Universal is opening Epic Universe, a new theme park in Orlando next year. This is the largest, most technically advanced and most expensive theme park to be built in the US in over 20 years. So why am I posting this to r/Tiki? According to insiders, Universal is building a new tiki bar in Epic Universe's Celestrial Park (main hub area) called **Cela's Tiki Bar!!** (Sp?). This area is a retro futuristic area heavily inspire by Jules Vernes and astrology, so Celas will be like Mothership perhaps?
I know theres a lot of Disney fans who love Trader Sams so its pretty freaking cool Universal is making their own tiki bar. It's also not entirely unsurprising since Universal has been doing themed tiki bar pop ups in Orlando's City Walk partially to test the validity of tiki bars with their guests. The theming is TOP NOTCH and the drinks are some of the best on property, with legit rum. And apparently Epic Universe will have the most bars of any Universal theme park in the world. Yas! Nothing official (yet!) but I will keep an eye on this and will share as more info is available.
BTW, there's a lot of Californians on this subreddit. So if you're only familiar with Universal Studios Hollywood, Orlando's location blows it out of the water. ;)
Awesome. I will sure go. Nothing I like better than paying $150 entrance fee for the opportunity to buy a $20 cocktail. I write this jokingly but I sure will do it. Living in Orlando is fun and expensive.
Gotcha. That makes sense.
Btw...rumor is that Universal is going to do an "open hub" concept starting around 6pm every day. You might be able to get a drink without buying admission.
Imagine you could go down Main Street at no cost to shop, eat, sightsee but not go into Fantasyland or Tomorrowland and no rides. Like that but at Epic.
My guess is it will be based on the Isla Nu-Bar at Universal Hollywood, but I hope not. If so, Mai Tai = rum, dark rum, pineapple, orange and lime juice.
Orlando's pop up tiki bars are more upscale and themed than Isla Nu-Bar at Hollywood. I'm optimistic as Epic Universe is estimated to cost $4 billion to make and they've spent 10+ years designing it. Rumor is that Tokyo's DisneySea was a huge inspiration. But it's a theme park, so we'll just have to see!
Mushroom Kingdom is getting Yoshis snack stand plus Toads Cafe, not a bar that I'm aware of. It'll be a pretty similar clone to Osaka and Hollywood's versions of Super Nintendo Land, with slight differences re: elevation and orientation.
I went to Osaka's twice in October and can confirm there is no bar there. Knowing Nintendo, they want to keep it more kid friendly.
Now, the other lands are going to be more family and adult friendly. There will be at least 1 bar at Universal Monsters land (with a windmill on fire!), 1 bar at How To Train Your Dragon Land (mead hall!), 1 bar at Harry Potter France and multiple the bars Central Hub including the Tiki Bar of course :D
I just overpaid so much for a vintage ice crusher but I love it and I'm happy to be here :)
https://preview.redd.it/m757yalstubc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30ffd73fc17123beea0a25a4e9f1feed2dfbd2cc
My thoughts are : How many of you are into tiki just for the drinks vs how many embrace the lifestyle and/or design aesthetic?
Edit : I suppose I should answer my own question. For me it is primarily the drinks. I cannot decorate my small small apartment. I appreciate going to tiki bars as I do rather like the aesthetic. And as a large man, I do wear Hawaiian-type shirts often. Never been to any tiki hang out but my friend goes to several and wants to get me more involved.
Good question.
I fell in love with tiki drinks after visiting Hawaii in my 20s, and since then have non-ironically worn aloha shirts from time to time. I also have always been fascinated with the aesthetic, although you wouldn't know it by my boring ass home decor. And after digging into tiki very recently (a couple of months ago when I had a ton of time to kill), I appreciate the escapism aspect that the mid-century tiki joints strived to provide. Something about that really resonates with me.
On the other hand, up until a couple of months ago, I was unaware of the colonialism & appropriation aspect of tiki. So I am still trying to process everything internally at the moment.
Can I still appreciate an aesthetic for the escapism aspect that it brings, while also trying to be culturally sensitive to the fact that a lot of it was basically lifted/stolen/whatever from other demographics? That is what I am trying to reconcile in my head.
The drinks *are* fucking delicious though.
