What AreYou Drinking- Right Now?

Still savoring The Hukilau ...

Brian Miller's Greedo in Paradise featuring Rhum Barbancourt, served at The Hukilau's High Tide on June 10 at the Pier 66 hotel.

Recipe and review:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2016/06/30/on-sale-now-the-hukilau-2016-merchandise-by-shag-inspired-by-the-mai-kai/#greedo

The Week in Tiki * Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

The official blog of The Hukilau

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2016-06-30 20:22 ]

The Below Decks Sidecar!

Attention:

Ballast point Long Beach opens today

Now open one in Vegas please

Happy National Mai Tai Day brothers and sisters!

Santeria Rum
St. James Hor d'Age
Lost Spirits Distillery Cuban Style 151 Float

Magnifique!

Last night for myself and three guests:

Paper Plane
Once Upon A Thyme
Last Word
1862 Rum Punch
and a Mai Tai to celebrate National Mai Tai Day:

In the background, from left to right: My bar "notebook" of things I'm trying and working on, what's left of the hors d'ouevres, top-down mixer tin, and the remaining thyme from "Once Upon A Thyme" drink. What a night! Surprisingly, now that its morning, I'm only a little groggy.

The liver must be punished!

Last night in honor of National Mai Tai Day...
... the Sparkling Mai Tai from the Smuggler's Cove book

Puka Punch from Smuggler's Cove. One of the most complex tiki drinks I've ever tried. It came out great by following the recipe in the book. I never thought I could get that taste outside of Smuggler's Cove. Thank you for allowing me to have one on a weekday evening when I could have not gone to the bar!

The Below Decks Mai Tai---for National Mai Tai Day!

Last night for national Mai Tai day, some super expensive Mai Tais on fire.

Been working on a menu all week for a luau we're throwing on Sunday. My wife says I'm being too ambitious because along with all of the food we're preparing I have planned a giant batch of Rum Barrels, a pitcher of coconut mojitos (to use up a bottle of coconut rum that mysteriously came into my possession), and then I'll be making Mai Tai's, 151 Swizzles, Fogg Cutters and Painkillers to order. That's not too much on my plate whilst hosting, right?

Anyway, trying out a variation of the Swizzle mostly modeled after the Atomic Grog's V.4 and it's awesome.

Hamilton 151 and 86 proof, Smith & Cross Navy Strength, fresh lime, homemade grenadine, Demerara and cinnamon syrups, plus Velvet falernum, fresh grated nutmeg and a cinnamon stick. Delicious.

I usually use Lh151 and Kohala Bay as well as homemade falernum but whn entertaining a dozen or more people I skimp where I can so long as the end result is still yummy. And this one is excellent.

Mike, I agree with your wife- that is a very ambitious bev menu. I admire your determination to please your guests. Let us know how it turns out, particularly interested in the “batch of Rum Barrels”. Rum BarRels are one of my faves. When you recover from the luau please let us know how you prepped the R B’s.
Mahalo

Found yellow grapefruits at the store today. Made navy grogs w/ a dash of oleo saccharum from the peel.

The Corner Door Rich Stuff!

On 2016-07-02 00:45, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
Mike, I agree with your wife- that is a very ambitious bev menu. I admire your determination to please your guests. Let us know how it turns out, particularly interested in the “batch of Rum Barrels”. Rum BarRels are one of my faves. When you recover from the luau please let us know how you prepped the R B’s.
Mahalo

We pulled it off! Had about 18 guests and it all came together swimmingly. I wish I had taken some pictures of the food and drinks and people but I was in non stop work/host mode. Thankfully friends captured some of the moments for posterity. Here's the ambitious menu:

The Rum Barrel recipe I made was based off the Mai Kai version which is in Taboo Table. It's delicious and easy to batch up. I multiplied the recipe by 12 and also replaced grapefruit with pineapple because some friends were on meds and cant have grapefruit. I cut back slightly on the pineapple as it can easily overpower the drink. Put it all in a 1.5 gallon glass pineapple drink dispenser we picked up at World Market. I had made 8 ice balls from molds which I put in the container figuring they'll melt and dilute slower than crushed ice. Worked like a charm.

The reason for the coconut mojitos was because somehow, someway I ended up with a bottle of Sugar Island coconut rum, which actually isn't bad. Not artificial tasting like Malibu but still I didn't really have a use for it so decided to just use that as the base of a mojito and it worked really well! I upped the rum from 1.5 oz to 2 oz per serving to make up for the low alcohol content of the flavored rum. Mixed everything in a pitcher for people to help themselves.

