Giltron's Mixings

the mixing of exotic cocktails

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  • Couple quickies.

    Couple quickies.

    Been working on a couple full posts,but they’re not ready to be published yet. So here’s a pair of mixings to hold you over.

    Mix #135 Potted Parrot

    2oz light rum
    2ox orange juice
    1oz lemon juice
    1/2oz orange curacao
    1/4oz orgeat
    1/4oz rock candy syrup

    Shake with ice and pour into mug.

    Trader Vic created this in 1964 for the opening of his Mexican restaurant Senor Pico. Very citrus-y with a touch of sweet. I used regular simple syrup and upped it to a half ounce since rock candy syrup is super sweet(like 3:1). I also used my Siesta Keys silver rum,whose rums will be featured in an upcoming post. Quite good,and not surprising since the Trader was the master.

    Mix #136 Storm the Beach

    1oz Demerara rum
    1/2oz Plantation OFTD
    1/2oz velvet falernum
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz grapefruit juice
    1/2oz cinnamon syrup
    2 dashes bitters

    Shake with ice,strain into glass with fresh ice. Add lime shell with overproof rum and light.

    So,no,I didn’t add the flaming lime shell,I’m more interested in the drink than the presentation. This was created by Ryan Welliver,who has an interesting name for a bartender. His recipe calls for cinnamon-cumin syrup,but I just used standard cinnamon syrup. And that’s all I pretty much tasted. If you really dig cinnamon,then try this,but I’ll stick to drinks where I can actually taste my rum.

    Until next time folks,aloha and mahalo.

  • A-10C

    planesawesome:

    A-10C

    Another lifetime ago,I worked on A-10’s. I may have worked on that second plane,956,in England. Would love to see the tail so I could see if it was an ‘81 model.

  • Ya guava be kidding me.

    Ya guava be kidding me.

    Guava is a tropical fruit that is sweet,full of vitamin C,and according to the internet,“the queen of fruits” because it’s supposed to have all kinds of health benefits. Why,just check out this fascinating chart:

    So what’s the best way to add this miracle fruit to your diet? Why,in Tiki drinks of course!

    Mix #131 PopTiki Volcano Mug

    1oz Barbancourt 8yr rum
    1oz Demerara rum
    4oz pineapple juice
    2oz guava nectar
    1oz lemon juice
    1/2oz passionfruit syrup
    1/4oz orgeat

    Shake with ice and pour into mug.

    This was created by PopTiki with the volcano mug they put out to raise money for the Hawaii fire relief. Cool mug,good cause,meh drink. It’s very sweet and fruity with a strong guava taste. It’s a big drink that will slake your thirst,but all that sugar is a trip to hangover city. I actually started to feel something after drinking just the one cocktail. Have one if you like sweet drinks,but no more unless you want to feel it the next day.

    Mix #132 Murky Lagoon

    2oz Whaler’s Original Dark rum
    3oz guava nectar
    1/2oz falernum

    Combine all ingredients in double old-fashioned glass with ice. Pour into shaker,shake,re-pour into glass.

    From Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas. I used Coruba rum to make this because I didn’t have Whaler’s and every review I read about it said it sucked. Just use a good dark funky rum instead. It’s a nice sweet,funky drink that’s creamy and has a touch of spice aftertaste. Quite good with decent rum.

    Mix #133 Aloha Screwdriver

    3/4oz light rum
    3/4oz Lemon Hart 151
    3/4oz banana liqueur
    1oz guava nectar
    1oz pineapple juice
    1/4oz Campari*
    1/4oz allspice dram

    Shake with ice and pour into glass.

    *I used Aperol.

    Created by one of my fav surf rock bands,it can be found in the liner notes of their album The Lost Recipe. Nice Demerara funk,a touch sweet with some banana and a bit of spice on the end. Quite nice with a bit of kick.

    Mix #134 Blake’s Guava Grog

    2oz Plantation OFTD
    1oz guava nectar
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/4oz falernum
    1/4oz allspice dram
    1/4oz cinnamon syrup
    2 dashes Angostura bitters

    Shake with plenty of ice and pour into mug.

    I found this Facebook user’s creation posted in the Tiki Recipes forum. Sweet and spicy with cinnamon burn and plenty of kick. A proper Tiki grog.

    So drink up. The internet says it’s good for you,and you can’t put false things on the internet.

  • Avast ye scurvy dogs!

    Avast ye scurvy dogs!

