Tiki Special- by Paul Senft

Tiki Special - by Paul Senft

Every summer as we head into August we begin planning our annual Tiki party. Besides the music and decorations, one of the keys to a good Tiki party is having a solid selection of cocktails. Mai Tais are always offered but the rest of the menu changes.

I asked some of my friends for their favorites and came up with a quick list for you to explore. One thing I will stress is that quality ingredients are key for creating the best quality cocktails. Give them a try and enjoy the experience.

Trader Vic’s Mai Tai

(From Beachbum Berry’s Remixed)

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

• 1/2 oz. Orange Curacao

• 1/4 oz. Orgeat Syrup

• 1/4 Sugar Syrup

• 1 oz. Dark Jamaican Rum

• 1 oz. Amber Martinique Rum

Directions:

Shake well with plenty of crushed ice. Pour unstrained into a double oldfashioned glass. Sink your spent lime shell in drink. Garnish with mint sprig. (We like to add a fruit stick).

Navy Grog

(From Trader Vic’s Tiki Party!)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups crushed ice

• 3 oz. Trader Vic’s Navy Grog Mix

• 1 oz. Silver rum

• 1 oz. Dark Rum

• 1 oz. Lemon Hart 86 Proof

• 1/2 oz. Lime Juice, one squeezed half reserved

• 1 Sprig of Mint, for garnish

• 1 Rock Candy Stick, for garnish

Directions:

Shake the crushed ice, Navy Grog mix, rums, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Pour into glass without straining. Garnish with the squeezed lime half and a rock candy stick.

Shrunken Skull

(From Beachbum Berry’s Remixed)

Ingredients:

• 1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

• 1 oz. Pomegranate Grenadine

• 1 oz. Gold Puer to Rican Rum

• 1 oz. Demerara Rum

Directions:

Shake vigorously with ice, then pour everything into a skull mug.

Test Pilot

(From Beachbum Berry’s Remixed)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

• 1/2 oz. Falernum

• 3 tsp. Cointreau

• 1 1/2 oz. Dark Jamaican Rum

• 3/4 oz. Light Puer to Rican Rum

• Dash of Angostura Bit ters

• 6 drops (1/8 teaspoon) of Pernod

• 1 cup of Crushed Ice

Directions:

Put everything in a blender. Blend at High Speed for 5 seconds. Pour unstrained into a double old fashioned glass, add more crushed ice to fill. Garnish with a cocktail cherry speared with an oyster fork.

Zombie (Simplified)

(From Beachbum Berry’s Remixed)

Ingredients:

• 3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

• 1 oz. White Grapefruit Juice

• 1/2 oz. Cinnamon- Infused Sugar Syrup

• 1/2 oz. 151 Proof Amber Rum

• 1 oz. Dark Jamaican Rum

Directions:

Shake with ice cubes. Pour unstrained into a tall glass or Zombie mug, if necessary add more ice to fill. Garnish with a mint sprig.

* Special thanks to Beachbum Berry and the Fraternal Order of Moai for their assistance with this article.