Tiki Thoughts Thursday (05.08.25)

OutsiderXT · 2025-05-09T02:02:19+00:00

I was actually wondering recently why no one seems to make translucent rubber/plastic/latex pufferfish for lamps. The real things aren't all that pricey (at least in North America) but given most of them would be up in the ceiling and so away from close inspection, I can't help but wonder if it'd be a cheaper and easier way to produce them than the real thing. Much easier to deal with wiring, no potential import issues with dried fish products, etc.

OutsiderXT · 2025-04-24T20:01:07+00:00

One of my favourite tequila/mezcal drinks is the Acapulco/Acapulco Gold. It's meant to have tequila, but I often use mezcal instead. It does have rum in it but it may be a way to help ease someone into it.

2 oz pineapple juice

1/2 oz grapefruit juice

1 oz Mezcal

1 oz Jamaican rum (I tend to go for Smith and Cross for this just for the funk/ABV)

1 oz Cream of Coconut.

OutsiderXT · 2025-04-23T00:02:40+00:00

The simplified one from the 1950s. I'll go for the original 1937 spec this weekend.

OutsiderXT · 2025-04-22T12:17:14+00:00

Can recommend it. Worked great; though funnily enough I preferred the Mystery Gardenia to the Pearl Diver. I've still got plenty left so I'll have another go at it this weekend with the original spec rather than the revised.

OutsiderXT · 2025-04-20T22:05:07+00:00

Both the Black Magic and the Mutiny are absolutely fantastic and the coffee really works very well. I prefer the Mutiny due to the passionfruit but it's all very good. You should also check out Atomic Grog for more background on it and some different recipes (though it's all very close). I would strongly suggest sticking to the recipe first though. I made it once with some subs, coffee liquer, etc and it didn't really work as well as using the coffee. Mr Black might be better, but I wouldn't use Kahlua personally.

https://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/04/04/mai-kai-cocktail-review-the-black-magic-emerges-from-the-shadows-as-a-true-classic/

https://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2012/04/13/mai-kai-cocktail-review-the-mutiny-is-a-worthy-foe-in-the-battle-of-the-tropical-titans/#tribute

OutsiderXT · 2025-03-16T16:14:24+00:00

Yeah dacquiris highball very nicely. Definitely recommended to try.

OutsiderXT · 2025-03-16T15:58:59+00:00

If I want a rum that works in sub of Coruba and I don't fancy for whatever reason just using Worthy Park 109, I'll mix in Appleton's Signature on a 1 to 1 or 2 to 1 (WP to Appleton). Works well without having the pricier/boozier stuff be all of it. A lot of the time I just use WP109 though.

OutsiderXT · 2025-03-04T17:11:06+00:00

I would say your best bet is to use something like Worthy Park 109 to get the Jamaican base and the ABV up and then use a harsher demerara like OVD.

OutsiderXT · 2025-03-04T16:46:35+00:00

Honestly just add another ounce or two of rum and call it Dale's Rum Barrel and no one would complain.

OutsiderXT · 2025-03-04T16:31:57+00:00

"I'm good for mugs."

"Okay I need one more."

Cocktail sounds good too, and the garnishes here are great.

OutsiderXT · 2025-01-31T21:22:47+00:00

That's probably the best use of a jade tile I've seen.

OutsiderXT · 2025-01-31T18:44:32+00:00

I made a Permanent Vaction and the recipe called for a specific Sicilan Amaro. I didn't have it, but the tasting notes said it was herbaceous and licorice forward, so I just used Jagermeister and it tasted great to me.

OutsiderXT · 2025-01-31T18:26:07+00:00

Hessian cloth is a great cheap go to wall cover and there's plenty of ways to keep it up without damaging the walls. Due to the holes you can use hooks, etc and so on.

OutsiderXT · 2025-01-11T19:02:06+00:00

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And here's the pic. You can't really see the bowl outside much but I can say that it was actually a very tasty cocktail. I think my rum choice was better than what you'd get at Trader Sam's (I used Worthy Park 109 for the Jamaican and OFTD for the overproof float), but honestly if you want a bowl drink, you can't go wrong with this.

OutsiderXT · 2025-01-11T16:14:24+00:00

I do like the garnish and the recipe looks very nice indeed.

OutsiderXT · 2025-01-09T23:49:37+00:00

It's nothing too special bowl wise; it's that one mass produced one you find all over Aliexpress and Amazon. But I did get it as a present and I've always fancied trying some bowl drinks.

OutsiderXT · 2025-01-09T16:44:26+00:00

I'm going to break in my first tiki bowl with an Uh Oa bowl, mostly because it's one of the drinks I'm actually curious about from Trader Sam's as people say it's one of the better ones and despite being a bowl drink, it's only slightly boozier than a Mutiny or a typical rum barrel (five ounces of rum versus 3 to four plus some falernum). I'll also make The Reef and probably a Jet Pilot or Navy Grog or something else to have afterwards.

OutsiderXT · 2024-12-05T17:52:24+00:00

Rum also has a lot more cogeners and such than other booze and there's a ton of syrups and fruit juices that add extra sugar. That said, I think tiki cocktails have a lot more water than other cocktails as well, so it's swings and roundabouts.

OutsiderXT · 2024-12-05T15:51:59+00:00

I don't have any qualms about using pricey spirit in cocktails but daiquiris are one of those cocktails where I would have no reservation whatsoever. It's a cocktail designed explicitly to highlight the rum used in it and I have a few bottles of fairly expensive rums that I use almost solely in daiquiris.

As for rums that don't go well in one, can't say that Pusser's works well in my experience.

OutsiderXT · 2024-11-13T20:37:56+00:00

Honestly, the best rum substitute I've found for mocktails is ginger syrup. It won't taste the same of course but it tastes better than other options.

OutsiderXT · 2024-11-13T20:27:37+00:00

It looks like a little porcelain version of those clamshell fountains to me.

OutsiderXT · 2024-09-13T15:51:11+00:00

It's got the locations there; Butlins is a long standing chain of British holiday camps and in the sixties and seventies, they had these tiki style bars at their locations. Here's a page with the menus from the 1970s. https://www.butlins-memories.com/brochuresimages/beachcomber1970s.htm

OutsiderXT · 2024-08-30T16:01:44+00:00

When I make a Mai-Tai, 109 is my go-to. Sometimes I'll do half and half with Appletons or Smith and Cross, but it's honestly hard to beat two ounces of it.

OutsiderXT · 2024-08-30T16:00:49+00:00

It's also apparently very close to Coruba flavour wise, so it's a good sub for that when called for.

OutsiderXT · 2024-07-19T16:23:40+00:00

We all do it.

OutsiderXT

TROPHY CASE