In the past few years there has been an amazing interest in Tiki bars and Tiki cocktails of yesteryear. Thoughts of Tiki culture may bring back memories of bartenders in colorful shirts from classic television programs or thatch-roof Tiki bars but whatever your memories of Tiki bars entail, these bars are making a comeback.
The good news is that it's easy to make some of these popular Tiki cocktails at home, without any special equipment and with supplies found at your local store. What you will find with Tiki cocktails is that rum is normally the key ingredient and then it's mixed with either a fruity or sour flavor and many are topped with fruit, a flower, or umbrella to add a little island flare.
Whether you are hosting a tiki party or just looking to mix up something a little different at happy hour, tiki cocktails offer a tropical twist to you or your guests. Beware the strength of these cocktails though - a couple of rum-loaded Zombies can leave the common man on the floor!
A number of popular Tiki cocktails are fun choices:
The Zombie
Named after its effect on the drinker, the Zombie was first served up in the 1930's by the famous Donn Beach. It's smooth, fruity taste can easily disguise the power of the alcohol contained in the Zombie. Ingredients in the Zombie can vary but one popular recipe includes: 1 ¼ oz of lemon juice, 1 oz of dark rum, ¾ oz orange juice, ½ oz of cherry brandy, ½ oz of rum, ½ oz of high-proof dark rum and 2 dashes of grenadine.
Mai Tai
Another popular Tiki drink by Donn Beach, the Mai Tai was another drink first served in the 1930's. The word "maitai" translated from Tahitian to English means "good", which is an appropriate name for the drink. One of the many Mai Tai recipe includes: 1 oz of Jamaican rum, 1 oz of Martinique rum, ½ oz of Orange Curacao, ½ oz of Orgeat syrup, ¼ oz of rock candy syrup, juice from 1 fresh lime. A sprig of fresh mint may be added as well.
Navy Grog
First made in the 1700's by an admiral in the Royal Navy in Britain, this unique drink as stood the test of time. Many versions of the drink exist and one popular recipe includes: 1 oz of Grapefruit, 1 oz of Orange juice, ½ oz of Grand Marnier, 1 oz of Pineapple juice as well as ½ an oz of 3 types of rum; Light Rum, Gold Rum and Dark Rum.
151 Swizzle
Yet another drink popular in Tiki bars, first served up by Donn Beach after traveling to Montego Bay for inspiration. The 151 Swizzle can be made several different ways and one popular recipe for this interesting drink includes: ½ oz of sugar syrup, ½ oz fresh Lime juice, 1/8 tsp of Pernod, 1.5 oz of 151 Demerara rum, a dash of Angostura bitters and a dash of Ground nutmeg.
The above are just a few of these iconic drinks first served by the famous Don the Beachcomber in his famous Tiki bars. Many different variations have been invented and tweaked, but nothing beats the original drinks.
Whether you are looking to add a Mai Tai, Zombie, or Test Pilot to your bartending arsenal, you can find several great tiki drink recipes. Find out how to mix up a Painkiller and make your tiki party a smashing success!
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