Don the Beachcomber’s mad genius is not only responsible for creating some of the most innovative and recognizable drinks in the whole of cocktalia, but also for fostering the talents of some of the most legendary bartenders to ever tread the pours. Given his clandestine nature, hiding proprietary recipes even from his own staff, it was imperative for Donn to choose the right people, people he could trust, to have access. Donn essentially created his own secret society within a small group of people carrying this esoteric knowledge.
Tight lips weren't the only prerequisite for employment, though. Don the Beachcomber’s served all kinds from the haute Hollywood elite out to be seen to the people out to see them. The ability to mollify conflict, keep pace with seven ingredient drinks, and placate entitled movie stars with a stylistic temperament that keeps them feeling important while commanding respect, were all necessary talents for working that Tiki life. There’s a delicate balance in keeping up the facade of exotic escapism while chaos unfolds behind the scenes. A Tiki restaurant is like a reverse mullet, party in the front - business in the back.
Under Donn’s tutelage his proteges created some iconic drinks of their own, but maintaining the tentative balance of Donn’s rhum rhapsodies was a highly valued skill. It took one such culinary coupling to codify one of the most famous drinks in Tiki.
Because of Donn’s cocktail anonymity, plus the fact that original Tiki can be elusive simply due to the passing of time, we lean on Tiki historian Jeff “Beachbum” Berry. Actually, Jeff is more of a cocktail archeologist. The digging and piecing together it takes to get as close to the original recipes as possible is an arduous process. Not to mention countless attempts at reverse engineering secret blends. Next time you raise a glass cheer Beachbum Berry’s health.
One of the ways Jeff digs this stuff up is by tracking down old bartenders or the families thereof. In order to keep the Donn’s formidable recipes on hand a lot of the head bartenders kept notes, and some of these even contain specific spirits used or changes made over time. Being a Tiki bar owner himself Jeff possesses those same charms employed by the old time Beachcomber bartenders, and he’s used that demeanor to cast long lasting relationships with the descendants of Donn’s staff. Having met Jeff on a few occasions I can attest to the most important of those qualities - Jeff is hands down the nicest most humble person in the whole Tiki diaspora.
For this episode I leaned heavily on Jeff’s book Sippin’ Safari. Specifically his chapter on one of Don the Beachcomber’s most fascinating protégés. A man named Hank Riddle. We’re going to go into Hank’s life and the preponderant role he played in Don the Beachcomber legacy, but what’s most relevant to today’s story is that he was the bartender at the Las Vegas Beachcomber’s when Donn invented one of his most infamous concoctions. Ready your garnish picks and brush up on your Morse Code because today we’re tapping out Three Dots and a Dash!
Ladies and gentlemen, my name is Tony, and this is Pod Tiki.
…_
Henry Hampton Riddle, or Hank, grew up in a pretty affluent family. Hank’s dad owned a lucrative fishing business in the Philippines and was even hired by the U.S. government to mine Subic Bay before WW2. Henry Sr. didn’t really have a choice but to be wealthy being the father of 13 children, all of which named after statesmen he admired, including a little Franklin Delano, Julius Caesar, and Henry Hampton.
Little Hank’s posh beginnings were cut short though, when the day after Pearl Harbor the Japanese bombed Manila. The Riddle’s home was destroyed and the family immediately became refugees, fleeing to the jungles where they lived for a time while Henry Sr. was interned. Little Hank helped his dad survive by sneaking food scraps to him.
By age 15 Hank was fighting with the guerrilla resistance against the Japanese when he was captured by Filipinos who thought he was a spy. He was tied to a tree and would’ve surely been executed if it wasn’t for a friend who recognized him clearing things up.
Upon his father’s release Hank’s family boarded a ship to the U.S., dodging German U-boats along the way. They settled first in Virginia before making their way to Los Angeles, California.
Hank’s desire to become a doctor was overshadowed by his family’s desire to eat, so a 19 year old Hank Riddle set out to find his fortune … on a Merchant Marine freighter bound for the South Pacific. Fortunes may not have been abounding, but hopping ports-of-call around the world sure did beat being tied to trees.