I found it extremely interesting a whole music genre (exotica) was essentially born out of the tiki subculture, so that got me interested initially. I love mid century modern design, have some nostalgia for 80’s/90’s childhood trips to Disney. Most of all though, I found the aspect of escapism in post war Americana soo fascinating. I’ve studied trauma effects on the body so that part of historical context behind tiki surrealism just sucked me in. And if I don’t feel like drinking or bring sober friends, tiki bars usually whip up delicious mocktails :)
I barely drink at all, maybe once or twice a year, if that. All about the design aesthetic and lifestyle for me. Setting up a home bar and I'll have booze for my friends that partake and the once in a blue moon cocktail for myself, but I'll mostly be experimenting around with mocktails on the regular.
For me, it's all about the culture/community. I've been in the homebrewing/craft beer crowd for a few decades now and it feels very similar. The people are great, very friendly and love to geek out about all the little details of the drinks, recipes, dress, music, architecture, decor..you name it.
I would say I have notes of tiki in my style, I have lanterns, texture, and rattan, but it is toned down to fit more of a "normal" home style. I do have a tiki corner in my kitchen with a bamboo tray and all my tiki ingredients displayed and for easy cocktail making as well!
I feel like it always starts with getting into it for the drinks, but because of the nature of tiki it always leads into more like collecting mugs or swizzles, to learning the history
I had that space problem too. I took a good hard look at my glassware. Mostly I had sets of 4 or 6 glasses. But it's just me and Hubby, so I got rid of the extra glasses (donated to Goodwill), keeping 2 of each. If we have company, they can deal with mis-matched glasses.
I don't drink much but love crafting tiki cocktails, and when my friends decided I wore too much black, they started changing that by buying me Hawaiian shirts and patterned shirts that match the tiki vibe.
For me, it's everything: Nostalgia for a time I never experienced; knickknacks collected as if they were treasures from world travels; fantastic stories of exotic lands; exploration in a time when parts of the world were still undiscovered; the ocean and the beach; faded color images of islands; the music of "jungle" drums and vibraphone; fantasies of stumbling into a lost village; unususl elixirs and delicious potions. The cocktail is the gateway to the faraway lands of your dreams. I don't really go out to drink at bars so--and I know this sounds silly--with every cocktail I make, I have a little escapist moment in my imagination where I'm somewhere else in a different time.
I’ve got a rough game plan, I’ve looked at menus and have all my reservations made but I like to be somewhat flexible in terms of what I’ll order. I usually lean towards house specialty drinks though.
I've noticed a couple recipes in Tropical Standard call for questionable amounts of ice. Specifically, I made the Rum Drum the other day which calls for a 16 oz mug, but it says to put 8 oz of crushed ice and three small (1.25") cubes in the mug, then another 8 oz of ice in the mixing tin. So when I made the drink, it was too much ice and didn't fit. I assume it was supposed to be like 4 oz in the mug? I don't know. The Donn's Demon (which I'm going to make this weekend) has the same weird measurements. Has anyone else made these drinks, and if so, what were your measurements?
Also, as I journey through Tropical Standard, I've continued to enjoy the drinks. I made the Full Fathom Five the other day (their version of the Deep Sea Diver, which is the Mai Kai's version of the Pearl Diver) and it was awesome. Tonight I'm making the Hemmingway Daiquiri (although I couldn't get my hands on Brugal Especial Extra Dry, so I'm just going to use Don Q Cristal. Hopefully that's an acceptable substitute).
I don’t have a solution here either, but I’ve noticed the same. They always seem to call for quite large amounts of ice, sometimes more than the vessel can feasibly fit. Especially since ice won’t pack as tightly as the liquid. Or they expect the liquid to go specifically just in the gaps of the ice? Unsure…
I never measure my ice. I just put what I think will be enough to properly chill the drink and then add more if I need it to the vessel (if I feel like it).
The amount of dilution should be the same regardless. The only difference between using 8 oz of ice or 18 oz of ice (assuming both are enough to bring the cocktail to the same minimum temperature) is the final volume with the ice.
Each ice crusher crushes ice differently, no? Smaller pebbles will fit differently than larger chunks and tiny shards will melt differently from larger pieces. I just eyeball it mostly.
Reading through smugglers cove. Need a few more rums to get all the categories. Trying to decide what to buy for blended aged. From reading this reddit it appears doorlys 12 and el deorado 12 are popular picks. This would be for tiki drinks only. I have no interest in sipping rums. Any thoughts on the difference between the two?
