Tag: rum

rum

Jungle Bird | The Tiki Cocktail That’s Not Too Sweet

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The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

I’ve been holding out on y’all for too long. The Jungle Bird is my favorite cocktail at the moment and it has been for some time. This recipe has sat on my “To Post” list since late spring and it’s now the middle of summer and I don’t know how that happened and I’m really sorry, okay? I’m gonna make it right.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like

Thinking of a Jungle Bird cocktail actually makes my mouth water. There’s something about the flavor of this drink that is so unique to me. When it first hits your tongue, you taste the pineapple. It’s bright and sweet. But then it becomes warm and rich, thanks to the dark rum and Demerara syrup. The Campari catches up at the end. It leaves a delectable bitter taste on your tongue that makes you want to take another sip.

The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

The Jungle Bird was supposedly created in the 1970s at the Hilton Hotel’s Aviary Bar in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was served as the welcome drink for guests arriving at the hotel and was wildly popular then. However, the recipe disappeared into relative obscurity until Campari started peaking the interests of American imbibers in the 2010s. This article on ThirstMag.com explores more of the history of the Jungle Bird and includes several recipe variations. One day I want to try all of these.

Tiki bars and tiki cocktails are a TREND right now. They have been for the past few years but now they’re piping hot right now. The OG tiki bar was Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood that opened up at the end of 1933, mere days after the ending of Prohibition. Since then, tiki bars and drinks have gone in and out of style but it seems like they’ll be around for a while longer. In case some of you like reading the history articles I post, this article by The Atlantic examines the rise, fall, and resurgence of tiki bars in America. It’s an interesting read. Difford’s Guide has a great article, too, and details the history of tiki culture.

The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

Tiki cocktails don’t typically call for Campari. Actually, this is the only one I know of that does. Tiki cocktails are known for being fruit-forward and pretty sweet. I feel like people usually fall into two categories: people who enjoy sweet drinks and people who don’t.

That’s what makes the Jungle Bird the perfect drink. The combination of the pineapple juice, rum, & Demerara syrup makes it undeniably tropical and sweet. But the Campari’s bitterness balances it all out. It’s the best of all worlds.

The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

In addition to being fruity and sweet, tiki cocktails are also known for their complexity, in terms of both flavor and difficulty. They usually have a lot of ingredients that are harder to come by, so the Jungle Bird is a pretty simple tiki drink, in comparison.

A quick note on the ingredients: the original recipe calls for traditional simple syrup, but I chose to use Demerara syrup. The original recipe also calls for dark rum but I’ve used Kraken spiced rum before and it is GOOD! Don’t use white rum, though. It’ll get lost. Save the white rum for your Daiquiris or Easy Coladas.

If you’ve been wanting to jump on the Campari bandwagon or if you’re trying to use up the bottle you bought back in ’18 and haven’t touched since, I implore you to try this recipe. It’s the perfect introduction to Campari. Once you’re able to appreciate the bitterness in the Jungle Bird, try making a Campari To-Kill-Ya or a Gin Campari Sour.

The Jungle Bird cocktail is a perfectly balanced tiki drink. It's not too sweet, thanks to the addition of Campari. It's a meeting ground for people who love sweet drinks and people who don't.

Ingredients for a Jungle Bird Cocktail

  • 1 1/2 oz dark rum (can substitute spiced rum)
  • 3/4 oz Campari
  • 1 1/2 oz pineapple juice
  • 1/2 oz lime juice
  • 1/2 oz Demerara syrup (can substitute plain simple syrup)

How to Make a Jungle Bird Cocktail

Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice. The pineapple juice will create a nice foam. Garnish with a pineapple frond and pineapple wedge.

Jungle Bird Cocktail Recipe

The Jungle Bird is a classic tiki cocktail recipe that's the perfect balance between sweet, tart, and bitter.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz dark rum (can sub spiced rum)
  • ¾ oz Campari
  • 1½ oz pineapple juice
  • ½ oz lime juice
  • ½ oz Demerara syrup* (can sub plain simple syrup)

Instructions
 

  • Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 20 seconds.
  • Strain into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Garnish with a pineapple frond and pineapple wedge.

