Trader Vic's Mai Tai concentrate

Trader Vic's has made Mai Tai Concentrate available online at http://www.shoptradervics.com

Shipping is almost as much as the concentrate!
No way to choose anything else but international shipping.
Bought it anyway.
Maybe this should be re-posted in Drinks & Food section

What's the feeling on this stuff, is it decent?

Tried but make your own its much better, And that stuff is full of preservatives

On 2013-08-21 13:12, Loki-Tiki wrote:
What's the feeling on this stuff, is it decent?

Yes!

This is exactly what they use in the Trader Vic's around the world, so if you have the Trader Vic Dark and Gold rums, you can make the very same Mai Tai that you would be getting from a Trader Vic's. If you love a Trader Vic's restaurant Mai Tai, you will not be disappointed with this. If you have never had a Mai Tai at a Trader Vic's, this is your best way of having one without the need to buy a plane ticket and hotel room :wink:

I still make most of my own Mai Tais from scratch. Mostly because I enjoy doing the extra steps and choices it gives me (I have several orgeats and orange curacaos to choose from). But when I'm looking for a quick fix, I still dip into my stash of the concentrate.

What is not decent, and imo NOT worth buying, is the yellow/orange "stuff" that they sell in store as Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix. It is very different from the concentrate, and makes a very synthetic faux Mai Tai. It's the McRib of Mai Tais, and not worth drinking.

They really should scrap the mix and just sell the concentrate. After the most recent rounds of closings, there are only 5 Trader Vic's left in the US, and nothing between Atlanta and the west coast. So few people now live near a Trader Vic's, they would not be hurting their business in the least by selling the concentrate to a much wider market. In fact, it might help revive the brand.

On 2013-08-23 07:21, Dr. Coruba wrote:

On 2013-08-21 13:12, Loki-Tiki wrote:
What's the feeling on this stuff, is it decent?

Yes!

This is exactly what they use in the Trader Vic's around the world, so if you have the Trader Vic Dark and Gold rums, you can make the very same Mai Tai that you would be getting from a Trader Vic's. If you love a Trader Vic's restaurant Mai Tai, you will not be disappointed with this. If you have never had a Mai Tai at a Trader Vic's, this is your best way of having one without the need to buy a plane ticket and hotel room :wink:

I still make most of my own Mai Tais from scratch. Mostly because I enjoy doing the extra steps and choices it gives me (I have several orgeats and orange curacaos to choose from). But when I'm looking for a quick fix, I still dip into my stash of the concentrate.

What is not decent, and imo NOT worth buying, is the yellow/orange "stuff" that they sell in store as Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix. It is very different from the concentrate, and makes a very synthetic faux Mai Tai. It's the McRib of Mai Tais, and not worth drinking.

They really should scrap the mix and just sell the concentrate. After the most recent rounds of closings, there are only 5 Trader Vic's left in the US, and nothing between Atlanta and the west coast. So few people now live near a Trader Vic's, they would not be hurting their business in the least by selling the concentrate to a much wider market. In fact, it might help revive the brand.

Thank you for some real feedback. I suspect, just like the grog concentrate, that the Mai Tai concentrate is not normally for sale? I was also wondering about it compared to the Mai Tai mix. Yes, I realize that making your own is the best option, and I do that too. However, there are times I just don't feel like putting forth the effort, and rather just pour something quick.

Of course, I like McRib's too...hmmmmmm :wink:

Just got my shipment of Trader Vic's Mai Tai Concentrate, but there are no instructions or recipe for using. Anyone know how to use? Thanks!

The recipe is:

2 oz. Rum
3/4 oz. Mai Tai Concentrate
3/4 oz. Lime Juice

I'm selling a bottle, if anyone's interested:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300957322428

On 2013-08-30 14:42, PremEx wrote:
Just got my shipment of Trader Vic's Mai Tai Concentrate, but there are no instructions or recipe for using. Anyone know how to use? Thanks!

You'll find one in other Mai Tai Concentrate thread:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=45979&forum=10&start=15

[ Edited by: Hakalugi 2013-08-30 19:37 ]

Mahalo both of you. After experimenting I agree with a post in the other thread that 1/2oz rather than 3/4oz seems to be more like the Trader's resturant version to me. Also agree letting the drink sit for a bit to let some ice melt seems to be essential. Drinking right away gives a very slight funny artifical taste. But after waiting several minutes and stiring one last time...bang on. And ono! You can really notice the real case sugar aspect of the concentrate too.

I'm selling a bottle on eBay:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/300958919301

I tried it out last night and it's good stuff.

Be sure to shake the bottle of Mai Tai concentrate well before using. The ingredients will settle if left standing too long and it won't taste right.

it's made with High Fructose Corn Syrup. They sell it at Cost Pus World Market

[ Edited by: mermaid1111 2013-09-03 11:16 ]

Mermaid -- You're thinking of the retail stuff. A totally different animal. Stay far away from it.

What we're talking about is the restaurant concentrate, which they usually don't sell to the public. It's made with cane sugar and makes a very respectable Mai Tai.

I was pleasantly surprised with the quality.

Can anyone tell me how long the Trader Vic's restaurant-version/cane sugar/dark color Mai Tai concentrate lasts? This is not the gross yellow stuff sold in stores, this is the direct from Vic's stuff that is hard to get. I have an open bottle from last summer and it does not have a "use by" date.

And yes, I do make from scratch, but this stuff has occasional use (if still ok to use). Thanks.

On 2013-08-23 07:21, Dr. Coruba wrote:

What is not decent, and imo NOT worth buying, is the yellow/orange "stuff" that they sell in store as Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix. It is very different from the concentrate, and makes a very synthetic faux Mai Tai. It's the McRib of Mai Tais, and not worth drinking.

Agreed.

mcmtiki: I've got a bottle that's been open since the last time it went on sale to the public. Can't remember when that was, but it may well have been over a year ago. Used it just the other day. The taste is fine and so far I haven't gone blind or dropped dead. That said, I'm a bit more cavalier than some around here about "use by" recommendations, so take my advice for what it's worth.