Man... This video is so so so so good! The amount of reading documenting, analysing, crosschecking, summarizing, writing to keep the script under 30 minutes AND entertaining AND have good visuals AND audio.... How many days of work must that video taken! I'm just in awe
That plot twist/reveal of your personal connection to Bill Akamuhou hit me like a ton of bricks! Amazing! No wonder you have the tropical spirit in your blood!
Just when I think there's nothing new to talk about regarding the mai tai. I almost feel silly for how eye-opening your points about curaçao and orgeat were to me. You did a seriously good job with this one.
Absolutely fantastic history lesson professor! Totally agree, a lot of great riffs on the Mai Tai. But for me, the ‘44 is my favorite! Keep up the great work!
My favorite Mai Tai to date, at home, is 1 Appleton Estate 12 1 Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof 3/4 Lime Juice 1/2 Cointreau 1/2 Orgeat 5 drops saline A dash of black walnut bitters. Garnish with mint when I can get it.
Wow - you went so deep on this one, Derek. Besides all of the Mai Tai history, I appreciated hearing about your family history and your connection to it. This was a masterclass in mai tai history that questioned some of the conventionally held stories that I'd heard - I learned a ton. Thank you!
This is an old video and as such you probably won't see this, but it just came across my feed now and I've got to say, as a long time tiki and rum (and cocktail in general!) nerd, this is the best bar-related video I've seen since I stumbled across Anders Erickson circa 2020/2021. More like this one please! The history, the mystique, the video length, perfect.
I see them all! Much appreciated. Not much in the pipeline for similar videos but if you have not checked out the Saturn video that ones is the closest. I created a History of playlist recently will all of the deeper dive episodes as well. Thanks again!
Great video going down memory lane!!! Cocktail history is like a fisherman story. Always gets better and more embellished with age. Got to say your family tie in is great. 🍹
Bravo, sir. Your effort appears to be well appreciated by all the commenters as it should be. I've been playing with the Mai Tai recipe for the past year or so and ended up close to the one you have at the end. I split the rums 1oz Appleton 12yr and 1oz Rhum Clement VSOP.
Excellent work, Derek! The Mai Tai is an all-time favorite of mine and I really appreciated the deep dive on it's history here. This has been a great series and has introduced me to some nice variations that I wasn't aware of. Keep it up!
Thank you for this video and channel I’m so glad I found it, your content is incredible and I’ve already heard it referenced at a few industry ed events I’ve been to so I hope you feel the impact you’re having for the better !!!
Incredible work, Derek! Super in depth and well-researched, yet I was engaged the entire time. Would love to see more cocktail history videos like this in the future.
Mai Tai was the first drink I have made and I fell in love in it from the first sip. Then I had no idea how many variations of the Mai Tai exist. Thank You so much for all the lessons about the history of this delicious cocktail. Thanks to You I've made my own orgeat at home and now I can enjoy Mai Tai every evening. Love You videos and really appreciate Your work. Thank You for sharing Your knowledge!
This was fantastic. That is some fantastic family history, Frank Sinatra is my like, great great second uncle, or at least something pretty far removed like that lol. My grandparents had a record that was signed I think, not sure what happened to it after they passed… This is much cooler though considering the background with the Mai Tai and your focus on Tiki. I’m not planning to focus on Mobster life anytime soon, lol.
Love the narration (and thought process) here. Orgeat makes such a huuuge difference on a drink-especially the Mai Tai-that more attention should be paid to it. Rose Water, or no? Simple, Semi-Rich, or Rich Syrup? The impact on a drink with so few ingredients is amazing. Also, thanks for recognizing the use of De Kuyper, which most Mai Tai aficionados would frown upon. Makes you think! Thanks for this deep dive!
Great video! Very cool that you figured out the proof of the original 17 year, cause i just recently made barrel aged Wray Nephew and there wasn't really a clear answer online on what the proof was. btw what is the name of the background song at the very beginning?
Can’t say definitively it was 43 ABV, but the bottles from Italy for the 17 and 20 were 43. Those images have been around awhile and the “43 Gradi” is ABV on Italian bottles. Possible US versions it could be something else, but would need to see proof of that and not just what people may think it was. Song is Pursuing Tikiness and it’s a stock/royalty free song.
Dude that was awesome, enjoyed every minute of it, some serious homework done for this one ! Any chance of adding Mls as well as OZs for us watching outside the US ? Just a thought, cheers
As someone who's always enjoyed history, your efforts to include historical events surrounding these drinks is appreciated. I too have explored and experimented with the Mai Tai, and honestly, as long as it doesn't have pineapple juice, oj, and grenadine in it, it's usually good🗿👍 I noticed a drink on one of the menus in this vid called Dr Funk's Son... Says it was served in an ice mold?! PLEASE explore that one for us! 😆
Started a while back when I was trying to envision that night in Oakland. What was it like? First off all, a World War was going on which seems obvious but what was that really like? There are SOOO many drinks on these old Menu's that are worth exploring and in time I'm sure I'll get to some of them.
