I don’t know about you, but I could use a drink… and by a drink, I mean a spirit-forward tropical cocktail that helps me sail away from my worries (or maybe even forget them entirely).
Typically, when I’m craving a boozy concoction, I fall back on some of the tiki staples: Zombie, Après-ski Swizzle, maybe even a boozy grog, etc. But why not break the mold, and create one of our own? This week, we bring you the Wayward Spirits. Seeing as this drink is our namesake, we promise you bold and exotic flavors that will help you escape your woes, and knock you on your butt in the process. While this drink is delicious, beware: we recommend only consuming 2 at most (lest you want a headache tomorrow). The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments — cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Brandy Snifter or Hurricane Glass Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice, and shake for 10 seconds. Pour over crushed ice. Add 3-4 drops of Angostura bitters. Garnish: Garnish with a few lime wedges and grated nutmeg Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 5 Not for the faint of heart, this drink is for the bold and adventurous drinker. Much like other boozy tiki concoctions, this drink is very spirit forward (using navy strength funky Jamaican rum), with tiki staples (vanilla, cinnamon, citrus) serving as a refreshing backdrop. I’d recommend experimenting with different rums for this recipe (though don’t stray too far from high proof Jamaican rums). Cheers, and let us know what you think in the comments!
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If you are anything like me, you tend to avoid Blue Hawaiians. Personally, I have always shied away from using blue curaçao when making tiki drinks, as I've always found the taste fairly hard to incorporate properly, and inevitably the drink ends up too sweet (plus, nothing says synthetic sugar like bright blue food coloring).
With 2022 being the year of overcoming obstacles and trying new things, this week we have a treat for you: a cocktail with blue curaçao that is actually REALLY good. A Wayward Spirits original, The Creature From The Blue Lagoon is a delicious and rummy riff on a piña colada, painkiller, and/or lava flow (or really any coconut-oriented resort cocktail), but with a bit more of a spiced/herbal flavor due to the allspice dram and bitters. Despite the key ingredients (coconut and blue curaçao) sounding quite sugary, this drink is not as sweet as you would suspect, making it a great alternative to the aforementioned "resort drinks" like the Blue Hawaiian. The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments — cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Brandy Snifter or Hurricane Glass Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients (minus dark rum) in a shaker with crushed ice (and one or two large agitator cubes) and shake well. Open pour into brandy snifter or hurricane glass, and top with crushed ice as needed. Add the dark rum float, and 5-6 drops of El Guapo Polynesian Kiss bitters (or Bittermens Elemakule Tiki bitters). Garnish: Garnish with a few lime wedges. Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 5 This drink really surprised us. We were not expecting to love it nearly as much as we do, and this drink has crash landed its way into our "top 3" original cocktails here at Wayward Spirits. We liked it so much that we made multiple back-to-back, a rarity for drinks with creme of coconut. If you are a fan of coconut-drinks, but cringe at the thought of Blue Hawaiians or Lava Flows, we highly recommend giving this drink a chance. The citrus, allspice dram, and bitters help offset the sweetness of the coconut and blue curaçao, making this a well-balanced alternative to traditional resort drinks. Cheers!
One of my core resolutions for 2022 is to expand my horizon by incorporating lesser used alcohols into my tiki repertoire.
While I’ve never been a fan of whiskey, Kentucky bourbon has always held a special place in my heart — after all, Wild Turkey 101 neat was the first drink that I ever consumed. This week, we’re bringing a little bit of Midwest Americana to the world of tiki with our newest recipe: the Kentucky Kraken. This drink blends an American classic (bourbon and ginger) with a tropical twist (pineapple juice and citrus) — producing a unique and savory tiki drink that is both simple to make and pleasing to all palettes. The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments — cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Old Fashioned Glass Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake of 10 seconds. Pour over crushed ice. Add 3-4 drops of Angostura bitters. Garnish: Garnish with candied ginger on a cocktail pick. Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 4.5 The Kentucky Kraken is delicious and simple to make. It’s a fantastic choice for those who don’t particularly care for rum (or stereotype tiki drinks as “too sweet”). At bare minimum, it provides a much needed alternative to juleps and Kentucky mules (which I personally feel are a bit played out). I’d recommend experimenting with different bourbon’s for this recipe — for example, we used Four Roses bourbon (which was absolutely delicious), but higher proof (or small batch) bourbons may produce a whole new flavor, possibly worth exploring.
