Rum Drinks - Tumblr Posts

Couple quickies.

Been working on a couple full posts,but they're not ready to be published yet. So here's a pair of mixings to hold you over.

Mix #135 Potted Parrot

2oz light rum 2ox orange juice 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz orange curacao 1/4oz orgeat 1/4oz rock candy syrup

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

Trader Vic created this in 1964 for the opening of his Mexican restaurant Senor Pico. Very citrus-y with a touch of sweet. I used regular simple syrup and upped it to a half ounce since rock candy syrup is super sweet(like 3:1). I also used my Siesta Keys silver rum,whose rums will be featured in an upcoming post. Quite good,and not surprising since the Trader was the master.

Mix #136 Storm the Beach

1oz Demerara rum 1/2oz Plantation OFTD 1/2oz velvet falernum 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 2 dashes bitters

Shake with ice,strain into glass with fresh ice. Add lime shell with overproof rum and light.

So,no,I didn't add the flaming lime shell,I'm more interested in the drink than the presentation. This was created by Ryan Welliver,who has an interesting name for a bartender. His recipe calls for cinnamon-cumin syrup,but I just used standard cinnamon syrup. And that's all I pretty much tasted. If you really dig cinnamon,then try this,but I'll stick to drinks where I can actually taste my rum.

Until next time folks,aloha and mahalo.

Here's a classic.

Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron was responsible for creating some of the most iconic Tiki drinks. The Mai Tai(the most iconic of Tiki drinks),the Scorpion,and the Fogcutter. Well,I finally got around to picking up a bottle of sherry,and was able to mix this classic drink.

Originally called the Samoan Fogcutter(and still called that at Trader Vic's locations),some folks try to attribute it to Donn Beach because of his association with Edna Earle's Fog Cutter restaurant. But Vic published the recipe in his 1947 Bartender's Guide,well before the restaurant opened.

(A clipping of Edna and her restaurant.)

The name is supposed to indicate that it will clear your mind. But with this potent mix of spirits,Vic's quote is more accurate: “Fog Cutter, hell. After two of these you won’t even see the stuff,”. Due to its strength,Vic had a strict limit of two per customer;his drink menu postcard from the 1940s stated: "What a sneaker - positively only two to a person; really, I don't see why people buy them." It does have serious kick,just one gets the job done,and if you're having two you really want to be home on your couch. The recipe has several variations,usually swapping the amounts of orange and lemon juice,and sometimes the drink is blended. Here is the most common recipe:

Mix #137 Fogcutter

1.5oz light rum 1/2oz gin 1/2oz cognac 2oz orange juice 1oz lemon juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/2oz oloroso sherry

Shake everything except sherry with ice and pour into mug. Float sherry on top.

Very tart and citrus-y. And every bit as strong as its reputation. If you like sour drinks,you'll love this one. Now I know nothing of sherry,I know rum. So I just basically picked up a cheap bottle of Taylor that is supposed to be general use sherry. If I were to do this again(and my recommendation to you),I'd get oloroso sherry,which is sweeter. I'd also use tangerine juice instead of orange to dial down the tartness,but that's just my personal taste. And if you want to be completely authentic,get the proper Trader Vic mug to drink it with.

Enjoy folks. And get your beads ready for next week.

Laissez les bons temps rouler!

It's that time of year again. Time to listen to cool jazz,throw beads to wild women,and drink powerful cocktails. Mardi Gras has nothing to do with Tiki,but both feature cocktails made with rum,so that's good enough for me.

Mix #138 The Hurricane

2oz aged Jamaican dark rum 1/2oz Demerara rum 1/2oz overproof Jamaican rum 2oz fassionola red 1/4oz grenadine 1oz lemon juice 1oz orange juice

Shake with ice and pour into hurricane glass.

The Hurricane is the classic drink that is associated with both Mardi Gras and New Orleans. Its creation is attributed to Pat O'Brien's,a famous bar in the French Quarter. There are several versions of the story,but basically they had a whole lot of cheap rum they wanted to get rid of,so they created a drink to do just that. The classic Hurricane features anywhere from two to four ounces of rum,citrus juice,and either fassionola or grenadine(or both) to give it a sweet taste and its signature red color. It's infamous for both its potency and hangovers. This version is from mixologist Brian Maxwell. As with most Hurricane recipes,I know there's rum in this,but I just can't taste it. It's very sweet with a touch of citrus on the end,and packs a punch. This drink will use up both your rum and inhibitions. Exactly what a Hurricane is supposed to do.