Absolutely phenomenal execution detailing the history of the Mai Tai! Thank you for putting together such a detailed and concise video.Keep up the incredible work! Do you have thoughts on Greg Easter’s historical version of the Mai Tai? Specifically his claim that Vic secretly altered his bottles of the 17 year W&N with “Nastoyka”, A rum based infusion with raisins, hibiscus and vanilla tea, and star anise.
Thank you! I dont pay too much attention to the blends. I think they can be fun to do, but unless you’re tasting against the original then it’s really just for fun and not a practical clone recipe. Did Vic secretly alter the 17? No idea. But I don’t know why he would. According to TV, they stopped using the rum within a year. And during that year the drink was not popular. So why doctor a limited supply of rum that would have most likely been great on its own for a drink that was not even popular? I get why the rum is hyped, but it’s that split base of light rum and dark Jamaican that really made the Mai Tai famous.
Fantastic video! My one question - given that liqueur recipes often have been altered significantly over the years, how certain is it that the DeKuyper Orange Curaçao of today is anywhere close to that of 80 years ago?
We don’t know. I tried, but DeKuyper wouldn’t respond. But I would say that most people guess it’s changed, but there not proof of that. And the default is to use Pierre Ferrand which is not designed to taste like a 1940s Orange Liquer.
DeKuyper Orange Curacao was the first curacao I purchased when I first started my Mai Tai adventures. Then, trying to be more 'authentic' I started to buy the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, and then tried to elevate it a bit more with stuff like Grand Marnier and Cointreau. All that, only to now find out that the cheap shit I was originally using IS the authentic stuff!
I agree the search for the Appleton 17 year has gone way overboard- can you tell I did not get a bottle?? Seriously, there are so many ways to vary your Mai Tai to explore what the best drink (another subjective, personal judgement). For example, here are the things I vary: Rum- infinite number of options/blends Lime- 1/2 oz vs. 3/4 oz vs. 1 oz Orange- PF Dry Curaçao vs. Cointreau vs. Creole Shrub Orgeat- homemade vs. Liber & Co. vs. El Guapo vs. Lattitude 29 (and many others) Bitters- yes/no? Which? Saline- yes/no? The rum blend I most recently tried is equal parts Smith & Cross, Appleton 12, Neisson Reserve Speciale, and Plantation OFTD (idea from you, but wanted some agricole, therefore the Neisson).
I believe you previously said that rock candy syrup is just a 3 to 1 sugar syrup, but I heard from multiple sources that it also had vanilla extract in it. Is it true? And was it originally white or brown sugar? Thanks 🙏
This get's complicated. So much so that I will probably do a video on it. What was sold commercially back in the 40s? I have no idea, but real rock candy syrup would not be a 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 etc or include vanilla. It's it's own thing. Still trying to verify a few things on it.
Man... This video is so so so so good! The amount of reading documenting, analysing, crosschecking, summarizing, writing to keep the script under 30 minutes AND entertaining AND have good visuals AND audio.... How many days of work must that video taken! I'm just in awe
"Never let the truth get in the way of a good story." You make a great point about the rum used at the point where the Mai Tai became popular.
That plot twist/reveal of your personal connection to Bill Akamuhou hit me like a ton of bricks! Amazing! No wonder you have the tropical spirit in your blood!
Pretty cool little discovery. I didn’t find the newspaper articles till about 2 weeks ago. All came together at the last minute.
That was the best history of the Mai Tai I have seen yet. Excellent job!
This channel is such a gem 💎
Thank you!
Just when I think there's nothing new to talk about regarding the mai tai. I almost feel silly for how eye-opening your points about curaçao and orgeat were to me. You did a seriously good job with this one.
Thank you!
Absolutely fantastic history lesson professor! Totally agree, a lot of great riffs on the Mai Tai. But for me, the ‘44 is my favorite! Keep up the great work!
My favorite Mai Tai to date, at home, is
1 Appleton Estate 12
1 Pusser’s Gunpowder Proof
3/4 Lime Juice
1/2 Cointreau
1/2 Orgeat
5 drops saline
A dash of black walnut bitters.
Garnish with mint when I can get it.
Wow - you went so deep on this one, Derek. Besides all of the Mai Tai history, I appreciated hearing about your family history and your connection to it. This was a masterclass in mai tai history that questioned some of the conventionally held stories that I'd heard - I learned a ton. Thank you!
Thank you!
Dude this is Ken Burns level stuff. Well done man that was great.
Wow, thanks!
Great video, Derek! So well produced and a fantastic story well told. Cheers!
Thank you!
Great info, do more plz!
You are doing such a fantastic job. This video is incredible.