    Well,it’s a snow day,and I’m watching Yellowbeard,a documentary about the most dangerous pirate in history. The pirate Yellowbeard captured many other galleons, killing over five-hundred men in cold blood. He would tear the captains hearts out and swallow them whole. Often forcing his victims to eat their own lips, he was caught and imprisoned… for tax evasion. So in his honor,I figured I’d play around with my ingredients to come up with a twist on the classic Mai Tai. The result is a drink that any pirate worth his parrot would give both his wooden legs to imbibe. Enjoy!

    Mix #130 Yellowbeard’s Grog

    2oz Pyrat XO Reserve rum
    1oz lime juice
    1/2oz Pierre Ferrand Yuzu
    1/2oz Small Hand Foods orgeat
    1/4oz Demerara syrup

    Shake with ice,stagger-stagger-crawl-stagger,then pour into upturned skull of someone you don’t like. Garnish with Mr Prostitute’s moustache and a speared piece of Spam.

    A nice sweet/sour riff on the Mai Tai. The Yuzu really shines through.

    Farewell me hearties!

  • The Devil Made Me Do It……

    The Devil Made Me Do It……

    So I was watching an episode of Bones,and Booth made Bones a cocktail featuring tequila,cassis,and lime juice. He called it a “B&B”. Now Bones tends to screw up everything about Washington DC,so I wanted to see how close they got on this. A quick internet search found that the B&B actually stood for Benedictine and Brandy. However,there actually was a cocktail that used tequila,cassis,and lime,and it was created by none other than Trader Vic himself. So since I just posted some tequila Tiki drinks,I’d be remiss in my duties if I didn’t post this one.

    Originally called the Mexican El Diablo,the recipe first appeared in Vic’s 1946 book,Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink,but reappeared with the name shortened to ‘El Diablo’ in the 1968 Trader Vic’s Pacific Island Cookbook. The recipe used in four of his books was as follows:

    El Diablo

    1oz tequila
    ½ a lime
    1/2oz creme de cassis
    ginger ale

    Squeeze lime into a 10 ounce glass over ice cubes;add spent shell. Add tequila and creme de cassis. Stir. Fill glass with ginger ale. Serve with straw.

    Many folks believe the drink was created for a Mexican restaurant called Señor Pico’s,a lesser known establishment in Vic’s pantheon that has pretty much faded into history. But Señor Pico’s didn’t open until 1964,almost 20 years after its first appearance in a TV book. So this was just Vic making a tequila Tiki drink.

    Ginger ale back in the day tended to be spicier than it is now,closer to ginger beer. So modern recipes use ginger beer,with the following amounts:

    El Diablo(modern)

    1.5oz reposado tequila
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz creme de cassis
    3oz ginger beer

    Shake everything except ginger beer with ice and pour into glass. Add beer and stir.

    There is also a version that uses ginger syrup and soda water as a substitute for ginger beer. Since I was out of ginger beer,but had a bottle of syrup that I had yet to crack open,I decided to make the syrup version:

    Mix #129 El Diablo(w/syrup)

    1.5oz reposado tequila
    3/4oz ginger syrup
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/2oz creme de cassis
    3oz soda water

    Shake everything except soda with ice and pour into glass. Add soda and stir.

    Very tequila forward with a bit of berry and ginger. Tequila fans will no doubt like this as you can really taste the tequila’s flavor.

    (Now,as a community service,I need to post a warning. I’ve previously used Pratt Standard ginger syrup without issue. I recently switched to The Ginger People Fiji ginger syrup,because the Pratt Standard doesn’t keep as long and has to be refrigerated after opening. But I found out that ginger can have a,shall we say,’negative effect’ on one’s digestive system. As a result,I’m switching back to the other syrup,as it always agreed with me. No idea why the Ginger People stuff did what it did,but figured you’d appreciate the heads up.)

    Be careful with that tequila folks.

  • Dah-don-dah-dah-dah-don-don-don…

    Dah-don-dah-dah-dah-don-don-don…

    Tequila. A liquor made from agave that has developed a reputation for creating mayhem. No wonder it’s found its way into a few Tiki drink recipes. I’m not much on the stuff myself,but here are a few cocktails you might enjoy. First,a quick infographic about the difference between mezcal and proper tequila:

    (note that I used 1800 Reposado tequila for the following mixes)

    Mix #125 Cannonball

    2oz mezcal
    3/4oz lime juice
    3/4oz pineapple juice
    1/4oz apricot liqueur
    3 dashes Angostura bitters

    Shake with ice and strain into mug with fresh ice.

