuse 3/4oz Giffard Banane Du Brasil** 3/4oz blue curacao 1/2oz Benedictine 3/4oz Don's Mix 3/4oz lime juice 2 dashes grapefruit bitters
Shake with ice and pour into glass. Top with a bit of grated nutmeg.
*I used Crown Royal. **I used Tepus Fugit Creme de Banane.
Created by Facebook user Johannes Oscarsson,and also posted to Tiki Recipes,this is another sweet,complex drink with a strong herbal finish. Another winner you should try.
So if you can find a bottle of Green Chartreuse,grab it,it's an excellent addition to your home bar. And follow my advice and you won't waste any.
And of course,i have to post some Kermit,cuz who who doesn't love the little green guy.
Happy Mai Tai Day!
Once again,it's time for Tiki's favorite holiday,MAI TAI DAY! The day when we salute the birth of the magic elixir created by Victor Bergeron in 1944. My first post was on the classic Mai Tai,so for today I've decided to mix a pair of modern Mai Tai riffs I think you'll really like. Enjoy!
Mix #217 Blue Hawai-Tai
1oz Wray & Nephew Overproof rum 1/2oz Plantation 3 Stars rum 1/2oz blue curacao 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/2oz simple syrup
Shake with ice and pour into snifter glass.
From Mai Tai expert Kevin Crossman comes a delicious spin on the classic recipe. While I thought the lemon would sour it,it's in fact a touch sweet with some super funk on the end. And the W&N gives it some real kick. The pretty blue color in the snifter also makes for an eye-pleasing experience. Another winning Mai Tai from the master.
Mix #218 S.O.S. Mai Tai
1.5oz rhum agricole blanc 1/2oz pot still Jamaican rum 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz orgeat 1/2oz orange curacao
Shake with ice and pour into collins glass. If you're fancy,add a spent lime shell with flaming 151.
Created by bartender Ean Bancroft at the S.O.S. bar in Georgia,this is another good sweet/funky riff. Funkier than the Blue Hawai-Tai,but not as strong,if you're looking to have more than one,I'd go with this. Either way,these are both good spins on the classic recipe.
So celebrate the day with an original Mai Tai or a riff. Maita'i roa ae!
Hallelujah!
So your Uncle Giltron finally did it;after a year of searching,I finally found a bottle of Green Chartreuse at one of my local liquor stores:
Ta-da!
Now you may be wondering why this is such a big deal. Well the fact is,you can't just walk into any old store and pick up a bottle of it like it was Bacardi. This liqueur is actually made by monks who only produce a certain number of bottles a year in the monastery La Grande Chartreuse near Grenoble,France. Because of this,it can be very hard to find,as well as expensive.
(the actual monastery)
The story goes that in 1084,St. Bruno of Cologne traveled to the Chartreuse Desert(not really a desert,it was just really isolated) with six companions and created a silent order of Roman Catholic monastics known as the Carthusians. In 1605 François-Annibal d´Estrées,the King of France’s Marshal of Artillery,handed over to the Carthusian monks of Paris a document of mysterious origins which supposedly contained the recipe for an “elixir of long life". Time passed,the monks studied the document,and finally in 1737 the manuscript was transferred to the monks of the Grande Chartreuse. They in turn studied it and experimented(one of their early formulas was actually red) and finally in 1764 created a seven page manuscript entitled,Composition of the Elixir of Chartreuse. This elixir is what is today known as Green Chartreuse. Fun fact,the color chartreuse is actually named for this liqueur. Later in 1838 they would also come up with another liqueur,Yellow Chartreuse,which is much easier to find,but not as potent(Yellow Chartreuse is supposed to use the same ingredients,just in different proportions).
So what is Green Chartreuse? It's an herbal liqueur made up of 130 ingredients. The exact recipe is a closely guarded secret,known to only three Carthusian monks. Supposedly,there are two monks who each have half the formula,with the Father Superior being the only living person to have the full recipe. The monks produce about 1.2 million bottles a year,which sounds like quite a lot,until you look into companies like Bacardi,which produce 100,000 liters of rum a day(my bottle of Chartreuse is 3/4 of a liter). Green is stronger tasting and 110 proof,yellow is sweeter and only 80 proof. The taste is very,um,'herbal'. It's really hard to describe other than that. And at 110 proof,it has about as much punch as Navy rum. Back in the '70's there was a popular cocktail called Swampwater which used Green Chartreuse,but it fell out of favor,and today there are only a few Tiki drinks that use it,mostly because of its rarity,but also because the complex flavor isn't to everyone's taste(it really comes forward in the drink). So below you will find a coterie of Green Chartreuse recipes. I hope you enjoy them.
Mix #213 Chartreuse Swizzle
1.5oz Green Chartreuse 1oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz falernum
Swizzle all ingredients with ice in glass and top with grated nutmeg.
Woo! Boy howdy! The first thing that hits you is a strong burst of herbs. The Chartreuse really comes forward. Then you get some spice from the falernum and nutmeg. Then one and a half ounces of 110 proof liqueur hit you. If you like herbal drinks you'll love this. This was created by Marco Dionysos at Tres Agaves in San Francisco and has become a Tiki staple with Chartreuse.
Mix #214 The Last Word
3/4oz Green Chartreuse 3/4oz gin 3/4oz marachino liqueur* 3/4oz lime juice
Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.
*I used Cherry Heering.
This other Tiki Chartreuse staple was born at the Detroit Athletic Club around 1915. It's believed it was created by bartender Frank Fogarty. Its claims to fame are the fact that it uses equal measures of all the ingredients,and is a Prohibition-era drink that has survived into modern times. The Chartreuse and gin combine to create a very 'botanical' flavor with a cherry finish. I used Heering which is more sour than maraschino,but it turned out well. Again,if you like herbal flavors,you'll like this.
Mix #215 Swampwater
1.5oz Green Chartreuse 6oz pineapple juice 1/4oz lime juice
Pour into mason jar with ice and stir.
So Green Chartreuse is a rare liqueur consisting of 130 ingredients and crafted by monks who have taken a vow of silence. So of course here in 'Merica we're gonna mix it with juice,give it a silly name,and serve it in mason jars. Yee-haw! No,actually,you can't blame us for this. This drink was created by the Chartreuse company back in the 1970's to get Americans to drink it. We had free love and disco and simple but potent cocktails were popular in clubs,so the French figured this would be right up our alley. And it was,for a time. But just like disco,it faded into memory until your Uncle Giltron dropped a bunch of dosh on a fancy bottle of liqueur and then started trolling the waters of the internet looking for recipes to use it in. You can ask your parents if they remember this,but they probably won't,or won't want to(insert winky emogi). It's actually not bad. It starts sweet and pineapple-y,then gives an herbal finish. It's easy to make,easy to drink,and has some kick,which actually makes it a good summer BBQ drink. And if you use the whole bottle,you can scale up the juices and batch it for your cookout. Remember folks,if you hold your pinky up it makes drinking out of a jar classy.