Notes

The longer you shake, the frothier the pineapple juice will get.
*For a Demerara syrup recipe, click here. It’s 2 ingredients and super easy. Promise.
Keyword campari, dark rum, demerara syrup, lime juice, pineapple juice
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Easy Colada Recipe | A Healthier, Bubblier Take on a Classic Piña Colada

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Easy Colada Recipe | A Healthier, Bubblier Take on a Classic Piña Colada

This Easy Colada recipe is something I originally created for Rochelle over at AdventuresFromElle.com. Rochelle writes from a Caribbean experience and is currently in Jamaica as a medical doctor. Her site is chock-full of tips for exploring and Jamaica “like a local on a budget”. You can also follow her adventures on Instagram.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

When I asked Rochelle what flavor direction she was wanting to go in for my guest post on her blog, she said a Jamaican cocktail with Caribbean flavors, like rum and coconut. Yep. I’m down for a drink like that.

With summer in full-force here in Texas, tropical drink ideas were swirling around in my head. I debated about creating something uber creative and original but instead decided to take *the* most popular tropical cocktail and make it a little easier and a little healthier.

Most people have had a Piña Colada. It’s probably the most well-known tiki cocktail out there, and for good reason. Pineapple and coconut are two flavors that were meant to be together. I remember making virgin Piña Coladas as a kid with my parents. They were a rare treat that I treasured. Come to think of it, maybe that’s where my love of cocktails truly began… 🧐 

Easy Colada Recipe | A Healthier, Bubblier Take on a Classic Piña Colada

Traditional Piña Coladas utilize coconut cream and while it’s delicious, Coco Lopez (the favorite choice for coconut cream) has 130 calories per 1 ounce. Eesh. I’m not usually a calorie-counter but when I was thinking of ways to transform this classic recipe, I knew this was the part that I could easily jazz up.

Enter sparkling coconut water. It’s got a light coconut flavor and is easy on the sugar and calories. In fact, 1 ounce only has about 7 calories. That’s a huge difference! OH, and did I mention it’s bubbly? I’m sure you got that from the “sparkling” part, but I just wanna highlight that. I think it’s my favorite trait of this Easy Colada recipe. If you want more nutritional info, you can check the notes portion of the recipe box at the bottom of the post.

Easy Colada Recipe | A Healthier, Bubblier Take on a Classic Piña Colada

It’s important to note here that I’m talking about coconut water that has been carbonated, not coconut-flavored sparkling water. While this would still probably taste good, it won’t be the same as if you use real coconut water. I can’t seem to find the plain sparkling coconut water online (I got mine at HEB, my local grocery store), but here’s an option that is flavored with pineapple and passionfruit. Sounds even more tropical!

To sweeten the drink, I used Demerara syrup. The first time I made this Easy Colada recipe, I used a makeshift Demerara syrup that I had made with 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 white sugar. It was good, but I felt that this recipe called for the real deal. Demerara syrup is dark and it turned the once bright yellow elixir into a deep goldenrod. Just look at how gorgeous it is!

I hope this drink helps you take a quick getaway to the tropics while we’re all stuck at home during the pandemic. Cheers!

Easy Colada Recipe | A Healthier, Bubblier Take on a Classic Piña Colada

Ingredients for an Easy Colada

  • 1 1/2 oz white rum
  • 3/4 oz pineapple juice
  • 1/2 oz Demerara syrup (click here for easy the recipe or to see what to use as a substitute)
  • 1+ oz sparkling coconut water

How to Make an Easy Colada

Add the rum, pineapple juice, and Demerara syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20-30 seconds. Pour into a glass filled with ice. Top off the rest of the glass with sparkling coconut water.

Easy Colada Recipe | A Healthier, Bubblier Take on a Classic Piña Colada

Easy Colada

An easier, healthier, and bubbly version of a Piña Colada.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 3 mins
Course Drinks
Servings 1
Calories 137 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1½ oz white rum
  • ¾ oz pineapple juice
  • ½ oz Demerara syrup (see note for a substitute)
  • 1+ oz sparkling coconut water

Instructions
 

  • Add the rum, pineapple juice, and Demerara syrup into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  • Shake well, about 20-30 seconds.
  • Pour into a lowball glass filled with ice.
  • Top off the rest of the glass with sparkling coconut water.

