Skip to main content
Since his bar, Hale Pele, opened in 2012, B.G. Reynolds has been Portland's point man for serious tiki cocktails.
His Northeast Broadway bar's geekily researched concoctions are far removed from the frat-house punch bowls that filled the syrupy void after tiki culture's decline. The Walt Disney Company itself uses Reynolds' line of exotic tiki-mixer syrups at its Trader Sam's Polynesian resort bar—and so does Clyde Common's Jeffrey Morgenthaler.
Reynolds is now making a series of mixers for more casual bartenders, all intended to simply be mixed 2-to-1 with rum. Among the three we tried, the best was the Jet Pilot—a warmhearted lime-grapefruit tiki bomb that is possibly a perfect drink when prepared with a cinnamon-coated lime wedge.
Even with overproofed Jamaican rum from J. Wray & Nephew (dark rum is recommended), it makes for a richly flavorful stew. The Zombie Punch, which calls for overproofed rum, was the headiest of the three—a face punch of pomegranate, clove, grapefruit and lime that tases the senses. Here, we'd say a splash of soda water might be helpful. That won't be needed with the Mai Tai mixer.
Reynolds' take on the Oakland classic is comfortingly floral and subtle, with the fruity sweetness somewhat subdued, garnished with mint and fresh lime. While the Jet Pilot feels like it's made for a room with thatch and a fake waterfall, the Mai Tai is best for direct sunlight.
Both the Jet Pilot and Mai Tai are recommended.
Willamette Week