Mix #216 Amazonian Paralysis
1 3/4oz Appleton 12yr rum 1/2oz Green Chartreuse 1/2oz sloe gin 1/2oz velvet falernum 1oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lemon juice 4 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.
Created by Disneyland bartender Melissa Erin Nickoloff,this is a complex Tiki drink Vic and Donn would have appreciated. It starts sweet,then you taste spices,and then there's an herbal finish. It also has plenty of kick. A proper Tiki drink and good for introducing people to Chartreuse. And of course the name gives me an excuse to use a Lynda Carter gif(insert second winky emogi).
So if you're looking to broaden your palette,and can find it,pick up a bottle of Green Chartreuse and get a taste of a rare liqueur with tons of history behind it. Enjoy!
Happy National Rum Day!
It's August 16th,which is National Rum Day. So instead of posting recipes,I'm going to just talk a little about rum.
First some basics. There are two main branches of rum;rum and rhum agricole. Rum is made from sugar cane that has been processed into molasses,while agricole is made directly from sugar cane that has been pressed. If you see the word 'rhum' with an H,it's usually agricole,but not always. Sometimes they add the H to be fancy or for tradition. Agricole tends to have a super funky 'grassy' taste that is much stronger than regular rum. It's not to everyone's liking,but I do like it in certain cocktails. There are also rums that are made from things like sugar beets,but they all pretty much suck. Stick to cane rum/rhum and you won't go wrong. After this,there are numerous sub-categories. The thing is,some rums blur the lines between the categories,and some categories are kinda made up,so I'm just going to do a basic run down instead of dragging you down a rabbit hole.
White rum,also called light rum or silver rum,can be clear(which requires filtering) or have just a bit of goldish tint. It's light tasting and in Tiki drinks is usually mixed with other spirits or several ingredients. It works well in daiquiris. My preferred light rums are Bacardi Superior(my Kraft MacNCheese rum),Plantation 3 Star,and Probitas.
Gold rum,sometimes called amber rum,is a gold or amber color. It splits the difference between light and dark rums in terms of how heavy the flavor and funk are. I like Bacardi Reserva Ocho and Gran Reserva Diez,which are their 8 and 10yr aged rums.
Dark rum is the most commonly used in Tiki drinks,and can go from a dark amber to brown to almost black. It's got a lot of flavor and can have some serious funk. My favs are Appleton Signature/8yr/12yr,Plantation Original Dark,English Harbor,and Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva. I'm also a fan of Coruba,which many people consider a black rum.
Black rum is not really a category of rum,it's sort of a created term for really dark rum. It's heavy and funky and generally mixed instead of sipped. As I like funky rums,I am a fan. While I consider Coruba to be a dark rum,many consider it to be a black rum. I'm also a fan of Hamilton Pot Still Black,which is my go-to black rum. I'm also a fan of Cruzan Black Strap,which is a very molasses forward rum that many consider to be its own category.
Spiced rum,as the name suggests,has spices in it for extra flavoring. It can be light,gold,dark,or black. I'm a fan of Sugar Island(sadly no longer made) and Siesta Key. I also like Kraken Dark Label,which has a vanilla profile that mixes well with soda(I like it,but have never used it in a cocktail).
Demerara rum is only made in Guyana,although there are some rums called Demerara that are blended. The best way to describe it is that it is to rum what stout is to beer. Thick and funky with some sweetness. I'm a big fan of Lemon Hart Original and 151(my go-to 151),as well as Pussers Gunpowder.
Navy rum is 114 proof rum. It had to be this proof so that if the casks leaked,it wouldn't ruin the gunpowder it was stored with. I like Pussers,Hamilton Navy Grog Blend,and Smith & Cross.
Overproof rums are pretty much anything stronger than Navy rum. My favs are Hamilton Beachbum Zombie Blend,Wray & Nephew,and Plantation OFTD. And of course Lemon Hart 151.
There are also flavored rums,which can be any kind of rum with flavors added. I like Shipwreck and Siesta Key coconut,and Plantation Stiggins pineapple.
Finally,for agricole I like Duquesne Rhum Blanc for light,Rhum Barbancourt 8yr for dark,and Clement Rhum Vieux VSOP for gold.
Well,that's enough of a text wall,I think I pretty much covered all you really need to know. Stick with my suggestions,and you won't go wrong.
Cheers!
What's Nui with you?
Last week I did a Donn Beach classic,and this week I decided to keep rollin' with tha Donn by making another Beachcomber drink,the Nui Nui. Created in Hollywood around 1937,it was originally named the Pupule. But Donn later changed the name(after playing with the proportions) in 1953 when it was added to the menu of the Mandalay Bar in The Colonel's Plantation Beefsteak and Coffee House at the International Marketplace in Waikiki,HI. This was an interesting place where you picked your steak out from a butcher's case and they would cook it and bring it to your table. Fun fact,the Elvis movie Paradise, Hawaiian Style had recreated the restaurant for a dining scene,and an actual former Donn employee,Lean Lontoc,was the waiter serving Elvis his steak. Pupule is Hawaiian for "to make insane or act crazy" and nui means "big/large/greatest",so the second name is probably better as this isn't a strong drink,but it is tasty. Enjoy!
Mix #212 Nui Nui
2oz dark rum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz orange juice 1/4oz cinnamon syrup 1/4oz Donn's Spices #2* 1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice. Can also be blended.
*1:1 vanilla syrup and allspice dram
Depending on who you ask,this drink can be shaken or blended. I decided to shake it. It's a spicy drink with lots of cinnamon burn and just a touch of vanilla on the end. Pretty good,but next time I think I'll double the Spices #2 just to counteract the cinnamon. The rum used can also be Jamaican dark or Virgin Islands amber,depending on the source. I used Appleton 12yr and it worked quite well. Feel free to use the rum,proportions,and mixing method you prefer to tune this the way you like it.
Remember folks,if you can't get to paradise,the Donn will bring it to you. Aloha.
What's in a name?