Happy New Year, fellow tiki fans! I’m excited to be kicking off 2022 by returning from my 11-month hiatus, and bringing you the very best in tiki recipes, bar reviews, and travel suggestions. 2021 was a particularly hard year for me and my family. My father passed away at the young age of 70 after a short-but-brutal battle with mesothelioma, a very painful and debilitating form of cancer in the stomach and surrounding organs. While it’s comforting to know that my dad lived a full and adventurous life, it was difficult to watch him fade away so quickly and endure an agonizing struggle towards the end. While I miss my father every single day, his wisdom, highly principled lifestyle, and kindhearted spirit lives on — mainly through how he impacted the lives of those who knew him. So without further ado, I dedicate my first drink of 2022 to my dad: “The Don.” This particular drink is made with Lyre’s White Cane Spirit - a delicious and impressive alcohol-free spirit that mimics the taste and flavor of a complex Rhum Agricole. By using Lyre’s, I was able to create a low-proof drink in my dad’s honor, as he spent the past 33 years of his life sober (after losing his mother to alcoholism). The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments — cheers!
About Don Enoch, inspiration of "The Don"
Donald West Enoch (born May 22, 1952) was a wildly passionate and eclectic man who perfectly embodied the spirit of “jack of all trades, master of too many.” His interests were endless and he played many roles throughout his lifetime — a father and husband, a brother, a director/stage director on Broadway, construction worker, architect, attempted clown, poet, writer, artist, sailor, English teacher... but most of all, an inspiration to those who knew him. He especially enjoyed advocating and fighting for those who felt disenfranchised, down on their luck, or labeled as “lesser” in some way. He had a gift for looking at each person and identifying their greatest gifts and potentials, rather than shortcomings and stereotypes. This was particularly true as a teacher, where he created the annual tradition of awarding one of his non-AP classes that exceeded expectations the “Who Would’ve Thunk It” trophy (a nod to his appreciation for underdogs everywhere). Finally, Don made it a habit to carve his own path in life - at times making things more difficult for himself along the way. This was not out of some misguided notion that he had to be “unique” or “different,” but rather a desire to be able to look back on his life and know that he did the right thing - the Don Enoch way. Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Short Hurricane Glass Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake of 10 seconds. Pour over crushed ice. Top off with a splash if grenadine. Garnish: Garnish with a lime wedge and tropical umbrella. Wayward Spirits Rating: Not Applicable As “The Don” is a tribute to my dad, it would feel a bit self-serving to give this drink a formal rating. Instead, I will speak to quality of Lyre’s White Cane Spirit. Most of my time making cocktails, I have always avoided non-alcoholic spirits for the same reason I avoid instant coffee — it simply is not a good replacement for the real thing and usually tastes pretty awful. Lyre’s completely changed my perception of non-alcoholic spirits, not only accurately capturing the complex flavor of rum, but providing me with a new alternative to the high proof tiki drinks I’m used to making. Next time you are hosting a party, gathering, or dinner (especially with children, or lightweight drinkers like most of my family) — try incorporating Lyre’s into your cocktail repertoire…. I have a feeling you will love it as much as I do.
As the infamous Jack Sparrow once said, “Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.” This week’s cocktail, named in honor of our beloved pirate captain, certainly proves the wisdom of this saying.
