“Hey Matt, I think I found a bug in your book,” began a recent message from my friend, Mike. ”The Trinidadi Issues recipes calls for 1.5 ounces of Angostura bitters...seems like that can’t be right (?)” I chuckled. Mike wasn’t the first person who’d messaged me about this recipe, certain they’d found a typo. If... Continue Reading →
Stop Setting Your Rum on Fire! Tiki Fire Explained
Rum and fire. They go together like peanut butter and chocolate, or burgers and fries. But I’m here to tell you to stop lighting your rum on fire. Sure, if it’s taste-free 151 proof rum, go ahead. The less high proof vodka-in-disguise, the better. Just don’t expect setting your rum ablaze to make an awesome... Continue Reading →
Minimalist Tiki: What you truly need to make the classics at home
What follows is the original Minimalist Tiki article that inspired the 2019 book of the same name. (Available at MinimalistTiki.com.)The popularity of this article led Mrs. Wonk and I to write a 308 page book on the topic, including 130 original recipes from today's best Tiki bartenders and bars. Recently, a torrent of articles in... Continue Reading →
Power Tools for the Home Bar Wonk
I've realized recently that within the mixology world there are two tribes: The professionals who work at a bar and passionate amateurs, the “home bartenders”. Most experience with spirits and technique are shared by both tribes. I’m firmly on the home bartender side but I can converse with expert bartenders about many topics. When it... Continue Reading →
Expanding the Tiki Lexicon – Coffee flavor in Falernum?
One day as Jason Alexander and I were doing our usual Facebook chatting about all topics rum and Tiki, we were both lamenting that with 70 years of history and a well-established set of ingredients, it can be difficult to really innovate in the Tiki space. Sure it’s fun to make classics and tweak things with... Continue Reading →
Tiki Improv Fundamentals – Don’t Fear the Recipe
I realize that what follows may be heretical in Tiki circles. It might go against 80 years of Tiki lore, secret recipe books, and exotic rums as described by Beachbum Berry in his book "Beachbum Berrys Sippin Safari". But, the simple truth is that a tasty Tiki libation isn't hard to improvise if you know... Continue Reading →