Ernest Raymond Gantt. Sound familiar? No? How about Donn Beach? Yep,that's him. Donn changed his name when he started his Beachcomber chain of restaurants. Now I make mention of this because ol' Donn wasn't the only "Beachcomber" out there. Turns out there were a few scoundrels who tried to straight up rip him off by opening their own places called 'Beachcomber' and even ripped off the name of his classic Zombie drink. I learned all about this recently while reading Kevin Quigley's excellent book,New England Tiki. I highly recommend reading it as it gives the full story along with a lot of other fascinating Tiki stuff.
Now bringing this back to mixing,ol' Donn had a drink called Montego Bay. Thing is,if you search for this online,many of the results you'll find will be for drinks that have the same name,but are totally different(and not as good). Many use spiced rum(with one using light rum),different juices,and it may even contain ginger ale or creme de banana. But don't worry,Uncle Giltron won't let you waste your rum,I've got the proper Donn Beach recipe,as sussed out by our friend Beachbum Berry. And as with most of his drinks,the Donn knew what he was doing. Enjoy!
Mix #210 Montego Bay
1.5oz dark Jamaican rum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz honey syrup 1/4tsp allspice dram* 1 dash Angostura bitters 6 drops absinthe 3oz crushed ice
Blend everything for 5 seconds and pour into sour glass.
*About 1ml or 20-25 drops.
A classic Donn drink with lots of flavor. It starts with honey in the front,then a touch of spice,with some absinthe to finish. Complex and flavorful,use good rum because you'll taste it. Very nice.
And wouldn't you know,but ol' Trader Vic(AKA,Victor Jules Bergeron, Jr),also had a drink of the same name:
Mix #211 Montego Bay Cocktail
1oz Rhum Negrita rum* juice of 1/2 a lime** 1 dash triple sec*** 1 dash rock candy syrup*** 1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and strain into chilled stemmed cocktail glass.
*I used Coruba. **I used 1/2oz. ***I used 5ml = dash.
From the 1972 edition of Trader Vic's Bartender's Guide,this is a very different drink from Donn's. It's very tart and close to a daiquiri or traditional sailor grog. Now the measurement 'dash' has changed a bit over the years,so I decided to go with five milliliters as it seemed about right for this. Rock candy syrup is double-sweet so I actually used ten milliliters of regular simple. The original recipe called for Rhum Negrita,which is very dark and considered a 'cooking' rum,so I subbed in Coruba which is a nice very dark rum I've enjoyed in the past. I'd also like to note that for some reason Difford's Guide chose to use Rhum Clement Blanc,which is a white agricole,and very different(and no idea why they would do this). So if you want to try a different daiquiri,just pick a fav rum and give this a try. You can also do like Difford's and play with upping the other ingredients to your personal tastes.
Well,that's all for this week folks. Keep checking in for more mixings. Aloha!
Fixed it.
So back in Feb I did a post on the classic Trader Vic drink the Fogcutter. It was very sour. I've read plenty of postings from folks who were in agreement with me on this,so I decided to 'fix' it. Presented for your approval,the Fogweaver(named for a band I like). Enjoy.
Mix #209 The Fogweaver
1.5oz light rum 1/2oz sloe gin 1/2oz VSOP brandy 2oz tangerine juice 1oz lime juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/2oz oloroso sherry.
Shake everything except sherry with ice and pour into glass. Float sherry on top.
Every bit as potent as the original,but more balanced. I think the Trader would've approved.
Until next time folks.
Here's to swimmin' with bow-legged women.
Well,we're halfway through Sharkfest,but there's still plenty more to watch. And plenty more sharky Tiki drinks to mix up. Enjoy!
Mix #206 Luau Room Shark Tooth
1.5oz Tanduay rum* 1/2oz sloe gin 1oz lemon juice 1oz passionfruit syrup 1-2oz club soda
Shake everything except soda and pour into Mai Tai glass. Top with soda.
*I used Coruba.
This is the recipe used in the Luau Room bar of the Hotel del Coronado in the 1950's and 60's. It's light and sweet with a gin finish. An excellent summer drink.
I finally picked up some sloe gin which is much sweeter than other gins,and now I'll have to go back over some of my mixings that were supposed to use it and redo them. It really changes the character of the drink,so if a recipe calls for it instead of regular gin,you should use the correct stuff. It's also not bad to make a gin 'n tonic.
Mix #207 Mai-Kai Shark Bite
1oz Plantation 5yr Barbados rum 1oz Appleton Estate 12yr rum 1/2oz lime juice 1/oz pineapple juice 1/2oz rich(2:1) simple syrup 1/8oz cinnamon syrup
Rinse a rocks glass with water and freeze to create an ice shell. Shake everything except Appleton with ice until frothy. Add crushed ice to glass and strain mix in. Serve Appleton on side and pour in as a float.
Ok,so I just shook everything with ice and put it in a glass,and it turned out just fine. This is the Mai-Kai's take on the Shark Bite. It's got a sweet/tart blend with just of touch of cinnamon on the end. A nice drink,but it really didn't stand out enough to me to put it in regular rotation.
Mix #208 Blue Water White Death
2oz silver tequila 3/4oz Cointreau 3/4oz blue curacao 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz simple syrup few drops grenadine
Shake everything except grenadine with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass. Add a few drops of grenadine to look like blood in the water.
So I found a recipe going around the internet for a 'shark attack margarita'. It was a kitschy drink where you pour grenadine into way too much sweet and sour mix from a plastic shark. I tweaked the recipe and it started out ok until the grenadine kicked in,then it turned out almost undrinkable. Now,there was a '70's movie called 'Blue Water,White Death' that was supposed to be a great white shark documentary,and that was also a hot mess. So I decided to fix this drink and name it after the movie to try and redeem both. The drink is a pretty bright turquoise with the grenadine giving it the 'blood in the water' look,and the tequila gives it plenty of bite. It's very tequila forward,so use the good stuff(I used 1800) with a light taste that goes back and forth between tart and sweet. Only use about six to eight drops of grenadine;too much and it will overwhelm the drink and make it too sweet. And remember the old reel,"one tequila,two tequila,three tequila,floor";this drink will sneak up and bite you like a great white hitting a seal.
So enjoy Sharkfest folks,and have fun at the beach.
Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water….
So the bad news is the weather in DC is in the 90's with humidity in the stupids,which means I'm not leaving my apt on my days off. The good news is it's time for National Geographic's Sharkfest again,so I've got plenty of TV to watch! And of course I need a cocktail to sip while sitting on the couch,so I give you more shark-themed Tiki Drinks. Enjoy!
Last year I did a drink called the Shark Bite,which really wasn't that great. Blood in the Water is a riff on the Shark Bite,and the recipes I found didn't sound any better,so I decided to play with it. The result:
Mix #202 Giltron's Blood in the Water
1oz light overproof rum* 1/2oz Cherry Heering 1/2oz blue curacao 1/4oz lime juice 1/4oz lemon juice 1/2oz simple syrup
Shake everything except Heering with ice and pour into double old fashioned glass. Drizzle Heering on top.
