Name: Doctor Funk
Total time: 4 min
Cuisine: Cocktail
Ingredients: 70 ml Dark/black rum; 5 ml Absinthe; 10 ml Grenadine syrup; 7.5 ml Sugar syrup 'rich' (2:1); 15 ml Lemon juice; 7.5 ml Lime juice

Ingredients

2 1/3 fl oz

Dark/black/blackstrap rum

1/6 fl oz

La Fée Parisienne absinthe

1/3 fl oz

Monin Grenadine Syrup

1/4 fl oz

Sugar syrup 'rich' (2 sugar to 1 water) 65.0°Brix

1/2 fl oz

Lemon juice (freshly squeezed)

1/4 fl oz

Lime juice (freshly squeezed)

How to make

Glass

Prepare

Select and pre-chill a DOUBLE OLD-FASHIONED GLASS.

Prepare garnish of lime wedge.

Method

SHAKE all ingredients with ice.

STRAIN into glass filled with crushed ice.

Garnish

Garnish with lime wedge.

Serve with a straw.

Flavour Profile

No alcohol

Medium

Boozy

Sweet

Medium

Dry/sour

Health & Nutrition

Nutrition:

One serving of Doctor Funk contains 238 calories

Alcohol content:

1.8 standard drinks
20.07% alc./vol. (40.14° proof)
24.8 grams of pure alcohol

History

Created by Don Beach in the early 1950s at his Don The Beachcomber restaurant in Palm Springs. Beach was inspired by and adapted a medicinal absinthe-laced limeade, concocted and prescribed decades earlier by Doctor Bernard Funk, a German physician in Samoa.

Dr. Funk was the personal physician of Robert Louis Stevenson, the famous author of Treasure Island, during his final years in Samoa. Stevenson, who suffered from lifelong bronchial issues, settled in Samoa in 1890 at an estate he named Vailima. The good doctor reportedly created a medicinal tonic for the ailing writer made with absinthe, lemon juice, lime juice, grenadine, and soda. The potion is described by Frederick O'Brien in his 1921 book Mystic Isles of the South Seas.

Dr. Funk arrived in Samoa in 1880 and left to return to Germany for medical treatment in 1911. He died on 8 April 1911, aged 66, in a Berlin hospital. According to his will, after his death, a block of granite was shipped from Germany to Samoa and erected on the shore of Lake Lanotoo. Inscribed, "Dr. Bernhard Funk" followed by the dates of his arrival and departure from Somoa, and his birth and death. [For more information, tikicentral.com]

Gallery

Comments & Discussion

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Caspian Berggren Premium Member Commenter Appreciated Commenter 9 months ago

It's funny; this cocktail is recognisably tiki but tastes *nothing* like "classic tiki", and I kind of adore it for that. It's dark, almost coffee-like with the blackstrap rum, licorice tart and funky. If I didn't know what it was, and it was served differently, I could've almost argued it was more of a Louisiana drink. Nonetheless it's delicious and unique as long as you don't want the classic tiki experience.

MirandaAnn66 1 year ago

The "Dr. Funk" was invented prior to the 1950's. The drink is referenced in a book by George Chappell published in 1931.

Chris Brislawn Commenter Appreciated Commenter 7 months ago

A version also appears in Trader Vic's 1946 "Book of Food & Drink," where Vic marks it as one of his "original" (or "signature") drinks. Looks like Beach and Vic were probably both basing their recipes on the good doctor's old potion!

Andrew Anderson Beta Tester Premium Member Commenter 2 years ago

I paired this with Toejam & Earl on the latest 'Cocktail Mode' podcast and I'm a big fan. I reduced the grenadine by half a tsp and upped the absinthe by the same amount on my second one and it was even better. Loved learning about Don Beach too, he sounds like an absolute legend! Cheers!

Calvin Grant Premium Member Commenter Appreciated Commenter 2 years ago

Absolutely loved this. Flavor remindes me of licorice ice cream I craved as a kid. Can't find it anymore. Followed Garret Brough's suggestion and split Smith & Cross 35ml with Bacardi Black 40ml. Oregon Spirit Absinthe Original is a stand out here.

John Hinojos Premium Member Commenter Appreciated Commenter 5 years ago

This was jus OK. Not bad, but I have had better cocktails from Don Beach. While I like the absinthe in the drink, I did feel it was missing something. Like all original Tiki drinks, I do find it a bit sweet. I love the taste of rum and Agricore rum, but this was still missing some of the rum flavour I was wanting in the drink.

Garret Brough 3 years ago

I would do 2 ounces of Goslings and something like half an ounce of Smith & Cross, would give that funky nature in the name and not be as sweet especially since it already has Grenadine and Simple Syrup.

John Hinojos Premium Member Commenter Appreciated Commenter 3 years ago

Garret, thank you. You are right, I need to add the Jamaician funk which was not there. I have lots of Jamaician rums or maybe a Barbancourt rhum from Haiti.

Garret Brough 3 years ago

I'm going to be making this today trying the rum split to see if it will work. I already do a split base of Goslings and Smith and Cross with my Hurricane recipe so I know the two rums play well together.

Brian Herring Premium Member Commenter Appreciated Commenter 5 years ago

Dear Mr Difford. how does one go about petitioning for this version of the Dr Funk to be named Funkey Herring??
Just asking :} Love the website and am up to 1014 makeable cocktails.....

Simon Difford Verified User Premium Member Commenter Appreciated Commenter 5 years ago

You can upload the Funkey Herring yourself - no need to lobby. Funkey name reminded me of The Goodies singing Funky Gibbon and seek the video on YouTube. A fun blast from the 80s.

John CARR Premium Member Commenter Appreciated Commenter 2 years ago

Simon, I just checked and, gosh, funky gibbon was …1975! A wonderful childhood memory - I was born 77 but goodies seemed to be on constant repeat during my childhood!