Need a drink that’s refreshing, frosty, and all about tropical flavor? We’ve got one with your name on it: the Bahama Mama! This beachy drink is all about carefree vibes, featuring not one but two types of rum with pineapple juice and lime. An unexpected move gives it a rosy color: grenadine syrup! Drink it straight on the rocks, or our favorite way: blended into an icy slush. Our spin on it is perfectly balanced: not too sweet and silkily sippable.
What’s a Bahama Mama?
The Bahama Mama is a tropical beach drink made with coconut rum and pineapple juice. The history behind the drink is unclear, but most sources agree it stems back to the 1950’s. It’s a loose drink that has several variations: you can serve it on the rocks or as a frozen blended drink. One popular version uses grenadine to give it a rosy color, often added to the bottom of the glass to make a gradient like a Tequila Sunrise or Malibu Sunset. Another version uses coffee liqueur (aka Kahlua). While many cocktails have a “right way” to make it, the Bahama Mama is bartender’s choice! The recipe below is the way we like it: as an icy frozen drink with grenadine, hold the coffee liqueur. (Save that Kahlua for a Bushwacker.) Here’s what you’ll need:
Dark rumCoconut rumPineapple juiceLime juiceGrenadineIce
Make the Bahama Mama drink frozen
Why do we prefer the Bahama Mama drink frozen and blended, instead of on the rocks? Here’s what we think:
The icy texture makes it that much more fun to sip. The beachy vibe of a Bahama Mama pairs perfectly with a blender drink.It’s easier to drink slower than a drink served up on the rocks. A tropical drink served on the rocks always gone too fast! (You can polish off a Blue Hawaiian in nothing flat.) It’s easy to make 4 drinks at once. Blend up a big frozen pitcher of a Bahama Mama’s for a crowd!
Or, serve it on the rocks with a gradient effect
It’s also fun to serve a Bahama Mama on the rocks. You can use either crushed ice or solid ice, and it makes a lovely gradient effect like a Malibu Sunset. Here’s what to know about making the “sunrise” colors:
Mix the drink in the glass with ice. You don’t even need to shake it in a cocktail shaker. Pour the grenadine right into the middle of the drink. It will settle to the bottom, since it’s denser than the other liquids.
Want to go even simpler? Just make a Malibu and Pineapple! It’s simple and just as delicious.
Required in a Bahama Mama: coconut rum!
There are a lot of options with the Bahama Mama drink, but one thing is certain. A Bahama Mama must have coconut rum. The coconut is essential to the tropical flavor. Here’s what to know about coconut rum:
Most coconut rum is actually a coconut-flavored liqueur made with rum. Why is it a liqueur, not a spirit? It has lots of added sugar and a low alcohol level (20 to 30% ABV). In contrast, rum has no sugar and a 40% ABV. Malibu Coconut Rum is the most popular brand, but there many others to choose from. Malibu is very sweet and 21% ABV.
When we made this Bahama Mama, we used Malibu since it’s the easiest to find. Along with the grenadine and pineapple juice, it sweetens the drink just enough! We hope you’ll find this Bahama Mama is delicately sippable and not overly saccharine. Want more Malibu drinks? check out Malibu Sunset or Malibu and Pineapple.
A few notes on grenadine
If you’re an avid cocktail drinker, you’ll have grenadine as part of your typical bar setup. If not, it’s worth a purchase! This cocktail syrup is used in many grenadine drinks to make a lovely pink color. Here are a few thing to note about this syrup:
Many store bought grenadine syrups have artificial colors and flavors. It’s the only way to get the very bright red. Or, make all natural homemade grenadine! If you choose to do so, make sure to use our Grenadine Syrup recipe and use fresh pomegranate juice! Purchased juice makes for a cloudy, dark color.
More beach drinks
The Bahama Mama is one in a line of tasty beachy drinks that combine tropical flavors to make zingy, easy to drink cocktails! Here are a few more beach drinks we love:
Blend up a Classic Piña ColadaTry the deliciously underrated Painkiller or Chi ChiOpt for a frosty chocolaty Bushwacker DrinkGrab a Blue Hawaii Drink
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