Sunshine, our host and award-winning amateur mixologist, shares his recipes for the cocktails featured on Zen Tiki Lounge podcast. These drinks are delicious and the recipes are updated over time. They range from simple, to complex are often stronger than they appear.
Try some out and share your thoughts in the comments. We'd love to hear what you think!
Here is an UP drink that is bright in citrus flavor with hints of spice and a touch of bitter. Tansuma is simply a play on the words Tangerine and Satsuma, two varietals of citrus that work well in this cocktail interchangeably.
Read MoreEvery great day by the pool requires a beverage to increase your level of relaxation. Pool Drink is a simple concoction that relies on things you likely have in your cabinet, in your fridge or behind your bar. Its not fancy but it hits the spot on those warm days when a reusable plastic cup can be refilled many times over your lazy day.
Read MoreLook out for the Sand Trap! This perfect for Summer blended cocktail is not your usual piñaesque blender tragedy. If you like a good cocktail but shy away from way to sweet blended concoctions, this is your frosty and boozy treat.
Read MoreSweet, tart, creamy and balanced. Mother of Pearl is one of those rare cocktails that includes both butter and cream as well as a touch of honey. Dark rums and mezcal add the complexity you will notice but may not be able to pick out without reading the ingredient list.
Read MoreWhen you travel you have an opportunity to try local cocktails. Grand Cayman is known for a local spiked lemonade called Swanky. Its a simple variation on classic lemonade that pairs nicely with good dark rum. Try the traditional island recipe or our Extra Swanky version.
Read MoreIf this drink sounds like it may be adjacent to a Moscow Mule thats because it is. Swapping out dark rum for the vodka and adding some extra ginger kick is what makes this drink perhaps better than the usual mule. The naming inspiration comes from none other than our current political climate which includes Russian social media hacking and all kinds of other shenanigans we would all like to forget about over a drink or two, or three.
Read MoreAt some point we all experience a brush off or return to sender notice from the very person we are infatuated with. These "bruised passions" can sometimes sting a little more than one might be prepared for. The solution is a lovely cocktail such as this
Read MoreIf you seek a place of relaxing contemplation you may want to try Chinese Sandman. For those who imbibe before bed time, this may be the drink for you. Potent enough to sedate and just sweet enough to hit you like an end of day dessert.
Read MoreIf a California sunrise had a flavor, this would be it. Passion fruit and lemon juices complement the white wine aromas in Calivore Blonde Rum. A touch of California Orange Blossom Honey adds a unique sweetness and the scent of the little white blossoms that blanket golden state gardens throughout the year.
Read MoreWe receive a lot of requests for simple cocktails with just one exotic ingredient. Many people don't mind searching for one hard to find ingredient but prefer to keep it to just that one item. We can understand. The Puka Shell will impress with simplicity and an exotic touch. Made with Ōkolehao, the ancient Hawaiian spirit distilled from ti plant.
Read MoreSweet dark cherries with pineapple infused rum and homemade falernum are the highlights of the Cherry Bonzai. A potent cocktail that is uncomplicated with ingredients that should be fairly easy to come by. We believe that every home tiki bar should try infusing a small batch of falernum just once so that you can see and taste the amazing difference that nothing on the market can offer.
Read MoreWhat is a fruitcake? That question is harder and harder to answer as each generation comes into adulthood. Those of us in our 40's, 50's 60's and even more silver of generations know that it is a baked good of sometimes evil and sometimes joy. Dense. Heavy. Spiced. Fruity. What if a cocktail imparted only the better notions of said baked good? That is what My Tropical Fruitcake tries to be. Two parts spice and three part fruit is what makes My Tropical Fruitcake a miracle in mixology. Stirred together these liquors and spiced rum become something reminiscent of the forbidden cake of your darkest holiday dreams.
Read MoreWhen Winter ailments get to you its easy to turn to alternative methods of healing to find any relief. A person can only take so much stuffy nose, sore throat and aches and pains. Granny was never shy about putting a spot of rum or bourbon in some concoction that was said to soothe a pesky cold or just plain good on a cool day.
Read MoreRegardless of what troubles you in life this BIG drink is meant for warm days and nights. This is a base recipe drink, meaning you can interchange a few of the ingredients without messing it up and create your own personal favorite. Try replacing black tea with Earl Grey. Or change out the limoncello with mango or passion fruit rum. Maybe switch the brown sugar for agave or honey? Make this drink you own.
Read MoreEvery bar should have one or two drinks that walk away from their usual theme or clientele. Burnt Bourbon is about as far from a tiki dink as you can get while still pleasing folks who truly enjoy good spirits. An average bourbon and some smokey mezcal pair perfectly with pressed apple cider and cardamom. Serve this to impress your relatives at Thanksgiving or any holiday. Sip. Savor. Enjoy.
Read MoreIts been known for centuries that drinking alcohol can be safer than water. Allegedly. Consult your physician before testing this theory. Then, mix up Agua Suja and celebrate the Summer 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Jeneiro. Ward off Zika virus and most other vectors that could otherwise dampen your trip to paradise.
Read MorePineapple Freesia is a lady drink that gentlemen prefer. A simple combination of coconut, lime, pineapple and macadamia nut flavors are the key to this superb and sensational sipping delight. Before or after dinner, poolside or in your favorite lounge. Pineapple Freesia won't let you escape the island pleasures you imagine all week long.
Read MoreTiki Italiano is a Summer sipper that pleases both the lover of sweet drinks and savory cocktails. Beware how easy this one goes down. The booze is covered up well enough that you may get into a little trouble if you aren't careful. Serve with meats, cheeses, crackers and savory tid bits. Yes! A tiki drink that pairs well with the snacks you would usually enjoy with wine.
Read MoreThis drink is an ode to the DICK that was sitting next to Sunshine at a local casino bar. You know, those guys who slap the buttons because they are sore losers. No one likes a mad, drunk, sore loser. And here is a drink that just about any bar should be able to make with the standard ingredients on hand. Drink two of these and your likely to have some stellar luck and maybe the guy next to you will go away. The Poker DICK!
Read MoreJeannie's Fire puts the heat into your drinking experience. Feel her flames tingle down your throat as you sip on this citrus and brown sugar cocktail made with Deadhead aged rum. The spiced brown sugar syrup is an easy homemade sugar syrup that anyone can make. Watch the video and mix this drink!
Read More
