Sumatra Kula
{{Short description|Type of cocktail}}
The Sumatra Kula (also known as Sumatra cooler) is a vintage tiki cocktail invented by Donn Beach that calls for light rum, equal parts orange, lime and white grapefruit juices, and is sweetened with a diluted honey mix.{{cite web |title=US Copyright renewal registrations |url=https://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/cce/cache/ComPrints-1969JulDec.pdf |website=onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu |access-date=February 18, 2019}}{{cite web |title=TIKI DRINK NOSTALGIA |url=http://www.amountainofcrushedice.com/?p=7951 |website=amountainofcrushiced.com |date = 15 November 2009|access-date=February 18, 2019}}{{cite web |title=A Malayan Mystery |url=http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2011/10/05/mai-kai-cocktail-review-a-malayan-mist-ery/ |website=slammie.com |date=5 October 2011 |accessdate=18 February 2019}}{{cite web |title=Tiki Cocktails - The Sumatra Kula |url=https://putneyfarm.com/2012/04/12/tiki-cocktails-the-sumatra-kula/ |website=putneyfarm.com |date=April 12, 2012 |access-date=February 18, 2019}}
History
The Sumatra Kula cocktail was created by Donn Beach, also known as "the beachcomber" because of his Don the Beachcomber chain of restaurants, and may have been one of his very first drinks, allegedly gaining notoriety after he served it to a reporter from the New York Tribune.{{cite web |title=Don The Beachcomber |url=http://www.donthebeachcomber.com/pages/about-us |website=donthebeachcomber.com |access-date=16 February 2019}} A book co-authored by his ex-wife Phoebe Beach claims it was his very first original mixed drink and sold for 25 cents.{{cite book |last1=Bitner |first1=Arnold |title=Hawai'i Tropical Rum Drinks by Don the Beaschcomber |date=2001 |publisher=Mutual Publishing |location=Honolulu|page = xii}} The drink as appearing on a later cocktail menu from his Hollywood location depicts it as being served in a tall curved glass accompanied by a leafy garnish and selling for 85 cents.{{cite web |title=Donn the Beacomber menu |url=https://scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1031&context=restaurant_menus |website=scholarsarchive.jwu.edu/ |access-date=18 February 2019}} The drink was not typically ordered at other types of bars but began gaining attention again during the 21st century resurgence in tiki culture.{{cite web |title=Frou Frou drinks get their day in the sun |url=https://www.nbcchicago.com/the-scene/food-drink/Frou-Frou-Drinks-Get-Their-Day-in-the-Sun.html |website=nbcchicago.com |date=27 July 2009 |accessdate=February 18, 2019}}
Named in part in reference to Sumatra, some also believe that the word "kula" may be a separate and generic reference to the "Kula exchange",{{cite web |title=Sumatra Kula- Don the Beachcomber| date=12 December 2016 |url=https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=it&u=http://www.giannizottola.com/2016/12/12/sumatra-kula-ricette-tiki/&prev=search|access-date=February 18, 2019}} which is a reciprocal exchanging of social gifts.{{cn|date=February 2019}} Beach traveled on the cheap through places where Kula was practiced such as Papua New Guinea,{{cite web |title=Tiki |url=https://www.americanheritage.com/tiki |website=americanheritage.com |access-date=February 21, 2019}} making the claim both plausible and speculative.
In addition to being an explorer of the south pacific, Beach also traveled heavily both as a rum-runner and when he served overseas in France and Italy during World War II.{{cite book |last1=Bitner |first1=Arnold |title=Hawai'i Tropical Rum Drinks by Don the Beaschcomber |date=2001 |publisher=Mutual Publishing |location=Honolulu}}
The cocktail is also sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Sumatra cooler, either an intentional play on words or a misunderstanding between similarly sounding "kula" and "cooler" drinks on Beach's menus (such as the Q.B. Cooler). Regardless, the Sumatra Kula would not be a typical "cooler" drink, as it does not contain any form of sparkling water or other carbonated beverage.
Variations
Like many tiki drinks, multiple variations existed as popular cocktails whose ingredients were not known were "estimated" and given the same name at competing bars. At the Alila Bar in Bali tangerine juice and triple-sec was added.{{cite web |title=Alila menu |url=https://www.alilahotels.com/documents/alila_ubud/alilaubud_cocktail_menu.pdf |website=alilahotels.com |access-date=February 18, 2019 |archive-date=February 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219015647/https://www.alilahotels.com/documents/alila_ubud/alilaubud_cocktail_menu.pdf |url-status=dead }} The Tiki Ti adds fassionola, a passion fruit syrup sometimes credited to Beach.{{cite web |title=Sumatra Kula |url=http://www.tikiroom.com/tikicentral/bb/viewtopic.php?topic=12538&forum=10)&7 |website=tikiroom.com |access-date=February 18, 2019}}