It might have been this winter’s record-breaking snowstorms or maybe spring’s slow start, but Bostonians are wholeheartedly embracing the return of tiki. The boozy tropical beverages, which call up thatched beachfront bars and lazy laissez-faire days by the pool, have made their way from the sands of the Pacific to the snowy East Coast after a decades-long hiatus. Deceptively strong, drinks like the Painkiller and the Zombie are no longer over-sugared slushies or industry secrets—they’re becoming mainstays, in all their craft cocktail glory, at Boston-area restaurants and bars. Tiki aficionado and author Jeff “Beachbum” Berry is coming to Empire for a one-time tiki masterclass while Ryan Lotz, bar manager at No. 9 Park, will be mixing up the chilly restoratives with a special tiki menu available all summer long.

The tropical genre was ripe for resurgence because of its characteristic layering of multiple ingredients (and its over-the-top garnishes and whimsical glassware). For bartenders, tiki presents a challenge: how to combine 8-12 ingredients into a seamless, even simple-tasting, beverage. Lotz recognizes the teetering balance: “The sky is the limit and you can be infinitely creative for sure, but flavors can get muddy really quickly, so it can be a blessing and a curse.” Berry adds, “When the drinks fail, they fail spectacularly.” When they’re done well, however, they’re “drinking as pure pleasure,” reminiscent of laid-back island life. Berry’s partial to the Zombie, the original recipe he tracked down from Beach’s disciples and decoded (literally, it was in code). Lotz can’t say no to a Painkiller.

With the recent revival, and the Arctic-style winter weather, Boston would gladly welcome a dedicated tiki bar. As Berry points out, if Wichita has one, why not us? In the meantime, you can try them at home with some guidance from both Berry and Lotz, who agree fresh juice is the key. Berry suggests starting out with a daiquiri to find the perfect balance of rum, lime and sugar—which he calls the Holy Trinity of tiki drinks. Once you’ve got that down, start laying in and layering on. Lotz’s Bene and the Jets recipe below is sure to be a hit at summer parties. If you’re intrigued by tiki, check out Berry’s Revenge of The Zombie masterclass at Empire on Monday, May 4^th. If you’d rather sip than shake, head to No. 9 Park to see what Lotz has in store for the warm weather months (mini umbrellas included.)

Bene and the Jets, by Ryan Lotz
1 oz Pierre Ferrand 1840 Cognac
1 oz Smith and Cross Jamaican Rum
0.5 oz lime juice
0.5 oz grapefruit juice
0.5 oz Benedictine
0.5 oz demerara sugar syrup
3 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 dash Kubler Absinthe

Shake everything with two cubes of ice, pour over crushed ice into tiki mug. Garnish with lime, cherry, mint sprig and hopefully a paper umbrella. Enjoy.