Minimalist Tiki: What you truly need to make classic Tiki Cocktails

What follows is the original Minimalist Tiki article that inspired the 2019 book of the same name. (Available at WonkPress.com) The popularity of this article led me to write and publish a 300 page book expanding on the topics below and featuring 130 original Tiki Drink recipes from today’s best bartenders and bars.

However, it recently occurred to me that exotic Tiki recipes specifying esoteric ingredients and very specific rums can seem a little daunting to the beginning or mid-level home bartending enthusiast. I imagine it’s easy to flip though a Tiki recipe book (or the incredible Beachbum Berry’s Total Tiki app) and feel deflated that you can’t find a single recipe with what’s already in your home bar.

With this in mind, I set out on a research project: Finding the minimum set of ingredients needed to make a dozen or so of the most popular, beloved Tiki and tropical drinks. By deconstructing classic Tiki recipes and finding the most common elements, I created a minimal working set of ingredients, enabling you to craft all sorts tropical libations without spending a fortune and taking over your living space. It’s too late for me — the home bar spans several rooms — but with what follows, you can enjoy top- notch Tiki cocktails at home with limited space and budget.

My starting point is a list of Tiki/tropical cocktails I consider the essential classics; as with all “best of” lists, it’s completely subjective. However, I’ve conferred with Jason Alexander, @tikicommando. who makes classic and original Tiki drinks for a living at the Tacoma Cabana. For consistency, my recipe reference is the aforementioned Total Tiki app. Because some Tiki recipes have evolved with multiple variations, when there’s more than one recipe I’ve selected the oldest version. Without further adieu, here we go:

• Mai Tai (1944)
• Zombie (1934)
• Jet Pilot (1958)
• Fog Cutter (1940s)
• Navy Grog (1941)
• Planter’s Punch (1937)
• Rum Barrel (1940s)
• Three Dots and a Dash (1940s)
• 151 Swizzle (1940s)
• Cobra’s Fang (1937)
• Singapore Sling (1937)
• Hurricane (1940s)
• Painkiller (1971)
• Daiquiri (1890s)

The (brief) methodology

The next step was finding union of all the ingredients in the above recipes. For each ingredient in any drink (with the exception of rums, see below) I noted all recipes using that particular ingredient. I then sorted the ingredients by which is used most frequently. Finally, I categorized the ingredients into three metaphorical buckets: rums, citrus juices, and other ingredients.

Bucket One: Rums

Let’s start with the rum category. Here I’m committing Tiki heresy and running counter to the notion of recipe authenticity. Ideally you’d have a wide selection of each rum category at your disposal and use the exact type of rum specified. However, rum-wise, Tiki recipes are all over the map, calling for light, gold, and dark variations from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Cuba, Guyana, Jamaica, Martinique, and so on. It can get pretty overwhelming fast.

With a little thought and understanding of the main types of rum, you can make a pretty tasty classic Tiki drinks with just a few selections and substituting appropriately. My personal recommendations here strive for the best mix of suitability and wide distribution in the US. You may have other rums that work equally well. As long as you have at least one from each category, you can go pretty far.

[Important Note (2024): The rum categories I defined below have been substantially improved upon since I wrote this in 2015. While I have left what follows for the historic record, I strongly suggest instead using the categories defined in this later article: The Nine Essential Tiki Rum Styles – A Beginner’s Guide]

Jamaican Rum: Smith & Cross, Appleton Estate Signature Blend (V/X), Coruba Dark, Hamilton Jamaican (there are both “gold” and “dark” versions of the Hamilton– same rum, different coloring.)

Demerara Rum: El Dorado 5, Lemon Hart 80, Hamilton Demerara (86 proof).

151 Overproof Rum: Lemon Hart 151 is the longstanding household name. Hamilton Demerara 151 is a good substitution; Bacardi 151, a relatively bland beast, is not. Gosling’s Black Seal 151, while flavorful, is not Demerara style like Lemon Hart.

Gold Rum: Bacardi 8, Don Q Anejo, Plantation 5 (Barbados), Flor de Cana 7.

Aged White Rum: Cana Brava, Plantation 3 Stars. Cana Brava is a bit drier, from Panama, whereas the 3 Stars is a blend of Barbados, Jamaican and Trinidad rums.

Agricole Rum: Blanc (white) agricole is my preference in Tiki. Rhum JM, Rhum Clement, and Neisson all have solid choices here.