*I used Wray & Nephew.
My riff is a bit tart,but not too sour,and the overproof gives it the bite you want in a shark-themed drink. Much better than last year's mixing. It has the bloody water look to it until the Heering mixes in,so if you're picky about how your drink looks,use a mug.
Mix #203 Quint's Grog
1oz light rum 1oz dark rum 1oz Demerara rum 1oz honey syrup 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz grapefruit juice 3/4oz grapefruit flavored club soda
Shake everything but soda with ice and pour into mug. Top with soda.
From Trader Brandon comes a Navy Grog riff. Okay,technically all he did was swap in flavored club soda,but Jaws was a good movie and Quint was cool so here it is. Tastes just like a regular Navy Grog but the grapefruit comes forward more. And it's got plenty of bite.
Mix #204 Don's Shark Tooth
1oz gold rum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz pineapple juice 2tsp simple syrup 1tsp syrup from Maraschino cherries* 1oz dark Jamaican rum
Blend everything except dark rum with ice and pour into glass. Float dark rum just before drinking.
*I used Cherry Heering.
Last year I mentioned that Don Beach had his own version of the Shark Tooth,and this is it. It has a nice sweet/tart balance with a cherry finish. Another Don classic.
Mix #205 WP's Shark Tooth
1oz Plantation 5yr Barbados rum 1oz Appleton Estate 12yr rum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz pineapple juice 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 1/4oz Maraschino liqueur* 1/2oz 151 Demerara rum
Shake everything except 151 with ice and pout into Mai Tai glass. Float 151 on top.
*I used Cherry Heering.
From Facebook comes Wayne Philipp's riff on the Shark Tooth. Very cinnamon-y with some tart and plenty of bite. I used Heering,proper Maraschino would've made it a bit sweeter. I good strong drink for cinnamon fans.
Mix #206 Tiger Shark
1/2oz gold Puerto Rican rum 1/2oz white Puerto Rican rum 1/2oz 151 Demerara rum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz pineapple juice 1/2oz simple syrup
Blend with ice and pour into mug.
From the former 1950's China Trader of Burbank,CA this is a classic Tiki drink with bite. A bit tart for me,but classic fans will dig it.
So kick back with a cocktail and tune in to Shark Fest,just remember to keep your hands and feet in the boat!
Ohhh....mama!
Happy 4th of July folks,I hope you had a good one. This week we're going to look at the drink I made for the 4th,the Bahama Mama. Some might say it's tourist,not Tiki,but it can be found in many Tiki bars,and the former Lost Lake of Chicago had their own version,so that counts. The thing about the Bahama Mama is that there really isn't a singular proper recipe. Unlike the Mai Tai,it can't be traced to one bartender or bar. Even the origin of the name is hazy. Some say it was named for Caribbean dancer Dottie Lee Anderson whose stage name was Bahama Mama,some say it came from a song by George "King of Goombay" Symonette,a famous Calypso singer.
If you do a deep dive into the 'net,you'll find recipes where it's shaken,blended,or even layered. There's recipes with and without grenadine,with and without banana liqueur,the juices change,and I found one that calls for coffee liqueur. I even found a posting from a bartender on Reddit who claimed that he just made his from whatever he had behind the bar and proudly proclaimed that he would "go to his grave without learning a proper recipe". So basically,if you ever order a Mama at a bar,you'll get what they think it should be(or what the bartender feels like). In order not to waste your rum,I've tried a couple recipes that I can recommend,and one that shows you how to spot a bad drink. Enjoy folks.
Mix #201a Elevated Bahama Mama 1
1oz Plantation Xaymaca rum 3/4oz light overproof rum* 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz cream of coconut 1/2oz pomegranate syrup 1/4oz orange curacao 1/4oz banana liqueur
Shake with five ice cubes for five seconds and strain into glass with ice.
*I used Wray & Nephew Overproof.
From the former Lost Lake bar,this is fruity and sweet with a citrus aftertaste. The overproof also makes it strong. It's called 'elevated' because it was made to be a properly balanced drink that you'd be willing to make again. A bit touristy,but quite good. I wouldn't be ashamed to serve it in my bar.
Mix #201b Elevated Bahama Mama 2
1oz Appleton 12yr rum 3/4oz Smith & Cross rum 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz grenadine 1/4oz orange curacao 1/4oz banana liqueur
Shake with ice and pour into glass.
Remember how I said that there wasn't a single proper recipe? Well the internet can't even seem to agree with the recipe from Lost Lake. This is another 'official' version I found. It's sweeter than the above because the grenadine comes forward more than the pomegranate syrup did. It has some kick due to the Navy rum,but not as much as the first. Not bad,if you like sweeter drinks give it a try. I do prefer the first one though.
'The Bahama Mama'
1oz spiced rum 3/4oz coconut rum 3/4oz banana liqueur 2.5oz pineapple juice 1oz orange juice 1-2 Tbsp grenadine
Shake with ice and pour into something.
So you'll notice that I didn't number this recipe. That's because it doesn't count,this is your lesson in how to spot a bad drink. One to two tablespoons means a half to a full ounce of grenadine. That's a lot. And that's all you'll really taste in this hot mess. It's way too sweet because there's almost no sour to balance it(note the lemon in the Elevateds). I also stated 'coconut rum' without being specific because the rum specified in the posting I found is something you won't find in my bar. I'm not the worst of rum snobs,but I'm not mixing with rail. If your bartender serves you this,send it back and/or find another bar. And if they toss on an overproof float,they're just trying to give you a hangover. You've been warned folks.
I hope this has been informative for you. If you just want to get hammered on vacation,then go ahead and order a Mama at the beach bar. If you want something you'll enjoy,use one of the two numbered recipes above.
And now I'll close with some good music and a tribute to the Fourth by an American icon. Aloha!
A double century.
Well,here we are folks,my two hundredth mixing. It's been a long journey,and I'd just like to pause for a moment to thank my poor liver,which has been by my side(well,actually in my side) through the whole ordeal with nary a complaint(unlike my head,which has complained a few times). For #200 I chose a drink from the famous Tiki-ti,an LA icon since 1961. Established by Ray Buhen,it's still open and still family owned. If you ever find yourself in the City of Angels,you should definitely make the pilgrimage here.
The drink is the infamous Puka Punch.
