Cocktails Reconsidered: The Surfer on Acid
When it comes to delicious cocktails that never seem to get the credit they deserve, the Surfer on Acid is one of those drinks that has be damn near the top. When you look at the build of the drink it is genius in its approach and although, it was created in the early 1990s by Eric Tecosky (founder of Dirty Sue,) it bears many of the characteristics of the craft cocktail movement that would not take a hold of the country for almost another 20 years.
It is tropical, if not nouveau-tiki, in many ways with its combination of coconut, rum, pineapple and amaro. And if not for its unfortunate, and largely undeserved stigma, the drink would look right at home on the menus of today's top cocktail bars. With its mixture of island fruit and amaro, it can be as complex and intricate as any drink you could hope to encounter online or in a bar.
Although, the original version of the drink consisted of coconut-flavored Rum, Jagermeister & Pineapple Juice, when recreating the drink today, I tweak the formula ever so slightly, while still remaining true to the drink. Whereas, the version from the nineties was primarily served as a shooter, we moved this version to pebble ice or blended, to make it more of a sipper.
In lieu of the coconut flavored rum, we subbed a little bit of White Rum and Coconut Cream, and while the drink works wonderfully with the original Jagermeister, switching up the amaro can lead to all kinds of cool variations and possibilities. I generally lean towards Averna when making it, but have had delicious versions with pretty much any amaro that you can think of.
In addition, I hit with just a bit of lime juice to brighten the drink the up and give it some vibrancy. In effect the result is largely a Piña Colada with a healthy dose of amaro, but if you really think about it, that is what the original flavor profile was as well, except in the form of a shooter.
Here is the recipe for you below & feel free to click here if you would like a little more info on the drink's history.
SURFER ON ACID
1oz White Rum
1oz Amaro
.5oz Lime
1.5oz Pineapple
.75oz Coconut Cream*
METHOD: Crushed/Pebble Ice
GLASSWARE: Hurricane
GARNISH: Lime & Pineapple Leaf
Created by Eric Tecosky
* I used Coco Lopez, but feel free to use whatever brand you like. Homemade is even better if you have the time to whip up a batch.