So I batched those two right before the party started, then made all the other drinks to order. Here I go...

The Swizzle was the hit of the party with a couple people coming back for seconds and even thirds (they had designated drivers!).

Made two communal bowls, both with Fogg Cutters from the Bali Hai recipe in the Total Tiki app. I doctored it a little including using orgeat in place of almond extract. While neighbors were setting off fire works, we had a show of our own.

Good people, Good drinks. Good times.

I had never worked a party like this with so many drink options and making single drinks to order. Usually if it's a large gathering I just make punches so I can enjoy the party more but gotta say it was a delight working behind the bar and serving them up for people. Really got a kick out of the reaction on people's faces after the first sip of a properly made mai tai.

On 2016-07-05 13:40, mikehooker wrote:
Really got a kick out of the reaction on people's faces after the first sip of a properly made mai tai.

Very nicely done, Mike! VERY nicely done!

Wow Mike, you da man! I wish you were my neighbor. Well done!
Dat shirt ain’t bad either.
Cheers

I feel like a piker after the Hooks last post. A couple of daquiri's using Papa’s Pilar Light. I like em mo betta wid Meyer’s Platnium or Blue Chair White.

We pulled it off! Had about 18 guests and it all came together swimmingly. I wish I had taken some pictures of the food and drinks and people but I was in non stop work/host mode. Thankfully friends captured some of the moments for posterity. Here's the ambitious menu:

We of the tacky shirt society salute you!

Corner Door Jesse Pink Gin!

On 2016-07-05 20:23, nui 'umi 'umi wrote:
I like them better with Meyers’s Platinum or Blue Chair White.

How's that Blue Chair? I figured all those bottles are garbage but I could be wrong.

On 2016-07-06 10:09, kkocka wrote:

How's that Blue Chair? I figured all those bottles are garbage but I could be wrong.

KK, Blue Chair is kinda harsh but works okay in a “La Floridita” Daiquiri recipe. I don’t use much White rum.
Cheers

The Below Decks Navy Grog!

The Below Decks Captain Vadrna's Grog!

French 75

We had an array of snacks for dinner. Porp's scorpion (The Porp Scorp? Porpion?) was in request by all, lack of flaming ice cones notwithstanding.

Molokai Mike. Looks like my grenadine (1:1 sugar/pom juice) is a bit pale. Thinking of using some red food coloring to boost the color. What is everybody else using?

howlinowl

On 2016-07-10 18:13, howlinowl wrote:
Molokai Mike. Looks like my grenadine (1:1 sugar/pom juice) is a bit pale. Thinking of using some red food coloring to boost the color. What is everybody else using?

I add hibiscus to mine, and I know alot of other people do too. It gives it really bold color and adds just a little bit of its own fruity flavor as well.

The Below Decks Jasper's Private Island!

Keeping it simple tonight with Fassionola and California sparkling wine. It's quite delicious.

I just whipped up tributes to two of the highlights of the Tiki Tower Takeover at The Hukilau:

The Master Ninja from Beachbum Berry ...

Captivation from Martin Cate ...

Recipes forthcoming on The Atomic Grog along with more Tiki Tower Takeover coverage.

Belated post of Mai Tai from the Bali Hai in San Diego at tonight's gathering:

(flash fried shishito peppers in the background)

Recap of my last few days of drinking...

Stiggins daiquiri.

Impromptu trip to Lei Low for a few drinks. My Navy Grog on left. Friends Barefoot in the Sand on the right.

Stiggins mojito for national mojito day.

And best of all, Atomic Grog Swizzle.

I had a “Yaaassss”, Plantation Pineapple Rum, Passionfruit syrup Lime juice and Tello’s Spice Mix No.1. Tello is the creator of this drink and the mix ingredients are not known to me. This drink is sublime. I’m trying to replicate his drink with a spice mix I put together.

My wife had a “La Vie En Rose”. Very good but the Yaaassss was mo betta.

Here’s the cover of their drink menu. The 1886 Bar is truly tiny and is in The Raymond Restaurant in Pasadena/So Pasadena Calif. The drinks are pricey (14 bucks each) but oh so good.
Cheers

The Below Decks Grapefruit Rye!

Last night's drinks:
#1 - Pisco Sour at the Punch Room. The stem on that glass is about 7" long and the bowl is about 4" across. Fancy!

