The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai
Traveling the Bay Area and beyond to find the best Mai Tai in the world! Tiki, cocktails, and adventures by Kevin Crossman
Called a rite of passage by some, Stroh Spiced Rum from Austria is a rum that everyone should try at least once. Maybe not more than once, thanks to its deeply sweet butterscotch flavor. But you need to try it.
The Mai Tai was made with 1 oz of Stroh along with an ounce of Rum-Bar Gold from Jamaica. There aren’t many rums that can overpower a funky Jamaican rum, but Stroh did it, not in a good way.
One and done.
A frothy flash-blended Chi-Chi to help Mrs. Mai Tai finish her jigsaw puzzle.
4 oz Pineapple Juice
1 oz Coconut Creme
1½ oz Macadamia Nut Liqueur
2 oz Light Rum (Cruzan)
Not quite ready for outdoor dining yet but still going strong with the to-go rums and cocktails from Forbidden Island.
At current pace I’ll finish the Kill Devil rum list in March.
Played around with some Pomelo juice and using the Hemingway Daiquiri template I tweaked a few things. Quite refreshing, give it a try.
Mello Pomelo
1 oz Pomelo Juice
¼ oz Grenadine
½ tsp Don’s Spices #2 (Pimento Dram + Vanilla Syrup)
½ oz Cointreau
¼ oz Maraschino Liqueur
2 oz Aged White Rum (Denizen 3)
Another cocktail review, featuring to-go cocktails from The Kon-Tiki in Oakland.
Jet Pilot: leans heavy on the Cinnamon, in a good way. This classic and boozy cocktail is delicious.
Hot Toddy: many winter spices make this a seasonal favorite. I also tried this over ice and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Day’s Next Mistake: this doesn’t taste anything like a Ray’s Mistake but I did enjoy the rum blend and overall flavor. Contained chili spices, so not my favorite, but not so much that I couldn’t drink it. If this came back onto the menu I’d recommend trying it. I do appreciate new cocktails that follow the traditional tropical cocktail template.
Another awesome issue of Exotica Moderne arrived today. So much great content regarding tiki culture, music, and art.
My article about the “Mai Tai Predecessor” cocktail the Q. B. Cooler is here, with fab design treatment by Ken Holewczynski from publisher House of Tabu. Look for some fun and informative quotes from Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and a comparison of a couple historical recipes, which may or may not be the cocktails that influenced the creation of Trader Vic’s original 1944 Mai Tai.
Check it out and don’t wait to order your copy from www.houseoftabu.com.
The Q. B. Cooler article is also available on our site, too.
It’s true. Find the shirt on Etsy (not my listing)