Originally created by Autumn’s father, Lars Skinner (a.k.a. “Mad Max”), the Jack Sparrow is a tiki cocktail worth its weight in treasure. It incorporates the unique flavors of Brinley Gold “Shipwreck” mango rum, bold dark rum, citrus, and effervescence - making it all too easy to find yourself looking at the bottom of an empty glass wondering, “why is the rum always gone?” It goes without saying that this drink is best enjoyed while sailing the Seven Seas in search of cursed Aztec Gold (or watching Pirates of the Caribbean, if you find yourself without The Pearl). The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments — cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Zombie glass or Footed Pilsner Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients (minus the club soda) in a cocktail shaker, and shake with ice for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass with cubed ice, and top with 3 oz club soda and a dash of orange bitters. Garnish: Garnish with a lime wedge (or a lime "island" with a planted pirate flag). Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 5 The Jack Sparrow is a tiki breakthrough hiding in plain sight. It is so smooth that it drinks like an adult soda, with the quintessential tropical flavor of mango and citrus, followed by a healthy dose of rum. This cocktail is delicious, easy to make, and a great alternative to juice-based cocktails that all taste the same. Pop on your favorite Pirates movie and give it a try! You may just find that it gives you the courage to fend off that pesky Kraken...
Hey there fellow tikiphiles - Happy New Year! Cheers to the prospect of a more adventurous (but less eventful) 2021. Hopefully this will be the year where we overcome some of the hardships and heartaches we have all faced over the past year, and get the chance to get out and see the world (safely and ideally with a tiki drink in hand).
But before we leave the holiday season in the rear-view mirror, we wanted to share a modern twist on an old classic: the Better Frosted Coconut Blitz. We found the original recipe for this drink online, and it called for coconut flavored vodka (yuck), so we made some much needed improvements. The Wayward Spirits version of the frosted coconut blitz incorporates some of the more tried-and-true tiki favors and ingredients: lime, coconut cream and rum, cinnamon, dry curaçao, and aged blended rum. If you’re looking for a festive holiday drink that tastes like a lighter (yet more complex) version of a piña colada, this may be the drink you’ve been looking for. The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments - cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Any Glass Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake with ice for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass with crushed ice, and add 3 dashes of Angostura bitters (optional). Garnish: Garnish with fresh grated nutmeg and sprig of mint. Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 4.5 The Wayward Spirits Better Frosted Coconut Blitz is a vast improvement from the original recipe (which included coconut flavored vodka, triple sec, and heavy cream - ew). This cocktail is delicious, easy to make, and a great alternative to a piña colada (plus far fewer calories - for those of you like me who are attempting a healthier 2021). Give it a try, and let us know what you think in the comments!
Mele Kalikimaka and happy holidays from Wayward Spirits! Between servings of mulled wine, we’ve been experimenting with a few new tiki cocktails this holiday season, and have a real beaut to share with you this week: the Tropical Holiday.
This drink incorporates some of our favorite tropical flavors: lime, mango, passion fruit, and velvet falernum. Additionally, the pairing of aged Puerto Rican and overproof rums give this drink a boozy base that really compliments the Caribbean-inspired ingredients. The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments - cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Zombie or Collins glass Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake with ice for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass with crushed ice, and add 5 dashes of El Guapo bitters (optional). Garnish: Garnish with a lime wedge or peel on a cocktail pick. Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 5 Maybe it’s the holidays talking, but this drink was just the right thing for a night by the Christmas tree and fireplace. The flavors are quintessentially tiki, and this Caribbean-inspired cocktail will help you truly embrace the holiday spirit and enjoy time with friends and loved ones. Overall, I would not change a thing about it. But if you are feeling extra spontaneous this time of year, try substituting a funky Jamaican rum (in lieu of Bacardi). Cheers, and happy holidays from our family to yours!
Happy holidays my fellow tikiphiles! It’s been some time since my last post - in all honesty, work has been kicking my butt recently, so every ounce of energy I've had at the end of each day has been put into making drinks (rather than writing about them).
