The tiki glossary is your guide to terms, and words used in tiki drinks. This is a work in progress. It will probably never be complete as tiki cocktails evolve. I’ve been adding definitions as I learn things and as people ask me questions. If there is a tiki term you are unsure of let me know. I’m happy to answer.
Brandy is a spirit produced from distilling wine. It can be made with wine from grapes or other fruit. Cognac is a variety of brandy. There are numerous brands of brandy, but Hennesy, Korbel, and Courvoisir are some of the most common brands.
Bourbon is a type of American whiskey that is distilled primarily from corn, and is aged in oak barrels. In The United States there are numerous legal requirements that must be met to call a whiskey a Bourbon. Some common brands are Jim Beam, Evan Williams,...
Bitters are an alcoholic beverage that is made with herbs, spices, and fruits. It has a bitter or bittersweet flavor to it. A little bit of this stuff goes a long way. It is not meant to be drunk by itself. Traditionally, bitters came in two varieties; regular or...
Bananas are a long, curved, tropical fruit. That is yellow when it is ripe. Why are you reading this? Everyone knows what a banana is. 🙂
Bacardi Gold is an amber colored, Puerto Rican rum produced by Bacardi. It is smoother than Bacardi Superior, Bacardi's standard offering, but is still a mixing rum. Substations: Don Q Gold rum or other gold rums.
Amaretto is an almond flavored Italian liqueur, but many brands don't contain almonds. The liqueur is commonly made from apricot pits, and may have a variety of spices and flavors added to it. Amaretto is Italian for "a little bitter". Some common...
Almond extract has a strong almond flavor, and is most commonly used in cooking and baking. It is made by combining the natural oils from almonds with ethyl alcohol, such as vodka. Hint: It is common to find pure almond extract and imitation almond extract....