The above list is just a starting point, with my particular spin. As time and money allow, you can expand your set of rums, but for minimalist Tiki, having the right six or so bottles creates a solid base. While it pains me to not include offbeat rums like Wray & Nephew Overproof, they’re not called for enough to make the minimalist list. On the other hand, I explicitly called out Jamaican and agricole rums in their own categories because their particular pungent, funky flavors are a critical part of Tiki and can’t be replicated by your generic white, gold, or dark rum. For an alternate take on filling out your basic set of rums, 5minutesofrum.com has a substitutions page worth reading

Bucket Two: Citrus

Let’s talk citrus juice. Here’s the breakdown of recipes by juice type:

• Lime (11): Mai Tai, Zombie, Jet Pilot, Navy Grog, Daiquiri, Singapore Sling, 151 Swizzle, Planter’s Punch, Cobra’s Fang, Rum Barrel, Three Dots and a Dash
• Orange (5): Painkiller, Fog Cutter, Cobra’s Fang, Rum Barrel, Three Dots and a Dash
• Grapefruit (3): Jet Pilot, Navy Grog, Rum Barrel
• Pineapple (3): Painkiller, Singapore Sling, Rum Barrel
• Lemon (2): Hurricane, Fog Cutter

It’s no surprise, lime is the big winner. Tiki just isn’t Tiki without lime juice. Orange juice is a distant second. Ideally all five juice types are freshly squeezed, and any good Tiki bar will have exactly that. However, for the home Tikitender, that may be a tad excessive.

In my home bar I maintain a small stash of citrus and squeeze as needed. Limes, oranges, lemons, and grapefruit will keep for a few weeks with proper management. I buy lemons/limes in bulk at Costco and promptly refrigerate them in Ziploc bags. (There’s evidence to back up this approach.)

While I buy lemons/limes in five pound bags, buying a few oranges and a grapefruits every few weeks is usually sufficient. If I just need an ounce or two of orange or grapefruit, and I know need more in the next few days, I’ll cut the fruit in quarters or halves to cover current needs and wrap the remaining portion in plastic wrap. Sure, squeezing to order adds a few minutes in preparation time, but fresh squeezed juice is worth it. Remember: Don Beach and Trader Vic are always watching! (I’m envious of bartenders who have fresh squeezed juice by the quart, ready to go in containers.)

Fresh pineapple juice is a tougher story for the home crowd. Juicing pineapple in quantity is cumbersome and/or time consuming without the right tools. Centripetal juicers are inexpensive, but the resulting juice is over-aerated and foamy. Masticating juicers or hydraulic presses work better but are expensive. On very rare occasions, I see straight pineapple juice in the carton at the grocery store and take advantage of the opportunity. Unless I have an available pineapple and have planned ahead, I reluctantly use canned pineapple juice. Trader Joe’s carry pineapple juice in small 8.45oz/250ml cans that are a great size for a night of cocktails, and is better than your basic six ounce can of Dole.

Bucket Three: Other Ingredients

With rum and citrus covered, here’s the fun part of assembling a decent set of Tiki ingredients. First the raw data:

• Angostura Bitters(8): Zombie, Jet Pilot, 151 Swizzle, Singapore Sling, Planter’s Punch, Cobra’s Fang, Rum Barrel, Three Dots and a Dash
• Falernum (6): Zombie, Jet Pilot, Planter’s Punch, Cobra’s Fang, Rum Barrel, Three Dots and a Dash
• Pernod/Absinthe (5): Zombie, Jet Pilot, 151 Swizzle, Cobra’s Fang, Rum Barrel
• Grenadine (4): Zombie, Singapore Sling, Planter’s Punch, Rum Barrel
• Simple Syrup (4): Mai Tai, Daiquiri, 151 Swizzle, Planter’s Punch
• Honey Mix (3): Navy Grog, Rum Barrel, Three Dots, Three Dots and a Dash
• Orgeat (2): Mai Tai, Fog Cutter
• Passion Fruit Syrup(2): Hurricane, Cobra’s Fang
• Pimento/Allspice Dram(2): Rum Barrel, Three Dots and a Dash
• Brandy (2): Fog Cutter, Singapore Sling
• Gin (2): Fog Cutter, Singapore Sling
• Curacao/Triple Sec(2): Mai Tai, Singapore Sling
• Club Soda (2): Navy Grog, Singapore Sling
• Cinnamon Syrup (1): Jet Pilot
• Coconut Crème (1): Painkiller
• Don’s Mix (1): Zombie
• Sherry (1): Fog Cutter
• Cherry Heering (1): Singapore Sling
• Benedictine (1): Singapore Sling

Viewed as listed above, I was very surprised – some of my beloved “essential” ingredients like cherry heering are used far less than I’d expect. The clear winner–and absolute Tiki essential–is Angostura bitters. Every home bartender should have a bottle at hand (I several quarts in reserve, like one does.) A four ounce bottle costs around $7, contributes to many drinks (use it a few dashes at a time), and keeps forever.

Falernum, used in six recipes, is the one “unusual” ingredient that might intimidate an aspiring home Tikitender. Despite it’s mystical-sounding name, it’s just a heavily spiced sugar syrup made from rum, lime peel, ginger, almonds, cloves, and other spices, depending on the recipe. It’s a fun home kitchen project, but takes a few days to infuse. There are many recipes out there, each a little different. For my money, Kaiser Penguin’s is a good starting point.

While making your own falernum is a Tiki wonk initiation rite, in a pinch, BG Reynolds and Fee Brothers sell non-alcoholic falernum syrups. As for Velvet Falernum, its flavor profile is quite a bit different than house made falernum – I find the Velvet Falernum much lighter and less intense than house made falernum.