But fear not - I’m on a sixteen-day hiatus from my desk job, which means that I’ll be hitting the sauce and sharing recipes like it’s my business (because for the moment, it basically is) This week’s recipe is called Something Tequila (from the book Easy Tiki), and it may give you some much needed respite from those heavy holiday nogs or mulled wines that you’ve been drinking for the past month. This drink has many of my go-to staples: pineapple juice, passion fruit, orange juice, citrus.... and TEQUILA. Yes, I’m on a bit of tequila kick right now, but this drink is bonkers good and worth a try! The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments - cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Double Old Fashioned (or any glass) Ingredients:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake with ice for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass with crushed ice, and add 5-6 dashed of tiki bitters. Garnish: Garnish with a lime wedge or peel on a cocktail pick. Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 4.5 The book Easy Tiki says that this drink was created by John Bernard (from Porco Lounge and Tiki Room in Cleveland) because customers kept asking him, “do you make margaritas? Could you make me something tequila?” I’m sure glad they did, because this drink tastes like a hybrid between a Margarita and a Rum Barrel, which is a delicious and unique way to incorporate tequila into your tiki repertoire. Overall, this is a fantastic drink and a great change of pace during the holiday season. Give it a try, and let us know what you think. Cheers!
With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner, we have been working overtime on creating a series of fall and holiday-themed tiki cocktails.
I personally love this time of year. The cold temperatures and early sunsets make for ideal drinking weather - plus, we get to experiment with the lesser used ingredients of the tiki world. This week we present the Sailor’s Harvest. Made with cinnamon, vanilla, allspice and apricot liquor, it’s like a Christmas pastry in a cup - a bit on the desserty side, but not too sweet (more like a savory/spice filled dessert) The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments - cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Brandy Snifter Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake with ice for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass with crushed ice, and add 5-6 dashed of orange bitters (optional step). Garnish: Garnish with grated nutmeg, a dried orange/lemon peel, and 3 luxardo cherries on a decorative cocktail pick. Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 4.5 “Sailor’s Harvest” is a delicious holiday tiki drink. The molasses and butterscotch finish on the El Dorado 8 Year ties a nice bow on the vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, and warm-yet-fruity apricot liquor - and the addition of citrus helps keep the drink from feeling too heavy. It’s truly a fantastic replacement for mulled wine or a hot toddy, while still staying in the holiday spirit. Plus, it’s sure to impress guests who want a special or unique holiday cocktail, but tend to avoid heavy nogs or butter-based drinks.
Even though we have recently been writing about our favorite fall and holiday themed tiki cocktails, we often like to shake things up and revisit some of our favorite summer cocktails (especially when the weather is unseasonably warm for fall).
This past summer (or as we call it, our “quarantine summer”), the Bitter Mai Tai from Easy Tiki was one of our very favorite go-to recipes. We first tried it while vacationing in Palm Springs and fell in love with this particular riff, as it felt more unique and refreshing than most. If you love Mai Tais and Campari, you are bound to appreciate this particular twist on a tiki classic. The following post provides the necessary ingredients and steps for making this drink at home. Let us know what you think in the comments - cheers! Recipe/ Instructions: Glassware: Double Old Fashioned Ingredients:
Cocktail Steps: Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake with ice for 10 seconds. Strain into a glass with crushed ice, and add 2-3 dashed Angostura bitters. Garnish: Garnish with a large sprig of mint. Wayward Spirits Rating: Overall Score - 4 The Bitter Mai Tai from Easy Tiki is a deliciously unique riff on the classic tiki cocktail - well balanced, refreshing, and perfect for hot summer days next to the ocean or pool. As a huge fan of all things bitter, this particular recipe spoke to me. That’s not to say this version is perfect - It does lack a certain complexity and spice (explaining the 4 star rating), however, it makes up for this with its unique blend of bitter and sweet. Give it a try, and let us know that you think! |
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