Mix #139 When the Levee Breaks

1.5oz Barbarcourt 8yr rum 1.5oz multi island white rum blend 1/2oz overproof Jamaican rum 1.5 oz fassionola red 3/4oz falernum 1oz lemon juice 1oz orange juice 4 dashes bitters

Shake with ice and pour into hurricane glass. Float 1/2oz of Fernet Branca on top.

This is a Brian Maxwell creation,his riff on the traditional Hurricane. Call it a grown ups' Hurricane. It's not as sweet and you can actually taste the rum and some spice. It'll smash you up just as bad as the classic Hurricane,but you'll feel classier drinking it. I left out the Fernet because it doesn't agree with me,but this was definitely an upgrade over the classic tourist drink.

Mix #140 Tangipahoa Planter's Punch

2oz aged Virgin Islands rum 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz orange juice 3/4oz pineapple juice 1/2oz grenadine

Shake with ice and pour into zombie glass.

This is a classic drink from the '30's,modernized by Brian Maxwell to sweeten it up a bit. A very nice drink with a nice sweet/tart balance.

The original Tangipahoa Planter's Punch came from a recipe published in the 1937 book,Famous New Orleans Drinks and How to Mix'Em. I was actually able to track down a pdf of this volume on the web,and in there found a drink named for a pirate which crosses over into Tiki territory. Here's my modernized version:

Mix #141 Jean Laffite Cocktail

1.5oz dark rum 1/4oz orange curacao 1/4oz Demerara syrup 2 dashes absinthe 1 egg yolk*

Shake well with plenty of ice and strain into chilled cocktail glass.

*I used egg substitute.

Jean Lafitte was an infamous pirate who operated out of New Orleans. In his honor I used Smith & Cross,a proper pirate rum. It's similar to a traditional sailor grog,with the other ingredients serving to take the edge off the rum. A bit harsh for my taste,but give it a try if you like your drinks to be liquor forward. By the way,the cocktail actually has the correct spelling of his name,the one F two T version is the misspelling that was used in English language documents at the time,and is used for places that are named after him. Another fun fact,the original recipe called for "absinthe substitute". This was because at the time absinthe was illegal. Fortunately it's available now,since it features in many Tiki drinks.

So put on some Dirty Dozen Brass Band,catch some beads,and let the good times roll!

Happy V Day.

Meh,as a bachelor,I got nothing for today. But I've been meaning to tweak one of my cocktails to make it less 'touristy'. So here it is. There are several other cocktails with this name that are supposed to be for the Marvel comics character,but mine is actually drinkable.

Mix #142 The Scarlet Witch

1oz Doctor Bird rum 1oz Hamilton Beachbum Navy Grog Blend rum 2oz pineapple juice 2oz cranberry juice 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz pomegranate syrup* 1/2oz velvet falernum

Shake with plenty of ice and pour into a naughty Tiki mug.

*Try to use pomegranate syrup instead of grenadine.

A sweetish drink,it masks the rum Hurricane style so it creeps up on you. Give a couple of these to your significant other and they'll be in the mood in no time. Add a float of overproof rum if you're feeling wicked.

Have fun kids. (but don't name 'em Giltron)

Some good reading.

The latest issue of Exotica Moderne from House of Tabu is out! Always excited when a new issue arrives. I love curling up with a cocktail to read it. Here are two from the latest issue.

Mix #143 Sleestack Attack

1oz Doctor Bird rum 1oz Hamilton White Stache rum 1oz gold Puerto Rican rum 1oz falernum 2oz pineapple juice 1oz grapefuit juice 1oz orange juice 1oz lime juice 1oz Demerara syrup

Shake everything with ice and pour into a large glass.

Created by Matt Strickland,this is a big drink with lots of vitamin C. Sweet and citrus-y with some spice,the three ounces of rum give it kick. A nice cocktail for a good read.

Mix #144 Skipper's Downfall

1oz light rum 1oz dark rum 1/2oz creme de cacao 1/2oz orange juice 1/2oz lemon juice

Combine ingredients with ice in mug. Stir and top with seltzer.

From the now gone Tiki bar Skipper Kent's,this is very tart. Many older Tiki recipes were like this. I upped the cacao to an ounce and added a half ounce of Demerara syrup and it was much better.

So pick up the latest issue and get yourself some culture.

Ride the Pineapple Express.

