Tiki Era
1934–1975
The exotic cocktail movement blending Caribbean rum traditions with Polynesian-inspired aesthetics. Elaborate, multi-ingredient tropical drinks served in themed venues.
Key Events
- 1934: Don the Beachcomber opens in Hollywood
- 1937: Trader Vic's opens in Oakland
- 1944: Trader Vic claims to invent the Mai Tai
- 1950s: Tiki bars spread across suburban America
- 1956: Calypso music craze fuels Tiki popularity
- 1960s: Peak Tiki — over 1,000 Tiki bars in the US
- 1970s: Tiki culture fades as tastes shift
Key Figures
Donn Beach (Don the Beachcomber), Trader Vic (Victor Bergeron), Jeff 'Beachbum' Berry (historian/revivalist)
Cultural Context
Tiki represented post-war American escapism — a fantasy of tropical paradise served in ceramic mugs. While culturally appropriative in its aesthetics, Tiki created some of the most complex and well-balanced cocktail recipes ever devised.