    I found this Beau Du Bois creation on another Tumblr blog. It’s very tequila forward and a touch bitter. I wound up adding some Demerara syrup to finish it,but if you like tequila and/or bitter,give it a try.

    Mix #126 Mojave

    1.5oz Asombroso tequila
    1.5oz sweet n’ sour mix
    1/2oz blue curacao
    1tsp lime juice
    splash of orange juice

    Shake with ice and pour into glass with rim half sugared/half salted. Fill straw with tequila.

    Created by Rory “Wildsville Man” Snyder to showcase Asombroso tequila,this is smooth and orange-ish,with a bit of tart. I didn’t sugar/salt my rim,because that’s to boujee for me,plus that would obviously change the flavor and I wanted to taste just the drink. A nice drink that lets you taste the tequila.

    Mix #127 Xiuhtecuhtli*

    2oz tequila
    3/4oz blue curacao
    3/4oz orgeat
    1/2oz lime juice
    2oz coconut water

    Flash blend with 6oz ice,then strain into Zombie glass filled with fresh crushed ice.

    *pronounced ‘Shoe the COOT lih’

    Created by Ken of House of Tabu,this appeared in issue #13 of Exotica Moderne. Very tequila forward,but smooth with a touch of orange and a creamy note. This would be a good drink for introducing someone to tequila.

    Mix #128 Lava Rum Demon

    1oz white rum
    1oz mezcal
    1oz Jagermeister
    1oz passionfruit syrup
    1oz grapefruit juice
    1oz lemon juice

    Shake with ice and pour into mug.

    From the drink card of the official mug of the Til-Two Club comes a drink created to cause trouble. Now,just looking at the list of ingredients,you’d think that combining rum,tequila,and Jager would result in a hot mess. But it’s actually a nice drink. Fruity with a licorice aftertaste,it goes down easy. But it’s strong,so be careful how many of these you have,as it will give you a hangover.

    Go ahead and experience some agave. Just remember what Tuvok said:

  • Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou!

    Hauʻoli Makahiki Hou!

    Well,we made it through 2023,now we have to deal with 2024. It’s going to be an election year,so here’s some recipes to help you deal.

    Mix #113 Three Dots and a Dash

    1.5oz agricole rhum
    1/2oz gold rum
    1/2oz honey syrup*
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz orange juice
    1/4oz velvet falernum
    1/4oz allspice dram
    1 dash Angostura bitters

    Shake or flash blend with ice. Pour into mug and top with three cherries and a pineapple chunk speared on toothpick.

    *Some versions use vanilla syrup.

    The signature drink of Chicago’s Three Dots and a Dash Tiki bar,the name is from Morse Code(stop trying to call it gmail-tap!) for the letter V. It was created by Donn the Beachcomber to celebrate the victory of the allies in Europe during World War II. It’s a nice blend of sweet and citrus,with either a honey or vanilla finish.

    Mix #114 The Ancient Mariner

    1oz Demerara rum
    1oz blackstrap rum
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/2oz grapefruit juice
    1/2oz Demerara syrup
    1/4oz allspice dram

    Shake with plenty of ice.

    Another Beachbum Berry creation,it was so named because his team felt so old after going through the process of getting it just right. It’s a super funky drink with a spice finish. If you don’t have blackstrap rum,you can just use a funky Jamaican rum. It won’t have as much funk,but will still taste good.

    Mix #115 Battle Stations

    2oz rye whiskey*
    3/4oz orange curacao
    1/2oz velvet falernum
    1/2oz grapefruit juice
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz orgeat

    Shake with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice.

    *I used bourbon.

    Created by Trader Brandon,and featured in his book,Mystic Libations,this was sent to me by a friend who saw it in his social media feed and wanted to know what I thought of it. Well,I’m not a whiskey/bourbon guy,but I knew I’d be bartending at the annual shop Xmas party,so I filed it away. I made a pair of these for my friend who doesn’t like rum(I made him Honi Honi’s last year) and he said they were delicious. So if you’re looking for a non-rum Tiki drink,give this a try.

    Mix #116 Buccaneer’s Bounty

    1oz Navy rum
    1oz dark rum
    1/2oz Demerara 151 rum
    1oz honey syrup
    3/4oz grapefruit juice
    3/4oz lime juice
    1/2oz cinnamon syrup
    2 dashes bitters

    Shake with ice and strain into glass with fresh ice.

    Another recipe from Mystic Libations(sadly sold out),this is a riff on the classic Navy Grog with cinnamon syrup. Sweet and cinnamon-y with a honey finish. And quite strong.