I say infamous because not only does it pack a punch,but it was described by a Reddit poster as one of the biggest pains in the butt he'd ever made due to the list of eleven ingredients. Of course this didn't put off your Uncle Giltron;I've survived multiple Zombies and the mighty Boo Loo,and my extensive inventory of mixers includes everything I needed. So without further ado,I present to you my two hundredth mixing. Enjoy!
Mix #200 Puka Punch
2oz light rum 1oz dark rum 1/2oz overproof rum 1oz orange juice 1oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lime juice 3/4oz passionfruit syrup 1/2oz honey syrup 1/2oz simple syrup 1/4oz falernum 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake everything except overproof rum with ice and pour into brandy snifter. Float overproof on top.
Very sweet,with honey in the body and a touch of spice in the finish. And with all that rum it's quite strong. For my rums I used Plantation 3 Star,Coruba,and Plantation OFTD. Lemon Hart 151 would've normally been my choice for an overproof float,but I decided to cut my liver and head a break on this one. Like the Boo Loo,this goes down real easy and the rum will sneak up on you if you're not careful. This is also not a drink you'd want more than one of,as all that rum and sweet will hang you over. But it's perfect if you're just sitting on the couch watching old black & white movies and want a nice buzz. It will improve the cheesy old special effects.
Hope you enjoy my bicentennial mixing. I'm sure I can find enough recipes to take this blog to 300,so stay tuned. Mahalo!
Countdown…4…3…2…1
Well,here we are. Counting down the last few mixes until I hit number TWO HUNDRED. As I like pirate stuff,these all have a pirate and/or nautical theme. Enjoy!
Mix #196 Captain Ron
1oz Haitian agricole rhum 1oz rye whiskey 3/4oz lemon juice 3/4oz velvet falernum 3/4oz grenadine
Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.
Created in 2020 by bartender Bryan Crowder in the Ice Plant Bar in St. Augustine,FL,this is sweet and funky with a spice and whiskey aftertaste. The bright red color is also cool. A good drink to try if you're looking for something a little different.
Mix #197 Captain's Blood
1.5oz dark Jamaican rum 1oz lime juice 1/3oz honey syrup 1/4oz falernum 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.
Created by Doug Winship(whose blog is down),this is very tart with a bit of sweet and spice at the end. Good if you like tart,but I added some Demerara syrup.
Mix #198 Aquadisiac
2oz gold rum 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz blue curacao 1/2oz orgeat
Shake with ice and pour into glass.
This bright turquoise concoction is from Beachbum Berry. It's basically a slightly tart Mai Tai. A nice summer drink and also good for folks who like to try Mai Tai riffs.
Mix #199 Deep Blue Sea
1.5oz light rum 1/2oz blue curacao 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz lemon juice 1/2oz fassionola 1/2oz orgeat 1/4oz allspice
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
So,one of the reasons I didn't post actual pics of the drink is because it didn't turn out a pretty color. Despite the blue curacao,the Jonathan English fassionola I used caused it to turn a grape-ish purple. It tasted good with a nice sweet/tart balance and a bit of spice on the end,but this is a drink you want to serve in an opaque mug. Creator Brian Maxwell did this on his blog,but I've seen posters on Youtube and Facebook who got a pretty blue color. I think they may have gamed the system somehow. In any case,this is another winner from Brian,just don't put it in a glass.
Well,that's 199 down. Next is the big two-o-o. And it's gonna be a good one. Stay tuned folks. Aloha!
Summer in the City.
It's Summer in DC and with the heat and humidity climbing,a cool drink is just what you need. And if there's some alcohol in it,that'll just add to the fun. For this installment,I decided to go 'Tiki adjacent' with two of the five hottest summer drinks according to local bartenders. They might not be exactly Tiki,but the ingredients and flavors are what you would expect from good drinks at a proper Tiki bar. Enjoy!
Mix #194 Something Blue
2oz blanco tequila 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz amaretto* 1/4oz blue curacao 1/4oz Demerara syrup black salt
Salt the rim of a glass. Shake all ingredients with ice and pour into glass.
*I used Disaronno.
From bartender Darlin Kulla at The Grill,this margarita riff is very tequila forward and citrus-y tart. I actually added another quarter ounce of Demerara syrup. I also didn't salt the rim of my glass(not my thing). If you like tequila margaritas,give this a try. The blue color also makes for a cool looking party drink.
Mix #195 MF Zucca
2oz spiced rum 3/4oz passionfruit syrup 1/4oz amaro* 1/4oz lime juice
Shake with plenty of ice and pour into glass.
*I used Aperol.
Created by bartender Danny Gonzalez of Maketto,this is a very interesting drink. It's bitter on the nose,but very sweet tasting. Very nice. A complex tasting drink you could serve at parties to impress your guests. I used Sugar Hill spiced rum,but it's no longer available. I look forward to trying this with other spiced rums. I think it would be a good test bed for checking out the taste of a spiced rum in a cocktail. BTW,in case you're wondering where the drink's name comes from,the bar uses Rabarbaro Zucca as their amaro.
So Summer heat may be here,but there is relief. Stay cool folks.
Passion for fassion.
Fassionola,also known as passionola,is a sweet syrup used in some Tiki drink recipes. It's bright red like grenadine,but much more berry flavored. It is a bit rare though,as only a couple companies make it. Part of this has to do with the crazy history of the stuff.
It is believed to have been created around 1916 by a German immigrant named Victor Kremer. He was a druggist,and back then drug stores often contained a soda bar. Victor and his wife created a passionfruit flavored syrup for sodas and ice cream. It was originally called Passiflora,then the name was changed to Passionola. It was made in three colors: red,which was berry flavored,gold,which was passionfruit flavored,and green,which was lime flavored. At the time it was pretty much just used for soda and ice cream,although it and other flavorings were used to make drug cocktails as well(ever wonder where the 'coke' in Coca-Cola came from?). Several companies were involved in producing it,but it wasn't until around 1956 when the Jonathan English Company took up the mantle,and they continue to produce it today. Don Beach is sometimes credited with being involved with passionola,but neither he or Trader Vic used the stuff until much later in the '60's and '70's. Passionola pretty much was out of the realm of Tiki until that time. It also took a hit in the '60's,when it became associated with so-called 'stag pills':
(From the upcoming book Fassionola by Martin Lindsay. Doesn't sound much different from today's ads,does it?)
