THE CHIMP IN ORBIT COCKTAIL & BARTENDER HARRY YEE TURNS 103! | Bar Talk & Cocktails

Today, Legendary Bartender Harry Yee turns 103. Wow 103! For those of you who don’t know, Harry is the Inventor of the Blue Hawaii cocktail. He’s also come up with a number of other original cocktails like the Tropical Itch (Served with a back scratcher) and the Tapa Punch to name a few. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet Harry’s daughter Marilyn. She’s been a huge supporter of the channel over the years and often passes along messages from Harry and gives us insights on her father’s cocktail history and recipes. Each year for his birthday we make one of his original creations. Marilyn and Harry have been kind enough to dig up and send us some of his original recipes for me to make. This year we continue that tradition by making Harry’s Chimp In Orbit Cocktail. A previously “lost” recipe, the cocktail, Chimp in Orbit dates back to 1961. That’s when Harry was working at the Hilton Hawaiian Village Hotel and was inspired to launch his Chimp In Orbit, just like Ham, the Astrochimp that was launched into space as part of NASA’s Project Mercury.
Marilyn, thank you so much! The support you and Harry have given the show means so much to me. Happy Birthday Harry. Mahalo and Aloha!
Let’s all wish Harry a happy birthday! Thanks for watching.
Cheers!
-Bruce
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HARRY YEE’S CHIMP IN ORBIT
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IN A COCKTAIL SHAKER COMBINE:
1.5 oz (45ml) - GOLD PUERTO RICAN RUM
1 oz (30ml) - SWEET VERMOUTH
1/2 oz (15ml) - ORANGE CURAÇAO
1/2 oz (15ml) - CRÈME DE CACAO (white or dark)
2 oz (60ml) - LEMON JUICE (freshly squeezed)
3 oz (90ml) - ORANGE JUICE (freshly squeezed)
-WHIP SHAKE WITH CRUSHED ICE
-POUR INTO A TALL GLASS FILLED WITH CRUSHED ICE.
-GARNISH PLASTIC MONKEY, PINEAPPLE WEDGE,
AND VANDA ORCHID. OR - GARNISH WITH A LEMON SHELL WITH OVERPROOF RUM AND IGNITE.
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Credits
Select Music by Bruce
Select music provided by Audioblocks.com
Select graphics and imagery from pngtree.com and storyblocks.com
Select clips courtesy of NASA
The content found in “BAR TALK & COCKTAILS” is for informational purposes only and is in no way intended for the consumption of alcohol or advice on drinking alcoholic beverages or as treatment cure for any health condition and nor should it be construed as such. Always drink responsibly. Please understand that you assume all risks from the use, non use, or misuse of this information. Any resemblance between the characters portrayed in this show and any persons living or dead, is merely a coincidence and certainly a miracle.
#cocktails #spacerace #harryyee #chimpinorbit #rum #hiltonhawaiihotel #tiki

[@henryjr.flowers5354]

Happy Birthday Harry

[@TomQuiNEstPasLa]

Was worried for a second there! Good to finally see Bruce again in classic form, with a video that's one part entertaining history lesson, one part great cocktail making, shaken and strained over ice and garnished with Harry Yee's 103rd birthday--Amazing!

[@BarTalkCocktails]

I feel like I never left. Ha. Thanks for tuning in, cheers

[@kenbell3137]

Was at his bar in 1996 but I did not know who Harry was at the time (only heard of him When I started watching your show) but based on the number of Great Polynesian drinks he created Harry certainly made his contribution to the Tiki culture.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

He sure did! He’s a legend for sure.

[@zacharyjames9602]

This could be the earliest you've uploaded. Cheers, and furthermore great cocktail.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Hope you give it a go Zachary. And now we start planning our Halloween episodes- never ends.

[@zacharyjames9602]

@@BarTalkCocktails well we applaud your commitment to entertain us.

[@boozeontherocks]

Awesome Bruce, as always great cocktail and a lot of fun.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Thanks David! And now I start my prep on our upcoming Halloween episodes, never ends. Ha

[@Amphibian42]

Been waiting a few weeks for this! Made a blue hawaii yesterday to celebrate!

[@streetpi1010]

Made the Blue Hawaii for my neighbors tonight!

[@JackalGB]

Happy Birthday, Harry!

[@rockyraab8290]

The old joke was that they flew a chimp and then a Navy guy (Alan Shepard). After that, they knew space was safe for humans...

[@yusufbanna]

I knew abt the astro dog named Lica and heard abt the chimp...never get to learn ant Ham in sucj details! thanks for that. u r an awesome storyteller! I've said it before and am saying it again, like Anthony Bourdain, You are not only a bartender and mixologist...your are mainly a story teller...the way you narrate new things previously unknown in details is Amazing Bruce. I request you, if not yet done, you should write your cictail and bartending stories and publish your own book. the coctail world owes you that much! 40 years! O my God! how many stories do u have!!!! pls tell'em in written words... have u done any written piece in your career? if so, pls share the link. Pls think abt telling stories your way through a book! Cheers!

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Hi Yusuf, thank you for the lovely comment. I have started a book but still have lots to go until it’s finished. I need more hours in the day! Hopefully I can finish it one day soon- it’s at the top of my to do list.