Pernod, used in five recipes, might seem surprising in a list of Tiki ingredients, but there’s a good reason. Don the Beachcomber, father of many classic Tiki recipes, used six drops of Pernod in many of his recipes. It’s tempting to skip the Pernod, but unless you firmly hate the flavor of anise, it adds a pleasant background element– I highly recommend not skipping it. You may be hesitant to buy a bottle just for a recipe that calls for six drops; here’s my take: All you really need is an ounce or two. Acquire a small empty bottle with a dropper top, then hit up a friend with a nearly full bottle sitting on their shelf. Fill ‘er up for a small donation — Terms to be negotiated between you and your friend. In the absolute absence of Pernod, you can substitute other anise-flavored spirits like absinthe or herbsaint. Even though I have a full bottle of Pernod, I use the dropper bottle for quick dispensing.

Grenadine (pomegranate syrup) is something you can make easily enough at home — there are number of recipes online (such as Imbibe’s) with varying degrees of complexity. Alternately, Small Hand Foods has an excellent grenadine I can personally vouch for, as does BG Reynolds. Whatever you do, use real grenadine, not a cheap, corn-syrup based brand like Rose’s.

Simple syrup and honey syrup are fast and trivial to make in small batches that last a few weeks. Just add one part table sugar or honey (as appropriate) to one part water, then stir or shake to blend well till all the sugar or honey is fully dissolved. Refrigerate for optimal stability.

So there you have it – Angostura bitters, Falernum, a dropper vial of Pernod, grenadine, sugar and honey are the primary must-have ingredients. As for the remaining ingredients, you can acquire them as needed. If you’re the kind who’s into plant or hemp-based extracts, and add them to almost all your food, then you can even consider getting some aromatic CBD oils to add a splash to your drink. Personally, I can’t imagine going without passion fruit syrup and orgeat in my arsenal. If I included more recipes, you’d see orgeat and passion fruit syrup rise in importance.

The Painkiller (Mrs. Wonk’s gateway Tiki drink), for example, is a superset of the Piña Colada, so coconut crème covers two recipes for the price of one. And if I take the oddball Singapore Sling (a Mrs. Wonk favorite) and Fog Cutter out of consideration, brandy, gin, sherry, cherry heering, and benedictine all fall off the list. But Mrs. Wonk would have something to say about that.

Finishing touches

Ice: Nearly all Tiki drinks call for crushed ice, so no half-moon ice cubes from your freezer, please! I have a Waring IC70 Ice Crusher, which works reasonably well and costs about $80. However, there are less expensive hand-cranked models available, and some kitchen blenders have an ice-crushing mode. In a pinch, a Lewis bag or kitchen towel along with a mallet can provide the crushed ice your Tiki drinks require-along with a bit of stress relief.

Garnish: Tiki is all about the garnish – an un-festooned Tiki drink is a sad, sad sight. Luckily, you can easily up your garnish game in a few small steps. Fire is always tasteful in Tiki, so after squeezing those limes, hang on to the shells to use as your firepot. Here’s how: Remove as much of the remaining pulp as possible, then insert a piece of day-old bread to soak up your Tiki fuel of choice, e.g. lemon extract. A 3/4 inch cube of bread is a good starting point. Set the shell in the drink, and set it afire! (Just please watch your eyebrows and bangs if you dare to drink before the flame dies out.) For much more on why lemon extract and not overproof rum is the Tiki fuel of choice, check out this detailed article with tons of photos.

Even if you don’t set fire to them, a spent lime shell is the classic Mai Tai garnish.

A wide swath of peel from lemons and oranges can be arranged festively. My favorite trick is to use a Y-peeler to cut 1×3 inch strips from the fruit. I then coil the peel a few times and stick a toothpick through it to hold it in place, as you see below:

Fresh mint sprigs always add flair. We keep a small patch of mint growing in a backyard container (advisable, as it will take over your garden if you don’t keep it reined in), but it’s also easy to buy at the market and keep fresh in a water filled glass in the refrigerator. However, before storing them in the refrigerator, you must ensure that your electrical appliance is working in its best condition, otherwise, it would be a waste of the mint and your money. That said, in the event, you find the refrigerator not working properly, it might be time for you to contact a Refrigerator Repair personnel to look into the matter and fix it as soon as possible. Remember that you would need to use the refrigerator a number of times for making cocktails, so get it repaired quickly.

Anyway, coming back to the topic, on my Instagram feed, people rave about my improvised lemon coil (above), topped with an inserted mint sprig, giving the impression of a tiny pineapple. And of course, fruit wedges (orange and pineapple in particular) are a quick and easy addition to up a drink’s tropicality.

Making top-notch Tiki at home requires more commitment than say, a Gin & Tonic, but let’s be honest, it’s infinitely more fun! With a modest investment in a few rums, a trip to the store for fresh citrus, and a handful of ingredients, you can make fairly faithful replications of many classic Tiki drinks. And if the Tiki bug bites you hard, you’ll enjoy the endless search for the next rum, the next exotic ingredient, and even more over-the-top garnishes.