After a while Hank landed himself in Hawaii where he fell in with a group of young rascals known as the “Waikiki Boys”. While that may sound like male review, these misadventuring scamps made their way, “By day giving female tourists surfing lessons, by night lessons of another stripe.” From Sippin’ Safari. I bet Hank made a few haoles howl after his late night ukulele sessions on the beach. Little did he know he was about to meet the man who would set his course towards a lifelong career.
Donn Beach had restarted his Tiki empire in Waikiki following a divorce which gave majority control of his business to the now ex-wife. Donn’s acumen behind the bar never did cross over to the business side of things. A trait I unfortunately share, which is why I thank the Lord for my business minded wife. She’s all LLC, while I’m more L.L. Bean. Anyway, it was during this time a serendipitous meeting happened between Hank and Donn. We don’t really know the details but shortly after they met Donn had hired Hank as his personal steward. Perhaps Donn had finally realized he was more of a big picture guy, and needed someone to handle those day to day nuts and bolts. Maybe it was because they both had spent time traversing the world by freighter or the fact that Hank’s severe past had rendered him immune to trifling BS, but he and Donn became quite close. So much so that when Hank decided to head back to California Donn secured him a job at the Hollywood Beachcomber.
After a year waiting tables for Don the Beachcomber Hank left for a maȋtre d’ position at Malibu Seacomber. The Seacomber may have began as a Don the Beachcomber copycat, but the heyday of Don’s was fizzling out and the fickle Hollywood types had descended upon the Seacomber as the new “IT” place. Apparently they spent all their creativity on drinks and decor and not much on names back then. Which reminds me, go check out my new Tiki themed pet groomer Dawn The Fleacomber.
At Malibu Seacomber Hank honed his laid back but don’t take no shit demeanor. You see, stars would come in carousing with their spouses, mistresses, boy toys, all manner of savory and unsavory dishes, and it was up to the staff to maintain discretion and keep all the stories straight. Hank had a knack for dealing with it all employing a nonchalant acuity that earned him the respect of patrons. Things got a bit more complicated when the staff got involved. It’s purported that Elizebeth Taylor dated almost every busboy that worked there. Hank also had to use his ability to de-escalate situations when breaking up the numerous fights that would inevitably erupt between the lovescorn leading men and women.
Playing both sides in a way that would make RuPaul proud, when nosy Hollywood reporters would come snooping Hank would feed them just enough to keep the stories salacious while keeping his clientele’s sordid antics out of the tabloids. It was this trusted anonymity that eventually got Hank invited to all sorts of Malibu parties and gatherings. But Hank never let it get to his head. His past life of struggle gave him a lifelong aversion to over-indulgance in his personal life.
In 1950 Hank was behind the bar at Kelbos, an Hawaiian BBQ joint. He took the demotion in status to work closer to his ailing father. Henry Sr.’s body never fully recovered from the suffering he endured in the internment camp and in 1952 he succumbed. Hank threw himself into work and when CBS opened across the street from Kelbos he found himself amid the showbiz crowd once again, serving orders of fries to a then up and coming Johnny Carson. Hank was known to sneak shots of rum to Red Skelton despite his disapproving wife, and even had a young dishwasher for a time by the name of Francis Ford Coppola.
Hank used the skills he learned from the Beachcomber and Seacomber to totally revamp Kelbo's drink program into a Tiki bar using some classic recipes and even creating a few originals. He worked his way up the ranks till he was eventually managing the whole place. I wonder how he would’ve done at my gangsta rap themed Tiki bar Nothin’ But a Geecomber?
Hank Riddle had an incomparable way of handling customers. Providing top notch service while shooting back at their entitled taunts with a glib precision that garnered him more smiles than growls. This along with the explosion of Polynesian Pop in the 1960’s meant Hank and his ilk were in high and constant demand. Perhaps it was the vicissitudes of his past or the need to provide for his new wife and kids, but Hank tirelessly took every gig he could get. Managing Kelbos by day and moonlighting by night at various Tiki bars around town. Even picking up shifts at his former employer Don the Beachcomber’s. I wonder if he ever worked at the Dr. Suess Tiki bar, Starbellied Sneechcomber. Okay, that was a deep cut. I’ll stop.
