The Jungle Bird is a mixologist cocktail from Kuala Lumpur, 1978. Built on dark rum, served in a highball, around 18% ABV. Built at the Aviary Bar in the Kuala Lumpur Hilton in 1978, lost for thirty years, found again by Giuseppe González and later popularized by Jeffrey Morgenthaler in Portland in 2010.
What goes in a Jungle Bird?
- ·1 1/2 oz dark rum
- ·3/4 oz Campari
- ·1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- ·1/2 oz simple syrup
- ·1 1/2 oz fresh pineapple juice
- ·Pineapple wedge to garnish
How do you make a Jungle Bird?
- Add all to a shaker with ice.
- Shake hard until very cold.
- Strain over crushed ice in a highball.
- Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
What should you know before making a Jungle Bird?
- Fresh pineapple juice. Canned tastes like sugar; fresh tastes like fruit.
- A blackstrap-style dark rum (Cruzan Black Strap, Hamilton Jamaican Black) gives the drink its weight. Spiced rum is wrong here.
- Crushed ice fills the glass and dilutes the drink slowly. Standard ice cubes throw the balance off.
Where did the Jungle Bird come from?
Built at the Aviary Bar in the Kuala Lumpur Hilton in 1978, lost for thirty years, found again by Giuseppe González and later popularized by Jeffrey Morgenthaler in Portland in 2010. The Campari is what makes it grown-up. The pineapple is what makes it tiki. The drink occupies a rare space: a tiki cocktail an adult can order without embarrassment.
According to Jeffrey Ong, Aviary Bar, Kuala Lumpur Hilton, 1978; first printed in John Poister, The New American Bartender's Guide (1989).
What cocktails are similar to a Jungle Bird?
Common questions.
What is a Jungle Bird cocktail?
A 1978 tiki cocktail of dark rum, Campari, fresh pineapple juice, lime, and simple syrup. Built at the Aviary Bar in the Kuala Lumpur Hilton.
Why is the Jungle Bird considered a sophisticated tiki drink?
The Campari. Most tiki drinks lean on rum, fruit, and sugar. The Jungle Bird adds Italian aperitivo bitterness that prevents the drink from going saccharine.
What rum should I use for a Jungle Bird?
A blackstrap or heavy Jamaican dark rum. Cruzan Black Strap is the budget pick. Hamilton Jamaican Black or Smith & Cross are the bartender favorites.
Where can I drink a Jungle Bird in its hometown?
The Aviary Bar in the Kuala Lumpur Hilton has been serving them on and off since 1978. The bar has been renovated multiple times but the drink stays on the menu.