2 of our favorite drinks from Mahina & Sun’s

Try these refreshing tropical drink recipes, popular at the poolside bar at the Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club.

At Mahina & Sun’s at the Surfjack Hotel & Swim Club, the emphasis is on local and sustainable ingredients, from the whole, fried, mochi-crusted opakapaka (deep sea snapper) to the buttered ulu (breadfruit). The philosophy extends to the bar, where the Market Special cocktail is based off what’s fresh that day, and the tiki-inspired Unkle’s Punch incorporates a base of Ko Hana rum, distilled in central Oahu from sugarcane grown on the island. “Grass to glass” is what Ko Hana likes to call its spirit. While Ko Hana is available at select outlets in the continental U.S., if you can’t find it, substitute another agricole rum (distilled with fresh sugarcane juice versus the more common molasses-based rums), or your usual favorite rum will do in a pinch.

Unkle’s Punch

1 1/2 oz. Ko Hana rum

1/2 oz. Campari

1/2 oz. Velvet falernum

3/4 oz. fresh lime or lemon juice

2 dashes orange bitters

Orange twist

In a cocktail shaker, add the rum, Campari, Velvet falernum, lime or lemon juice, and bitters. Fill with ice and shake. Strain into an ice-filled glass.

Brunch, one of Mahina & Sun’s most popular offerings, calls for a lighter cocktail. The Tokyo 75 is the bar’s take on the fizzy and fresh French 75. The booze of choice here is Uncle Val’s, a botanical, small-batch gin from California, and the ume shochu gives the drink a juicy tartness.

 

Tokyo 75

1 oz. of ume shochu

1/2 oz. Uncle Val’s Gin

3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice

3/4 oz. lemongrass simple syrup

2 oz. cava (Sparkling Spanish wine)
 

Lemongrass simple syrup:

1 stalk lemongrass

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

With the back of your knife, smash the bottom of the lemongrass. Thinly slice the bottom half of the stalk. In a small saucepan, combine the lemongrass, water, and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 minutes. Let cool, and then strain into a jar.

In a cocktail shaker, combine the ume shochu, gin, lemon juice, and lemongrass simple syrup. Fill with ice and shake. Strain into a chilled Champagne flute and top with cava.

 

Recipes adapted from Mahina & Sun’s.