The Pina Colada Cocktail
Spanish to English, Pina Colada translates to ‘strained pineapple’. This cocktail dates back to 1952, where it was created at the Caribe Hilton’s Beachcomber Bar in Puerto Rico. Two employees Ramon Monchito and Richard Garcia both claim to have invented the cocktail. We’re not picking sides, but Ramon seems to have taken the official credit.
While this cocktail was originally shaken as kind of a coconut pineapple daiquiri, it quickly became a blended sensation as soon as blenders became readily available on the commercial market.
What You'll Need To Make A Pina Colada Cocktail
- A clear white rum. While dark rum would taste good, it’d throw off the iconic colour that people expect with this cocktail.
- You’ll also need pineapple juice and coconut cream, blender preferred.
- If at all possible, juice fresh pineapple, and make the coconut cream yourself instead of using store-bought. The difference is night and day.
Bartender Tips
- Making your own coconut cream is fast, easy, and makes for excellent Pina Coladas. Bring equal parts full fat coconut milk and simple syrup to a low boil for 15 minutes. Allow the syrup to cool, and enjoy.
- While there isn’t any lime juice in the official recipe, lime pairs well with both coconut and pineapple. Experiment with adding a ½ oz if you want to add a citrusy kick.
- Juicing pineapples can be a bit tedious. A resort-worthy Pina Colada skips the juice in the can.
Variations
The Blue Hawaiian is a popular Pina Colada variation, where you sub ½ an ounce of rum for Blue Curacao. There’s also the Chi-Chi, where you do away with the rum altogether, calling for vodka instead.
Tequila and mezcal both pair well with exotic flavours and could make for an interesting rendition of this island classic.