Mixed Drink Monday: Mai Tai

Before I made this pitcher of Mai Tais I had only had them once before in my life.  That was on Maui, at a luau for my 24th birthday.  It was one of the few free drinks offered at our "open bar" luau and we definitely took advantage of the "drinks included!" thing.  Talk about birthdays peaking early...hard to top snorkeling and going to a luau in Hawaii as you get older. 

This experience of drinking Mai Tais was nothing like that one.

For starters, we weren't in Hawaii.  And it wasn't my birthday.  And nobody was serving these to me.  And it was about 60° out. (Want your weather to look depressing?  Look at Hawaii's...pretty much 80° and sunny every. single. day.) 

This was August, early August, and the day I made this it never got above 60°.  I went for a run and my feet were numb from the cold for the first two miles.  (Who thinks to pack more than a tank top and shorts to run in AUGUST???)  But I'm dedicated to this blogging thing (or maybe just this drinking thing.  Who can say?) and made my Mai Tais despite the less than ideal weather.

(Although, since we spent pretty much the whole day, besides that run, in the lake cottage, all three of us, maybe a few drinks were the right decision?)

(Also, I realize that NOT going to the lake in the cold was also an option.  Sometimes we go to the lake just to get out of doing things at home.  This may have been one of those times. #priorities)

These kinds of drinks are among my favorite - pour a bunch of things in a pitcher, stir, and then drink as desired.  No blender, not much work besides stirring.  It's easy to make ahead (so easy) and then have ready for a party, gathering, or just a whole day at the lake. 

AND, surprise surprise, it includes pineapple and coconut flavors, as most of the drinks I've made this summer have.  You'd think at some point I would exhaust combinations of the two.  But, alas, I have not.

Want to pretend you are in Hawaii while really being...anywhere not there?  Well, these will only get you so far, but it's a start!

Make-Ahead Mai Tais
yield: a small pitcher, 4-5 drinks?
Ingredients
-1 ½ cups cold pineapple juice
-½ cup rum (coconut or pineapple preferred)
-1/3 cup lime juice
-¼ cup Triple Sec
-1-2 TB honey (or sweetener of your choice)
-2 tsp almond extract (just trust me on this one)
-1 can ginger ale or lemon-lime pop (I use the two interchangeably on these...I realize they don't taste the same.)

Directions
Pour the pineapple juice, rum, lime juice, triple sec, honey, and almond extract in a pitcher and stir.  Refrigerate.  Just before serving add the ginger ale or lemon-lime pop.  Add ice if desired and enjoy!

Source: slightly modified from Chew Out Loud

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In the summer I aim to make a new drink every week and share them all here, good or bad!  See them all in chronological order by following the "Mixed Drink Monday" tag here or check out my favorites by scrolling down to "Mixed Drink Monday" on my recipes page!