#2 - Apple of My Eye at the Punch Room. This drink is intended for two people. I was alone. Yes, I drank the whole thing. It changes colors over time as the dried flowers on the surface rehydrate and infuse their color into the drink. It starts out this gorgeous amber color and is deep red by the time it's done.

#3 - Callaloo Cooler at home in the limited edition of the Kuhiko mug from Smuggler's Cove.

Last night was a good night of drinking!

On 2016-07-15 08:07, JenTiki wrote:
Last night's drinks:
#2 - Apple of My Eye at the Punch Room. This drink is intended for two people. I was alone. Yes, I drank the whole thing. It changes colors over time as the dried flowers on the surface rehydrate and infuse their color into the drink. It starts out this gorgeous amber color and is deep red by the time it's done.

That's a very nice effect! There are so many good garnishes and practices at the places we all go to... Sadly we can only adopt a limited number in our home bars.

I make a drink where I step outside, use a creme brulee tourch to light a small pile of apple wood chips on a 4" small iron pan, then place a Double Old-Fashioned glass over the top to smother the flames. This puts a nice smoky background into the glass. Can't remember where I learned that, but it is very unique and memorable when I have guests over and make it.

The Below Decks Hemingway Daiquiri!

Made a few drinks last night after a bit of a hiatus:

• Expedition x2
• Sumatra Kula
• 8th of the 8th (home recipe)
• Sidewinders Fang
• Steve Crane Jet Pilot
• Boulevardier (with added Hellfire Shrub)
• Knob Creek Rye Old Fashioned

For me the drinks of the night were the Expeditions:

Being short of Bittermens coffee liqueur, I used 1/4oz Tia Maria & 1/4oz Angostura bitters as a sub - even if it's not what was called for, it turned out well!

I used Coruba & Buffalo Trace. I'm not usually a fan of bourbon & rum together in drinks but I'd go so far as to say this is the best I've tried - well worth checking out :)

Been hitting the Mai Tais! Coruba Dark, St. James Amber Caribbean, Lattitude 29 Orgeat, Ferrand Dry Curacao,Demerara Syrup... totally dialed in and delightful!

Aloha and okole maluna!

The Blue Kahuna

[ Edited by: The Blue Kahuna 2016-07-17 13:37 ]

The Below Decks Pulling Rank!

I'm on my second Corpse Reviver #2. Sorry, no photo, cuz I'm drinking it without garnish while doing boring paperwork.... It's just a light yellow-colored drink in a martini glass. BUT...

I made two of these last night with Lillet Blanc per the original recipe, and Grand Marnier instead of Cointreau and they sucked.

Tonight I substituted the Lillet with Cocchi Americano and used Cointreau and the angels sang! This is important because Lillet Blanc has been "updated" to "more modern tastes" within the last 10 years or so, and it is no longer authentic tasting because they have dialed back (or eliminated) the quinine component. The Cocchi Americano is an aperitif and it comes very close to the original Lillet Blanc flavor profile and is therefore a better ingredient for the Corpse Reviver #2 than the modernized Lillet. Fans of the "Vesper" cocktail should take note.

The updated Lillet Blanc does taste good though, so no complaints there, but it's no longer suitable for classic/historic cocktail recipes.

Here's the Corpse Reviver #2 recipe I used, and I don't remember where I got the recipe.

Cheers!

CORPSE REVIVER #2

1 oz gin -- I used Bombay Sapphire specifically because its a bit sweeter than other London dry gins.

1 oz fresh lemon juice.

1 oz Cointreau

1 oz Lillet Blanc (better: Use Cocchi Americano because of its resemblance to the older version of Lillet Blanc before they took out the quinine.)

Orange peel as garnish.

Shake with ice, strain, serve in cocktail glass of your choice. (Martini, coupe, or DOF glass)

The Below Decks Pegu Club!

The Below Decks Bay Roc Special!

Knickerbocker- Appleton 12, Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, Chambord, Curacao, Lime juice

[ Edited by: rummy_dearest 2016-07-20 19:35 ]

[ Edited by: rummy_dearest 2016-07-20 20:48 ]

Keeping it simple in this hot weather. Mojito’s, mojito’s and more mojito’s.
Cheers

Sunny Spot Mai Tai!

Started with a couple of Pegu Club Cocktail’s followed by a Mojito with blueberries muddled in and lastly a traditional Mojito ( no pic- I was outta focus).