Well it’s MxMo time again and I was heartbroken to miss the last one. However when pineapple by Thiago of Bartending Notes is the theme I’m honor bound to answer the call. We really go through pineapples around here, just about all the juice we use is fresh unless we’re making Jungle Birds. It’s hard not to love the fruit that cools in spicy dishes and caramelizes so well on the grill. The official fruit of the amazing detective comedy Psych, and a crucial ingredient in many Tiki drinks.

When I started out making this drink I began with pineapple and pomegranate. In my mind I saw a “blood” of the pineapple filling the golden vessel. Perhaps we will achieve that another day. This drink was a week long battle with balance and my liver at that. Hala is Hawaiian for fruit, and luana is Hawaiian for relaxing. The liquid content of this fruit will relax you. Indeed it may lay you out on the lawn in your brand new tartan boxers, not that I know anything about that. Lets just say for the record it packs a wallop in the booze category.

The flavors are a product of all of my favorite pineapple pairings. Jamaican rum and pineapple are always good friends. Hoppy American IPA’s and Pineapple are a flavor romance for the ages. Fortified by lime and grapefruit we threw in Lemon Hart to give it some KAPOW. Originally this drink depended on cinnamon syrup instead of passion fruit but it dominated to much. The replacement finally allowed other flavors to burst through like a baby turtle through a shell. We present you with two recipes below, the first my favorite, the second a fruity funky version that has some merit. The differences are very minor, but the results are very different.

Hala Luana (For Rummies)
1 oz Appleton Special
1 oz Appleton 12 year Dark Jamaican Rum
¾ oz Lemon Hart 151
1 oz fresh pineapple juice
1 oz fresh lime juice
½ oz white grapefruit juice (This time a year you’ll have to get it bottled)
½ oz grenadine (pomegranate syrup)
½ oz passion fruit syrup
1 generous dash Bittermen’s Elemakule Bitters
1 oz American IPA beer (We used Sam Adams Rebel IPA)

Add all ingredients except the beer to a shaker tin and shake well. Add IPA to shaker then pour into a tall pilsner glass. Or double the recipe and strain over fresh ice cubes into a fresh cored pineapple to make a Hala Luana for two. Garnish with a gardenia or pineapple frond.

Fragrant notes of clove, hops, cinnamon, and rum. Sweet scents of vanilla open to pineapple and passion fruit on the nostril. Rich notes of burnt molasses, oak, demerera funk, and passion fruit fill the mouth. Cinnamon, and clove greet the taster followed by pineapple, hops, and grapefruit. The finish has a decidedly Lemon Hart spark with happy notes of pineapple and passion fruit.

Hala Luana #2 (For balance loving fruit fans)
1 oz Appleton Special
1 oz Myers Dark Jamaican Rum
½ oz Lemon Hart 151
1 oz fresh pineapple juice
1 oz fresh lime juice
¼ oz white grapefruit juice (This time a year you’ll have to get it bottled)
½ oz grenadine (pomegranate syrup)
½ oz passion fruit syrup
1 reserved dash Bittermen’s Elemakule Bitters
1 oz American IPA beer (We used Sam Adams Rebel IPA)

Add all ingredients except the beer to a shaker tin and shake well. Add IPA to shaker then pour into a tall pilsner glass. Or double the recipe and strain over fresh ice cubes into a fresh cored pineapple to make a Hala Luana for two. Garnish with a gardenia or pineapple frond.

Rich wafts of cinnamon, pineapple, passion fruit, and molasses. Pineapple, Hops, and a demerera bite quickly snap you like a wet towel to the butt, but you in a fun way. The flavor folds into lime, passion fruit and bigger Jamaican rum flavors. The finish is a funky round medley of fat pineapple, Myers brown sugar, refreshing beer, and Lemon Hart snap.

I hope you’ll try both drinks and find a favorite. I find myself very enamored with the first drink. However both show how much a small change can impact a concoction. I hope you’ve enjoyed this departure and you’ll remember to visit us often for your libation needs when you need an island of the mind. Until next time.

“You get Hammered America”- JFL