    Mix #117 Black Voodoo

    2oz Demerara rum
    2.4oz apple cider
    3/4oz sweet vermouth
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/4oz Demerara syrup

    Shake with plenty of ice and pour into skull themed mug.

    My riff on the Voodoo. It’s sweet and funky. I like to use Pusser’s Gunpowder rum to give it some kick.

    Mix #118 Hamilton Dry Float

    3/4oz Hamilton Demerara 86
    1/2oz Hamilton 151
    3/4oz lime juice
    3/4oz simple syrup*
    1tsp passionfruit puree*

    Shake everything except 151 with ice,strain into coupe glass,float 151 on top.

    *I used Demerara simple and passionfruit syrup.

    Not to be confused with the traditional dry float,this is Hamilton’s riff using their rums. It has funk on the nose with a nice sweet/sour mix,and the 151 adds some kick. Quite good.

    Mix #119 Chief Lapu Lapu

    1.5oz dark Jamaican rum
    1.5oz white rum
    3oz orange juice
    1oz lime juice
    1oz lemon juice
    1oz passionfruit syrup
    1oz simple syrup

    Shake with plenty of ice and pour into glass.

    This drink was a standard at many Tiki bars back in the day. There were many variations,but Beachbum Berry published this one in his book Remixed!. The name comes from the Datu(chief) who took out Magellan. You can read all about it here. Pretty much a tourist drink,very sweet and strong. Of course,I’m one to talk(see my Corsair Punch below),so if you like sweet and strong have at it.

    Mix #120 Lapu Lapu

    1oz light rum
    1oz dark rum
    2oz orange juice
    1oz lemon juice
    1oz passionfruit syrup
    3/4oz vanilla syrup

    Shake with plenty of ice and pour into glass.

    BG Reynolds’ more refined riff on the Chief Lapu Lapu. Sweet and vanilla-y,but not as sweet as the Chief. Also not as strong.

    Mix #121 Quarantine Order

    1.5oz aged dark Jamaican rum
    1.5oz Navy strength Jamaican rum
    1oz lime juice
    1oz grapefruit juice
    1/2oz passionfruit syrup
    1/2oz cinnamon syrup
    5 dashes Angostura bitters

    Blend or shake with ice and pour into glass.

    From Pagan Idol’s William Prestwood,I believe this was intended to help cope with the fun that was 2020. Should work just as well for 2024. Sweet and fruity with a nice cinnamon burn at the end. Has a nice kick too.

    Mix #122 Stack O Gold

    2oz Puerto Rican gold rum
    1oz Grand Mariner
    3oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz lemon juice
    1/2oz orgeat

    Shake with ice and pour into mug.

    While many mugs come with recipe cards,Home Aloha’s Stack-O-Gold mug came with a nifty tin with this recipe on it. Very pineapple-y and easy drinking. Would make a nice summer BBQ drink.

    Mix #123 Tabu Kapu

    2oz Demerara rum
    1.5oz grenadine
    1oz lime juice
    1oz grapefruit juice
    1oz orange juice
    1/4oz Aperol
    1 dash Angostura bitters

    Shake with ice and pour into mug.

    From the back of BG Reynolds’ Lush Grenadine bottle comes a very grenadine flavored drink. But it’s not too sweet due to the citrus and Aperol. Very nicely balanced.

    Mix #124 Tortuga

    1oz Demerara 151 rum
    1oz gold rum
    1oz sweet vermouth
    1/2oz orange curacao
    1/2oz white creme de cacao
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz lemon juice
    1/2oz orange juice
    1/4oz grenadine

    Shake with plenty of ice and pour into classic style Tiki mug.

    An original Trader Vic creation,his granddaughter Eve chose this as the drink for Sven Kirsten’s Modernist Tiki mug and accompanying book from his Tiki Portraits series. This recipe is the version from Beachbum Berry’s Potions of the Caribbean,which is a bit more specific when it comes to the measurements of the ingredients. It has chocolate and vermouth on the nose with a citrus-y body and a bit of a tart aftertaste. A nice,complex cocktail.

    So don’t sweat the new year. After a couple cocktails,it’ll be alright.

  • Mele Kalikimaka!

    Mele Kalikimaka!

    Got to bartend for my shop’s Xmas party again. Mai Tais with Appleton Estate.

  • Yo,ho-ho-ho,and a bottle of rum!

    Yo,ho-ho-ho,and a bottle of rum!

    These holiday-themed cocktails will give you some Xmas cheer. Pro tip: leave one of these with the cookies instead of milk and see what Santa leaves you!

