From Behind the Bar with Adam Rains of The Golden Tiki
Open 24 hours a day, The Golden Tiki is located at The Center at Spring Mountain in Las Vegas, a strip mall in Chinatown. More than just your average tiki bar, it’s a venue for live music, a spot for brunch and a destination for those who appreciate kitschy fun. Adam Rains is the lead bartender and beverage director and has been there since 2018.
How would you describe the bar at The Golden Tiki?
GoldenTiki Head Bartender Adam Rains @LittleLane Media
The Golden Tiki is a magical place where anything can happen. You will find casino presidents, drinking next to busboys, exotic dancers, tiki fanatics and cocktail nerds. It's a 24 hour Tiki bar with a dynamic beverage program, live music, gaming, shrunken heads... and it even has real ghosts!
What’s the best thing to happen in your bar lately?
We just celebrated our 7th anniversary that culminated in the World's Largest Mai Tai. It was 100 gallons and was mixed in a 150 gallon fermentation tank in front of a crowd. What a party that was!
What drew you to your current bar and what keeps you there?
Tiki/tropical drinks were the final frontier for me. They were something that I hadn't much experience with, and I wanted a challenge. Today the challenge continues and is never-ending fun!!!
What does your typical day look like?
I spend the majority of my days developing cocktails, assisting bartenders, talking with guests and making that tiki dream a reality.
How often does your bar menu change?
The base menu has minor changes through the year but we have separate menus for every major holiday. We also have a monthly charity cocktail features and a quarterly canned cocktail selection.
What drink have you added to the menu recently?
The Captain's Quarters was added to the menu to satisfy the need for a spirit-forward cocktail. I like to describe it as a New Orleans style "contemplation cocktail" which utilizes Armagnac, 8-year Aged Puerto Rican rum, Spanish sweet vermouth, an array of bitters, Amaro Meletti and absinthe rain.
The Captain’s Quarters
¾ oz Napolean Bas armagnac
¾ oz 8-year aged Puerto Rican rum
¾ oz Mata sweet vermouth
½ oz Amaro Meletti
2 dash Peychauds bitters
2 dash Angostura bitters
4 spritzes absinthe
Burnt orange zest
Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice. Stir 20-30 times. Pour into a chilled medium sized snifter. Take a large orange peel, express half of it over the glass, then express the other half and spark with a torch to roast the orange oils. Wrap peel around a star anise and drop into glass. Finish with "Absinthe Rain" and serve!
How do you stay up to date with current drink trends?
I am constantly reading, tasting spirits, listening to podcasts, checking out Instagram and going out drinking, a.k.a. market research, with my friends!
What cocktail or spirits book have you read recently?
And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in 10 Cocktails by Wayne Curtis
Any techniques that you’ve been experimenting with?
Making allspice dram.
What fresh ingredients are you using this time of year?
We are coming into apple season. It is just a flavor that brings sweetness and a good amount of nostalgia.
Which new (or new to you) spirits brand(s) have you been using lately and why?
I have been into Mexican rums. There is a unique rum tradition there that really shows regional variations and terroir. From rich Spanish style to open air-fermented high-ester Oaxacan funk there are some really cool things that you do with them. One in particular is Camazotz. It’s from Oaxaca, open-air fermentation and copper pot still. It’s a sugar cane juice rum known as Aguardiente in the region. It has loads of aroma and is full of a juicy, grassy & vegetal flavor. It's amazing in a split based daiquiri or can add depth when used as a “cocktail seasoning” in a tiki drink.
What do you love and dislike most about the industry?
I love that we get to entertain our guests and practice the great American living art that is bartending. We enhance people's lives helping make their bad times good and making their good times better. The comradery that we share with our coworkers is phenomenal.
There are so many avenues to learn, get better and gain knowledge, yet there are still some in our industry who can’t take advantage of it. I dislike that.
What’s the best way to build rapport with guests?
To find that "thing" to break the third wall. The "thing" could be found talking about a cocktail, spirit, sports or even something as pedantic as the weather.
But I find what works best is humor. Whether it's making fun of yourself, a coworker, or a funny situation, there are many options in an absurd world. I am lucky to work in a place like the Golden Tiki where there are a lot of colors, fire, art, and an ample phallic symbols to induce a smile.