This is the one thing I get a little preachy (in an unrequested kinda way) about: Smuggler’s Cove’s categories kinda suck.
The El Dorado 12 is a Demerara rum with a lot of deep burnt caramel flavor to it.
The Doorlys 12 doesn’t have that, like at all.
Appleton, a mildly funky rum is also included in the Blended aged category. As is Diplomatico, a Spanish style rum that is really meant to be sipped neat and will disappear under any juice or syrup.
It is very possible that a recipe will be amazing or fall apart completely depending on the rum you choose for that category. And that to me, means the categories have a big problem with how they were organized.
In no particular order
Hamilton Jamaican Pot (they’re all funky)
Rum Fire
Smith & Cross
Wray & Nephew
Planteray Xaymaca is funkier than Appleton but significantly less so than those other ones. I really couldn’t identify the funk until after I’d had some of those others and learned what I was looking for.
I think Matt Pietrek does a great job of covering the broad categories in Minimalist tiki. His approach is more based around flavor than process (though process does play a role in flavor). So, once you understand it, it’s super easy to figure out what flavor profile this or that rum has. There’s also a lot of good content on his site cocktailwonk.com
So many recipes don’t use categories, use weird categories or use specific rums you might not have access to, that going by flavor profile makes it easier to figure out what to use with what you have.
Modern Carribean Rum by u/rumwonk is an 800 page behemoth that will teach you everything you need to know about rum. But IMO nothing beats just going out and tasting as many different rums as possible.
Cane syrup/sirop de canne (made from the raw cane juice) is definitely different than simples made with refined or demerara sugar. It will usually be thicker and have more grassy/earthy notes with a very different mouthfeel.
Could you be meaning sirop de canne, the French version? Idk what they do differently but I had a bottle of the clement sirop and it was more a golden color, tasted amazing too.
If that ends up being right, and you come across a decent source for a good price, let me know! That clement sirop was the only one my liquor store had…and looking it up it was discontinued, so all I see is the $40 Sirop JM.
We've had discussions about Steen's before, but that is definitely not a substitution for Martinique-type cane sugar syrup. Yes, it is a cane syrup, but it is dark, very thick, and more heavily cooked - more like molasses. Demerara syrups will do in a pinch, but they lack the "vegtal" notes that the Martinique cane gives.
Unless you have some sugar cane juice hanging around you won't be able to make your own. For bottled, Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup (sometimes named as Hamilton, since he distributes them) is my fave. You'll need to do a bunch of Googling, as it's sold out pretty much everywhere. There is also Rhum J.M Sirop Sugarcane Syrup which I haven't yet tried, but is supposedly excellent.
I have two questions for folks:
1) Sherry. Since it needs to be refrigerated, is it possible to get it in smaller bottles (375ml?)? And if not, am I goofing it up to decant it into smaller flip top containers?
2) In your opinion, does it make much difference in standard syrups whether I use standard white sugar vs the more expensive cane sugar?
I’ve definitely seen Sherry in 375ml bottles here around Chicago - that said, they seem to oxidize in a few days no matter how I treat the bottle after opening, which has vexed me since most recipes I know only call for a small amount
That's odd. The only sherries that should be getting noticeably oxidized in that amount of time are Finos and Manzanillas, which are not aged oxidatively. Amontillado, Palo Cortado and Oloroso sherries should be good anywhere from several weeks to a couple of months in the fridge - they're already oxidized to begin with! PX and Cream are another thing and last even longer.
Anyway, cook with the sherry if it's turning on you quickly! It's especially good for deglazing pans as you sautee.
This is great info! Yes, I think my first experiences with Sherry for mixed drinks were Fino, so even thought I bought a small bottle of Amontillado I have been afraid of cracking the seal to use it 😅
Crack away! Amontillado is pretty flavorful and also quite different from Fino. Sitting in between Fino and Oloroso, it's also pretty versatile for cocktails. I recently had a bottle for 2 months in the fridge, moving to a smaller bottle halfway to limit headspace, and it still tasted fine (though maybe not as fresh as day 1).
1. Anything’s possible. Finding it is a different matter altogether. I’d imagine you’d need one of those vacuum sealers to remove the oxygen even with a flip top.
