You may remember a previous encounter with the Zombie during our fateful trip to the Tonga Hut. Try as we might, we were a little bit scarred by the corn-syrupesque concoction, sadly tormeted by visions of what could have been if only the place had a bartender who knew what they were doing.
Then something wonderful happened: our brand new copy of Beachbum Berry’s Intoxica! appeared, whisked to our door by the friendly faces at UPS. For those who are unfamiliar with it, the book is the sequel to Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log, both of which highlight the drinks and history of America’s particular fascination with faux-Polynesian culture in the early-to-mid twentieth century.
So what do you do when confronted with such a fabulous resource? Make a Don the Beachcomber Zombie, of course!
1 oz gold Puerto Rican rum
1 oz white Puerto Rican rum
1 oz 151 Demerara rum
1 oz unsweetened pineapple juice
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz lime juice
1 oz passion fruit syrup
1 teaspoon brown sugar
dash Angostura bitters
sprig of mintDissolve sugar in lemon juice. Shake all ingredients over crushed ice, pour into a Collins glass and garnish with mint.
It’s good. Really, really good. So good, in fact, that I can only give two words of advice: drink slowly.
May 8th, 2008at 8:33 am(#)
If you get Beachbum Berry’s latest book, “Sippin’ Safari,” you find what he and many believe to be the original Zombie cocktail recipe from Don the Beachcomber.
May 8th, 2008at 10:41 am(#)
I have the new book (pre-ordered, in fact), but thanks for the tip!
July 27th, 2009at 8:10 pm(#)
Is this recipe similar to the one that is in Sippin’ Safari? I want to buy the book, but only for the one recipe! lol
July 28th, 2009at 8:03 am(#)
Jeff has different Zombie recipes in each of his books, as his continued research turned up more information about the drink’s variations incarnations each time. Sippin’ Safari is a great book, though, so don’t be afraid to buy it! I heard there’s also a reprint of his three early books in the works, so you may be able to pick all of those up in one volume soon.
September 22nd, 2009at 8:52 am(#)
http://wiki.webtender.com/wiki/Zombie
follows the chronology of the drink and its everchanging recipe very nicely. Interesting to note that the modern-day recipes are nothing like Don the Beachcomber’s (other than the fact that they use rum).