And escape we shall, preferably to somewhere beachy. We think you should, too, unless you're still nursing a hangover from this weekend's party holiday double whammy and relishing the excuse to stay inside.
No better place to fake an escape to the tropics than a tiki bar, and luckily, Adrift, which opened last month after many weeks of delays, gave Denver just that kind of spot, complete with island-themed decor and drinks bearing umbrellas.
The beverage board at this South Broadway bar features many of the rum-based classics suitable for boat drinking. But our favorite on the menu? The Missionary's Downfall.
Invented by Don the Beachcomber -- one of the founding fathers of the original tiki movement -- sometime in the late 1904s, the drink is made with clear rum, pineapple, mint and peach liqueur, which are poured over a glassful of crushed ice and garnished with a wedge of pineapple.
Refreshing and tropical without becoming cloyingly sweet, it goes down easy. Too easy. And that means you'll forget your drenched clothes, your ruined patio plans and your stress brought on by trying to maneuver a vehicle down Denver's streets when everyone has suddenly forgotten how to drive.
Want to make one yourself?
Here's the original Don the Beachcomber recipe, according to Beachbum Berry's Grog Log, by Jeff Berry and Annene Kaye
Ingredients:
4 whole fresh sprigs of mint 1/2 slice fresh pineapple 1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice 1/2 ounce peach brandy 1/4 ounce sugar syrup 1 ounce light Puerto Rican rum
Directions:
Strip mint leaves from sprigs and discard stems. Place leaves in blender with remaining ingredients and 14 ounces of crushed ice. Blend until smooth. Pour into glass or tiki mug.
And here's a modified version, adapted from the New York Times:
Ingredients:
10 leaves fresh mint 1/2 ring of peeled pineapple cut 1/2-inch thick, core removed 1 ounce lime juice 1/2 ounce Leopold Bros. peach liqueur 1/2 ounce simple syrup 1 ounce clear rum
Directions: Fill a chilled cocktail glass with finely crushed ice. Combine all ingredients in a blender and purée until smooth. Pour mixture over ice, garnish with a wedge of pineapple.