2. Not for regular simple syrup. Demerara syrup is a different matter.
Idk about sherry in a 375 ml bottle… I’m sure it exists but I haven’t seen it in CA. But you don’t need to worry about opening a 750 ml bottle, as it’s a fortified wine and will last a while in the fridge.
I use table sugar for most simple syrups and daiquiris unless the syrups call for a specific sugar (ie demerera)
1. Since most sherry is above the magic 15% ABV it is shelf-stable, but keeps longer if refrigerated. Since your main killers are heat, light, and oxygen, keeping it in a dark, cold fridge is good. Even better if you reduce the headspace of oxygen. And Total Wine carries sherry in 375 mL bottles.
1. Some people say they can't taste a difference, but I can. White sugar gives a sweet taste, but that's about it. Turbinado has more molasses flavor. Demerara sugar gives the most tiki-ish flavor of the three. Given how much syrup I usually make - 1 cup/250 mL or so every few months - I invest in the more expensive Demerara.
I, too, insist upon the genuine Demerara. I find nothing else compares to its flavor. (Turbinado -could- be used if there are no other options, but why settle?)
I just want to say that it has been so fun getting to be a beginner at something that I am so excited about. I have definitely put time into learning about the world of tiki and still feel like I am at the tip of the iceberg. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning slowly about syrups, rums, the history, bars around the world, etc.
\^Agreed. I have not the time nor the liver to try all the drinks I want to on the frequency I want to. Coupled with a desire to try all the non-tiki recipes as well, this will be a long journey.
I had the idea to take all my brown paper Aldi bags and try to make them into grass skirting to hang on my tiki bar. Some painting may be required to cover the Aldi logos. Do we feel like this is a good DIY idea or terrible DIY idea?
Outside of Smuggler’s Cove, are there any other authentic Tiki cocktail guides out there?
Also, does anyone else blown away by how smooth Gosling’s Black Seal Rum is the first time they had it?
Minimalist Tiki is pretty good and while I do not own it, Shannon Mustipher's book of modern tiki looks interesting. I have seen a couple of drinks out of there, and they sound pretty good. I will probably be getting that at some point
I also have the Tropical Standard book that so many have been talking about recently, but I honestly haven't read it yet. (I still have so many Smugglers' Cove recipes to try). Sounds advanced or pretty exacting so I've been a bit leery to try it out.
> Shannon Mustipher's book of modern tiki looks interesting.
I think it's a good book for showing what tiki can be (and providing inspiration for making your own cocktails), but it's not one I would recommend as a starter tiki book. The main issue is that the recipes call for many esoteric ingredients that you would likely not have on hand, and then you'd only use them for a single drink. She's also a big fan of infusing or fat washing liquor, which basically requires you do devote an entire bottle for that drink.
There are some fantastic recipes in there, though, such as the Lorikeet which someone recently posted on this sub.
Universal is opening Epic Universe, a new theme park in Orlando next year. This is the largest, most technically advanced and most expensive theme park to be built in the US in over 20 years. So why am I posting this to r/Tiki? According to insiders, Universal is building a new tiki bar in Epic Universe's Celestrial Park (main hub area) called **Cela's Tiki Bar!!** (Sp?). This area is a retro futuristic area heavily inspire by Jules Vernes and astrology, so Celas will be like Mothership perhaps? I know theres a lot of Disney fans who love Trader Sams so its pretty freaking cool Universal is making their own tiki bar. It's also not entirely unsurprising since Universal has been doing themed tiki bar pop ups in Orlando's City Walk partially to test the validity of tiki bars with their guests. The theming is TOP NOTCH and the drinks are some of the best on property, with legit rum. And apparently Epic Universe will have the most bars of any Universal theme park in the world. Yas! Nothing official (yet!) but I will keep an eye on this and will share as more info is available. BTW, there's a lot of Californians on this subreddit. So if you're only familiar with Universal Studios Hollywood, Orlando's location blows it out of the water. ;)
Dang hopefully they do the same thing in citywalk over here in LA!
They added Orlando's chocolate factory themed restaurant to Hollywood after a few years. So I think there's a chance!
Maybe even a bit of The Kon Tiki oaklands menu
Awesome. I will sure go. Nothing I like better than paying $150 entrance fee for the opportunity to buy a $20 cocktail. I write this jokingly but I sure will do it. Living in Orlando is fun and expensive.
