Drink recommendations for my Tiki Night

Having about 25 to 30 people attend my Tiki Night cocktail party in November. Cocktails, PuPu platters etc.... Anyway, while I will serve guests whatever drinks my bar can provide, I plan on pre-mixing 4 or 5 different cocktails to speed up the process and give me more time to enjoy my own party. Looking for recommendations on drinks that might be popular to a wide range of guests.

Possible selections so far:
Zombie 1934
Painkiller
Mai Tai

Thanks....

[ Edited by: Tonga Tiki 2011-10-26 19:28 ]

Zombie 1934!? are you planning on having all the guests chauffeured home afterwards?

assuming you've invited a bunch of Tampa gals, and not Tiki Central purists, here's what's worked well for me with groups:

--love the Painkiller, esp. if there'll be fresh cinnamon and nutmeg they can sprinkle on;

--I used to serve up a "blue" Mai Tai using blue curacao in lieu of orange (blasphemous, I know, but chicks dig the blue Mai Tai);

--the Noa Noa works well around here, as it is basically a mojito, which all Tampa chicks love;

--people love a scorpion bowl, heck I've served it in large soup bowls with ice and handed out straws;

--not tiki, but people associate it with rum and it is tropical (and popular)- Hurricanes...

that would give you something light, something dark, something amber, something reddish, and something blue...

[ Edited by: thePorpoise 2011-10-26 20:55 ]

I have had very good luck with Mai tai at my parties in the past with non tiki loving people. And it is pretty easy to prepare with not too many ingredients.

On 2011-10-26 20:52, thePorpoise wrote:
[Zombie 1934!? are you planning on having all the guests chauffeured home afterwards?]

True... Its my favorite, but I should probably save that for the individual and not the crowd. Plus I would not want to waste any Lemon Hart 151!

Thank you and Hiltiki for the suggestions.. BTW I have persuaded a lovely wahine to be "The Mystery Girl". I have a gong and a Mai Kai mystery drink bowl to make it authentic. It should be fun!

A relatively easy to make party drink is a "four waters" grog, such as the Admiral Vernon Lime Grog (from Esquire magazine):
16 ounces lime juice
1 pound brown sugar
1+ pint dark rum
1/2 gallon water
6 springs mint

Read more: http://www.esquire.com/drinks/admiral-vernons-lime-grog-drink-recipe#ixzz1bzc6ogRY

Tastes great with Myers/Coruba, or a combo of what you've got lying around.I usually end up doubling the rum --- still tastes great!

I had a big party once and made a large batch of mai tais and a large batch of blue hawaiians. All the guys wanted the mai tais, and all the ladies wanted the blue hawaiians. Conclusion: Chicks dig blue drinks, dudes not as much.

If it is warm enough there in Tampa, a pitcher of Derby Daiquiris is good. Everyone likes it, easy to make in bulk and it is not a drink that will get people toasted like so many we make.

My newest favorite that is simple, except you need to get a good supply of St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, is the Jasper's Jamaican. Girls like it and I and my guy friends like it. As an added bonus for this time of year, I put Pumpkin Spice on top instead of just nutmeg. Make it with half the lime however. And since it is a cocktail served up, you can mix a batch and just pour it in the shaker with cubed ice in batches and look like you are doing something. Just watch it as it is preety strong because it goes down so easy.

My main secret for serving these drinks to groups is to have lots of crushed ice on hand and pour only 1/4 to 1/2 drinks and use the crushed ice to fill the glass. Keeps people from getting toasted and lets more people sample a drink you make on the spot. Make a double and you can serve 4-6 that way.

Pain Killers don't go big well because it is a blender drink. You end up making them maybe 2 at a time.

I second the Scorpion Bowl, even if you just serve it in glasses. Almost everyone likes it. Most bowl drinks are aimed at a wide audience and tend to be good for groups.

That gives you a mix of styles and complexity. Pull out the Navy Grog or Zombie Punch to mix yourself and give to several as a samper, not the full drink.

I've always made the Painkiller on the rocks- i think that's how the Pusser's website lists it; plus, the cinnamon and nutmeg sit on top of the ice for aroma w/each sip.

On 2011-10-27 09:52, thePorpoise wrote:
I've always made the Painkiller on the rocks- i think that's how the Pusser's website lists it; plus, the cinnamon and nutmeg sit on top of the ice for aroma w/each sip.

How do you mix up the coconut cream that way? Doesn't it just sit there like a lump? When blended, it kind of makes a head that the nutmeg rests on.

Looks like you are right in the on the rocks bit. Maybe I have been making life hard on myself for lo these many years...

re the coco lopez, i mix the entire drink vigorously w/a swizzle before adding the ice, works pretty well. helps if the coco is room temp first, too.

I try to keep it simple with the following:

~Serve Yourself Vat of-Beach Bum Berry Mai Tais-with a build your own garnish selection
~Large bucket of ice filled with cans of soda & diet, bottled water
~Beer in fridge
~Open bar-usually the guys will pop back there and make whatever I have the mixings for

If I don't have the energy or time to cook...I order various deli items.

I appreciate all the suggestions! I will be catering most of the food from a local chinese and Thai restaurant. I have been trying unsuccessfully to aquire a couple of the Mai Kai PuPu platter warmers. Nothing on ebay..Couldn't sweet talk my way into buying some from the Mai Kai etc... I do have a couple of hibachi\wood tray platters that I will use, but I wanted something that would warm without the skewer cooking process and not look like it was from the buffet at a Hampton Inn. So in my travels I found a stainless steel hammered serving dish from India and a black cast iron tea kettle warmer. I attached the dish using a stainless steel rounded smoothhead bolt to the removable base on top the warmer. It worked great so I bought 2 more. The picture doesnt really show the "hammered" marks that keep it from looking industrial. A red tea candle holder gives red light out of the holes along the bottom. I will have these spread around so everyone doesnt always have to keep going back to the main food area.

Your warmers turned out pretty cool, way to improvise! A hammered copper bowl would have looked good too.

Some kind of punch would be easiest, and people love punch at parties. They can walk in and serve themselves a glass right away.

After things start to flow, you might offer a "menu" of a few drinks. Say, a Mai Tai, Painkiller and Blue Hawaiian. You could then mix them up quickly and not have to spend too much time tending bar.

I will be making Scorpion Bowl for tonight. Usually I make Mai Tais but feel like doing something different. thanks for the suggestions.

I like making something "in between" punch and individual cocktails, what some people call "pitcher drinks." Also, any drink that can be made somewhat ahead of time -- citrus juices can "hold" for about 4-6 hours -- is a good choice.

My suggestion?

Mai-Tai
Leilani Volcano (this is one that is a particularly big hit w. the female side, as it is a TINY BIT on the sweet side and not crazy-strong.)
Painkiller