Concentrate…con-cen-trate…

Trader Vic created the Mai Tai in 1944. It’s since become the most famous Tiki drink,and my personal favorite. Normally you would need five ingredients to make one,but Trader Vic has products that will let you do it with only three. Rum,lime juice,and one of their mixers.

The first is Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Mix. Now,all respect to the Trader’s,but this really isn’t worth getting unless you mean to mix a bunch of drinks for a cookout with non-Tiki people. If Mai Tais are pizzeria pizza,then this is Hot Pockets pizza. It makes Mai Tais that are a bit on the sour side and just aren’t that great. Skip this.

Next is Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate. This is actually pretty good. Two ounces of rum(two dark or one each of dark and gold),three quarters of an ounce of concentrate,and an ounce of lime juice and you have a passable Mai Tai. Not as good as a scratch made one,but pretty good. Think of it as frozen pizza. If you’re going camping this would be an excellent way to have Mai Tais without dragging along five bottles. The concentrate has also been used to make other Tiki drinks,and here’s a couple that I’ve made.

Mix #3 TV’s Guava Tai

1oz gold rum
1oz light rum
3/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate(not mix)
1oz guava juice
1/2oz lime juice.

Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

A guava-flavored Mai Tai. If you like guava,you’ll like this.

Mix #180 Pinky Gonzalez

2oz tequila
3/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate
1/2oz lime juice

Shake with ice and pour into mug.

This Trader Vic creation is basically a tequila Mai Tai. If you like tequila,give it a try. They even have a Cinco de Mayo glass just for it.

Mix #181 Moku Nani(Beautiful Island)

1oz light rum
1oz dark rum
1/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate
1/4oz orange curacao
1.5oz orange juice
1oz pineapple juice
1/2oz lemon juice
1/4oz lime juice
1/4oz passionfruit syrup

Flash blend with ice and pour into Green Marine Tumbler.

Tart and citrus-y,this would be a good drink for a hot day.

Mix #182 Drum of Ku

1.5oz 151 rum
1/2oz sloe gin
3/4oz Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Concentrate
1.5oz cranberry juice
3/4oz lemon juice
1/4oz lime juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters

Flash blend with ice and pour into mug.

Woof. With an ounce and a half of 151,your head will beat like a drum if you have more than two of these. This is slightly tart with the cranberry juice coming forward and a Mai Tai finish. Quite good but very strong.

So concentrate on your mixings. It may not help you to find enlightenment,but you’ll have some stories to tell.