Tiki Bash: Help Women In Need By Wearing Loud Clothing and Drinking Loud Drinks

We’re so honored to be working with this organization and supporting their mission. They work directly and closely with some of the most highly marginalized and socially isolated women to help get them back on their feet and stable.

Why the sudden boom in Tiki?

PL: Tiki pops back into popularity every now and again for retrophiles, with the last big boom being hipsters excavating Tiki-kitsch in the ‘90s. The most recent reincarnation of Tiki strikes me as simply the next natural progression for cocktail enthusiasts as they excavate forgotten cocktails of eras past. We’ve all explored pre-Prohibition drinks, and dug deeper and felt excited about the precursor to the modern cocktail, punch. Tiki was another important cocktail era, so an inevitable candidate for fresh exploration.

Also, it should be noted that, while many cocktail nerds have been dabbling in Tiki as of late, Tiki culture has its own cult following that never wanes, with many blogs and web forums devoted to the topic.

Is Tiki the only style of mixology in which base spirits—different rums, in this case—are frequently commingled in the same drink? And why does that make a Jet Pilot so tasty?

HP: In some of the older cocktail manuals you see double bases of gin and rye or gin and applejack; however the cocktail was usually rounded out with one or two more ingredients.

Tiki is definitely the style that championed the idea of layers. With the majority of the drinks requiring 5 or more ingredients the result is a drink that lingers in the mouth and offers an array of flavors that seem to continue on and on and on.

What is the most elaborate Tiki garnish you've ever seen (or made)?

PL: I’ve never seen it with my own eyes, but I’ve heard tales of communal style Tiki drinks served in mini, smoking volcanoes. I know that doesn’t count as garnish. But, whoa.

HP: Well, everyone loves fire... so a Scorpion Bowl sporting a centerpiece of flaming 151 definitely evokes oooooohs and aaaaaaahs. The use of the ice cone in the Navy Grog is a head turner as well.

Umbrellas, swizzle sticks, green maraschino cherries, gorgeous orchids and gardenias—they've all topped a Tiki drink at one time or another bringing smiles to folks looking for a little escape.

Tiki's reputation—which was deliciously gimmicky to begin with—has been sullied, over the years, by a lot of syrupy interpretations of the style.

Is there any rule of thumb for judging whether an establishment is serving quality Tiki drinks?

PL: As with anything, I think you unfortunately have to taste before you can really know. Good rules of thumb are to look for bars that use fresh juices and housemade syrups and measure their drinks, as Tiki cocktails can really easily become out of balance.

Start the mission at Drink so you can know what a real, retro recipe should taste like, then branch out from there. This site may also be a good resource: Northeast Tiki Tour.

What are some resources for drinkers interested in learning more about Tiki drinks?

PL: The books and blog of Jeff “Beach Bum” Berry are a great place to start. I’d also recommend picking up a copy of Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide, as its a great and massive resource for drinks of any era.

James Teitelbaum, a friend of LUPEC Boston, also has a new book out on the topic, Big Stone Head: Easter Island and Pop Culture. A Mountain of Crushed Ice also has some great posts on Tiki, and LUPEC is a big fan of Blair Reynolds’ Tiki blog, Trader Tiki, which has a great reference section.

If you were to get only two or three rums for home Tiki use, which three would they be?

HP: You'll want to choose three different styles of rum. I would suggest a Rhum Agricole Blanc from Martinique such as La Favorite or Rhum Neisson, a golden style of rum such as Brugal gold or Barbancourt, and a Demerara rum such as Lemonhart.

If you have your heart set on having a Tiki bar of your own, be sure to check out this great post on Drinkboston.

What's in the future for LUPEC?

PL: So much! There is a new chapter that just started in New York and we’re hoping to get with them on some future projects. Misty and I are also currently at work on a LUPEC-inspired classic cocktail book. And we’re hoping to present in some capacity at Tales of the Cocktail this summer (fingers crossed)!

Otherwise, keep looking for more great cocktail writing by our members, a spring mini-fundraiser party to celebrate Women’s History Month, and we’ve got some items in the work with Drinkboston and The Boston Shaker for World Cocktail Week in May.

Last year's party was 40's and this year is 50's—will next year be 60's/Mad Men themed, with just straight scotch, and hyper-dry martinis?

PL: There’s nothing endangered about a vodkatini.  

J.D. McLawyerpants contributed to this post.