Post #276507 by Chip and Andy on Thu, Jan 4, 2007 4:45 AM

On 2007-01-03 22:26, TraderJonah wrote:
Why are their drinks so good? I'm under the impression that they use the Trader Vic's brand rum for their tropical cocktails, which I tried in the Dark Variety and found to be pretty bad. At home I use the Grog Log, quality rum, fresh fruits and reputable mixers. While my drinks usually come out great they're never quite like the ones at Trader Vic's.

Is it just the pleasant "upmarket tiki" atmosphere of The Trader's and the beautiful presentation of their drinks that makes them so great? Are there special or exclusive ingredients that they use in their drinks that aren't available to the general public? Are their bartenders some sort of alchemists that can transform cheap Trader Vic's rum into sweet nectar of the island gods?

Yes, and yes......

The bartenders at Trader Vics do posses some alchemy skills, and the atmosphere contributes heavily. Not to burst anyone's bubble.... The recipes in the Grog Log are not all "The" recipes. Some of them are exact recipes from the bars and minds of the greats, others are the best reverse-engineering from the finest team of mixers, and still others are the 'classic' recipes and most 'modern' bars have drifted away from the orignal for various reasons.

So, what does all that mean..... well it means that while you can probably make as good (or better) a drink at home as you could get in any bar, there is no substitute for have a Mai-Tai at Trader Vics, or a Rays Mistake at the Tiki-Ti or a Derby Daiquiri at the Mai-Kai.

AND, if you are trying to capture that atmosphere but aren't close to a Trader Vics..... turn the lights down low and invite a bunch of friends over. The addition of ohana always makes my drinks taste better.