"Now, then!" said a shrill female voice the instant Sam thrust his head in at the door, "what do you want, young man?"

Sam looked round in the direction whence the voice proceeded. It came from a rather stout lady of comfortable appearance, who was seated beside the fireplace in the bar, blowing the fire to make the kettle boil for tea. She was not alone; for on the other side of the fireplace, sitting bolt upright in a high-backed chair, was a man in threadbare black clothes, with a back almost as long and stiff as that of the chair itself, who caught Sam's most particular and especial attention at once.

He was a prim-faced, red-nosed man, with a long, thin countenance, and a semi-rattlesnake sort of eye, —rather sharp, but decidedly bad. He wore very short trousers, and black cotton stockings, which, like the rest of his apparel, were particularly rusty. His looks were starched, but his white neckerchief was not, and its long limp ends straggled over his closely-buttoned waistcoat in a very uncouth and unpicturesque fashion. A pair of old, worn, beaver gloves, a broad-brimmed hat, and a faded green umbrella, with plenty of whalebone sticking through the bottom, as if to counterbalance the want of a handle at the top, lay on a chair beside him; and, being disposed in a very tidy and careful manner, seemed to imply that the red-nosed man, whoever he was, had no intention of going away in a hurry.

To do the red-nosed man justice, he would have been very far from wise if he had entertained any such intention; for, to judge from all appearances, he must have been possessed of a most desirable circle of acquaintance, if he could have reasonably expected to be more comfortable anywhere else. The fire was blazing brightly under the influence of the bellows, and the kettle was singing gaily under the influence of both. A small tray of tea-things was arranged on the table; a plate of hot buttered toast was gently simmering before the fire; and the red-nosed man himself was busily engaged in converting a large slice of bread into the same agreeable edible, through the instrumentality of a long brass toasting-fork. Beside him stood a glass of reeking hot pine-apple rum-and-water, with a slice of lemon in it; and every time the red-nosed man stopped to bring the round of toast to his eye, with the view of ascertaining how it got on, he imbibed a drop or two of the hot pine-apple rum-and-water, and smiled upon the rather stout lady, as she blew the fire.

Here we have the introduction of the Reverend Stiggins,an alcoholic,evangelical minister who bore the brunt of Charles Dickens' satire in his serialization,The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club(generally shortened to just The Pickwick Papers). Now what does Dickens' character have to do with Tiki? Because Plantation rum(now called Planteray Rum) used this character as the inspiration for a pineapple-infused rum. Originally intended to be a limited edition release,it turned out to be popular enough with bartenders that they decided to make it a production item. Additionally,they've also come out with a limited 'smoky' pineapple rum. I've got both and they're excellent. Below are a few mixings I've done with Stiggins,I think you'll enjoy them.

(for some reason,the smoky isn't on their site,so I included a pic so you'd know what to look for)

Mix #145 Siboney

1.5oz aged Jamaican rum 1/2oz pineapple rum 1oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/2oz Demerara syrup

Shake with ice. Strain into glass with fresh ice.

A modern version of the drink originally published in Trader Vic's book Rum Cookery & Drinkery (1974),this is sweet and fruity. A nice summer drink.

Mix #146 Reverend's Tai

1.5oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum 1/2oz Plantation OFTD rum 1oz lime juice 1/2oz orgeat 1/4oz orange curacao

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

Created by Matt Pietrek,this is the Mai Tai the Reverend would've drank. It's basically a pineapple Mai Tai with some kick from the OFTD. Quite good.

Mix #147 Elusive Dreams

1oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum 1oz light rum 1/2oz banana liqueur 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lime juice 3/4oz cinnamon syrup

Shake with ice and double strain into glass.

A modern riff on a Hotel Nacional de Cuba recipe,this is cinnamon on the nose with a banana/pineapple taste and final cinnamon burn. Very nice,if you like the burn you'll love this.

Mix #148 Pineapple Stiggins Daiquiri

2oz Plantation Stiggins Limited Smoky pineapple rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz simple syrup

Shake with ice and strain into chilled coup glass.

Basically a daiquiri made with pineapple rum. Very pineapple-y with some citrus and smoke aftertaste. If you want to try a pineapple daiquiri,this is a good one.

Mix #149 Pineapple Paralysis

1.5oz bourbon whiskey 1/2oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum 1oz lemon juice 3/4oz pineapple juice 1/2oz orange curacao 1/2oz orgeat 1/4oz cinnamon syrup 3 drops bitters

Shake or blend with ice and pour into glass or hollowed out coconut.