Kelbo’s eventually offered him the general manager position at their new West LA location. For the following five years Hank worked there six days a week with double on the sixth day after which he’d make the hour commute back to Simi Valley. There his family was dealing with more trauma. After losing his eldest son to a drug overdose in 1969 his baby daughter passed two years later. His wife Cathie recalls, “He turned gray in a very short period of time. The doctor said if I didn’t want to be a young widow, I’d better get him out from under the pressure of that job.”
In a jolting attempt to slow down Hank found himself back under the umbrella of Don the Beachcomber. Albeit a tiny cocktail umbrella. He was back behind the bar at the Palm Springs Beachcomber’s in 1976 when a resurgence in Tiki culture rocketed the iconic bar back into the spotlight. Andy Gibb, Kirk Douglas, and one Frank Sinatra were just a few of the regulars who would stop in weekly. To keep up with the demands of high society, the Palm Springs Beachcomber had to take Polynesian opulence to levels unseen since Maui pulled the islands from the ocean floor.
Some people were just born with golden chopsticks in their mouth. No, that’s not a metaphor, the restaurant provided literal gold plated chopsticks for the pampered performers. And that’s not even the wildest part. Tiki has always been known for its covert theatrics. After all, it was Donn himself that began mixing his drinks in the kitchen instead of at the bar to preserve intrigue, and dare we forget the scantily clad “mystery girl” who would dance her way to your table when one ordered the “mystery drink”. Prime delivery way before Amazon. But alas, this time around Donn didn’t want anyone to be burdened by having to wait for the rest of their party to order, (Oh, the humanity!), so, he had a server for each member of the party simultaneously taking orders so no one had to wait for a server to make their way around the table. No notepad necessary, the waitstaff would memorize each order then calmly walk over to the banana tree in the corner and speak their diners order into the plumage. Behind the broad banana leaves was hidden an intercom system that delivered the orders to the kitchen staff.
Here’s another thing. These were the days when people actually took pride in their work and service industry, especially fine dining, was not relegated as a job to get you through college. The staff at the time described this level of service as an artform. An artform that has sadly been lost.
Unfortunately for Hank, this popularity didn’t afford him much of the slow-down he was hoping for. He didn’t choose the Tiki life, the Tiki life chose him. Thus, our weary hero soon found himself once again as general manager of the busiest Tiki restaurant in town. But, Hank didn’t have to sacrifice family time … because most of his family worked for him. His brothers and sister were waiters, his son did dishes while his daughter ran inventory. Even wife Cathie got in on the action managing the books after her day job as a school teacher.
This gave Hank some time to focus on tweaking and inventing drinks. He created the Aloha Cocktail, which blends cherry wine with Puerto Rican rums, and modified Joe Scialom’s Suffering Bastard for the modern palate, subbing Coca-Cola instead of ginger beer. Cathie relays that he loved experimenting though wasn’t much of a drinker himself. I can attest after years of doing a Tiki drink podcast that it’s hard to stay focused at times when one has a proclivity to get high on their own supply.
It’s funny, folks often tell me I would fit right in as a bartender and why don’t I pick up a side gig? Let me tell you a story about a young man who loved writing so much it became something of an obsession. He left his previous life in beautiful Florida to pursue a career in Nashville. Attempting to follow in the path of his idols, a most unsavory lot, creating art became a poor excuse for an unhealthy lifestyle. He lost himself, finding only a man in the mirror on the verge of breakdown. It took the irrational love of a woman to slowly pull him back to reality. I’ve been fortunate enough to not have to do my Tiki hobby as a job. If ever I find myself a victim of circumstance that may change. In that case, God and Donn help us.
Back to Hank. He had a way of talking to the rich and famous that was pleasant but commanded respect. Did his job to a tee without kissing any ass. True class and aplomb. He knew what guests wanted and gave it to them with impeccable service. He could literally dish it out as well as he could take it. In the words of his daughter Julie, “He was just smooth. He was the commander in chief.” A big role to fill considering he worked under the godfather of Tiki himself.
