Do you like to have a good time? Maybe hang out with your friends and enjoy delicious drinks? So do we! Of course, the tasty drinks we like to sip are non alcoholic. That doesn’t mean they are less delicious, it just means you can have more!
We were in the the Tiki Cat a few months back and got really excited over these tasty drinks called Tiki Drinks. The Tiki Cat in Kansas City has since closed by the idea of those fruity, fun drinks has stuck in our mind. We knew we had to create some Tiki room style mocktails!
Tiki drinks are one of our favorite kind of party drinks to make. There is something about the lavishly garnished glasses and fruity flavors that make us want to sing, dance and drink!
If you are new to the world of tiki drinks and tiki drink recipes, get ready to be totally excited and delighted. They are fun, festive and fruity! Let us tell you all about them!
What is a Tiki Drink?
A tiki drink is a type of cocktail or mocktail that is colorful, fruity and garnished with over the top decorations When made as a cocktail, tiki drinks usually have rum. Of course, our tiki mocktail recipes are alcohol free. They are still super delicious and totally tiki.
Tiki drinks actually have their own special mugs. A tiki drink glass is usually glass and has a carved face on the side. The cold drink makes the glass look frosty and refreshing. The tiki glass goes back to the very first tiki bars. The right glass is almost as important as using the right ingredients!
History of the Tiki Bar
Before places like Zombie Hut in Brooklyn or the Tiki Cat bar Kansas City made famous, there was the original tiki bar. A man named Raymond Gantt, also known as “Don the Beachcomber”, is considered to be the founder of the tiki bar. After spending lots of time in the South Pacific, he yearned for a place to go in LA that had that exotic, Polynesian style. So, in 1934 he opened a bar in LA and started the Tiki movement.
Since that first Tiki bar opened, the style has been very popular. The bamboo decor, masks, driftwood and fishing nets on the walls make people feel like they escaped to the islands. The delicious tropical mixed drinks laden with fresh fruit makes the tiki experience complete!
Ingredients in a Tiki Drink
Whether your order a tiki mocktail drink at the Tiki Cat Bar KC or whip up your own tiki drink recipes at home, there are a few ingredients you will likely need. These are the ingredients that are most frequently found in a tiki drink:
- Grapefruit juice
- Pineapple juice
- Orange juice
- Passion fruit juice
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
- Cloves
- Coconut
- Grenadine
- Simple Syrup
- Almond extract
- Pomegranate seeds
- Mint
- Cocktail umbrella
- Orchids for garnishes
- Maraschino cherries
- Straws
Or course, every tiki drink recipe is a little different. These are just a few ingredients that are very common when mixing a tiki mocktail. If you have all of these ingredients on hand, you will be able to make lots of tasty drink recipes!
Our Favorite Mocktail Tiki Drink Recipes
We have made a lot of tiki style drinks that we really want to share with you. Each of these is perfect for a tiki party. You can also just enjoy your own tiki mocktail any day of the week. There’s nothing better than “Tiki Tuesday”!
Mai Tai Mocktail
The mai tai is the original Tiki drink. You can find it on the menu of every tiki bar out there, from the Tiki Cat bar to the original Don the Beachcomber bar. Our Mai Tai mocktail recipe is made with orange juice, pineapple juice, lime juice, almond syrup and grenadine. We give the drink a little fizz with some seltzer. Use fresh orange slices, pineapple slices, and lime slices for a fun garnish.
(Recipe coming soon..)
Blood Orange Spritzer
Fruit juices are a signature of a good tiki drink. Blood orange juice is true “tiki”. Our blood orange spritzer is a gorgeous reddish color. It will look incredible in a tiki glass! Lime juice and orange bitters make the drink even more complex. Dress this drink up with a rosemary sprig and a few blood orange slices to make it even fancier.
Virgin Pina Colada
The classic pina colada can definitely be considered a tiki drink. The pineapple and coconut are very tropical and very “tiki”. Our virgin pina colada is totally delicious and full of flavor. Pour a big glass into a tall tiki mug or serve it inside a hollowed out coconut. A coconut shell filled with frozen pina colada with a cocktail umbrella is about as “tiki” as you can get!
Passion Fruit Mojito
Passion fruit, fresh mint and lime juice make a killer tiki drink. Our passion fruit mocktail recipe is perfect as a tiki party drink or just to whip up anytime you need that tropical escape. Brown sugar gives the drink just the right amount of sweetness and a touch of club soda adds a nice fizz.
Blue Mocktail
There is something about a vibrant blue mocktail that just screams “tiki”. Maybe it’s the incredible, tropical ocean-like color or maybe it’s the fruity taste, but our blue mocktail is tiki-riffic! Make a big batch and serve it as a punch at your next tiki party. Everyone will dive right in!
You Asked, We’re Answering
Want to know a little more about tiki drinks? We can tell you all about them! Here are a few commonly asked questions and answers about tiki drinks and how to make them.
What makes a tiki drink?
A tiki drink is usually made with rum, is bright and colorful, fruity and has over the top garnishes. Of course, you can skip the rum and still have an amazing tiki mocktail!
What do you serve in a tiki glass?
Serve any delicious, fruity mocktails in a tiki glass. Cold drinks or frozen drinks are best so the tiki mug gets nice and frosty-cold. That frosted look is part of the tiki appeal.
How do you drink a tiki drink?
Most tiki drinks are served with fancy straws. A cool straw makes a tiki drink even more exciting and fun to drink. You can sip a tiki drink right out of the tiki mug too. As long as the drink is cold and fruity, drink it however you’d like!
Is a mojito a tiki drink?
Yes, a mojito is a tiki drink. It is classically made with rum and fresh fruit juice, two hallmarks of a tiki drink.
What was the first tiki drink?
The Mai Tai was the original tiki style drink. It is fruity, made with rum and deliciously tropical.
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