Last week’s TDN started with a garnish panel hosted by Tiare and myself with special guest Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. Check out the full wrap-up of the panel and don’t forget the garnish contest!

The tiki-themed TDN brought out all kinds of crazy cocktail ideas, with some really excellent new creations. We used every syrup from falernum to pimento dram and liqueurs from Chartreuse to Cherry Heering, but fret not! Some of the cocktails are actually simple to make!

The winning cocktail of the evening was one that used a spirit not often seen in tiki drinks and at the same time managed to be a fairly carefree creation. Nathan, a fellow Pennsylvanian, created this raved-over mix of gin, ginger, pineapple, and passion fruit. For his skills, he will win his choice of Jeff Berry’s tiki books, autographed by the Bum himself.

The Exotic Passion

• 2oz gin
• 1oz lime juice
• 2oz pineapple juice
• 1oz ginger syrup
• 2t passion fruit syrup

Shake with cracked ice until nice and frothy and strain into a chilled mug of success.

Nathan

The Cocktails

If it weren’t for the simplicity of the Exotic Passion, John’s entry may have been the winner. The Winter in Tortola is an exercise in complexity. The whole time I was making it, I was hoping it wouldn’t be good, because I didn’t want to labor to make it again. Sadly, or not really so, it is complex, delicious, and surely a wonder in the world of tiki drinks.

Winter in Tortola

• 1oz Lemon Hart 151
• 1/2oz Cruzan Blackstrap (sub dark Jamaican if unavailable)
• 1oz grapefruit juice
• 1/4oz Pimento Dram (slightly less if using St. Elizabeth’s)
• 1/4oz falurnum
• 1/2oz passion fruit syrup
• 2 dashes vanilla extract
• 2 dashes grapefruit bitters
• 3 dashes peach bitters

Shake and strain into a collins glass, half-full with crushed ice. Fill with ginger beer and stir a bit.
Top with a generous dollop of Cardamom Cream (see below) sprinkle with freshly ground nutmeg and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.

John

Cardamom Cream

• 1c heavy cream
• 1 1/2t ground cardamom
• 1/4c demerara sugar

If freshly grinding your cardamom (preferable) remove the seeds from the pod and grind extremely finely. Mix all ingredients in a chilled mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate.

Camphor

• 1oz Bacardi 8
• 1oz Mount Gay rum
• 1/4oz pimento dram
• 1/4oz green Chartreuse
• 1/2oz Navan vanilla liqueur
• 1/2oz pineapple juice
• 1/2oz orange juice
• 1/4 honey syrup, floated
• cinnamon, dusted

Swizzle for a -long- time.

Gabriel from cocktailnerd

Kentucky Rum Runner

• 1oz Dominican rum (Brugal anejo)
• 1oz gold rum (Old Mill)
• 1/2oz bourbon (Ezra Brooks
• 1oz grapefruit juice
• 1/2oz honey mix
• 2 dashes absinthe (Lucid)
• ginger beer, to top

Toss back and forth through the air (at least two feet apart) with two mixing tins and load of ice. Pour into a goblet and top with ginger beer.

Stevi from Two At The Most

• 1oz dark rum
• 1oz gold rum
• 1/2oz Cherry Heering
• 1/2oz Cointreau
• 1/2oz lime juice
• soda water, to top

Build in a lovely cup and top with club soda.

Stevi from Two At The Most

Midnight on the Lanai

• 1oz dark Jamaican rum
• 1oz demerara rum
• 1/2oz lime juice
• 1oz pineapple juice
• 3/4oz coffee syrup
• 8 drops absinthe

Shake with crushed frozenness and pour into a rocks glass.

Craig from Tiki Drinks & Indigo Firmaments

• 1oz demerara rum
• 1oz gold rum
• 1oz gin
• 1oz lime juice
• 1oz grapefruit juice
• 1/2oz falernum
• 2oz ginger beer, to top
• orange wheel, for garnish

Build in a wonderfully appropriate tiki glass. Top with ginger beer.

Reed

Deep N’ Dark

• 4oz demerara rum
• 2oz pineapple juice
• 1oz passion fruit juice
• 1oz lime juice
• 1/2oz ginger syrup
• 1/2oz cinnamon syrup
• 1 dash Trader Tiki’s Falernum Bitters

Shake with a plethora of cracked ice and strain over crushed ice. Delicately stab your beverage with a pineapple leaf.

Tiare from A Mountain of Crushed Ice

Exotica

• 2oz Appleton 12
• 1oz bourbon,/li>
• 1/2oz Liquor 43
• 1/2oz lemon juice
• 1/2oz apple juice
• 1/2oz simple syrup
• pineapple ring dusted with cinnamon
• ginger beer, to top

Muddle the cinnamon-dusted pineapple ring with simple syrup. Add remaining ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a antique tiki mug and top with ginger beer. Garnish with craziness.

Tiare from A Mountain of Crushed Ice

Quote

[scratchline]: Absinthe isn’t a good base spirit for anything but insanity.

Join Us This Thursday!

This week’s TDN is themeless, so dig out your maraschino liqueur, absinthe, rhum agricole, Aperol, or whatever suits your fancy. From 7pm EST on we’ll be mixing up new tipulars and enjoying fine cocktail discussion. If you want to find out the prize this week…

Come chat with us! bar.mixoloseum.com