Passionola was mentioned by name in the 1963 Congressional report,Frauds and Quackery Affecting the Older Citizen, Hearings Before the Special Committee on Aging, United States Senate. A year later,the US patent office granted a patent for fassionola,which helped disassociate the syrup from the scandal. It was after this Don and Vic started using it in some of their drinks,since now it didn't have a negative connotation. Today it's being used more and more as an exotic ingredient in modern Tiki drinks. BG Reynolds makes it in limited batches,so you have to get on their mailing list or check their site to see when it's available. Jonathan English is still making it,in several flavors,but they don't sell online. You either have to visit them in person,or search for listings on eBay(which is where I acquired mine). There are also a couple of small batch companies making it,but you'll have to do some searching for them.
So enough history,let's get to mixing. Here's a few Giltron approved recipes I think you'll like. Enjoy!
Mix #190 Pi-Yi
1oz light Cuban rum* 3.4oz gold Cuban rum* 1oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz passionola red 1tsp honey syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters
Blend with 6oz crushed ice for five seconds and pour into hollowed-out pineapple.
*Since Cuban rum is hard to come by,you can substitute Virgin Islands or Puerto Rican rum.
Created by Donn Beach around 1937,this has a sweet start with a tart finish. No,i didn't use a hollowed-out pineapple,I've done that once already. It's a nice summer-y drink that's not too strong.
Mix #191 Cannibal Cooler
3/4oz Plantation 3 Star rum 3/4oz Plantation Original Dark rum 1/2oz Plantation OFTD 1.5oz orange juice 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz fassionola 1/4oz cinnamon syrup 1.5oz club soda
Flash blend everything except soda. Pour into tall glass,top with soda and stir.
Another Jason Alexander creation,it has a nice sweet/tart blend with citrus and a cinnamon finish with plenty of kick. Another excellent cocktail from the master. (bonus cool points if you saw the movie the pic is from)
Mix #192 Welcome to Georgetown
1.5oz El Dorado 3 1/2oz Lemon Hart 151 1/2oz creme de cacoa 3/4oz fassionola 1/2oz lemon juice
Shake with ice and strain into coupe glass. Add some grated nutmeg to top.
From master mixologist Brian Maxwell ,this is sweet,the fassionola comes forward and the chocolate finishes with some spice from the nutmeg. The 151 gives it kick. A bit of a foo-foo drink but I liked it.
Mix #193 Alucard's Cup Of Blood
1oz Plantation Isle of Fiji rum 1oz Wray & Nephew overproof rum 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz falernum 1/2oz fassionola 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash absinthe
Blend with crushed ice and pour into Mai Tai glass. Garnish with something spooky.
Created by Facebook user Andrew Campbell,this blood red drink has a nice sweet/tart blend with plenty of funk and plenty of kick. Will definitely bring this back out for Halloween.
Mix #33 Megalodon
1oz Lemon Hart 151 1oz white rum 1.25oz lime juice 1oz agave syrup 1tsp red fassionola
Blend with a cup of ice for 5sec.
Just had to repost this since it's so good it's in my regular roster of mixes. Delicious with plenty of kick.
Find a bottle of fassionola and try something new. You can even sub it for grenadine to mix things up. Hipa Hipa,i ke ola!
Fangtastic.
Donn Beach created many famous Tiki drinks. One of the less common ones is the Cobra's Fang. This is due to the fact that a proper Fang is made with fassionola syrup. Fassionola is a bright red,sweet syrup made from a mixture of fruit juices and was supposed to be the syrup used in the original Hurricane recipe. Today,only a couple companies make proper fassionola making it difficult to find. Grenadine and even Hawaiian Punch have been used as a substitute,but they are not the same. While researching a posting on fassionola syrup,I came across the Fang and decided it needed its own posting. Here is the classic Don the Beachcomber Cobra's Fang:
Mix #187 Cobra's Fang
1.5oz dark Jamaican rum 1/2oz 151 Demerara rum 1/2oz falernum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz orange juice 1/2oz fassionola syrup 1 dash absinthe 1 dash Angostura bitters
Flash blend with ice and pour into tall glass. Can also be shaken with ice.
Sweet and berry flavored,similar to a Hurricane but not as sweet. The falernum and absinthe add some spice to give it complexity,and the 151 gives it some punch. Think of this drink as a civilized Hurricane. A nice summer drink with layers of flavor that gives yo a nice buzz without completely slamming you.
Of course,as with most classic Tiki drinks,there have been many riffs made over the years. Here a few I've enjoyed.
Mix #188 Mai Kai Cobra Fang
1oz dark Jamaican rum 1oz aged Jamaican rum 3/4oz falernum 1/2oz fassionola syrup 1oz orange juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/4oz grenadine 1/4tsp absinthe* 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and pour into Zombie glass.
*About 20-25 drops.
The Mai Kai's spin on the classic Cobra's Fang. It's less sweet and more citrus-y with a bit less punch. Try both versions and see which you like the best.
Mix #79 Vampire's Fang
1.5oz Plantation OFTD rum 3/4oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz grenadine 1/4oz allspice dram 1 dash Angostura bitters
Shake with plenty of ice and pour into snifter glass.
From The Search for Tiki's 2022 13 Nights of Tiki Frights,it's citrus-y with a touch of spice. Much less sweet than the classic,it lives up to its namesake thanks to the overproof rum;it will bite you.
Mix #189 Sidewinder's Fang
1oz dark Jamaican rum 1oz demerara rum 1.5oz lime juice 1.5oz orange juice 1.5oz passionfruit syrup 3oz club soda
Shake everything except soda with ice and pour into large snifter glass. Add soda and stir.
From the former Lanai Restaurant in San Mateo,CA,this was created in the 1960's. It's tart and citrus-y with a sweet passionfruit finish. The three ounces of soda water it down a bit,if I were to do it again I would cut it in half. And interesting spin on the classic. If you're not into sweeter drinks,give it a try.
So enjoy a Fang drink,but don't put away your bottle of fassionola just yet. I'm working on a full post featuring the scarlet syrup.
Shhh,it's a secret…
'Don's Mix' is a secret ingredient used in many Tiki drinks. That is,it used to be a secret until it was unearthed by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry. Donn Beach used to encode all his recipes to prevent rivals from stealing them,so for the longest time no-one knew what his drink and syrup recipes actually contained. Beachbum played Tiki archaeologist and was able to discover that Don's Mix was a two-to-one ratio of white grapefruit juice and cinnamon syrup. Because of this,many classic Tiki drinks can be properly made as intended. It also features in many modern recipes. White grapefruit can be a bit hard to find,so I've used regular red grapefruit and think it tastes just fine. I've used Don's Mix to make classic Zombies,and here are three modern Tiki drinks that feature it.
