Current quality of Trader Vic's products?

Is the general consensus that the bottled Trader Vic's products -- orgeat, rock candy syrup, grenadine, etc. -- aren't worth buying? I've never seen any in the store, so I can't examine the ingredients. But the reports are that they're just HFCS and artificial flavors/colors. True?

In my opinion you're better off making your own. There are loads of good recipes for various syrups and it's fun to try them and tweak them to your liking.

That being said, I know it's not everyone's cup of tea (most of my friends have no use for homebrew syrups). If that's the case I'd say order from B.G. Reynolds (the artist formerly known as Trader Tiki) and get some of the best syrups on the market.

Exception: simple/rock candy syrup. Everyone should make their own. It's that easy. :)

kevin

Aaaand I just realized I didn't actually answer the question at hand. I was personally disapointed with the Trader Vic's Orgeat and I read that their Passion Fruit Syrup was re-formulated into a worse product. So to me they don't really seem worth buying, especially with better options available.

kevin

The Trader Vic's Passion Fruit syrup no longer has any Passion Fruit in it. Finest Call makes one which is OK, but I miss the red color, which I realize was probably faked. I thought TV's Orgeat was allright but have not had it in a couple of years.In fact Trader Vic's products have grown scarcer in the Chicago area from what I've seen.

Definitely everyone should make their own simple syrup and cinnamon syrup, they're just too easy!

why did somebody start coloring passionfruit syrup red anyhow?

Old (at least 5 years ago, just to be safe) Trader Vic's syrups were ok. Anything current is bad, real bad.
I found that the frozen Passion Fruit pulp mixed with simple syrup works well, and tastes tart enough. Real easy to make, as long as you have a fridge. The Trader Tiki PF syrup I have is better than all of the commercial syrups, but it lacks some tartness, so it's a second choice.

BTW, in my recent visit to Israel, we had a little drink night where I tried making a reverb crash using the ingerdients they had there. Rosenblatt Brothers home made passion fruit syrup (made from fresh passion fruit), tasted heavenly (especially against Monin and another Israeli brand), but needed to be adjusted up to come through.

Ran

[ Edited by: kick_the_reverb 2011-09-02 20:19 ]

TV's passion fruit is worthless. I use goya frozen passion fruit pulp with equal parts sugar and it is amazing. I end up making more hurricans than zombies because I love the flavor so much.

I do use the TV orgeat. It is just cloudy HFCS but I still like it. I'll even sneak a 1/2 shot neat once and a while. I'm sure I probably won't be able to stand it once I finally make my own or get some real stuff. It is pretty old stock from the only liquor store in Pueblo that carries it so maybe that has something to do with it but I can't really imagine that making it better.

gabbahey

TV's Orgeat is pretty bad, it's all HFCS and artificial flavorings. It's like they tried to go as cheap as they possibly couldin manufacturing it, and it shows (or rether, tastes). I would use Fee's or even Torani before I used TV's Orgeat (and that's saying something since I find Torani Orgeat to be pretty bad). Fee's actually isn't bad, it's The Bum's go-to Orgeat. Personally I will only use Teisseire Orgeat now that I've had the pleasure of trying it. It's hard to find and has to be ordered online, put it's worth it IMHO.

Unfortunately, I stopped buying all TV's products because they all suck.

My general rule of thumb: If the first or second ingredient is corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup, put the bottle back on the shelf.

Orgeat - Stick with Torani, Monin, TraderTiki or another high quality brand.

Rock Candy Syrup - Stick with Stirring's brand or make your own using equal parts white sugar and filtered water. Variants I make utilize Demerara or Turbinado sugar for a darker more robust sweetness. Add a few drops of Tahitian Vanilla until you can just barely taste a hint of vanilla. Refrigerate after cooling.

Grenadine - Stirring's brand is awesome. You can also make your own by using the recipe above by substituting about 1/2 of the water with POM 100% pomegranate juice. Refrigerate after cooling.

[ Edited by: Kahuna Kevin 2011-09-17 15:39 ]

I went to TV's Atlanta location last weekend to break my Tiki cherry. I have to say that although the drinks were very good, I thought they were a little too sweet. I assume they are using the same products in the bar that are on the market.

I am basing this purely on the drinks I've made from BeachBum's Remixed where I made the syrups myself. The Mai-tai in particular seemed much sweeter than my Remixed version.

I think I'll keep making the syrups myself when possible.

Cheers!

Used the TV dark rum in a drink the other night. I did not enjoy it at all.

On 2011-09-27 22:01, Q-tiki wrote:
I went to TV's Atlanta location last weekend to break my Tiki cherry. I have to say that although the drinks were very good, I thought they were a little too sweet. I assume they are using the same products in the bar that are on the market.

I am basing this purely on the drinks I've made from BeachBum's Remixed where I made the syrups myself. The Mai-tai in particular seemed much sweeter than my Remixed version.

I think I'll keep making the syrups myself when possible.

Cheers!

Next time you order a Mai Tai at a Trader Vic's, ask for it to be made from scratch (no pre-made mix). As far as I know, all TV bartenders can handle this request and you will get a better Mai Tai.

I've never been to Trader Vic's (sorry to say), but I think if you order a San Francisco Mai Tai, they'll give you the real thing.

Thanks for the tips! I would have never known...
I will definitely go back sometime and ask for "Handmade" and/or San Fran style.

Gotta love TC!!

I've only been to the TV Island Grill in Sarasota, but I simply went up to the bartender and asked her specifically how she was making the Mai Tai's. I then asked her to hold the lemon juice from mine (which she did)...

At the Trader Vic's Emeryville (corporate H.Q.) and at the Palo Alto location they serve the standard Mai Tai, the 1944 Mai Tai (made from scratch) and the "Old Way" Mai Tai which is the standard Mai Tai with a float of Demerara 151 rum. I don't know why the "Old Way" is not made from scratch but the bartender at Emeryville verified that this is how they make it. Both the standard and 1944 Mai Tai's are on the menu but the "Old Way" is not. You have to "special request" it.

On 2011-10-13 18:17, TropicDrinkBoy wrote:
At the Trader Vic's Emeryville (corporate H.Q.) and at the Palo Alto location they serve the standard Mai Tai, the 1944 Mai Tai (made from scratch) and the "Old Way" Mai Tai which is the standard Mai Tai with a float of Demerara 151 rum. I don't know why the "Old Way" is not made from scratch but the bartender at Emeryville verified that this is how they make it. Both the standard and 1944 Mai Tai's are on the menu but the "Old Way" is not. You have to "special request" it.

I've never once seen a Trader Vic recipe for a mai tai that called for Demerara 151. So calling this the "old way" puzzles me.