Thank you so much!
This is an old video and as such you probably won't see this, but it just came across my feed now and I've got to say, as a long time tiki and rum (and cocktail in general!) nerd, this is the best bar-related video I've seen since I stumbled across Anders Erickson circa 2020/2021. More like this one please! The history, the mystique, the video length, perfect.
I see them all! Much appreciated. Not much in the pipeline for similar videos but if you have not checked out the Saturn video that ones is the closest. I created a History of playlist recently will all of the deeper dive episodes as well.
Thanks again!
Great video going down memory lane!!! Cocktail history is like a fisherman story. Always gets better and more embellished with age. Got to say your family tie in is great. 🍹
Bro imagine having a love for something then finding out that your related to someone in the story 😮
thank you, i love the history i'm just getting in to mixology & i must say i really enjoyed every minute , please do more ' FAB
So much heart and soul in these vids. Love it.
Bravo, sir. Your effort appears to be well appreciated by all the commenters as it should be. I've been playing with the Mai Tai recipe for the past year or so and ended up close to the one you have at the end. I split the rums 1oz Appleton 12yr and 1oz Rhum Clement VSOP.
Great video! The best Mai Tai is the one you yourself like the best. And it is a great drink to play around with and try different types of rum
Excellent work, Derek! The Mai Tai is an all-time favorite of mine and I really appreciated the deep dive on it's history here. This has been a great series and has introduced me to some nice variations that I wasn't aware of. Keep it up!
Awesome, thank you!
Thank you for this video and channel I’m so glad I found it, your content is incredible and I’ve already heard it referenced at a few industry ed events I’ve been to so I hope you feel the impact you’re having for the better !!!
Wow that’s awesome. Thanks so much!
This is my 4th watch. Such an awesome video!! Thanks man, so good to
Great video and I really liked your closing comments on not gate keeping.
Yes, I do believe you answered my question from last week about your ending song. It was right there in front of me.
Well not something you would have known before. Also, no a song publicly available which is the only reason I can use it on YT
You deserve 250k+ subs... ❤
Thanks!
Incredible work, Derek! Super in depth and well-researched, yet I was engaged the entire time. Would love to see more cocktail history videos like this in the future.
Thank you! More to come!
This has got to be the best damn mai tai video I have ever seen, holy hell
Thank you good sir!
Another amazing video. I look forward to many more.
More to come!
Mai Tai was the first drink I have made and I fell in love in it from the first sip. Then I had no idea how many variations of the Mai Tai exist. Thank You so much for all the lessons about the history of this delicious cocktail. Thanks to You I've made my own orgeat at home and now I can enjoy Mai Tai every evening. Love You videos and really appreciate Your work.
Thank You for sharing Your knowledge!
That's so cool! Appreciate your comment, thanks!
This was fantastic. That is some fantastic family history, Frank Sinatra is my like, great great second uncle, or at least something pretty far removed like that lol. My grandparents had a record that was signed I think, not sure what happened to it after they passed… This is much cooler though considering the background with the Mai Tai and your focus on Tiki. I’m not planning to focus on Mobster life anytime soon, lol.
Thank you. And super cool that you have a connection to Ol' Blue Eyes
Derek
This is an amazing video! I really appreciate your style of videos. Keep up the good work.
You are doing a great Job! 🎉 I buyed Smuggler's Cove! ❤
Hope you enjoy it! Thank you
Well done!
Always such a great watch! I know these probably take forever to make and edit but I love them!! Thanks again!
Love the narration (and thought process) here. Orgeat makes such a huuuge difference on a drink-especially the Mai Tai-that more attention should be paid to it. Rose Water, or no? Simple, Semi-Rich, or Rich Syrup? The impact on a drink with so few ingredients is amazing. Also, thanks for recognizing the use of De Kuyper, which most Mai Tai aficionados would frown upon. Makes you think! Thanks for this deep dive!
Great video! Very cool that you figured out the proof of the original 17 year, cause i just recently made barrel aged Wray Nephew and there wasn't really a clear answer online on what the proof was. btw what is the name of the background song at the very beginning?
Can’t say definitively it was 43 ABV, but the bottles from Italy for the 17 and 20 were 43. Those images have been around awhile and the “43 Gradi” is ABV on Italian bottles. Possible US versions it could be something else, but would need to see proof of that and not just what people may think it was.
Song is Pursuing Tikiness and it’s a stock/royalty free song.
Dude that was awesome, enjoyed every minute of it, some serious homework done for this one ! Any chance of adding Mls as well as OZs for us watching outside the US ? Just a thought, cheers
Thank you!
ML will definitely be added to recipes in the somewhat near future
I had to pause this video to make a second Mai Tai while watching this. Well done! This is fascinating!
9:53 Imagine going to a OG tiki bar and everything is basically a dollar, god I wish I had a time machine.