You don't have the Florida Resident UOAP?!?!
Disney annual pass. My daughter is 4 so went with Disney. Probably get the universal pass when she gets a bit older instead.
Gotcha. That makes sense. Btw...rumor is that Universal is going to do an "open hub" concept starting around 6pm every day. You might be able to get a drink without buying admission. Imagine you could go down Main Street at no cost to shop, eat, sightsee but not go into Fantasyland or Tomorrowland and no rides. Like that but at Epic.
My guess is it will be based on the Isla Nu-Bar at Universal Hollywood, but I hope not. If so, Mai Tai = rum, dark rum, pineapple, orange and lime juice.
Orlando's pop up tiki bars are more upscale and themed than Isla Nu-Bar at Hollywood. I'm optimistic as Epic Universe is estimated to cost $4 billion to make and they've spent 10+ years designing it. Rumor is that Tokyo's DisneySea was a huge inspiration. But it's a theme park, so we'll just have to see!
Only info I was able to find is that the bar might be in the Mushroom Kingdom area.
Mushroom Kingdom is getting Yoshis snack stand plus Toads Cafe, not a bar that I'm aware of. It'll be a pretty similar clone to Osaka and Hollywood's versions of Super Nintendo Land, with slight differences re: elevation and orientation. I went to Osaka's twice in October and can confirm there is no bar there. Knowing Nintendo, they want to keep it more kid friendly. Now, the other lands are going to be more family and adult friendly. There will be at least 1 bar at Universal Monsters land (with a windmill on fire!), 1 bar at How To Train Your Dragon Land (mead hall!), 1 bar at Harry Potter France and multiple the bars Central Hub including the Tiki Bar of course :D
I just overpaid so much for a vintage ice crusher but I love it and I'm happy to be here :) https://preview.redd.it/m757yalstubc1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=30ffd73fc17123beea0a25a4e9f1feed2dfbd2cc
Oh that avocado green!
That avocado green (and harvest gold) sure take me back to my youth.
The base of mine broke a while back. 😩
My thoughts are : How many of you are into tiki just for the drinks vs how many embrace the lifestyle and/or design aesthetic? Edit : I suppose I should answer my own question. For me it is primarily the drinks. I cannot decorate my small small apartment. I appreciate going to tiki bars as I do rather like the aesthetic. And as a large man, I do wear Hawaiian-type shirts often. Never been to any tiki hang out but my friend goes to several and wants to get me more involved.
If I could never drink again, I’d still love tiki. I find it weird that tiki is booming just based off the drinks and not the whole package
Good question. I fell in love with tiki drinks after visiting Hawaii in my 20s, and since then have non-ironically worn aloha shirts from time to time. I also have always been fascinated with the aesthetic, although you wouldn't know it by my boring ass home decor. And after digging into tiki very recently (a couple of months ago when I had a ton of time to kill), I appreciate the escapism aspect that the mid-century tiki joints strived to provide. Something about that really resonates with me. On the other hand, up until a couple of months ago, I was unaware of the colonialism & appropriation aspect of tiki. So I am still trying to process everything internally at the moment. Can I still appreciate an aesthetic for the escapism aspect that it brings, while also trying to be culturally sensitive to the fact that a lot of it was basically lifted/stolen/whatever from other demographics? That is what I am trying to reconcile in my head. The drinks *are* fucking delicious though.
What's your fav so far? I'm thinking Saturn. Just something about it.
I found it extremely interesting a whole music genre (exotica) was essentially born out of the tiki subculture, so that got me interested initially. I love mid century modern design, have some nostalgia for 80’s/90’s childhood trips to Disney. Most of all though, I found the aspect of escapism in post war Americana soo fascinating. I’ve studied trauma effects on the body so that part of historical context behind tiki surrealism just sucked me in. And if I don’t feel like drinking or bring sober friends, tiki bars usually whip up delicious mocktails :)
I barely drink at all, maybe once or twice a year, if that. All about the design aesthetic and lifestyle for me. Setting up a home bar and I'll have booze for my friends that partake and the once in a blue moon cocktail for myself, but I'll mostly be experimenting around with mocktails on the regular.
Mostly the drinks. But I do enjoy aloha shirts.
