#lh151

[disneylad-blog]

I hope that @tikichippy finally approves of my tiki cocktail ingredients now that I bought Trader Joe's pineapple juice. This is the best pineapple juice I have ever had. #tiki #tradersams #cocktail #pineapple #traderjoes #midCenturyZombie #beachbumberry #shrunkenzombiehead #RUM #lemonhart151 #lh151

[mouthfuloftiki]

Aku Aku Lapu

There really isn't much history available on the Aku Aku Lapu other than it's origin: The Aku Aku restaurant in Las Vegas circa 1960. 

What really attracted me to the Aku Aku Lapu is the potent rum list. Dark Jamaican, Lemon Hart 151 and Gold Puerto Rican. What's not to like! The recipe is a double, but eyeballing the ingredients and it looks like it could just as easily be a single.

Aku Aku Lapu

1 oz gold Puerto Rican Rum

1 oz dark Jamaican rum

1 oz Lemon Hart 151 Demerara rum

1 oz lemon juice

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz grapefruit juice

1 oz falernum

16 oz crushed Ice

Combine all ingredients in blender and give it a spin for 5 seconds. Pour into Tiki Barrel mug or share with two. Garnish with parasol.

Aku Aku Restaurant (Las Vegas) via Beachbum Berry's Remixed

Putting the drink together, I knew it was going to give me a blast of citrus right from the get go. A combined four ounces of pineapple, grapefruit, orange and lemon juice starts the Aku Aku Lapu off with a bright floral note (coming mostly from the grapefruit and orange).

Next up, you'll get some sweetness from the orange, pineapple and falernum, followed up by the rich smokiness from the rum. The LH151 really does a number here. The drink finishes up with the tartness from the lemon, which is actually refreshing and really nice.

For me, the weakest part of the drink is the sweet notes. The falernum is omnipresent, but the pineapple and orange juice aren't quite enough to stand up straight against the rum and tartness of the lemon at the end. I would recommend adding some simple syrup (no more than 1/2 oz) or overpour your homemade falernum slightly.

[mouthfuloftiki]

Jet Pilot

The Jet Pilot is a drink that is very closely based on Donn the Beachcomber's Test Pilot in name and composition. This variation, can be traced back to the Luau Restaurant in Beverly Hills around 1950. The big change from the original recipe is the introduciton of cinnamon syrup.

When it comes to cinnamon syrup, not all cinnamon is created equally. As Rick over at Kaiser Penguin suggests when making cinnamon syrup, Ceylon cinnamon is ideal. Ceylon is comprised of many thin layers of bark which makes it really easy to crush up either by hand or in a coffee grinder. This makes it ideal for making cinnamon syrup.

Jet Pilot

1 oz dark Jamaican rum

3/4 oz gold Puerto Rican rum

3/4 oz 151-proof demerara rum

1/2 oz lime juice

1/2 oz grapefruit juice

1/2 oz cinnamon syrup*

1/2 oz falernum

1 dash Angostura bitters

6 drops Herbsaint or Pernod

crushed ice

Mix everything and pour over crushed ice in your favorite Tiki mug. Garnish with cherry.

Luau Restaurant (Beverly Hills) via Kaiser Penguin

The first sip is knock your socks off wow good. While there's no denying the similarities between the Jet Pilot and the Test Pilot, they have very distinct flavor profiles. The culprit (or hero): the cinnamon syrup.

The combination of the earthy richness of the cinnamon syrup with the floral, but powerful falernum is a match made in Tiki heaven. The herbsaint and bitters draw out every last flavor from the falernum as well. The citrus provides perfect balance while the rum colada does its thing. I use Coruba Dark, Bacari 8 Gold Puerto Rican and of course Lemon Hart 151 for the overproof Demerara. Now I've got to find more ways to use this cinnamon syrup.

[mouthfuloftiki]

Cobra's Fang

According to the history books, the Cobra's Fang was one of Don the Beachcomber's original go-to recipes. There isn't much of note written about the origin of the name other than Beachbum Berry's observation that animal dentition was a "go-to theme for Donn."

The recipe is appealing for a number of reasons. The small portion of rum makes the Cobra's Fang a handy drink to have in your arsenal; this is especially true if you are introducing someone to Tiki drinks. Along the same lines, it's a great drink to introduce someone to the flavors of falernum. Even though there are lots of other lovely ingredients, it's the falernum that really sings in this recipe. Final bonus points for being damn easy to remember. It's pretty close to an "equal parts" recipe, which makes it easy to just grab your bottles and measure. Just remember to go easy on the passion fruit syrup and you're golden.

One question you will likely have is WTF are "selected herbs"? Well, no one is quite sure of Donn's intent, but the discussion over at Tiki Room concludes that a dash of Herbsaint is the best option.

Cobra's Fang

1/2 oz dark Jamaican rum

1/2 oz Lemon Hart Demarara 151

1/2 oz lime juice

1/2 oz falernum

1/2 oz orange juice

1/4 oz passion fruit syrup

1 dash Angostura bitters

1 dash grenadine

1 dash "selected herbs" (Herbsaint)

Blend all ingredients with crushed ice. Serve in a tall glass with fresh mint and lime wheel.

"Hawai'i Tropical Drinks & Cuisine," Don the Beachcomber.

The drink itself is fantastic. Even though it's lighter on the rum than most drinks it certainly doesn't feel it due in large part to the LH151 punch that you get with every sip. As I mention above, the falernum really asserts itself and combined with the LH151 makes for a very aromatic, almost clovesy sip. The citrus does its part admirably and provides fresh bursts of tart along the way. A really nice drink for the tiki novice and the veteran.

[mouthfuloftiki]

Zombie

The Zombie: a drink with just as many great stories as it has bad recipes. The Zombie was invented by Don the Beachcomber in 1934. Due in large part to Don's much documented secrecy, the true recipe was almost lost for the ages. Thanks to the hard work by Jeff "Beachbum" Berry, we have a version which (apparently) does Don's 1934 Zombie justice.

A few words to the wise when it comes to the Zombie: (1) don't let it be your first drink of the night or your last, and (2) even Don the Beachcomber knew the limits of his prized drink and was said to refuse to serve more than 2 to a customer per night.

Zombie

1 oz Lemonhart 151 Demerara rum

1 oz light Puerto Rican rum

1 oz gold Puerto Rican rum

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1 oz lime juice

1 oz lemon juice

1 oz pineapple juice

1 oz passion fruit syrup

1 dash Angostura bitters

Dissolve the brown sugar in the lemon juice. Combine everything in cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, and strain into glass of crushed ice. Garnish with sprig of mint

Don the Beachcomber, via Ted Haigh (aka Dr. Cocktail) in Vintage Spirits and Forgotten Cocktails

It really is a marvelous drink. It is quite strong, especially when you first sip into it, but you don't get any lingering alcohol flavors. The tart from the lemon & lime in addition to the sweetness from the sugar, pineapple and passion fruit syrup really create a nice balance. The Angosutra and LH151 really add dimension to the drink. The longer you sip the better it gets.