Okolehao facts for kids
Okolehao is a special Hawaiian alcoholic drink. It was originally made from the root of the ti plant. People in Hawaii discovered that if they baked the ti root, a sweet liquid would come out. This heat changed the plant's starch into a type of sugar that could be fermented.
The baked root was then soaked in water, which dissolved the sugar. This started a process called fermentation, where the sugar turns into alcohol. When English sailors arrived in 1790, they showed Hawaiians how to use distillation to make the fermented drink much stronger. This made Okolehao Hawaii's only native distilled spirit. Even King David Kalakaua, also known as the Merrie Monarch, was said to have his own equipment to make it!
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What's in a Name?
The name Okolehao comes from the large iron pots that sailors brought ashore from their ships. These pots were shaped like big kettles and were used to make the spirit. In the Hawaiian language, ʻōkole means "butt" and hao means "iron." So, the name literally means "iron butt," referring to the shape of these iron pots.
A Look Back in Time
After Okolehao was first made in 1790, Hawaiians started adding other ingredients to the mix. They found that adding sugar cane helped with the fermentation. Later, when pineapple was brought to Hawaii, its sweet juice was also sometimes used. When people from Japan and China came to work in the fields, they brought rice with them. Sometimes, rice was also added to the Okolehao recipe.
By the time World War II began, many different kinds of Okolehao were being made. These were often sold to American soldiers stationed in Hawaii. During the war, other types of alcohol were hard to get, which made Okolehao very popular. However, some of the drinks made quickly during this time weren't as good. After the war, as other drinks like rum and vodka became easy to find, the making of Okolehao slowly became less common.
Just like homemade spirits in other places, Okolehao was made with many different recipes. Sometimes, storing it in old whiskey barrels could make it taste better, but this wasn't done very often.
How Okolehao is Made Today
Today, a company called Island Distillers in Honolulu makes a version of Hawaiian Okolehao. It's a recreation of the original drink and is quite strong.
There are also some Okolehao-style liqueurs made. These are usually sweeter and are created by mixing extracts from the ti plant root with sugar syrup, rum, and other flavors. These liqueurs are generally not as strong as the original Okolehao and taste more like a sweet fruit brandy. The original Okolehao was usually quite strong, depending on how it was made.
What Does it Taste Like?
The taste of "original" Okolehao really depends on the recipe and how it was made. It's usually enjoyed without being aged in barrels. People have described its taste using words like "earthy," "vegetal," or having hints of "banana" or "pineapple." It's known for having a unique tropical flavor that you won't find anywhere else.
Okolehao in Drinks
Okolehao is sometimes used in special mixed drinks, like the Chief's Calabash and the Lei Day cocktail. A recipe from 1947 for the Lei Day cocktail included Okolehao, Crème de Menthe, and a small amount of absinthe.
Even though it's from Hawaii, Okolehao wasn't commonly used in popular tiki drinks in the past. This was probably because it was hard to get in places like California when tiki bars first became popular. A Hawaiian bartender named Harry Yee is known for creating a drink called the Hot Buttered Okolehao.
Okolehao is sometimes used in Scorpion Bowls served in Hawaii. This is a way to honor its Hawaiian roots and add an authentic touch to these large, shared cocktails.
A drink expert named Jeff Berry has a recipe called the Polynesian Paralysis. It uses 3 ounces of Okolehao, 3 ounces of orange juice, 3 ounces of unsweetened pineapple juice, and 3/4 ounce of lemon juice, along with orgeat syrup and other sweeteners, all blended with crushed ice. Okolehao has also been used as a substitute for gin in a drink called the Bee's Knees.
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