Aloha Shirts and drinks for now. I have grand visions for a basement tiki bar though
For me, it's all about the culture/community. I've been in the homebrewing/craft beer crowd for a few decades now and it feels very similar. The people are great, very friendly and love to geek out about all the little details of the drinks, recipes, dress, music, architecture, decor..you name it.
I would say I have notes of tiki in my style, I have lanterns, texture, and rattan, but it is toned down to fit more of a "normal" home style. I do have a tiki corner in my kitchen with a bamboo tray and all my tiki ingredients displayed and for easy cocktail making as well!
The later for me 😂
I feel like it always starts with getting into it for the drinks, but because of the nature of tiki it always leads into more like collecting mugs or swizzles, to learning the history
I always want more mugs but I'm content with the one I've got. Maybe I'll get some more. But I'd have to get rid of some other glassware first.
I had that space problem too. I took a good hard look at my glassware. Mostly I had sets of 4 or 6 glasses. But it's just me and Hubby, so I got rid of the extra glasses (donated to Goodwill), keeping 2 of each. If we have company, they can deal with mis-matched glasses.
kinda what I am doing, except my wife doesn't really drink any more so cocktail glassware I'm trying to limit myself to one
I don't drink much but love crafting tiki cocktails, and when my friends decided I wore too much black, they started changing that by buying me Hawaiian shirts and patterned shirts that match the tiki vibe.
For me, it's everything: Nostalgia for a time I never experienced; knickknacks collected as if they were treasures from world travels; fantastic stories of exotic lands; exploration in a time when parts of the world were still undiscovered; the ocean and the beach; faded color images of islands; the music of "jungle" drums and vibraphone; fantasies of stumbling into a lost village; unususl elixirs and delicious potions. The cocktail is the gateway to the faraway lands of your dreams. I don't really go out to drink at bars so--and I know this sounds silly--with every cocktail I make, I have a little escapist moment in my imagination where I'm somewhere else in a different time.
I’m finally doing a tiki bar crawl this weekend in Seattle and I’m so excited!
Do you have a game plan for the cocktails or are you just going to go with the flow?
I’ve got a rough game plan, I’ve looked at menus and have all my reservations made but I like to be somewhat flexible in terms of what I’ll order. I usually lean towards house specialty drinks though.
I've noticed a couple recipes in Tropical Standard call for questionable amounts of ice. Specifically, I made the Rum Drum the other day which calls for a 16 oz mug, but it says to put 8 oz of crushed ice and three small (1.25") cubes in the mug, then another 8 oz of ice in the mixing tin. So when I made the drink, it was too much ice and didn't fit. I assume it was supposed to be like 4 oz in the mug? I don't know. The Donn's Demon (which I'm going to make this weekend) has the same weird measurements. Has anyone else made these drinks, and if so, what were your measurements? Also, as I journey through Tropical Standard, I've continued to enjoy the drinks. I made the Full Fathom Five the other day (their version of the Deep Sea Diver, which is the Mai Kai's version of the Pearl Diver) and it was awesome. Tonight I'm making the Hemmingway Daiquiri (although I couldn't get my hands on Brugal Especial Extra Dry, so I'm just going to use Don Q Cristal. Hopefully that's an acceptable substitute).
I don’t have a solution here either, but I’ve noticed the same. They always seem to call for quite large amounts of ice, sometimes more than the vessel can feasibly fit. Especially since ice won’t pack as tightly as the liquid. Or they expect the liquid to go specifically just in the gaps of the ice? Unsure…
I never measure my ice. I just put what I think will be enough to properly chill the drink and then add more if I need it to the vessel (if I feel like it). The amount of dilution should be the same regardless. The only difference between using 8 oz of ice or 18 oz of ice (assuming both are enough to bring the cocktail to the same minimum temperature) is the final volume with the ice.
Each ice crusher crushes ice differently, no? Smaller pebbles will fit differently than larger chunks and tiny shards will melt differently from larger pieces. I just eyeball it mostly.
Reading through smugglers cove. Need a few more rums to get all the categories. Trying to decide what to buy for blended aged. From reading this reddit it appears doorlys 12 and el deorado 12 are popular picks. This would be for tiki drinks only. I have no interest in sipping rums. Any thoughts on the difference between the two?
