The Sober World of Tiki

Like a lot of folks, I came to Tiki via the Disney parks. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve found theme parks and environmental storytelling fascinating, so places like The Enchanted Tiki Room and Trader Sam’s were, for lack of a better word, magical to me. I think at the time I connected to something that is still central to my love for Tiki today–its outright refusal to take itself seriously. The world is too serious, let’s drink from funny mugs.

Tiki has such a fascinating culture and history. There are elements of some tiki aesthetics that I’m personally less into–I’m not big on masks or totems that resemble traditional polynesian art or figures, for example. I find myself most drawn to midcentury and pop art elements, flotsam/shipwreck/improvised shelter, with a touch of the Beach Party movies.

I’ve been a huge fan of Ritual for a few years now. They were the first NA spirit company that I found who really “gets it.” I believe I ordered my first bottle in 2019 or 2020, and I remember having a slight moment of panic after I tasted my first Ritual margarita because I couldn’t convince my brain it wasn’t alcoholic. The smell, the taste, the burn, it was all there and perfectly replicated. To this day, I haven’t found a non-alcoholic tequila that carries the same magic as theirs (and I’ve tried a LOT of them). Obviously, tiki is a rum-soaked tradition, and luckily Ritual makes a great amber rum that’s rich in flavor and similarly impressive.

A few months ago, they posted an open call to their fans, inviting anyone interested in partnering with them to apply to become an ambassador. I threw my hat in the ring because, like I said, I’m genuinely a huge fan of their tequila and rum. I haven’t been able to produce as much content as I’d initially hoped yet, but I’m really looking forward to continuing to share just how special these products are.

I think it’s gotten a lot easier. Even three or four years ago, if I went into your average tiki bar and asked for an NA drink, I was getting POG juice every time. I think that the pandemic and shutdowns led a lot of people to re-evaluate their drinking, and as a result it’s more common for a person to stagger leaded and NA drinks in the same night, or just take a night off of alcohol. Bars have started to notice this, and I think you see more and more menu options for folks who are looking for a low- or no-alcohol option.

I do think a certain extent of the difference is due to generational change. Millennials and Gen Z-ers seem to have a greater awareness of how certain drinking practices that we’ve traditionally embraced as normal are potentially unhealthy and harmful. Drinking doesn’t carry the same “coolness” that it has for previous generations, for whatever reason.

There’s something to be said for the growing acceptance of cannabis as well–I think there are a number of people who opt for THC and CBD instead of alcohol to still have a little extra fun, but without the hangovers, blackouts, or “angry/mean drunks.”

But aside from the generational gap and the growing acceptance of light THC usage, I think I’ve just observed a recent attitude shift in general. When I told people six or seven years ago that I didn’t drink, it would always spark an interrogation. “Oh? Why not? Is it a religious thing? Are you sick? Are you on probation? Are you a violent drunk?” You wouldn’t believe the things complete strangers would ask. Now, I’d say I get follow up questions maybe 5% of the time. People are just a lot more open to respect it as a personal choice, which I really appreciate.

Yes! When my partner and I started looking to buy our first home, we sat down to discuss what was most important to us. Much to my surprise, she stated that she wanted to have space in a basement that we could turn into a tiki bar. To say I was thrilled would be an understatement.

The house we ended up buying needed a lot of love, including installing A/C, scraping 60 years of cigarette smoke off of every wall and ceiling, repainting every surface, etc., so needless to say we haven’t had the bandwidth to make as much physical progress as I might have hoped. But that’s allowed me to relish in the “blue sky” stage of the project. I’ll tell you a little bit about the bar’s backstory and history.

Sub Rosa Shores is a turn-of-the-century era hideaway that will be the inspiration for our home bar. The original location was thrown together by Oxford University biologists, archaeologists, and linguists who were sent to this remote Pacific island a few years ago to conduct research. As they spent more and more time on the tropical shores, their desire to return to their drab lives of academia in grey, cold England continued to decline. They’ve all but formally decided to live out their days on the island, never to return.

Environmental storytelling is everywhere. Telegrams from their colleges’ deans, demanding to see some evidence of data or research. Requisition orders where scientific equipment and food provisions have been replaced with rums, bathing suits, and playing cards. Horribly and obviously inaccurate maps of the island, a product of their classic Western explorer overconfidence and tendency towards fantasy over careful observation. A parrot that dislikes certain drink orders. A list of byzantine rules only a collective of bored academics could come up with. Running tallies of ongoing competitions.

I’ve started collecting some of the ephemera for the place already, started to plan out how I’ll use the space I’ve got. I’m hoping that by the end of next year, we’ll be ready to take visitors.

​Picking only 5 is so hard, my current Tiki bar playlist is 72 hours long. But here would be my top five:

1. Pantan - Les Baxter
2. Isle of Love - Martin Denny
3. Lemon Tree - Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass
4. Autumn Leaves - Esquivel!
5. Lahaina Morning Rain - The Tikiyaki Orchestra