Mai Tais for kaneohegirlinaz

Mai Tai

OK. This is an "out there" kinda drink; meaning that every bartender that serves these thinks he's got the "hands-down best recipe". I'm not gonna argue. I'm not positive, but I think it's most believable that it was invented in 1944-ish at Trader Vic's in Oakland. Some other guy claims it's his about ten(10) or so years before. I don't know. They don't taste the same anyway. The main ingredients are rum, Curaçao liqueur, and lime juice (gotta be squeezed, not out of a bottle). Any recipe should include these, or I think it's not authentic enough. Hey, that's just me.

My opinion of what it should look like:

    If you wanna swap out the pineapple for a chunk'o'mango ... make yourself happy. It's AG still. 

Here's the International Bartenders Association (IBA) guidelines:

 Highball glass

40ml (8 parts) white rum

20ml (4 parts) dark rum

15ml (3 parts) orange curaçao

15ml (3 parts) Orgeat syrup (almond syrup)

10ml (2 parts) fresh lime juice

Shake all ingredients except the dark rum together in a mixer with ice. Strain into glass and float the dark rum onto the top. Garnish and serve with straw.

I'm all OK w/ that. However, as you would guess, I go off the reservation and start playing. 

Here's three(3) Trader Vic's recipes:  

The Original Trader Vic Formula - 1944

2 oz of 17-year old J. Wray & Nephew Rum over shaved ice

Add juice from one fresh lime

1/2 oz Holland DeKuyper Orange Curaçao

1/4 oz Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup

1/2 oz French Garnier Orgeat Syrup

Shake vigorously.

Add a sprig of fresh mint

Recipe #2 - "Old Way" Trader Vic Mai Tai Formula - 1972

1 oz Dark Jamaican rum (15 or 8 year old)

1 oz Martinique Amber rum (St. James)

1/2 ounce Orange Curaçao

1/4 ounce Orgeat syrup

1/4 ounce rock candy (simple) syrup

Juice from one fresh lime 

Mix and serve as in the Original Formula

Recipe #3 - Today's Trader Vic Mai Tai - This recipe is what Trader Vic's restaurants serve today (I'm not all so sure I like this one. I actually wouldn't make it this way.):

1/4 Lime squeeze (drop in glass as garnish)

1/2 oz lemon juice

3/4 oz Trader Vic's Mai Tai mix

2 oz Royal Amber Rum

Garnish: maraschino cherry, pineapple, mint sprig

Shake all the ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into an old fashioned glass over crushed ice. Garnish with fruits and mint, and serve with a straw.

OK. So I've gotta go right now ... I'll be back in a coupla hours. I'll give up what I do then. 

OK. I'm back.    The following items can be and are included in different recipes. Some of the items are regular stuff. Some are "out there", and unless you're gonna be making a lot of drinks, I'm not so sure you have to go out and find them, but still cool if you've got the $$$ to spare. 

dashes of Pernod (it's like ouzo or ojen, flavored like licorice or anise) you like it or you don't

dashes of Angostura bitters (has versatility, comes either aromatic or orange) nasty strait, but works nicely in many drinks, soft or hard; kinda like worcestershire sauce of the bar

guava nectar or juice, it is what it is

sugarcane sticks, mint sprigs, edible orchids        do I need to explain these? 

OMG!!!

OK.  I'm gonna stop talking to you if you say anything about "umbrellas" ever again in this thread. 

You'll be getting off this bus. 

OK. Here's mine, that I promised earlier: 

In a cold shaker: 

1 jigger of lime rum

1 jigger of orange rum

* both are available from major brands for not too much $

1 light splash of simple syrup

1 good splash Grand Marnier

1-3 shakes of aromatic bitters (personal preference on shakes)

pour over rocks in highball glass

top w/ thin pineapple ring, a twisted lime ring and a cherry

gently pour 1 shot dark rum over garnish

finish w/ edible flower if you just gotta have it         no stupid umbrellas, unless you're a Communist or sterile

* "1 splash" is +/- a shot. I don't measure because I like the showyness when making the drink (read: romance)

You can absolutely do the pitcher thing, just include the dark rum in the shaker.  No problemmo.

It's just not my choice of service; that however, doesn't rule it out.

Cool swizzle-sticks w/ garnish are oakey-doakey too. 

Make a few to try out on your own. See how they suit your tastes.