Tropic Thunder Cocktail
One of the things we have missed most during this pandemic is frequenting our favorite restaurant bars. We miss sitting at the bar, chatting with the bartenders about their craft and specialty liquors, and sampling their works of art. We have been making cocktails at home, but it’s just not the same.
We finally ventured out last weekend to one of our favorite places, Hook & Ladder. They have two patios and are following all the guidelines to keep everyone healthy. It was so nice to try some new cocktails and see some of our bartender friends.
Our Tropic Thunder Cocktail is inspired by a cocktail we had last weekend. We loved it so much that we had to try to recreate it at home. It’s the perfect blend of sweet and spicy and transports us to a tropical locale – if only in our imagination. A perfect cocktail for the end of summer, such as it is.
We hope you will try it and enjoy it as much as we do!
Jump to Recipe
Hot Mexican-style Chili Powder can be tough to find, but is well worth seeking out!
Mezcal has a nice smoky flavor that we prefer over tequila in this cocktail.
Strain into a cocktail glass rimmed with the spiced sugar.
Cheers!
Tropic Thunder Cocktail
Ingredients
- For the pineapple chile syrup:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 jalapeno chile sliced in half and then into 1-inch pieces (seeds included)
- 1 ½ cups pineapple cut into 1-inch pieces
- For the rim mixture:
- 1 teaspoon white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Hot Mexican-style Chili Powder
- For the cocktail:
- 2 oz Mezcal
- 1.5 oz pineapple juice
- 1 oz lime juice
- ¾ oz pineapple chile syrup
- Pineapple wedge and jalapeno slice for garnish optional
Instructions
- To make the make the pineapple chile syrup, place the water and the sugar in a medium saucepan. Stir the mixture together and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Add the pineapple chunks (along with any accumulated juice) and the jalapeno chile to the syrup mixture and stir well. Bring the mixture back to a simmer. Remove from heat and cover. Allow to steep until mixture is completely cool. Strain through a fine mesh strainer, gently pressing on the pineapple to extract any remaining juice. Store in the refrigerator
- For the rim mixture, stir all ingredients together and place in a shallow bowl or saucer.
- To assemble the cocktail, use a piece of pineapple to moisten the rim of an old-fashioned glass. Set the rim into the rim mixture and set aside. Measure first 4 ingredients and place in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 45 to 60 seconds. Strain cocktail into the prepared glasses. Garnish with pineapple wedge and jalapeno slice, if desired.