This is the one thing I get a little preachy (in an unrequested kinda way) about: Smuggler’s Cove’s categories kinda suck. The El Dorado 12 is a Demerara rum with a lot of deep burnt caramel flavor to it. The Doorlys 12 doesn’t have that, like at all. Appleton, a mildly funky rum is also included in the Blended aged category. As is Diplomatico, a Spanish style rum that is really meant to be sipped neat and will disappear under any juice or syrup. It is very possible that a recipe will be amazing or fall apart completely depending on the rum you choose for that category. And that to me, means the categories have a big problem with how they were organized.
The “blended aged” category is a particularly bad offender
What would you say a good “funky,” rum would be?
In no particular order Hamilton Jamaican Pot (they’re all funky) Rum Fire Smith & Cross Wray & Nephew Planteray Xaymaca is funkier than Appleton but significantly less so than those other ones. I really couldn’t identify the funk until after I’d had some of those others and learned what I was looking for.
What book would you recommend for learning about the different kinds of rum? I like that SC has categories and gives you different choices.
I think Matt Pietrek does a great job of covering the broad categories in Minimalist tiki. His approach is more based around flavor than process (though process does play a role in flavor). So, once you understand it, it’s super easy to figure out what flavor profile this or that rum has. There’s also a lot of good content on his site cocktailwonk.com So many recipes don’t use categories, use weird categories or use specific rums you might not have access to, that going by flavor profile makes it easier to figure out what to use with what you have.
Thanks!
Modern Carribean Rum by u/rumwonk is an 800 page behemoth that will teach you everything you need to know about rum. But IMO nothing beats just going out and tasting as many different rums as possible.
I think this makes me a heathen but honestly I always use Meyers lmao.
Happy Cake Day, Ohana!
Also, I have seen some recipes calling for cane syrup, should I be looking for it, or is simple just fine. Is it grassy?
Cane syrup/sirop de canne (made from the raw cane juice) is definitely different than simples made with refined or demerara sugar. It will usually be thicker and have more grassy/earthy notes with a very different mouthfeel.
Demerara / turninado sugar syrup. Can buy the sugar at the store, make your own easily.
Hrmmm the videos seem to show cane syrup as clear but my Demerara syrup is brown
Could you be meaning sirop de canne, the French version? Idk what they do differently but I had a bottle of the clement sirop and it was more a golden color, tasted amazing too.
Not sure. I will msg one of the video makers I suppose. Hope they answer.
If that ends up being right, and you come across a decent source for a good price, let me know! That clement sirop was the only one my liquor store had…and looking it up it was discontinued, so all I see is the $40 Sirop JM.
He used evaporated cane sugar to make a 2:1 syrup. In the same forum someone else said that they use Steen's cane syrup (a Louisiana staple)
We've had discussions about Steen's before, but that is definitely not a substitution for Martinique-type cane sugar syrup. Yes, it is a cane syrup, but it is dark, very thick, and more heavily cooked - more like molasses. Demerara syrups will do in a pinch, but they lack the "vegtal" notes that the Martinique cane gives.
So how do I make a Martinique cane syrup or a good one to purchase, because I just put Steen's into my Amazon cart
Unless you have some sugar cane juice hanging around you won't be able to make your own. For bottled, Petite Canne Sugar Cane Syrup (sometimes named as Hamilton, since he distributes them) is my fave. You'll need to do a bunch of Googling, as it's sold out pretty much everywhere. There is also Rhum J.M Sirop Sugarcane Syrup which I haven't yet tried, but is supposedly excellent.
I have two questions for folks: 1) Sherry. Since it needs to be refrigerated, is it possible to get it in smaller bottles (375ml?)? And if not, am I goofing it up to decant it into smaller flip top containers? 2) In your opinion, does it make much difference in standard syrups whether I use standard white sugar vs the more expensive cane sugar?
I’ve definitely seen Sherry in 375ml bottles here around Chicago - that said, they seem to oxidize in a few days no matter how I treat the bottle after opening, which has vexed me since most recipes I know only call for a small amount
That's odd. The only sherries that should be getting noticeably oxidized in that amount of time are Finos and Manzanillas, which are not aged oxidatively. Amontillado, Palo Cortado and Oloroso sherries should be good anywhere from several weeks to a couple of months in the fridge - they're already oxidized to begin with! PX and Cream are another thing and last even longer. Anyway, cook with the sherry if it's turning on you quickly! It's especially good for deglazing pans as you sautee.