Handily handling guests was one thing. Hank also had his hands full with the staff. To the unwoke guests of the 1970’s Asian was Asian, but when the Filipino waiter was being chased by the Chinese chef with a butcher knife it was up to Hank to assuage interpersonal ethnic warfare. This he also approached with the je ne sais quoi of a seasoned ambassador. Speaking a little Chinese as well as Spanish and Tagalog, it’s purported he was so well respected that when he fired people they actually thanked him.
As the Tiki bubble showed signs of popping Hank always held out hope. Bartering for supplies while capitulating to the chefs who threatened to walk out at every dispute. He received no help in this endeavor from his new bosses, Getty Oil, who bought out the Don the Beachcomber conglomerate in 1972. Yeah, “Big Oil” doesn’t exactly fit the laid back Tiki vibe.
They did however expand to new locations in Houston, Peoria, Malibu, and Memphis - and made Hank run all of them. At first Getty sunk a ton of money into their endeavor, employing Tiki legends like Oceanic Arts to outfit the new digs. Then they sank their own endeavor. Although Don the Beachcomber’s was profitable, Getty was using the money to fund other businesses. As the Tiki flame flickered out Hank was left holding the torch with no one to lend him a match.
Hank died in 1989, (same year as Donn), from lung cancer which the doctors attributed to a lifetime working in smokey restaurants. Though his wife contends it was the dedicated stress of the job that finally claimed one of the most prolific men to ever grace the dimly lit halls of Tiki.
Hank Riddle was never bitter about life. Not the loss of his family's wealth as a child, not the suffering he and his father endured during wartime, and certainly not the millions of patrons he happily brought joy over his decades long career. I imagine he handled the final conflict with the same upright distinguished acumen that he handled bartending and managing the once great empire that was Don the Beachcomber’s.
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Wow. How do I move on to something as silly as making drinks after that? Well, no matter what Hank was going through he always kept the Tiki dream alive for his guests. And that’s what we’re going to do here as we … make a drink.
Hank had his own recipes, so why are we talking about him here on an episode featuring an OG Donn Beach joint? Because it was from Hank Riddle's personal notes that Beachbum Berry was finally able to unearth, and therefore we’re able to recreate, Donn’s original Three Dots and a Dash recipe.
3 Dots is a phenomenal Tiki drink. One that sets a bar and stands apart from Donn’s other famous drinks, showing versatility in the latter half of his career. But to truly appreciate the 3 Dots cocktail one must consider the full package. The cultural zeitgeist of the time, Donn’s personal experiences, and a very special garnish that concurrently sells the flair while actually holding some meaning. For, 3 Dots is greater than the sum of its parts.
The name for instance. Three dots and a dash is morse code for the letter V. Which in wartime parlance stood for victory. So, what was Donn Beach, some kinda war buff? Probably some proto-hippie beach bum who fled to the islands to avoid the draft? Au contraire, mon frère. We know the second wave of Tiki came after WW2 veterans stationed in the Pacific islands fell in love with that easy swayin’ island life, using Tiki as a nostalgia upon their return. In some cases they fell in love with those swayin’ island hips and chose to stay giving us the Hawaiian shirt and cargo shorts expat look. Donn was not just a bystander profiting off this trend.
From 1942 to 1945, after already inventing a genre and becoming a successful businessman, Donn served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. I know, that’s crazy, right? Not only did he spend his youth island hopping around the South Seas off both coasts, but with expat culture being such a large part of the island lifestyle, he lived that too. The man truly embodied all it is to be Tiki. Donn Beach didn’t just walk the walk, he moonwalked across the bar right to the top of the Tiki totem.
Not too much is known regarding Donn’s time in the military, but his proclivities did not go unused. In a story told to me by Beachbum Berry himself he, “Planned receptions and scrounged luxury items for generals and other bigwigs.” It seems Donn remained the consummate facilitator even while fighting nazis. Funny to think at this same time a young Hank Riddle was fighting in a guerilla faction against Japanese suppressors, both finding a post-war home in Hawaii. No doubt this played a part in their lifelong friendship.
Donn came home and channeled his inspiration into one of his best creations, in my opinion.
Another iconic aspect to this drink is the creative garnish. On a cocktail pick Donn speared three cocktail cherries followed by a pineapple stick. Three dots and a dash. And with that, let’s get into it.
