Help my Drink Menu

Hello. This is my first post here. I am fairly new to the world of Tiki compared to most of you all. I am opening a new Sports Bar & Grill and I want to pay tribute to the original Tiki Bars of the 1940s & 1950s & the "summer sports" (surfing, sand volleyball, etc) by including some of the most famous "tiki drinks". I am trying to be as close to the original recipe as possible so I don't offend aficionado. I have these "Tiki drinks" & recipes already on the menu:

Mai Tai
Navy Grog
Zombie (DB's 1950s version)
Blue Hawaiian
Scorpion
Hula Girl
Mojito

I am looking for about 4 more "classic" recipes. Pina Coladas, Daiquiris, Martinis, & Margaritas are listed elsewhere on the drink menu. Any suggestions or sources will be appreciated.

Thank you!
Ray

Welcome to Tiki Central Ray, where are you located?

On 2011-07-11 11:17, MadDogMike wrote:
Welcome to Tiki Central Ray, where are you located?

I live in Arkansas. I own a pizza joint in South Arkansas and will be opening up a second location as well as developing this concept in a neighboring city -- we hope! Negotiations with developers are later this week, but either way, we will eventually open up this concept.

Just look to any of "Beachbum Berry's" cocktail books
it is our Bible!

Check out the menus from Tiki Ti, Forbidden Island, Trader Vic's, Don the Beachcomber....it's all there on the internets.

Good luck to you.

Here are my four suggestions:

Rum Barrel
Lapu-Lapu
Leilani Volcano
Scorpion

Hope that helps!

Hi Ray, and welcome! I've found that the Shrunken Skull and the Doctor Funk (using orange bitters instead of Pernod, or just omitting the Pernod entirely) are good additions to a tiki repertoire - they're on the lighter, sweeter side and are great for people who prefer that flavor profile.

I am looking for about 4 more "classic" recipes.

Planter's Punch
Singapore Sling
Rum Barrel
Dark 'n Stormy

Pupule/Nui-Nui, Honi Honi, Samoan Fog Cutter, Macadamia Nut Chi Chi . . .

How about a Ray's Mistake?

On 2011-07-12 08:12, Slacks Ferret wrote:
How about a Ray's Mistake?

o_O

On 2011-07-11 09:50, RayZorback wrote:
I have these "Tiki drinks" & recipes already on the menu:

Mojito

fyi, the mojito is not a tiki drink.

Some easy and good drinks to add that do not call for hard to find ingredients:

Derby Daiquiri
151 Swizzle if you can get Lemon Hart 151 or El Dorado Rum, or you might try a good dark Jamaican that is not 151
Jasper's Jamaican is now in my steady rotation but you'll need St. Elizabeth's Allspice Dram. Half the Dram and lime, and doubel th esumple syrup.
For people who like tart. I mena love it, the Demerara Dry Float.

Go over to The Grogalizer and sort the recipes by average grade and you will have a very good list. That way you get recipes you can make with what you already have.

It goes w/o saying BUT, grab a copy of Beachbum Berry's Remixed and Sippin' Safari for the recipes to all these cocktails.

The mojito and piña colada are more Caribbean drinks than Tiki drinks, so you may want to move them over to that section of your menu. (And, while you're making mojitos and daiquiris, you might as well offer caipirinhas.)

HTH!

-J.

[ Edited by: jokeiii 2011-07-12 17:32 ]

I would consider throwing in a whisky, whiskey or bourbon beverage just for the folks that are certain that they don't like rum.
(Usually these people have never had a decent rum)
This way you can ease them into a nice rum later once they are digging properly made tropical drinks.

The Honi Honi, Starboard and Port Lights are pretty good.

Good Luck!
Mark

The Halekulani (recipe in Sippin' Safari) is my fave bourbon Tiki drink.

Just a thought!

On 2011-07-13 01:54, Sparkle Mark wrote:
I would consider throwing in a whisky, whiskey or bourbon beverage just for the folks that are certain that they don't like rum.
(Usually these people have never had a decent rum)
This way you can ease them into a nice rum later once they are digging properly made tropical drinks.

The Honi Honi, Starboard and Port Lights are pretty good.

Good Luck!
Mark

Actually, I have a Mai Tai recipe with Scotch that is great...