Created by Eric Bogan of the Inferno Room,this is very bourbon forward and pineapple-y with a cinnamon finish. Bourbon aficionados will dig this. Make with high proof bourbon if you want some serious kick.

Mix #150 Critical Cooler

1.5oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum 1.5oz dark rum 2oz pineapple juice 2oz orange juice 1/2oz lime juice 1/2oz grenadine 3/4oz coconut water 1/4oz coconut cream

Shake with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice.

Another Trader Brandon creation from Mystic Libations. Sweet,orange/pineapple-y with a bit of coconut aftertaste. Three ounces of rum give it a good kick. A big drink you'll feel in the morning if you have too many.

So there we have it folks. A century and a half of Tiki drinks. Stay tuned for more as I go for a double.

Ready for takeoff.

Aviation has always had an influence on Tiki culture. From flyboys in the Pacific theater of WWII to airliners whisking tourists away to exotic locations,pilots and aircraft have been featured in the names of Tiki drinks and esthetics of Tiki mugs and decor. Here's a trio of aviation cocktails to keep you flying high.

Mix #151 Ace Pilot

1oz Demerara rum 1oz gold Jamaican rum 1/2oz 151 rum 1/2oz velvet falernum 1/2oz fassionola red 1/2oz white grapefruit juice* 1/2oz orange juice 1/2oz lime juice

Shake with ice and pour into double old-fashioned glass.

*I used red grapefruit.

I found this recipe in a Facebook posting about fassionola,but I've since lost the posting and haven't been able to find any history on it. I believe it's either a Trader Vic or Donn Beach creation,but can't be sure. In any case,it's a nice drink. Sweet with a spicy/tart finish,this is a strong drink that will have you flying.

Mix #152 Test Pilot

1.5oz dark rum 3/4oz light rum 1/2oz triple sec 1/2oz falernum 1/2oz lime juice 1 dash Angostura bitters 1 dash Pernod

Shake with ice and pour into glass.

Created in 1941 by Donn the Beach(who served in the Army Air Corps in WWII) this is tart and spicy with an absinthe finish. If I make this again I'll use curacao to sweeten it a bit.

(fun fact,your Uncle Giltron worked on this bird back in the '90's at Bergstrom AFB)

Mix #153 Jet Pilot

1oz overproof Jamaican rum 3/4oz overproof Demerara rum 3/4oz gold rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz falernum 1/2oz cinnamon syrup 1 dash absinthe 1 dash Angostura bitters

Blend with ice for a few seconds and pour into double old-fashioned glass.*

*Blend until crushed-icy,not smooth. Still waiting on my Blendjet recall,so I shook this instead.

Created in 1958 at the former Beverly Hills bar Luau (owned by actor Steve Crane),this was inspired by Donn's Test Pilot. Cinnamon-y with a bit of spice and citrus,it's Zombie level strong. One of these and you'll be flying,but too many and you'll crash and burn.

So strap in,put on your drinking goggles,and have a nice flight. Excelsior!

Erin go bragh!

So,it's almost St Patty's Day. What does that have to do with Tiki? Nothing. But I'm an American,and in America we are inclusive and enjoy celebrating other cultures' special days…. at least the ones that have to do with consuming alcohol. And Trader Vic's actually has a St Patty's drink,so there's your tie-in.

Mix #154 Green Lantern

2oz gold rum 2oz pineapple juice 1oz blue curacao 1oz lime juice

Flash blend and pour into Green Marine Tumbler.

So my Blendjet is still down,so I just shook this. It's not really green,more turquoise. And it's really tart. I added some Demerara syrup to finish it. But hey,it's still better than drinking green beer.

Oh,and since I like to inform as well as entertain,here's the Wiki link that actually tells you about the day.

Have fun! (PS: if you want some good green drinks,check out my Midori mixings)

Roll out the barrel.

While the title of my post is a traditional polka tune,don't worry,we're sticking to barrels as they relate to Tiki. Specifically,the drink known as the Rum Barrel. Created by Donn Beach,there have been many variations and riffs on the original to the point that it's anyone's guess exactly what the original recipe was. This is due to the fact that Donn didn't want his bartenders stealing his recipes,so he wrote them in code. So here's a pair of recipes and a modern riff to keep you rolling.