Truly epic
Really enjoyed all the context. I felt like we were embarking on a James Michener novel.
As someone who's always enjoyed history, your efforts to include historical events surrounding these drinks is appreciated.
I too have explored and experimented with the Mai Tai, and honestly, as long as it doesn't have pineapple juice, oj, and grenadine in it, it's usually good🗿👍
I noticed a drink on one of the menus in this vid called Dr Funk's Son... Says it was served in an ice mold?! PLEASE explore that one for us! 😆
Started a while back when I was trying to envision that night in Oakland. What was it like? First off all, a World War was going on which seems obvious but what was that really like?
There are SOOO many drinks on these old Menu's that are worth exploring and in time I'm sure I'll get to some of them.
THIS VIDEO is maita'i roa ae! Amazing work!
Absolutely phenomenal execution detailing the history of the Mai Tai! Thank you for putting together such a detailed and concise video.Keep up the incredible work! Do you have thoughts on Greg Easter’s historical version of the Mai Tai? Specifically his claim that Vic secretly altered his bottles of the 17 year W&N with “Nastoyka”, A rum based infusion with raisins, hibiscus and vanilla tea, and star anise.
Thank you!
I dont pay too much attention to the blends. I think they can be fun to do, but unless you’re tasting against the original then it’s really just for fun and not a practical clone recipe.
Did Vic secretly alter the 17? No idea. But I don’t know why he would. According to TV, they stopped using the rum within a year. And during that year the drink was not popular. So why doctor a limited supply of rum that would have most likely been great on its own for a drink that was not even popular?
I get why the rum is hyped, but it’s that split base of light rum and dark Jamaican that really made the Mai Tai famous.
@@makeanddrinkthanks for your thoughts! I suppose we’ll never know. Cheers to Vic for blessing us with his creation 🍹 ❤
Fantastic video! My one question - given that liqueur recipes often have been altered significantly over the years, how certain is it that the DeKuyper Orange Curaçao of today is anywhere close to that of 80 years ago?
We don’t know. I tried, but DeKuyper wouldn’t respond. But I would say that most people guess it’s changed, but there not proof of that. And the default is to use Pierre Ferrand which is not designed to taste like a 1940s Orange Liquer.
Can we keep Mai Tai month going for another 6 months or so?
We'll consider it
DeKuyper Orange Curacao was the first curacao I purchased when I first started my Mai Tai adventures. Then, trying to be more 'authentic' I started to buy the Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, and then tried to elevate it a bit more with stuff like Grand Marnier and Cointreau. All that, only to now find out that the cheap shit I was originally using IS the authentic stuff!
I don’t know if you were there. My buddys at Pagon Idol won the Mai Tai contest at Trader Vics in Emeryville.
I agree the search for the Appleton 17 year has gone way overboard- can you tell I did not get a bottle?? Seriously, there are so many ways to vary your Mai Tai to explore what the best drink (another subjective, personal judgement). For example, here are the things I vary:
Rum- infinite number of options/blends
Lime- 1/2 oz vs. 3/4 oz vs. 1 oz
Orange- PF Dry Curaçao vs. Cointreau vs. Creole Shrub
Orgeat- homemade vs. Liber & Co. vs. El Guapo vs. Lattitude 29 (and many others)
Bitters- yes/no? Which?
Saline- yes/no?
The rum blend I most recently tried is equal parts Smith & Cross, Appleton 12, Neisson Reserve Speciale, and Plantation OFTD (idea from you, but wanted some agricole, therefore the Neisson).
Wow
This is crazy I'm actually drinking a Smugglers Cove Mai Tai right right right now
I believe you previously said that rock candy syrup is just a 3 to 1 sugar syrup, but I heard from multiple sources that it also had vanilla extract in it. Is it true? And was it originally white or brown sugar? Thanks 🙏
This get's complicated. So much so that I will probably do a video on it. What was sold commercially back in the 40s? I have no idea, but real rock candy syrup would not be a 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1 etc or include vanilla. It's it's own thing. Still trying to verify a few things on it.
awesome
Does anyone know the song used here? It's stuck in my head, I love it and want to play it when I do tiki drinks with my gf!
I ordered a Mai Tai for the first time after seeing this! So interesting. Who knew this history?
I know this is an older video, but I’m curious- could you even find out how DeKuyper has changed their formulation for Curacao?
We don’t know. But there’s no evidence it’s changed. Mainly people assume it has.
@@makeanddrink Interesting- I think I’ll stick to Pierre Ferrand for mine as you do. 😆
🤯🤯🤯
🤥 Iol
?
@@makeanddrink good video but sometimes in life you can’t always verify what went down in the past but your videos are very complete 😎
Not following, but thanks.
If you care what country your liquor came from, this is probably the wrong hobby. Go buy a car or something.
Huh?🤔