I will always have a soft spot for this cozy little bar …
I remember when the craft cocktail movement really took off in Seattle. It was around 2005 and my introduction to quality cocktails was at Sun Liquor. Sun Liquor was located on Capitol Hill, but it wasn’t on the beaten path of Broadway or the Pine/Pike Corridor, no … Sun Liquor was on a quiet residential street (Summit Ave. E) North of all the action. To visit this quaint little bar, you had to go out of your way which made it kind of cool and special.
The drinks at Sun Liquor were all hand-crafted. They were slow to make, but so worth it! You may be asking why I keep referring to Sun Liquor in the past-tense? The answer is that ownership has changed hands. The bar is pretty much exactly the same, except it’s now called Sol Liquor instead of Sun Liquor, but more importantly, the first Tuesday of every month is Tiki Night!
For Tiki Night a special menu comes out and its loaded with tiki classics along with a few originals …
Behind the bar tonight and taking care of my buddy Mark and I’s drink needs are Jessica Manzey and Isaac Thummel. The Flip Out and the Blue Hawaiian Blaze are Jessica’s own creations!
First Round:
Mark started things off right with a Zombie …
This is the true 1934 original recipe and it’s strong, like it’s supposed to be!
I went with a Test Pilot …
Nothing like a tiki drink that’s on fire! This is another Don The Beachcomber cocktail. It’s not as strong as a Zombie but it’s a serious drink to tackle. There is absinthe. Just warning you!
Second Round:
Going off the menu, Mark had Jessica make a Three Dots and a Dash …
She busted one out no problem and it was solid! This is the drink that I judge a tiki bar on. Sol Liquor passes with flying colors!
I was still nursing my Test Pilot, so no new drink for me. What can I say? It’s a serious cocktail that you can’t chug. One must enjoy a Test Pilot one sip at a time!
Round Three:
Mark wasted no time ordering a third drink. This time he went with a Planter’s Punch …
This is my favorite cocktail at Sol Liquor. It’s not too strong and not weak by any means. It’s a sweeter drink that goes down easy. If you visit Sol Liquor, order one. You won’t be disappointed.
For my second and last drink, I went old school. I went with a Hurricane …
Back in my early days of tiki, I considered the Hurricane to be the “Long Island Iced Tea” of tiki drinks. It was just a hodgepodge of booze and tropical citrus juices. It was good because it got me drunk, quick! The Hurricane at Sol Liquor was a serious drink but so much better. What sold me on getting the Hurricane was the fact that Fassionola is one of the ingredients. Fassionola is an old tiki ingredient that went away and is starting to make a comeback. It’s like grenadine, but better!
The mood at Sol Liquor was perfect. A constant soundtrack of Martin Denny and Les Baxter played as Mark and I worked our way through our cocktails. Seattle doesn’t have that much in the way of tiki, but Sol Liquor fills that void, one Tuesday a month!
Here is Sol Liquor’s website.
And Facebook Page
That was great, always good to learn more tiki facts, just sounds sooo delish…cheers…!