Mix #184 Arkham Kula
1.5oz Plantation Xaymaca rum 1/2oz Plantation OFTD rum 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz orange juice 3/4oz Don's Mix 1/2oz honey syrup 1/2oz passionfruit syrup
Shake or blend with ice and pour into zombie glass.
From the book Minimalist Tiki and created by Jason Alexander,this is a sweet drink with a bit of cinnamon burn to finish. The OFTD gives it a bit of kick. A nice classic-styled Tiki drink.
Mix #185 Commando Life
2oz Plantation Stiggins' pineapple rum 1oz Don's Mix 3/4oz Giffard Banane Du Bresil liqueur 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup
Shake with plenty of ice and pour into snifter.
Another Jason Alexander creation from Minimalist Tiki(this guy knows how to make a drink) it's sweet with a banana/cinnamon finish. A nice summer-y drink.
Mix #186 Muertito Vivo
1.5oz aged(8yrs+) dark rum 1/2oz 151 Demerara rum 3/4oz Jagermeister 3/4oz Don's Mix 3/4oz lime juice
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
From the book,Tiki: Modern Tropical Cocktails,I decided to try it after reading a posting on Facebook. It turned out to be super tart and very Jager forward. I wound up adding Demerara syrup to finish it. If you like sour and licorice,give this a try,but one-and-done is plenty for me.
So remember the secret formula to add to your Tiki drinks. Don't worry,I won't tell(rule #2).
Don's Mix = 2:1 white grapefruit juice to cinnamon syrup
Frack! Fell! Gorram!
What you'll be saying tomorrow morning if you have a few of these. I've had this one in the queue for awhile,but didn't really have a post to put it in,so I decided to just do a solo post on it.
Mix #183 The Third Oath
2.5oz Plantation OFTD 1.5oz cinnamon syrup 1oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz falernum 2 dashes Angostura bitters 6 drops absinthe
Shake with crushed ice and pour into mug.
Created by Jason Alexander(the bartender,not the Seinfeld actor),it's very cinnamon-y with lots of burn and a strong punch due to all that OFTD. If you love cinnamon,this is the drink for you. You can also sub in regular octane rum if the overproof is too much,or 151 if you've had one of those weeks and don't plan to leave the couch.
You've been warned.
Concentrate…con-cen-trate…
Trader Vic created the Mai Tai in 1944. It's since become the most famous Tiki drink,and my personal favorite. Normally you would need five ingredients to make one,but Trader Vic has products that will let you do it with only three. Rum,lime juice,and one of their mixers.
The first is Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix. Now,all respect to the Trader's,but this really isn't worth getting unless you mean to mix a bunch of drinks for a cookout with non-Tiki people. If Mai Tais are pizzeria pizza,then this is Hot Pockets pizza. It makes Mai Tais that are a bit on the sour side and just aren't that great. Skip this.
Next is Trader Vic's Mai Tai Concentrate. This is actually pretty good. Two ounces of rum(two dark or one each of dark and gold),three quarters of an ounce of concentrate,and an ounce of lime juice and you have a passable Mai Tai. Not as good as a scratch made one,but pretty good. Think of it as frozen pizza. If you're going camping this would be an excellent way to have Mai Tais without dragging along five bottles. The concentrate has also been used to make other Tiki drinks,and here's a couple that I've made.
Mix #3 TV's Guava Tai
1oz gold rum 1oz light rum 3/4oz Trader Vic's Mai Tai Concentrate(not mix) 1oz guava juice 1/2oz lime juice.
Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.
A guava-flavored Mai Tai. If you like guava,you'll like this.
Mix #180 Pinky Gonzalez
2oz tequila 3/4oz Trader Vic's Mai Tai Concentrate 1/2oz lime juice
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
This Trader Vic creation is basically a tequila Mai Tai. If you like tequila,give it a try. They even have a Cinco de Mayo glass just for it.
Mix #181 Moku Nani(Beautiful Island)
1oz light rum 1oz dark rum 1/4oz Trader Vic's Mai Tai Concentrate 1/4oz orange curacao 1.5oz orange juice 1oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lemon juice 1/4oz lime juice 1/4oz passionfruit syrup
Flash blend with ice and pour into Green Marine Tumbler.
Tart and citrus-y,this would be a good drink for a hot day.
Mix #182 Drum of Ku
1.5oz 151 rum 1/2oz sloe gin 3/4oz Trader Vic's Mai Tai Concentrate 1.5oz cranberry juice 3/4oz lemon juice 1/4oz lime juice 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Flash blend with ice and pour into mug.
Woof. With an ounce and a half of 151,your head will beat like a drum if you have more than two of these. This is slightly tart with the cranberry juice coming forward and a Mai Tai finish. Quite good but very strong.
So concentrate on your mixings. It may not help you to find enlightenment,but you'll have some stories to tell.
Bits and Bobs….
While I normally have a theme to my posts,this week I'm just clearing out some random recipes I've mixed. Enjoy.
Mix #174 Dr Funk
2 1/4oz black pot still rum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz lemon juice 1/2oz Demerara syrup 1/4oz grenadine 1/4oz absinthe 1oz seltzer
Shake everything except seltzer with ice,pour into glass,top with seltzer and stir.
Created by Don Beach sometime in the 1950's,this was named after the physician Robert Louis Stevenson had in Samoa named Dr Bernard Funk. Originally intended as a cure for laziness,it was made to make the absinthe more palatable with citrus and sugar,but Don added rum to make it a proper Tiki drink. It's super funky with the grenadine coming through and an absinthe finish. You'll either love it or hate depending on how much funk you can stand. I think Bootsy would have approved.
Mix #175 Passport to Martinique
1oz Denizen Merchant Reserve rum 1/2oz unaged Martinique rum 1/2oz Wray & Nephew overproof rum 1oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/oz orgeat 1/4oz orange curacao
Shake or blend with one cup crushed ice and pour into glass.
A drink from the 2022 Hukilau convention,this has a nice sweet/tart balance with heavy agricole funk. Another drink for folks who like it funky. Good bit of kick too.
Mix #176 Quarantine Order
1.5oz Appleton Signature rum 1.5oz Smith & Cross rum 1oz lime juice 1oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 5 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
From Wiliam Prestwood at Pagan Idol,you can guess from the name why it was created. The cinnamon comes through without real burn(think cinnamon roll),while there is some tartness and funk. The S&C gives it kick. A good drink for when you're stuck at home.
Mix #177 Lost Lake Cocktail
2oz dark Jamaican rum 3/4oz passionfruit syrup 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz pineapple juice 1/4oz maraschino liqueur* 1/4oz Campari*
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
*I used Cherry Heering and Aperol.
