History of the Zombie Cocktail
The Zombie cocktail was invented by Donn Beach at his Hollywood Don the Beachcomber restaurant in 1934. It was originally created to help a hung-over customer get through a business meeting, and legend has it that the customer later complained of feeling like a “zombie” after the meeting, hence the drink’s name. Due to its popularity during the Tiki craze, and the fact that Beach kept his recipe secret and occasionally altered it, there are many variations of the Zombie served today, some of which taste nothing like the original cocktail.
Ingredients and Recipe
The Zombie cocktail typically includes a combination of rums, fruit juices, liqueurs, and secret ingredients. The original recipe is known for its high alcoholic content and complex flavors. An example of a simplified recipe includes ingredients such as:
- 1 1/2 oz dark rum
- 1 1/2 oz white rum
- 1/2 oz creme de almond
- 1/2 oz velvet falernum
- 1 dash absinthe
- 1 oz grapefruit juice
- 1 oz lemon sour
- 1/2 oz Bacardi 151 rum
- Garnish: cherry
Variations of the Zombie Cocktail
Over time, the original Don the Beachcomber Zombie recipe appeared lost to the ages until Tiki historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry puzzled it out. Berry spent ten years researching old cocktail recipes and eventually came into possession of the circa 1930s little black book of Beachcomber staff member Dick Santiago, which helped him unravel the mystery of the ingredient called “Don’s Mix”. There are also variations of the Zombie cocktail from other sources, such as Trader Vic’s Zombie and modern takes on the recipe by different bartenders and authors.
Strength and Popularity
The Zombie cocktail is known for its potency, and customers were historically limited to two drinks per visit due to its high alcoholic content. Its reputation as a knock-out filled with mysterious ingredients helped put Tiki culture on the map, and it has been a popular and iconic drink in the faux-tropical world for decades.
Conclusion
The Zombie cocktail is a legendary tiki drink with a fascinating history, a variety of recipes and variations, and a reputation for its high alcoholic content and complex flavors. It continues to be a popular and iconic cocktail in the world of Tiki culture.