The Tropical Itch has Bourbon as well!

Thanks for all of the suggestions so far and for the Book suggestions. I am ordering those today -- I WISH they were on KINDLE! :/

I have edited our tiki menu from your suggestions. Here is what I have so far:

Strangely, it is harder to find bulk, quality, custom glasses than it is to find some of the ingredients. I have great food venders who track that stuff down for me. I will use a glass tiki glass or collins glass for almost all of these. I am looking for a glass hula girl glass for the Hula Girl & a glass Rum Barrel for the Rum Barrel drinks. I haven't found one yet. I am a big fan of the "glass, see through" glasses for 2 reasons: 0. Liqueur is pretty! Especially when the bartender focuses on presentation.

1. In food service, it helps us easily identify when someone might need a refill or another drink.

The Tiki Menu

• Long Walk on the Beach - my twist on Sex on the Beach w/ "sand" on the rim -- its a family restaurant
• Sandy Sunrise - similar to a Tequila Sunrise, but it is my own tropical version w/ "sand" the rim.
• Blue Hawaiian
• Mai Tai
• Navy Grog
• Zombie - I think I have the 1950's recipe
• Hula Girl - served in a hula girl glass if I can find & order them in bulk
• Scorpion
• Rum Barrel - served in a rum barrel glass? maybe.
• What else??

Possibile Additions

• Ray's Mistake - funny. I like it.
• Honi Honi
• Leilani Volcano
• Shrunken Skull - would be cool if I could find a skull glass
• Caipirinhas - is this considered a Tiki? or a general Cocktail?

Thanks again for the help!

[ Edited by: RayZorback 2011-07-14 11:32 ]

Ray's Mistake is a joke. The recipe is unknown.

I still suggest the Derby Daiquiri. It is served in a standard cocktail glass or champagne saucer.

151 Swizzle is served in a Collins glass and everyone loves cinnamon. Garnished with a long cinnamon stick.

On 2011-07-14 12:20, Swanky wrote:
Ray's Mistake is a joke. The recipe is unknown.

How close is this: http://tikidrinks.blogspot.com/2009/07/rays-mistake-tiki-cocktail-recipe.html ?

On 2011-07-14 13:18, RayZorback wrote:

On 2011-07-14 12:20, Swanky wrote:
Ray's Mistake is a joke. The recipe is unknown.

How close is this: http://tikidrinks.blogspot.com/2009/07/rays-mistake-tiki-cocktail-recipe.html ?

That particular attempt is referenced in this thread:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=17729&forum=10&start=15

One comment on the recipe stated:

"...It was not a Ray's Mistake at all."

solve the Anting Anting, then you can deduce the Ray's Mistake...

Ray,

1- The caipirinha is more in the daiquiri/mojito vein. More Latin/Caribbean than Tiki. Just move it over to that section of the menu?

2- Beachbum Berry also has an iPod app, that may be easier for you.

3- You can get THIS Tiki glass, the same one used at Disney's Polynesian: http://www.wasserstrom.com/restaurant-supplies-equipment/Product_403060 ($100 for a case of 24) and this skull glass here: http://www.homewetbar.com/half-liter-pirate-skull-drinking-glass-p-1615.html (although it's kinda pricy). You may also want to consider letting folks keep the glass for an extra $___. There are also some collins type glasses that are shaped kinda-sorta-maybe like a section of bamboo.

4- The renamed "on the beach" drink's name is a bit clunky...maybe renaming it "Kiss on the Beach?" It's also more of a regular drink than a Tiki drink. (Don't be fooled by the "beach" thing!)

5- Ray's Mistake is one of those drinks the recipe for which has never been really made public. (I still say "Lapu Lapu.") The Fog Cutter is another Tiki classic you may want to ponder. The Planter's Punch can bridge the Caribbean and Tiki sections of your menu, too.

6- One consideration -- not the only one, of course -- you may take is ease of making a given drink. A drink with 11 ingredients in wildly different proportions might prove a bit much.

7- Also consider getting custom cocktail picks and swizzle sticks. Not expensive and it's great publicity when people take those home.

Once you get the Beachbum Berry books, you'll have a much sharper idea of what you could do; the suggestions you've gotten here barely scratch the surface!