Summer Cocktails - The Mai Tai
I recently had the worst Mai Tai of my life. Well rum, cranberry juice, sweet and sour, Meyers floater, and canned pineapple juice. This is what a typical neighborhood bar Mai Tai is composed of. Now, when bartending, I don’t have access to rock candy syrup or orgeat (although I have convinced manager to start carrying this delicious almond milk and orange flower concoction), and therefore may not be able to serve traditional Mai Tais, but that doesn’t mean I can’t make a delicious Mai Tai out of bar staples.
To make a decent Mai Tai, start with a decent rum, one that you would want to highlight the flavors of. Chances are your POS system is charging for a Mai Tai rather than a premium liquor, so feel free to use the good stuff. To replace the orgeat, use a combination of ammareto or creme de noyeaux and orange curacao. Then, add fresh lime juice and either simple syrup or light agave nectar. Top with a dark rum floater, and voila, you have a delicious, summery Mai Tai that will make your customers very happy.
