Hey Bartender: Mai Tai
- May 30, 2020
- 2 min read
Don't forget the lime!
where beer and cocktails meet
With businesses closed down and life put on pause for the last 2 and a half months we’ve all been trying new things to keep ourselves entertained. With many travel plans and festivals cancelled, we had to get creative at home to find inspiration for a new beer series. Amidst becoming our own mini HGTV stars, exotic bakers, garage mechanics and training to become amateur athletes a new hobby emerged to take the lead on inspiring this new beer. Tiki cocktail mixologist.
With this newfound hobby came new challenges, among them, perfecting the Mai Tai cocktail. As experimentation ensued we learned a few key things about perfecting this cocktail: first, use a good rum. The crystallized flavors of raw Caribbean sugar are essential to this drink, which is why we used a combination of wildflower honey, cane sugar and light Belgian candi sugar to emulate the flavors from our favorite base spirit. Second, make your own orgeat. If you’re not familiar with this delicious ingredient, it is a syrup made from orange flower water and, commonly, almond. It has a distinct flavor like yellow cake and, especially when made fresh at home, a delightful body and fullness. For this we sourced organic, blanched almond flour and added it to the whirlpool alongside fresh orange zest to make what actually tasted like a pretty amazing Orgeat at cast out. Third, use the right Curaçao. There are a lot of takes on this classic liqueur, but the ones we found most compelling in this cocktail brought forward massive notes of orange zest with a blend of spicy phenolics playing in the background. As the higher weight alcohols and subtle fermentation characteristics provided much of the subtle spice, we opted for an additional charge of orange zest added after fermentation to round out the flavor.Last, and most important of all... the lime! It seems like such a simple flavor right, so easy to take for granted, but the difference here is key. You can get everything else right, but if you finish this cocktail with stale pre-made lime juice, it tastes more like a household cleaner than a beach cocktail. We experimented with all kinds of products and methods of addition, but ultimately, we could not find a suitable substitute for the character of a freshly squeezed lime. However, we found a solution. With each four pack of Hey Bartender Mai Tai purchased at the taproom, you will receive a complimentary lime! Why? Because the flavor is ESSENTIAL, to this finished profile, but to get it right, we need you to take the final key step.
As an added bonus, you’ll have the freedom to find the dosage rate that perfects this profile for you, whether you prefer only a hint of the acidity to brighten the flavors, or a firm, tart kick, the freedom is yours.
We hope that you will enjoy this opportunity to take part in a small, yet essential step in the completion of this beer. We look forward to hearing what you discover in your quest to perfect the dosage for this unique creation.
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