[@stephane.foisy.186]

Happy birthday Harry. Will be trying this one soon!!

[@samhaigler1716]

Whoa! This looks amazing! Happy Birthday, Harry!

[@briancorley1159]

The back story on HAM is a real tear jerker 🥲 I will make this drink in honor of that brave little chimp 🐵 You have great glassware too by the way.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Ya, I really felt for him when I was digging into the history. Humans suck.

[@raustin2287]

One of the most interesting drinks I’ve ever seen! Bruce, you never disappoint! Hope I can try this one soon

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Give it a go, it won’t disappoint.

[@raustin2287]

@@BarTalkCocktails tried it the other night. Had a friend over. She and I both agreed, even with cutting the fresh lemon juice back to 2 ounces it was still a bit much for our taste. It seemed to overpower the drink. But all in all it was a fun drink to make! Thanks for sharing your expertise! Can’t wait to try the next one with your homemade grape syrup! Keep em coming Bruce!!

[@finalplate1208]

A drink to honor a tropical legend. I like to think he would have approved of the homemade grenadine. If a garnish is personal (totally agree) then "burn baby burn". 🔥🔥🔥

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Thanks for tuning in! Cheers

[@Werewolf_Korra]

Bruce reminding us that man is the real monster, abducting a baby chimp and blasting him into space after using electric shock to train him.

[@steveb8955]

😂

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Yeah, I felt for the little guy as I dug into the history. Humans suck

[@Yuyuk0x]

Time to learn a new drink!!! thank you sir!!, God bless you!

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Thanks for tuning in! Cheers

[@janebeckman3431]

Just made the Chimp in Orbit for myself, husband, and friend. Used our tiki glasses, full of lightly-smashed ice, and one of them is a monkey god, so appropriate. It's a very unsweet tiki drink, and I like it! Everyone else did as well. 10 points!

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Glad you gave it a go! Cheers Jane

[@personontheinternets]

BUCE we are so glad you are back!! When we saw you uploaded we went APE we absolutely BONOBOED 🦧🐒🦍🐒🦧🦍

[@BarTalkCocktails]

I’m always here! Cheers

[@graigphillips1538]

That looks delicious! 😋😋

[@BarTalkCocktails]

It is! Give it a go!

[@TheOriginalMarimoChan]

New to your channel here, totally love your content! I love the history behind the drink, the tribute to the creator Mr Yee (I wish I could have met the legend in his heyday), and best of all...I love it how you don't measure anything but know instinctively the pours - I'm the same way with my laundry detergent, I hit the mark on the "2" perfectly on my machine with the detergent liquid after many years of muscle memory with a plain unmarked cup; now, all I need to do is to practice my alcohol pours as I'm new to cocktail crafting. Subscribed to your channel today, cheers!

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Appreciate you subscribing and leaving this lovely comment. Plenty more episodes to come so stay tuned.

[@RBRPodcast]

I'm glad I found these. This is adorable. I feel that passion for booze.

[@misterbonesontour4640]

🍹😀👍 BEAUTIFUL

[@kenbell3137]

Beachbum Berry just added Harry’s Tapa Punch to his Total Tiki App

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Ooh neat. I’ll have to check that out.

[@Santavalentina1]

Hi Bruce... love your videos! I have a question, given that Harry Yee lived to the age of 104 passing just last year, why are some of his cocktail specs impossible to find? I've been doing some reading on him and see cocktails listed, like The Naughty Wahine, for which the specs seem to be lost to posterity. Do you know the reason he never shared them with the public? He wasn't working any longer and therefore none of them were a secret bar specialty. Thanks in advance for your input.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

From what Harry's daughter has told me, he never published his recipes and didn't keep too many records of his original cocktails. Marilyn (Harry's daughter) has been going threw some of his boxes and hopefully, she'll find some of his lost gems. Cheers!

[@djpat5998]

Can you tell me where you got that glass from so I can look it up and get it? I like that tall glass and it's perfect for ice tea.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Pretty sure this one was from a thrift store. Most of my glasses are gems from thrift stores. Never know what you’ll come across.

[@joshuaperrin3910]

Harry Yee made a deal with Tiki Satan to have lived this long.

[@Werewolf_Korra]

Milu in Polynesian mythology.

[@joshuaperrin3910]

Noted.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

That’s how I’m still here! Ha

[@johnwallace2319]

number 9- number 9- number 9-

[@ZombieLogic101]

A few of those would send anyone into orbit, also sounds like the booze is a lil buried so it can sneak up on ya.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Heck yeah it does!

[@GeneralEisenhower]

I'm sorry but i watched seinfeld and arent you that guy sitting near in front laughing? :D

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Guilty! Ha

[@jorgeisaacguerrero]

Salud🍻🇲🇽

[@BarTalkCocktails]

Salud Jorge!

[@johneagen]

To Ham!

[@ardiris2715]

No banana? Just as well, i don't like banana flavored drinks.

[@BarTalkCocktails]

You make a good point! Ha... lucky for you then I guess 👍🏼 Cheers, thanks for tuning in.

[@soulbasedliving]

...and that's how Planet of the Apes began...

[@Wisdom-Nuggets-Tid-Bits]

Sorry, this drink was awful. Had a wood taste to it. I put more OJ in it, but still wood.