    Mix #110 Nutty Like a Fruitcake

    1.5oz Demerara rum
    1/2oz spiced rum
    1oz orange juice
    1/2oz lemon juice
    3/4oz orgeat
    1/2oz orange curacao
    1/4oz allspice dram
    1 dash Angostura bitters

    Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

    This is a sweetish drink. You really taste the curacao and it has a spice finish. Very nice.

    (update,just found out this was created by bartender Mindy Kucan)

    Mix #111 Fall in Paradise

    1.5oz Demerara rum
    1.5oz apple cider
    1.5oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz lime juice
    1.2oz allspice dram
    5 dashes peach bitters*

    Shake everything with ice and strain into glass.

    *I didn’t have peach bitters,so I used Angostura and a dash of peach schnapps.

    Another sweet drink with fruit and spice notes. Quite good.

    Mix #112 Yule Tai’d

    1oz aged light rum
    1oz aged gold rum
    1/2oz heavy bodied dark rum
    1oz lime juice
    1/2oz cinnamon syrup
    1/2oz Grand Marnier
    1/2oz orgeat
    2 dashes allspice dram
    ground nutmeg

    Combine everything except dark rum and nutmeg into glass with ice and swizzle. Float dark rum and top with some nutmeg.

    Created for a Tiki Tony drink card by Kerri Bacon and Chloe Drane,this is a holiday Mai Tai riff. Very cinnamon forward with a spice finish. I used Hamilton Navy Grog Blend for my float to give it a little more kick. I’ll be having one of these with my Xmas dinner.

    Happy holidays folks! Oh look,Xmas Elvira gifs!

  • I’m not bitter…….

    I’m not bitter…….

    But Campari certainly is. Campari is a bright red herbal liqueur. It’s referred to as an ‘apéritif’,which is fancy Euro talk for ‘supposed to stimulate your appetite and help with digestion’. What Campari is,is very bitter. It’s used in the classic Negroni cocktail as well as several Tiki drinks. It’s not to my personal taste,but if you like bitter drinks,you might want to give these a try.

    Mix #106 Jungle Bird

    1.5oz dark rum*
    1.5oz pineapple juice
    3/4oz Campari
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz Demerara syrup

    Shake with ice. Strain into glass with fresh ice.

    *Many recipes use blackstrap rum.

    Created by Jeffery Ong in the ’70’s,this was the signature cocktail of the Aviary Bar inside the Kuala Lumpur Hilton in Malaysia. The original recipe called for four ounces of pineapple juice,but in modern times this has been scaled back. You might want to put the extra juice back,as this is a pretty bitter drink. Not my thing,but it’s on enough menus that it is well liked.

    Mix #107 Jungle Bird 2.0

    1.5oz overproof Jamaican rum
    1.5oz pineapple juice
    1oz guava juice
    1/2oz lime juice
    1/2oz Campari
    1/2oz Demerara syrup

    Shake with ice and pour into glass.

    From the back label of BG Reynolds’ Demerara syrup bottle,this is a riff on the classic that’s both sweeter and stronger. The Campari only comes through at the end,so I actually enjoyed this one. If the original is too much for you,try this. You can also sub in standard rum to reduce the octane.

    Mix #108 Bitter Mai Tai

    1oz Navy or overproof dark rum
    1oz Campari
    1oz lime juice
    1/2oz curacao
    1/2oz orgeat

    Shake with ice and pour into Mai Tai glass.

    Created by Death and Company bartender Jeremy Oertel,this is just what the name suggests;a very bitter Mai Tai. If you’re a Mai Tai fan,and like bitter drinks,this is for you.

    Mix #109 Abrupt Landing

    1oz Plantation OFTD
    1oz Plantation Stiggins pineapple rum
    1/2oz Campari
    1/2oz falernum syrup*
    1/2oz pineapple juice
    1/2oz lime juice
    2 dashes Angostura bitters
    5 drops saline solution

    Blend with 6oz of ice and pour into mug.

    *If using falernum liqueur,add 1/4oz of simple syrup.

    Created by Easy Tiki for The Search for Tiki’s “Trouble in Paradise” mug(pictured),this is quite bitter. If that’s your thing,this might be for you,but it didn’t work for me at all. I’m also not big on adding saline to drinks,but that’s another debate.

    Along the lines of Campari is Aperol,a botanical liqueur that is less bitter. I used it in my previous mixing of the Winter Fling. If Campari is too much for you,you can try swapping Aperol in the drinks above to tone them down.

    Salute and cin cin!