The Three Dots and a Dash Tiki drink is:
1 ½ oz Martinique Rhum Agricole Vieux
½ oz Aged Demerara Rum
½ oz Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz Fresh Orange Juice
½ oz Donn’s Honey Mix
¼ oz Falernum
¼ oz Pimento Dram
1 dash Angostura Bitters
6 oz Crushed Ice
Blend everything for 5 seconds and pour entire contents into a 10oz Collins glass. Garnish with three cherries and a pineapple stick and a pineapple frond. Jeff Berry instructs us to use a “tall” glass, which made me think of a pilsner or Zombie glass. I tried those and the drink only fills halfway. The recipe does not mention adding extra ice and doing so dilutes the drink too much. Using a 10oz glass maintains the thick silky mouthfeel and keeps the bubbly presentation.
By the way, hold on, let me wipe my feet so I don’t slip off this soapbox, but can we bring some attention to the fact that most Tiki mugs are way too big to actually put any Tiki drinks in! Most drinks have two ounces of rum, an ounce of juice, an ounce of liqueur, and maybe a half-ounce of sweetener. Five ounces of liquid at best in most cases. So, why are all Tiki mugs the size of beer steins? Perhaps the raison d’etre of these mugs have become more phallic than functional?
Back to the libations. The beautiful iconography of this libation is so relevant I suggest taking a moment to marvel at its elegance before taking a sip. The pumpkin orange hue and ornate garnish. Go ahead, snap a picture for the “gram”. Just make sure you tag Pod Tiki!
Before I give my review let’s go through the ingredients. For the rums I used Clement VSOP for the aged agricole. I wanted to experiment with Neisson, but could only find the blanc in my area. I was not offended in any way by having to stick with Clement. Its mellow caramel notes mixed with sugarcane grassiness makes this spirit perfect for sipping neat or using in a cocktail. As for Demerara? I have been obsessed lately with Hamilton 86 Demerara River Rum. Not only is it super affordable, coming in around $25, but the dark dried fruit notes are reminiscent of everything I love about a dark Jamaican rum sans funk. This has become my go-to Demerara for mixing and, alongside Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, a standard cigar pairing rum for these cool autumn nights.
Citrus should always be fresh squeezed and luckily this drink doesn’t call for anything crazy. So, no excuses! Hank spent the day tied to a tree for heaven’s sake. So, you can squeeze some damn fruit.
Honey Mix was Donn’s solution to working with the sticky mess that is raw honey. Simply add a 1:1 mix of honey and water to a saucepan, bring to a boil while stirring, then remove from heat and let cool. Most Tiki-philes agree on clover honey but I sometimes prefer the richer wildflower variant. For authenticity I used clover for this recipe.
John T. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum is the industry standard here. We’ve covered this before, but Falernum is a liqueur hailing from Barbados that starts with a white rum base with added fruit and spices. Other reputable manufacturers have begun making their own versions, but just make sure you’re using the actual liqueur and not the eponymous Falernum Syrup that is just a flavored mix.
Similarly, Pimento Dram has seen a resurgence among spirit providers, including the aforementioned Hamilton. Though, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram is still the standard as well as the most widely available. A product of the pimento fruit used to make allspice this is a common flavor in Jamaican and Caribbean cuisine.
Angostura Bitters should be self-explanatory. Maybe we should do an episode on bitters one day. The recipe is a well guarded secret but we do know it was originated in Angostura, Venezuela using the bark of the Angostura tree. The elusive elixir is now produced in Trinidad nop longer made from trees.
Just to be thorough, I still use a Louis bag to self crush my ice. The wooden mallet I use for smashing was indeed made from a tree. Therefore, I’m sorry to say, some trees were harmed in the making of this drink. A small price to pay for victory.
Upon the first sip strong overtures of agricole hit first followed by undertones of sweet dried fruit. Like that chewy apricot candy but with a hint of gourmet refinement. It’s a good drink, but the agricole pulls out front leaving the other ingredients vying for position. That leaves the drink tasting a bit off balance, and eerily familiar.
