Must have ingredients?

Hey fellow mixologists..

I just finished building my bar, and I'm eager to get it stocked up. So, being a newbie, I have this question for all the Mixing Gods out there... What Ingredients would you consider to be the "must haves" for any tiki bar...

Very Thirsty,
fairlanerodder62

I'd say you can put falernum at the top of your list.

Then buy the Grog Log & Intoxica by Beachbum Berry, thats how I stocked mine. Great recipes and advice.

Good mixing

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2006-10-15 23:48 ]

Yes on the Falernum.

Second to that you will want lots of Pimento liqueur.

Rums:
Dark Jamaican
Gold Jamaican
Barbados rum
White Puerto Rican
Gold Puerto Rican
Puerto Rican 151
Demerara
Demerara 151
Haitian
Martinique

Syrups:
Orgeat
Passion Fruit
Grenadine
Rock Candy
Falernum
Sweet and Sour

Etc:
Brandy
Curacao
Triple Sec
Orange Juice
Pineapple Juice
Angostura Bitters

Fresh limes - I always keep a supply on hand.

On 2006-10-15 22:13, fairlanerodder62 wrote:
...What Ingredients would you consider to be the "must haves" for any tiki bar...

Very Thirsty,
fairlanerodder62

Aloha and welcome to TC.

As to the bar and what should you have.... what do you drink? What do you like? Are you wanting to go all-out on the Tiki drinks? Or do you want a more diverse selection of ingredients to serve classic cocktails as well?

If you are starting from a newly built but empty bar, start easy with a White Rum, Gold Rum, and a Dark Rum, fresh lemons and limes, find the little cans of pineapple juice, and some simple syrup (bought or made, your choice). Then, pick a recipe and get those specific ingredients. Then, pick a new recipe and get those ingredients, etc... It took me about three years of monthly visits to the various liquor stores to get my bar stocked to the point I can make every drink in the Grog Log and more than half of the vintage cocktails in my other favorite guide from Dr. Cocktail.

Remember, it is your bar and you are making what you want to drink. The rest of us are just a bunch of happy drunks and are going to suggest what we want you to have when we come over for to your place for drinks.

Good stuff guys, appreciate all the advice...think I need to make a trip to my local liquor mart...

Gold and white Puerto Rican rum is called for most in the books. Just get a gold, white, dark and 151. Get Demarara if you can. Amber if you can. A good Jamaican rum. The list above by TraderJonah is good. Orgeat and falernum are the hard ones to find, so get them first. Orange curacao, pineapple, lime, lemon, orange, and grapefruit juice.

Here are a few older threads with some good suggestions:
The "Starter" Home Bar and Rum
outfitting a home bar
I need a list for a fully stocked bar (Tiki and the Usual)

On 2006-10-16 06:42, Chip and Andy wrote:

Remember, it is your bar and you are making what you want to drink. The rest of us are just a bunch of happy drunks and are going to suggest what we want you to have when we come over for to your place for drinks.

Now that's funny. And I'm sure true. Working on stocking my bar now too. But I do have Bottlecap Man to watch over things...

george

All good answers. My additions:

Malibu Coconut Rum, Lichido Lychee liqueur, Passoa Passionfruit Liqueur, Pama Liqueur, leblon Cachace, and of course lychee nuts and pineapple chunks!

I found while going through Grog Log and Intoxica that a vast majority of the drink recipes use these rums:

Jamaican Dark
Jamaican Gold
Puerto Rican Light
Puerto Rican Gold
Demerara 151

Then it's more of a decision of what mixes you want for the types of drinks you prefer. Some of the usual "essential" ingredients include orgeat syrup, various liqueurs, orange juice, pineapple juice, etc. etc. And as has already been said, fresh, fresh limes and lemons.

[ Edited by: arriano 2006-11-01 10:52 ]

Oh, and Apricot Brandy...

Man, some of this stuff is hard to get, I did manage to order a bottle of Pimento Liquor though. Now the question is, "when will it get here..."

Question... How long will fresh squeezed lime juice keep in the fridge for?, or should I even be storing lime juice in the fridge for future use?

Went ahead and ordered Intoxica, and Grog log, oh... and Taboo Table in case I get hungry too.

Joel

A couple days, but I'd suggest you buy fresh limes instead, and use them as you need them. They keep in the fridge for about a week.

A mini measuring shot glass has been a great addition for my consistent 1/4 oz amounts.

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2006-11-01 12:53 ]

Oh yes - you can also freeze lime juice in 1/2oz cubes for use at a later time.

On 2006-11-01 12:36, Ojaitimo wrote:
A mini measuring shot glass has been a great addition for my consistent 1/4 oz amounts.

---

[ Edited by: Ojaitimo 2006-11-01 12:53 ]

Or just never use 1/4 ounces. Instead, double the recipe and enjoy it with a friend or twice as much yourself! And if 1/2 ounce measuers are a pain, quadruple the recipe!!

On 2006-11-01 11:27, Swanky wrote:
Oh, and Apricot Brandy...

And Blackberry Brandy if you plan to make a Mr. Bali Hai.

Oh, and do you have barware & glasses to fit the drinks you're making?

You'll want Rocks/Old Fashioned, Double Rocks/Bucket, Cocktail "Up" Glass (i.e., Martini Glass), Collins/Chimney/Zombie Glass, & Highball Glass. Then there's Pilsner & Ale glasses for beer (plus Beer Mugs), Red Wine, White Wine, Sherry & Champagne glasses for wine, Shot Glasses for, well, shots, Cordial Glasses, Irish Coffee Glasses, Whiskey Sour Glasses, Brandy Snifter, Hurricane Glasses, Margarita Glasses, Mason Jars, & Parfait Glasses.

And Tiki Mugs!

Plus Ice Bucket, a good Lemon/Lime Squeezer, a sharp paring knife & cutting board (for Lemons & Limes, and other fruit &/or garnishes), a Shaker (Boston or regular), Jiggers and measuring glass & spoons, Corkscrews & churchkey, Muddler, and swizzle sticks.

AND assorted Garnishes: Stuffed Olives, Maraschino Cherries, Fresh Mint Leaves, Lemons, limes & oranges cut into Wedges/Rings, Lemon, Lime & Orange peel & zest, Celery stalks, Salt, Superfine sugar, Worcestershire, Tabasco, Bitters & orange bitters. Extras: Horseradish & black pepper if you plan on making Bloody Marys, Cucumber if you plan to make a Suffering Bastard, Whipped Cream goes on a number of Hot drinks, Orchids are always a nice touch for the Ladies' drinks.

And don't forget Milk for the Dude's White Russians.

Hey Swankky,, yur rite. Usein quad.. qua, more es betttir.
:)

Suddenly my home bar seems so inadequate!

On 2006-11-01 16:02, freddiefreelance wrote:

On 2006-11-01 11:27, Swanky wrote:
Oh, and Apricot Brandy...

And Blackberry Brandy if you plan to make a Mr. Bali Hai.

I just recently emailed Beachbum Berry about this ingredient because he doesn't include blackberry brandy in his recipe for the Mr. Bali Hai cocktail in his Intoxica book. He wrote back that what's in the book is the original recipe. The current one is completely different and formulated quite recently by the current owners/staff.