Flaming volcano is a large tropical group cocktail typically made with

rum Rum is a liquor made by fermenting and then distilling sugarcane molasses or sugarcane juice. The distillate, a clear liquid, is usually aged in oak barrels. Rum is produced in nearly every sugar-producing region of the world, such as the Ph ...

, brandy,

pineapple The pineapple (''Ananas comosus'') is a tropical plant with an edible fruit; it is the most economically significant plant in the family Bromeliaceae. The pineapple is indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuri ...

juice,

orange juice Orange juice is a liquid extract of the orange tree fruit, produced by squeezing or reaming oranges. It comes in several different varieties, including blood orange, navel oranges, valencia orange, clementine, and tangerine. As well as vari ...

, and

orgeat syrup Orgeat syrup is a sweet syrup made from almonds, sugar, and rose water or orange flower water. It was originally made with a barley-almond blend. It has a pronounced almond taste and is used to flavor many cocktails. Orgeat syrup is an important ...

. Many variations exist, and the cocktail in the 21st century is more about the presentation than an adherence to a set list of ingredients. It is usually a multi-user drink, served to a group in a special vessel known as a volcano bowl, which is a decorative ceramic bowl (typically of about capacity) designed with a rising central hub feature resembling a

volcanic A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates a ...

cone. The cone includes a "crater" reservoir which can be partially filled with rum or another flammable liquor. The crater liquor is carefully ignited when serving, creating a mild volcanic ambiance with its central blue flame. A flaming volcano is usually served to a group of two or more people with a set of very long straws to facilitate convenient group sipping from a comfortable distance and for safety. It is sometimes called a scorpion bowl.

History

The communal flaming volcano drink is said to have been started in

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only state ...

in the 1950s or 1960s as a cross between flammable one person ice formed "volcano cockails" and larger communal bowl cocktails. Jeff Berry in ''Beachbum Berry Remixed'' has

Don the Beachcomber Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places *County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON * Don (river), a river in European Russia * Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name * Don, Benin, a town in Benin * Don, Dang, a ...

as an early example of serving the larger flaming bowl at his location in St. Paul, Minnesota. He also lists a ''Lei Lani Volcano'' variation from the Polyneisan Village Resort (Walt Disney World) from the 1970s. It is typically served only at

tiki bars A tiki bar is a themed drinking establishment that serves elaborate cocktails, especially rum-based mixed drinks such as the Mai Tai and Zombie cocktails. Tiki bars are aesthetically defined by their tiki culture décor which is based upon a rom ...

. It also has strong roots in its precursor, the

scorpion bowl A Scorpion Bowl is a communally shared alcoholic tiki drink served in a large ceramic bowl traditionally decorated with wahine or hula-girl island scenes and meant to be drunk through long straws. Bowl shapes and decorations can vary considerably. ...

. Some claim that it originated from or was popular in

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...

during the times of

Augusto Pinochet Augusto José Ramón Pinochet Ugarte (, , , ; 25 November 1915 – 10 December 2006) was a Chilean general who ruled Chile from 1973 to 1990, first as the leader of the Military Junta of Chile from 1973 to 1981, being declared President of ...

., but credible sources, especially as to the drink's original Chilean origin, are non-existent.

Preparation and variations

One version of flaming volcano is prepared by blending the ingredients with ice. It is sometimes served with dry ice to provide for a fog effect. The base liquor is usually some form of

, with brandy commonly added, but

vodka Vodka ( pl, wódka , russian: водка , sv, vodka ) is a clear distilled alcoholic beverage. Different varieties originated in Poland, Russia, and Sweden. Vodka is composed mainly of water and ethanol but sometimes with traces of impuriti ...

and even gin appear in some recipes. Other versions might use lime juice, grapefruit juice, maple syrup, guava nectar, or coconut rum. The cocktail was also rebranded as "the mystery drink" at tiki Bars such as the

Kahiki Tahiti (; Tahitian ; ; previously also known as Otaheite) is the largest island of the Windward group of the Society Islands in French Polynesia. It is located in the central part of the Pacific Ocean and the nearest major landmass is Austra ...

and the Mai Kai. Early versions of the ceramic bowl were made by ''Orchids of Hawaii'' and ''Bamboo of China''. Newer versions have been designed by artists such as

Shag Shag, or Shagged, or Shagger, or Shagging, or Shags may refer to: Animals * Shag or cormorant, a bird family ** European shag, a specific species of the shag or cormorant family ** Great cormorant another species of the family People Pseudonym ...

(pictured) and others.

In popular culture

As noted in the book ''The B-52's Universe'' by Mats Sexton, the band

The B-52's The B-52's, also styled as The B-52s, are an American new wave band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1976. The original lineup consisted of Fred Schneider (vocals, percussion), Kate Pierson (vocals, keyboards, synth bass), Cindy Wilson (vocals, ...

formed after its members shared a flaming volcano at a Chinese Restaurant in

Athens, Georgia Athens, officially Athens–Clarke County, is a consolidated city-county and college town in the U.S. state of Georgia. Athens lies about northeast of downtown Atlanta, and is a satellite city of the capital. The University of Georgia, the sta ...

in November of 1976. Due to a lack of funds, the band had decided to share a cocktail rather than order any food.

References

{{Alcoholic drinks Cocktails with brandy Cocktails with rum Cuisine of the Western United States Flaming drinks

History

Preparation and variations

In popular culture

See also

References