Lost cocktails of the Bali Hai, San Diego - Tiki Drinks and Food

A arriano Tiki Socialite San Diego Joined: Jun 13, 2006 Posts: 1603	A arriano Posted posted on Fri, May 3, 2013 9:09 AM Continuing my occasional series (which probably only I care about), this installment is about the Aloha Kiss. The Bali Hai still serves an Aloha Kiss cocktail, but descriptions from past and current menus show that it has changed a at least a little. In early cocktail menus, the Aloha’s ingredients are listed as “Guava, Cranberry, Orange and Lemon Juices, Rhum (sic) and Rock & Rye.” The current menu lists the cocktails' ingredients only as “Ron Rico Light Rum & a Blend of Fruit Juices.” I don’t know if the “blend of fruit juices” is the same as the old version or not, but there's no mention of Rock & Rye. This cocktail intrigued me as I’d never had Rock & Rye. Although not as common as it used to be, you can still buy it commercially. But after scouring the Internet I discovered that it’s not difficult to make yourself. So that’s what I did by combining rye whiskey with pineapple chunks, lemon slices and horehound candies, letting sit for a few days, and then straining. With that and all the rest of the ingredients at hand, last night I attempted to replicate the old version of the Aloha Kiss. Here’s my recipe: ALOHA KISS 1½ oz Light Rum (Cruzan) 1 oz Rock & Rye (homemade using Jim Beam Rye as base) 2 oz Orange Juice 1 oz Lemon Juice ½ oz Guava Juice ½ oz Cranberry Juice ¼ oz Simple Syrup As always with these recreations, I had to guess at the measurements, and I’ve no idea if they are even close to the original. But this turned out to be a very nice cocktail, with none of the juices overpowering the others. What surprised me was how the rye cut through all the flavors and held its own. Note: Traditionally this should have been garnished with an orchid – I didn’t have an orchid. "I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge [ Edited by: arriano 2013-06-03 11:10 ]

Continuing my occasional series (which probably only I care about), this installment is about the Aloha Kiss. The Bali Hai still serves an Aloha Kiss cocktail, but descriptions from past and current menus show that it has changed a at least a little. In early cocktail menus, the Aloha’s ingredients are listed as “Guava, Cranberry, Orange and Lemon Juices, Rhum (sic) and Rock & Rye.” The current menu lists the cocktails' ingredients only as “Ron Rico Light Rum & a Blend of Fruit Juices.” I don’t know if the “blend of fruit juices” is the same as the old version or not, but there's no mention of Rock & Rye.

This cocktail intrigued me as I’d never had Rock & Rye. Although not as common as it used to be, you can still buy it commercially. But after scouring the Internet I discovered that it’s not difficult to make yourself. So that’s what I did by combining rye whiskey with pineapple chunks, lemon slices and horehound candies, letting sit for a few days, and then straining. With that and all the rest of the ingredients at hand, last night I attempted to replicate the old version of the Aloha Kiss. Here’s my recipe:

ALOHA KISS
1½ oz Light Rum (Cruzan)
1 oz Rock & Rye (homemade using Jim Beam Rye as base)
2 oz Orange Juice
1 oz Lemon Juice
½ oz Guava Juice
½ oz Cranberry Juice
¼ oz Simple Syrup

As always with these recreations, I had to guess at the measurements, and I’ve no idea if they are even close to the original. But this turned out to be a very nice cocktail, with none of the juices overpowering the others. What surprised me was how the rye cut through all the flavors and held its own. Note: Traditionally this should have been garnished with an orchid – I didn’t have an orchid.

"I am Lono!" -- Hale Ka'a Tiki Lounge

[ Edited by: arriano 2013-06-03 11:10 ]

Post #676462 by arriano on Fri, May 3, 2013 9:09 AM