Post #289593 by DJ Terence Gunn on Sun, Mar 4, 2007 1:30 PM

Don't ever buy pre-made mixers. They're all rubbish and full of sugar and artificial this and that. Some may have some amount of real lime juice, etc.; but still, it's rubbish all the same. Make your own pre-made mixer. It's quite easy, and the mix will last a long time in the fridge. There really are only three essential ingredients one needs for a mai tai mixer, and the rest is easy.

These are the ingredients for the Terence Gunn Mai Tai, of which, when given to the recipient drinker, I have never gotten anything short of an ecstatic reaction to; and which is very close to Victor Bergeron's original recipe.

Fresh-squeezed lime juice (1 jigger/16 ounce mug)
{Don't buy your limes at a grocery store, as they're too damned expensive. Go to an Asian market or a place like Cash N Carry. For the price of 3 or 4 grocery store limes, one can get a whole bag full}
Orgeat (almond) syrup (1/2 shot/16 oz mug)
Water (for dilution) (1/2 cup/16 oz mug)

(Rock candy syrup -- although original to the recipe -- is 'sweet' over-kill and superfluous to the overall flavour of the drink. Don't use it.)

Put these ingredients together in a pitcher or capped bottle/container, and store in the fridge to keep cold. When cold and when required.....

In a cocktail shaker add 1 cup of mixer with:
1 jigger golden rum (Appleton),
1 jigger dark rum (Myers),
1 jigger triple sec (or Cointreau if you're wealthy)

DO NOT ADD ICE! Shake vigourously for 15 seconds.

Then pour into a 16 or 18 oz vessel filled just under halfway with ice.

Garnish with fresh mint sprig.
(Mai tais are not garnished with fruit! And the original feature of dropping in the drink the spent lime shell, simply takes up too much room, and does little to enhance the drink's flavour.)

Add straw.

Savour.

But be careful! These can be very addictive!

Now, of course, even with an excellent recipe, some folks simply cannot follow it/bring it into fruition properly. But should you be able to you'll have a perfect mai tai every time, without having to have resorted to store bought pre-made mixers!

Okole Maluna!

[ Edited by: DJ Terence Gunn 2007-03-04 16:14 ]