Mai Tai

The Mai Tai is a cocktail whose original ingredients are rum, Orange Curaçao liqueur, Orgeat syrup (made from almonds and rose water), and lime juice. It originated in America before being popularized in Hawaii and becoming a globally famous cocktail, also serving as a significant symbol of Tiki culture.

Tiki Culture : Island Charm in Urban Settings

Tiki Culture is a cultural phenomenon that emerged in America, integrating art, music, and entertainment, influenced by cultures from other regions including Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, the Caribbean islands, and Hawaii, all surrounded by sea and beaches. Essential elements of Tiki are vibrant bars and colorful cocktails, with the Mai Tai being a popular choice in these bars.

The Birth of the Mai Tai: Mai Tai Roa Ae

The original Mai Tai was created in 1944 by Victor Bergeron, owner of the Tiki-style bar Trader Vics in Oakland, California. He used the four basic ingredients mentioned above, and a 17-year-old Jamaican rum. When he mixed this cocktail and offered it to his Tahitian friends for a taste, they exclaimed in Tahitian, Mai Tai Roa Ae, meaning good out of this world or the best. Bergeron then took this phrase to name the cocktail he had created.

Around that time, there was a contention with Don Beach, the father of Tiki culture, who had invented over 80 new cocktails. He claimed to have invented a similar cocktail called Q.B. Cooler back in 1933, which contained rum, syrup, and orange or lime juice. However, after legal consideration, Bergeron maintained the right to use the name Mai Tai for his cocktail. Although the true origin of the Mai Tai remains a debate to this day, many say that Q.B. Cooler and Mai Tai still differ in taste due to specific choices of rum, syrup, and other special preparation methods.

The Mai Tai Goes to Hawaii: Global Fame

The 1944 version of the Mai Tai was not particularly famous during its first 10 years. It wasn't until 1953 that Bergeron received an opportunity to manage the food and beverage menus for the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and the Moana Hotel, both located on Waikiki Beach in Hawaii. This coincided with the rising popularity of tourism in Hawaii, which later became a US state.

Bergeron created a menu of 10 cocktails for the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, with the Mai Tai being one of them. He promoted this cocktail as from Tahiti, which greatly attracted tourists seeking exotic tastes. The Mai Tai's reputation grew rapidly, surpassing other cocktails on the menu. Bergeron refined the Mai Tai recipe for Hawaii, switching from expensive aged rum to more popular and readily available dark red rum. He also added light rum from Puerto Rico to make it easier to drink and more accessible, and incorporated Rock Candy syrup.

This revised Mai Tai, known as the Original Hawaiian Mai Tai, is the version that gained worldwide fame and spread to other Tiki Bars, growing rapidly between 1950 and 1960. By 1959, it was dubbed a popular tourist attraction by various media and even appeared in the film Blue Hawaii (1961), starring the famous actor of the era, Elvis Presley.

The Mai Tai Today: A Symbol of Oakland

As it became a widely available drink, its recipe naturally began to evolve with the times. After 1960, many bars started adding pineapple juice to the recipe and pouring dark rum as the final step to create a red layer floating on top of the glass. The Royal Hawaiian Hotel itself later adopted this approach. Thus, the Mai Tai, a light yellow liquid with a dark red layer on top, garnished with a cherry, pineapple slice, and lime, became the complete iconic image known worldwide today.

Oakland residents, business owners, and local politicians have been trying to get the Mai Tai officially designated as the city's official cocktail since the 90s. While not immediately successful, it became known since 2009 that August 30th is Oakland's annual Mai Tai Day, commemorating the first time Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan attempted to introduce the matter to the council. Mai Tai Day became a significant celebration for Trader Vic's and Oakland residents. After a long struggle, the Mai Tai was finally officially designated as the official drink of Oakland in 2024.