The signature cocktail of the now shuttered Lost Lake bar in Chicago,which unfortunately closed due to COVID. The original was made with passionfruit liqueur,but the syrup is much easier to find. A nice blend of sweet and tart with the aperitif finishing. Use your favorite Jamaican rum to keep this modern classic alive.
Mix #178 Bolo
1oz gold Puerto Rican rum 3/4oz aged Martinique rum 1oz pineapple juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/oz honey syrup 1 dash Angostura bitters
Blend with ice for five seconds and pour into hollowed out pineapple.
So the story goes that this is an adaptation of Don Beach's Pi-Yi cocktail. Mr Beach was notorious for encoding his recipes to keep them from being stolen. Beachbum Berry worked with former Don bartender Bob Esmino to come up with this recipe. There are several variations which use the same ingredients,just with slightly different proportions,so feel free to play with tweaking this to get it the way you like. Sweet and fruity with rum funk on the end,you could call it a Boo Loo Lite. Very nice. And no,I didn't use a hollowed pineapple again,I'm too lazy of a bachelor.
Mix #179 Alice on South Island
1.5oz 151 Demerara rum 1/4oz maraschino liqueur* 1.5oz lemon juice 1oz passionfruit syrup 1oz cream of coconut 12 drops absinthe
Shake vigorously with ice and pour into mug.
*Again I used Cherry Heering.
From the drink card of Lost Temple Traders' Mad Tiki Cup mug(I have the set,but used the pic off their site because they're better photogs than I am). It's sweet and fruity with an absinthe finish. With an ounce and a half of 151,after a couple of these you'll swear the cat is talking to you. And you won't care. A good drink to finish off 'one of those' weeks.
Until next time folks.
An apple a day…………
The old adage states 'an apple a day will keep the doctor away'. That is unless you put the apple in a Tiki drink and have too many. Apple cider is used in many seasonal Tiki drinks,but apple juice is uncommon. Still,there are some recipes that use it. Here's a sampling to enjoy.
Mix #170 Tropical Blizzard
1oz coconut rum 1oz blue curacao 1.5oz orange juice 1/2oz apple juice
Shake with ice and pour into glass.
From Tiki Bar TV's fourth season holiday special,this is coconut and citrus forward with a curacao finish. It's good,but you really don't taste the apple. Use a good curacao like Senior because you will taste it.
Mix #171 Native Drum
2oz gold Demerara rum* 3/4oz sweet vermouth 2oz apple juice 1oz lime juice 1/2 simple syrup 1/4oz orgeat
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
*I used regular Lemon Hart.
From the drink card of Home Aloha's mug of the same name. Sweet,but not too sweet,this one you can really taste the apple juice. I used regular Demerara instead of gold and it turned out nice. If you like apple,you'll love this.
Mix #172 Floridian Fall
2oz Siesta Key spiced rum 2oz apple cider 1oz orange juice 1/2oz orgeat 2 dashes orange bitters
Shake everything until frothy,then pour into glass with ice.
From Siesta Key rum's website,this is sweet and spicy with an orange finish. An apple cider drink you can have year round. Also a fan of their spiced rum for my other mixings.
Mix #173 Untitled
1.5oz spiced rum 1/2oz bourbon 3oz apple cider 3/4oz lemon juice 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 1/4oz allspice dram 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Shake with ice and pour into mug.
Facebook user Michael Jobe posted this experiment to a Tiki recipe group. He said it was a little too diluted and sweet,and he was right. From the comments I added a quarter ounce of Cointreau and that helped. Some tweaking and this could be a nice Xmas drink. I might have to come back and play with this next year.
So you don't have to wait until the holidays to enjoy apple/cider in your Tiki drinks. I ke ola,huli pau!
More Mai Tais.
There is of course only one real recipe for the Mai Tai,but that doesn't mean it isn't fun to make tweaks and riffs. Here are a few I've recently come across.
Mix #167 Frankie's Mai Tai
1oz Myers's dark rum 1oz Lemon Hart 80 proof rum 1oz orange curacao 1oz orgeat 1/2oz simple syrup half a large lime
Squeeze the juice from the lime half into a double-old-fashioned glass and drop in the rind. Add the rest of the ingredients and fill with ice. Pour contents into shaker,shake,then pour back into glass.
The Mai Tai served at Frankie's in Vegas. Way sweet and the curacao really comes forward. I love their Fink Bomb,but this is not the way to make a Mai Tai. It's too sweet and a Mai Tai is all about balance;none of the ingredients should really come forward,it should just taste like Mai Tai. Hey,can't win them all,even the Pythons had a couple stinker episodes.
Mix #168 Undertow Mai Tai
1oz Smith & Cross rum 1oz Rhum J.M V.S.O.P. rum* 1oz lime juice 3/4oz orgeat 1/2oz Cointreau Noir*
Shake with ice and pour into double rocks glass.
*See below.
Another bar Mai Tai,this time from the Undertow locations in Arizona. A touch sweet,but overall enough of a balance that I liked it. A bit more kick than a regular Mai Tai due to the S&C. Give it a try if you want some variety in your Mai Tais. I used Rhum Barbancourt instead of J.M V.S.O.P. Both are agricoles,which means they're made from sugar cane juice instead of from molasses like most rums. This makes them extra funky and flavorful,but the S&C plus Noir help keep it in its place so as not to overwhelm the drink. I also made my own Noir. According to my research,Cointreau Noir is Cointreau and cognac in a 70/30 blend. So I mixed 70ml of Cointreau to 30ml of VSOP brandy to make my own. It's very similar to Grand Marnier,maybe a bit drier. I still prefer Pierre Ferrand in a Mai Tai,but this works pretty good as well.
Mix #169 Breakfast Mai Tai
1.5oz Smith & Cross rum 1/2oz Gifford Banane du Bresil 1oz lime juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/4oz cinnamon syrup 3/4oz Coruba rum
Put everything except Coruba into a shaker with a couple ice pellets and shake until they're gone. Then pour into double rocks glass,add Coruba,and top with ice.
Created by Fanny Chu at the Donna in NYC. So I've no idea what this has to do with breakfast,other than eating cinnamon rolls. The cinnamon really comes forward. There's a touch of banana at the end,but this is basically a cinnamon Mai Tai. It's also got plenty of kick due to the one and a half ounces of Navy rum. A couple of these and you'll want to go back to bed. The instructions are also odd,the Coruba isn't a float,it's going to mix in when you add the ice so you might as well just shake everything together. At the end it just didn't do anything for me,but if you're into cinnamon give it a shot.
So go ahead and explore the limits of Mai Tai. After all,variety is the spice of life.