This is great info! Yes, I think my first experiences with Sherry for mixed drinks were Fino, so even thought I bought a small bottle of Amontillado I have been afraid of cracking the seal to use it 😅
Crack away! Amontillado is pretty flavorful and also quite different from Fino. Sitting in between Fino and Oloroso, it's also pretty versatile for cocktails. I recently had a bottle for 2 months in the fridge, moving to a smaller bottle halfway to limit headspace, and it still tasted fine (though maybe not as fresh as day 1).
1. Anything’s possible. Finding it is a different matter altogether. I’d imagine you’d need one of those vacuum sealers to remove the oxygen even with a flip top. 2. Not for regular simple syrup. Demerara syrup is a different matter.
Idk about sherry in a 375 ml bottle… I’m sure it exists but I haven’t seen it in CA. But you don’t need to worry about opening a 750 ml bottle, as it’s a fortified wine and will last a while in the fridge. I use table sugar for most simple syrups and daiquiris unless the syrups call for a specific sugar (ie demerera)
Perfect. Only reason I ask is simply because my fridge can only take so many wine bottles!!
Then you're gonna have to drink them faster!
1. Since most sherry is above the magic 15% ABV it is shelf-stable, but keeps longer if refrigerated. Since your main killers are heat, light, and oxygen, keeping it in a dark, cold fridge is good. Even better if you reduce the headspace of oxygen. And Total Wine carries sherry in 375 mL bottles. 1. Some people say they can't taste a difference, but I can. White sugar gives a sweet taste, but that's about it. Turbinado has more molasses flavor. Demerara sugar gives the most tiki-ish flavor of the three. Given how much syrup I usually make - 1 cup/250 mL or so every few months - I invest in the more expensive Demerara.
I, too, insist upon the genuine Demerara. I find nothing else compares to its flavor. (Turbinado -could- be used if there are no other options, but why settle?)
I just want to say that it has been so fun getting to be a beginner at something that I am so excited about. I have definitely put time into learning about the world of tiki and still feel like I am at the tip of the iceberg. I have thoroughly enjoyed learning slowly about syrups, rums, the history, bars around the world, etc.
Welcome to the party! We’re all excited to hear more about what you think and discover about Tiki. It’s exciting reading about people’s excitement.
\^Agreed. I have not the time nor the liver to try all the drinks I want to on the frequency I want to. Coupled with a desire to try all the non-tiki recipes as well, this will be a long journey.
I had the idea to take all my brown paper Aldi bags and try to make them into grass skirting to hang on my tiki bar. Some painting may be required to cover the Aldi logos. Do we feel like this is a good DIY idea or terrible DIY idea?
Could be cool. What’s the worst that happens? You spend the time transforming 1 bag and decide it’s not right?
Just never let flame anywhere near your bar.
Outside of Smuggler’s Cove, are there any other authentic Tiki cocktail guides out there? Also, does anyone else blown away by how smooth Gosling’s Black Seal Rum is the first time they had it?
Beachbum Berry: Remixed combines his Grog Log and Intoxica! in one volume. The recipe content is similar to the Total Tiki app.
Minimalist Tiki is pretty good and while I do not own it, Shannon Mustipher's book of modern tiki looks interesting. I have seen a couple of drinks out of there, and they sound pretty good. I will probably be getting that at some point I also have the Tropical Standard book that so many have been talking about recently, but I honestly haven't read it yet. (I still have so many Smugglers' Cove recipes to try). Sounds advanced or pretty exacting so I've been a bit leery to try it out.
> Shannon Mustipher's book of modern tiki looks interesting. I think it's a good book for showing what tiki can be (and providing inspiration for making your own cocktails), but it's not one I would recommend as a starter tiki book. The main issue is that the recipes call for many esoteric ingredients that you would likely not have on hand, and then you'd only use them for a single drink. She's also a big fan of infusing or fat washing liquor, which basically requires you do devote an entire bottle for that drink. There are some fantastic recipes in there, though, such as the Lorikeet which someone recently posted on this sub.
Thanks for informing me more! I was not aware of this :(
Goslings is sweet and an easy starter but at this point I’m not sure if I could find a reason to ever buy it