104: Nightmare in Paradise: Halloween at Denver's Adrift with Trader Vince and the Hollywood Demon

This time out, it's a tiki-fied version of our annual Halloween tradition. Much to Brad's relief, there's no pumpkin beer on tap at Adrift, a Denver establishment hewing to the old school traditions of tiki, under the guidance of their bar manager, professional rum aficionado, and our guest, Trader Vince Polizzi. We’re also joined by CU Entrepreneurship Professor Ethan Poskanzer, a frequent guest who’s appeared on several of our holiday specials. Trader Vin is one of the more colorful characters we've had on either podcast, and that's saying something. His knowledge of tiki culture and history are unmatched by almost any guest (see also: episode 101, Smuggler's Cove), and he guides us through his personal tiki journey and a sampling of several Adrift creations. Following a quick Tiki Research Project Update from Brad and Jeff, Vince starts us off with his take on the Husband Killer, a featured specialty drink during Nightmare in Paradise, Adrift's October-long holiday popup. With a flair for storytelling, detailed recall from the earliest days of tiki history, and a clearly vivid imagination, Trader Vince speaks for both sides of the eternal debate over what makes a "true" tiki bar. (Turns out it has a lot to do with the quality of the carvings.) He delves into the philosophy of tiki drink construction and the mortar of sugar. He serves us up a Zombie and his take on the Hollywood Demon. He waxes lovingly about the the historical significance and legacy of this remarkable cultural artifact we call tiki And before it’s over, Trader Vince even leaves us with a little tiki life advice, and a pirate joke. Happy Halloween, Aloha and cheers! — Tiki Time with Jeff is a special, semi-recurring production of Creative Distillation. This episode was recorded on location at Adrift, located at 218 South Broadway, in Denver, Colorado. Check out their Nightmare in Paradise popup, open through Halloween Night. For more info, visit https://adriftbar.com Follow Trader Vince Polizzi on Instagram @vincepolizzi and get his recipe for the Hollywood Demon in the show notes You're invited to participate in our Tikipreneur Research Project. Learn more and sign up at https://tikitimewithjeff.com. Thanks for listening! Much aloha to all! ADRIFT TIKI'S HOLLYWOOD DEMON 3/4 lime juice 1/2 grapefruit juice 1/2 cinnamon syrup 1/2 falernum tsp grenadine 2 dashes herbstura 1.5 oz column still rum (Dark Puerto Rican) 1.5 oz darker midcentury Jamaican (Smith & Cross) 1 oz Demerara 151 add cup of ice spindle mix in hamilton beach splash blender for 5 secs add mint, graperfruit slice -- CREATIVE DISTILLATION University of Colorado-Boulder professors Jeff York and Brad Werner distill entrepreneurship research into actionable insights. Jeff York | Associate Professor | Research Director
[email protected] Brad Werner | Instructor | Teaching Director
[email protected] Deming Center for Entrepreneurship | CU Leeds School of Business
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