Mix #155 Rum Barrel

2oz white rum 2oz overproof Jamaican dark rum* 1oz orange juice 1oz pineapple juice 1oz grapefruit juice 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz honey syrup 1/4oz grenadine 1/4oz allspice 1/4oz velvet falernum 1 dash Angostura bitters 6 drops absinthe

Blend with 6oz ice and pour into barrel mug.

*I used Smith & Cross.

I shook this because my Blendjet is still out of service. It's sweet and fruity with an absinthe aftertaste. It's also really strong. Those four ounces of rum(two overproof) pack a punch,and all that sweet will give you a blazing hangover if you're not careful. And you really don't taste the rum,so it's easy to get out of hand with these. Really probably a good idea to share this drink with a friend.

Mix #156 Print Rum Barrel

1oz dark Jamaican rum 1oz Lemon Hart 151 3/4oz pineapple juice 3/4oz lime juice 3/4oz orange juice 3/4oz passionfruit syrup 3/4oz simple syrup

Shake with ice and pour into barrel mug.

This came from a print I found on Tumblr. You see these on the web and for sale on Etsy. Their Mai Tai recipe is wrong,but I decided to give this a shot. It's sweet and citrus-y with the passionfruit coming forward. An ounce of 151 gives it some kick,but it's not as bad as some recipes which feature more rum. Actually a nice drink.

Mix #157 Bamboo Barrel

1oz white rum 1oz gold rum 1/2oz Demerara 151 rum 1oz pineapple juice 1oz lime juice 3/4oz grenadine 1/2oz passionfruit syrup 1/4oz allspice dram

Blend with ice and pour into mug.

Shook this one too. Created by Forbidden Island's Justin Oliver,it has a nice sweet/tart flavor with the grenadine coming forward and the 151 adds a good kick. Quite good.

So keep on rollin' folks. Follow these recipes and you'll do it right.

Give ya both barrels.

Oops,missed a Rum Barrel recipe from the Tiki bar Undertow.

Mix #158 Undertow Rum Barrel

2oz Demerara rum 3/4oz gold rum 3/4oz white rum 1oz lime juice 1oz grapefruit juice 1oz pineapple juice 3/4oz honey syrup 5 dashes allspice dram 1 dash bitters

Blend with two cups of ice and pour into mug.

Again,I shook this instead of blending. I did some digging on the 'net and calculated that five dashes was around 3ml of allspice. This was smooth with a touch of citrus and spice. And it had plenty of kick. Nice drink,just don't have more than two or you're going to regret it in the morning.

Spring has sprung.

It's Spring time in DC,which means we get to enjoy the beauty of the cherry blossoms. The weather wasn't so great this year,but they were still pretty.

(actual cherry blossom pic taken by Uncle Giltron)

And of course,there are Tiki drinks for this occasion.

Mix #160 Cherry Blossom

1.5oz white rum 1oz pineapple juice 1oz cream of coconut 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz blue curacao 1/2oz cinnamon syrup

Shake well with plenty of ice and pour into hurricane glass.

Created by Justin Wojslaw,from the book Minimalist Tiki. Despite the name,there is no cherry in the drink,and it's actually turquoise colored instead of red. So it's pretty much the perfect drink for the way things work in DC. It's sweet and creamy with a cinnamon profile. Pretty good,if a bit touristy.

Mix #161 Cherry Pie Tai

1.5oz Demerara rum 1/2oz rhum agricole 3/4oz Cherry Heering 3/4oz lemon juice 1/2oz orgeat

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

I love Mai Tais,so a cherry version was perfect to go with the blossoms. Created by Nathan Robinson,it pretty much tastes like a tart cherry Mai Tai. Quite nice.

Mix #162 Paradise Cooler

2oz white rum 1/2oz Cherry Heering 1oz velvet falernum 2oz orange juice 1oz lime juice

Shake with ice and pour into double old fashioned glass. Garnish with cherry speared with an apple slice.

This was the house drink of the Denver Hilton in the 1960's. It's tart and citrus-y with some spice and a bit of cherry finish. Very nice. A good Tiki drink for cherry fans.

Mix #163 Hemingway Daiquiri

2oz white rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz grapefruit juice 1/2oz maraschino liqueur*

Shake with ice until chilled,then strain into coupe glass.

*I used Cherry Heering.

