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TIKI CULTURE
Tiki history, tools, techniques, & all of the flotsam and jetsam in its wake...


Trader Vic's - Atlanta
A visit to one of the last great Tiki bars of the 70's

Bamboo Sam
Feb 16, 20234 min read


Planet of the Apes
A great drink with multiple outcomes

Bamboo Sam
Aug 13, 20213 min read


Pearl Diver
The Pearl Diver is another one of those drinks that would have been lost to time were it not for the dogged pursuit of Jeff "Beachbum" Berry

Bamboo Sam
Jan 26, 20213 min read


Elusive Dreams
The Patterson House (Nashville) is known for classic cocktails. The Elusive Dreams is their riff on the classic Hotel Nacional Special.

Bamboo Sam
Jan 19, 20213 min read


The Siboney
Another drink where we have an original and an update! One of the advantages of being an adult with a well publicized hobby is that any...

Bamboo Sam
Jan 5, 20213 min read


Dharma Bum
A great drink for the holiday season. When we think of Tiki and tropical drinks we most often conjure visions of tropical locations and...

Bamboo Sam
Dec 1, 20202 min read


Rain Killer
A lesser known cocktail from Tiki's Golden Age. While I often write about Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic, there was a third pillar of...

Bamboo Sam
Nov 6, 20203 min read


The Zombie
The dangerous drink that launched the tropical drinks craze I'm really not sure how I made it this far without doing a post on the...

Bamboo Sam
Oct 30, 20204 min read


Black Sand, Blue Sea
A Hiphipahula dedication to the Tikiyaki Orchestra After my Blue Curaçao epiphany with the Cherry Blossom, I've been going back through...

Bamboo Sam
Oct 9, 20204 min read


Kon-Tiki Rain
The Kon-Tiki Rain, a great Tiki revival drink from Kelly "Hiphipahula" Reilly & "Trader" Tom Morgan.

Bamboo Sam
Aug 21, 20203 min read


Navy Grog
An ode to Black Tot Day on its 50th anniversary.

Bamboo Sam
Jul 31, 20203 min read


Daiquiri No. 1
The daiquiri that launched them all!

Bamboo Sam
Jul 24, 20203 min read


The Golden Barnacle
The Golden Barnacle cocktail is a Tiki revival drink that adheres closely to what made Tiki drinks great in the first place.

Bamboo Sam
May 29, 20203 min read


Trader Vic's PB2Y2
A WWII era drink from Vic's original Oakland location. There are a few images that loom large in my romantic notions of the South...

Bamboo Sam
May 22, 20202 min read


The Boo Loo
It doesn't get much more tropical... Before I knew what a Tiki mug was I was awed by two types of drinks I remember my mom getting when I...

Bamboo Sam
May 8, 20203 min read


Kelbo's Guava Daiquiri
Kelbo's twist on the standard daiquiri.

Bamboo Sam
Apr 24, 20203 min read


Corn & Oil
A Traditional Cocktail from 3 ingredients! I realize that in these times of pandemic related "shelter in place" orders, that some of us...

Bamboo Sam
Apr 17, 20203 min read


COVID-19 Update
Ever wonder how Bamboo Sam is trying to keep Covid-19 at bay?

Bamboo Sam
Apr 8, 20201 min read


The Hipalicious
A short review of The Home Bar Guide to Tropical Drinks and the Hipalicious cocktail

Bamboo Sam
Mar 20, 20204 min read


The Straw Problem
With plastic straws now persona non grata, what are the other options?

Bamboo Sam
Jan 31, 20202 min read


Bamboo Sam's Site Update
a 6 month update w/ 2020 goals...

Bamboo Sam
Jan 17, 20202 min read


The Q.B. Cooler
The story on Don the Beachcomber's Q.B. Cooler

Bamboo Sam
Aug 23, 20192 min read


The Miehana
The Miehana, a First Class Tiki Revival drink

Bamboo Sam
Jul 3, 20193 min read


Polynesian Pop : A Tiki Extravaganza 2019
Notes from Polynesian Pop Festival 2019

Bamboo Sam
Jul 2, 20193 min read


So... Why Tiki?
a Tiki Manifesto

Bamboo Sam
Jun 27, 20195 min read


Straining 101
All about drink straining for Tiki drinks

Bamboo Sam
Jun 22, 20195 min read


Planter's Punch 101
“One of sour, Two of sweet, Three of strong, Four of weak”

Bamboo Sam
Jun 10, 20193 min read


Taking on the Mai Tai
A look at the Tiki's grand cocktail

Bamboo Sam
Jun 10, 20195 min read


Frankie's Tiki Room
Checking out Las Vegas' torch bearer for the Tiki Room I recently found myself in Las Vegas for a conference (Trimble Dimensions, if...

Bamboo Sam
Jun 10, 20193 min read
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