Glance back at the ingredients. Agricole vieux, Falernum, honey syrup. Remind you of any other cocktail we may have covered that I went on and on about how much I love? Yeah, this is a long drink version of the Island of Martinique Cocktail from back in March of 2022. The Martinique Cocktail can be found on menus from 1948, shortly after Donn returned from military service. Whereas even though some sources claim it was invented during WW2 the only mention of temporal mention of Three Dots and a Dash is Jeff Berry writing that it was served by Hank at the Las Vegas Beachcomber’s around 1965. It would appear that Donn added orange juice, Demerara rum, and Pimento dram to an existing recipe.
I love the Martinique Cocktail, but I can’t imagine with the pride Donn placed in his Rhum Rhapsodies that he would settle for putting a fancy hat on an old recipe. Especially not one named with such gravitas. So, what are we missing?
The answer may be found in my choice of Demerara rum. Although I love the Hamilton, Tiki heads have always gravitated to LemonHart, which is a darker, richer Demerara rum. I believe they do some extra barrel aging. Since Jeff Berry’s recipe from Hank Riddle’s notes does specifically say “aged Demerara”, it’s possible my choice of Hamilton was simply too mellow to hold up. So, I made a choice totally out of character. I went for the closest thing I had to a dark, bursting with flavor, Demerara rum. Plantation OFTD. That’s right, against my better judgment I acquiesced to the overproof.
With its blend of Jamaica, Guyana, and Barbados rums OFTD mimics the heavy flavor vibes of Demerara. In fact, it’s often used in place of LemonHart 151 in Tiki drinks calling for aged overproof.
Now I understand the overwhelming satisfaction Beachbum Berry must feel when he finds that last puzzle piece. This did the trick. Adding the OFTD balanced the drink out perfectly, in my opinion. The grassy agricole is still present, but now complemented by the depth of dried fruit sweetness. It created a pleasant earthiness. Even the honey and pimento have a better showing in this version. The Plantation substitute lends a small bite that should satiate the overproof nerds, while not punching the rest of us with high octane pungence. Apricot remains present as well as burnt orange notes.
We may never truly have the recipe exactly the way Donn Beach created it, but now that we’ve gotten as close as I think we ever will I can say with complete confidence that Three Dots and a Dash is one of the best drinks Tiki has to offer.
Apparently, I’m not the only one who thinks so. The 3 Dots And A Dash bar restaurant in Chicago has immortalized its infamous namesake in modern pop-culture. Opening in 2013 3 Dots has quickly risen to becoming one of the premier Tiki temples in the world, carrying the torch in a fashion true to the esoteric nature of the artform and making its inimitable predecessors proud. This is one I haven’t had the pleasure of visiting yet, but a cursory glance at the menu proves they are Tiki to the core.
With French style rhums going pop in U.S. markets I suspect we’re going to be seeing, and drinking, a lot more of the Three Dots and a Dash in the near future. I know I will. Too often Tiki falls victim to the crimes we are accused of. With only so many ingredients, and so many of us riffing on the classics, it’s easy to devolve into syrup laden overly boozed imitations. The illbegotton riff. WIth the amount of effort and precision Donn Beach and his contemporaries put into crafting these perfectly balanced libations who are we to think we can do it better? That’s why I’m so excited that we have real bartenders taking Tiki seriously once again. I can’t wait to see the names of next generation’s Tiki-tenders being written about in future books and talked about on future podcasts.
Tiki bartending is alive and well, but that’s not the only aspect of the genre. To fill out the experience we need to revive the art of Tiki service. The mystical, sanctimonious, exotica that Donn created and Hank helped to perfect. There may never be another Hank Riddle, but the stylistic escapist approach to fine dining and tropical cocktailing doesn’t need to die with the past. We see it happening already. From the Suffering Bastard in Florida, through Chopper and Pearl Diver here in Nashville, all the way up to 3 Dots and a Dash in Chicago. All because people like Hank Riddle never gave up on Tiki. And that, my friends, is a victory worth toasting to.
My name is Tony, and this has been Pod Tiki.
Sources: Sippin’ Safari, by Jeff “Beachbum” Berry - VintageAmericanCocktails.com - Liquor.com - Smuggler’s Cove by Martin Cate.
Much love goes out to the people in Florida dealing with the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. My family made it through relatively unscathed but so many folks didn’t. Please help where you can.
Most of all thank you for listening and Keepi Tiki!