So,the story goes that Ernest Hemingway went into the El Floridita bar in Havana to use the restroom. On the way out the bartender was setting up a line of daiquiris and Hemingway decided to try one. He commented that it wasn't bad,but he preferred twice the rum and no sugar. So the bartender made one his way and named the drink after him. And over time it has morphed into the recipe above. No idea if any of this is true,but it's a good story. Since Ernest was a man's man,I decided to use Smith & Cross navy rum instead of white rum. The result was a VERY tart drink(I did use Heering which is tarter than maraschino liqueur). I didn't want Ernest's ghost to haunt me and call me a wuss,so I finished it,but if I were ever to make another I'd definitely dump in some simple syrup. If tart's your thing,then you might like this.

Mix #164 Ankle Breaker

1oz 151 rum* 1oz Cherry Heering 1oz lemon juice 1/2 oz simple syrup

Shake with ice and pour into double rocks glass.

*I used Wray & Nephew Overproof.

I came across this recipe in a Facebook group. According to Beachbum Berry's book Remixed,this was created in the Swamp Fox Room bar in the Francis Marion Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina sometime in the 1950's. It was inspired by a story about hero of the Revolutionary War,General Francis Marion(AKA,the Swamp Fox),who supposedly broke his ankle jumping from a second-story window of the hotel while trying “to escape sober from a party at which this drink was flowing too freely.” Again,no idea if this is true but a good story is a good story. While 151 rum is intended for this,the poster used Wray & Nephew Overproof(which is "only" 126 proof) and since I have W&N and have been meaning to use it more,I used it too. And since I like funk I also doubled down and used Demerara syrup instead of regular simple. Very nice. This drink is very daiquiri-like. The rum really came forward with just a bit of cherry finish. Of course with overproof rum it had some kick. I'm going to make this again with some other rums just to play around with it.

So until next time,have a cocktail and enjoy the pretty flowers.

Bartending.

(always remember to dress appropriately when bartending)

So I'm not a bartender,but I play one when I go to parties. And this past weekend I was at a friend's house for burgers,music,and of course cocktails. He enlisted me to be his bartender,and I did two drinks batched style in pitchers for the guests.

As per usual,my drinks got rave reviews. Here's what we served:

Mix #166 Don's Special Daiquiri

1oz gold rum 1/2oz light rum 1/2oz passion fruit syrup 1/2oz honey syrup 1/2oz lime juice

Shake with ice and strain into chilled glass.

Sweet,but no too sweet,with a honey finish. This is the '70's version of Don's 1934 Mona Daiquiri. His used a special thirty year old rum,but it works just fine with regular rum.

Mix #22 Remixed Zombie

1.5oz gold rum 1.5oz dark rum 1oz 151 Demerara rum 3/4oz lime juice 1/2oz Don's mix * 1/2oz falernum 1tsp grenadine 6 drops absinthe dash Angostura bitters 6oz crushed ice

Blend at high speed for 5 seconds. Pour into tall glass and add ice to fill.

*Don's Mix is 2 parts white grapefruit juice to 1 part cinnamon syrup,I've used regular grapefruit juice with good results.

Spicy,cinnamon-y,citrus-y,this drink is legendary for its kick. With four ounces of rum,one of which is 151,there's a reason Don would only serve you two of these. More than two and you'll feel like the walking dead the next morning. We did small cups that were about equal to a triple shot,and limited the guests to two since our host didn't want to hurt them.

On the subject of bartending,here are some of the tools I use for my mixings.

The Difford's Easy Jigger is great for mixing cocktails due to the markings in many sizes and measurements. It does ounces,milliliters,and even tea and table spoons. It goes up to two ounces and all the way down to 1/24. It allows you to get precise measurements to ensure your cocktails turn out right.

Bee Chill ice cube trays. Tiki drinks are best made with pebble or cracked ice,but ice makers are expensive and a pain to clean. These silicon trays make hex cubes about as big around as a nickle. You can find them for cheap at TJMaxx or Marshalls. They also have these mini trays:

These make proper pebble ice,but are a pain to use. I bust these out when I'm feeling fancy.

A jelly jar. What's Tiki about a jelly jar? Well back in 2020 Trader Vic's did a jar for Mai Tai day. The idea was to pour the ingredients into the jar with ice,screw on the top and shake,then remove the top and drink from the jar. Brilliant! A shaker and glass in one,so you only have to clean two things(jigger,jar) instead of three(jigger,shaker,glass/mug). This appeals to the bachelor in me. And it's classy as long as you hold up your pinkie while drinking. That jar is in my collection,but for a user I picked up a fancy Italian one at the Container Store.

So if you need a bartender for your party,I only charge in food and rum.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!