Notes

If you don’t have Demerara syrup, you can make it using a mix of white sugar and brown sugar. See the full instructions here. Don’t worry, it’s easy! 
For comparison, a traditional Piña Colada has around 245 calories while this Easy Colada only has about 135 calories.
Keyword easy colada, piña colada, pineapple, sparkling coconut water

Love tropical drinks? Try the Campari To-Kill-Ya or a classic Daiquiri!

The Authentic Daiquiri
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The Authentic Daiquiri | A Classic Cocktail with 3 Ingredients

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The authentic Daiquiri is a classic, 3-ingredient cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.

The daiquiri is a classic cocktail. As classic as it gets. And yet somehow, I know I have to pause and clarify just what kind of daiquiri I’m talking about here. I’m talking about a REAL, authentic daiquiri of yesteryear. Not the bright red frozen insult spilling out the top of a much-too-tall stadium cup. Those things make my stomach churn just looking at them. Why we would do such a thing to a time-honored classic is beyond me.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

The Daiquiri is a classic, 3-ingredient cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.

The Daiquiri has a long history, dating back to the early 1900s. Although technically, an old British Navy admiral named Edward “Old Grog” Vernon, could be first credited for the combination of rum, citrus, and sugar in an attempt to sober-up his crew. Anyhow, the Daiquiri lived in relative obscurity until the 1930s until Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald brought attention to it.

Hemingway actually loved the drink so much that he concocted his own variation of the drink, The Hemingway Daiquiri. The attention from renowned authors, coupled with the diminishing supply of whiskey (thanks to Prohibition and WWII), Americans were now more willing to turn to the rum which was previously frowned upon for being the drink of sailors and vagrants.

Brian Petro’s article about the history of the Daiquiri goes into interesting detail and even explains how this cocktail became the swirling, sugary mixture you see in dispensers at sporting events. It’s quite an informative read if you can spare a few extra minutes.

The Daiquiri is a classic, 3-ingredient cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. Garnish it with a slice of lime using a miniature clothespin for a fun detail.

So, let’s reclaim the Daiquiri name for what it is- a sophisticated yet uncomplicated cocktail. (Also, can we talk about that adorable mini-clothespin? I could just squeal. You can find your own at Dollar Tree.)

The Daiquiri is a classic, 3-ingredient cocktail made with rum, lime juice, and simple syrup.

The 3 Ingredients for an Authentic Daiquiri

  • 1 1/2 – 2 oz rum
  • 1 oz simple syrup
  • 3/4 oz lime juice (about 1 lime)

How to Make an Authentic Daiquiri

Juice your lime into a cocktail shaker. My lime had already been chillin’ in the fridge for a while so it wasn’t the freshest. But I’m sure the sailors aboard Old Grogg’s ship managed with worse. Add a generous amount of ice, the rum, & the simple syrup.

Shake all 3 ingredients vigorously for 30 seconds. Push through the burning in your arm muscle and the chill in your hand. Unless you can shake a cocktail shaker vigorously for 30 seconds without your arm getting tired. In that case… kudos to you and you might as well keep on shaking until it does to get a little workout in. Pour into a coupe glass and put your nose in the air while you drink it because you, my friend, now know how to make an authentic daiquiri.

Don’t have a cocktail shaker? Check out this one:

It’s gorgeous, affordable, and comes with a bar spoon AND a jigger. This is one small investment you need to make if you’re interested in creating cocktails at home!

Interested in other 3 ingredient cocktails? Check out these easy cocktails:

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Dark and Stormy | The Easiest Cocktail You’ll Make Over & Over Again

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The Dark and Stormy is one of the easiest cocktails to make at home. With only 2 ingredients, you'll be making this cocktail over and over again.

The Dark and Stormy is the cocktail I’ve made more times than I can count. It’s definitely my go-to drink when I want a cocktail but I don’t want to think or measure or pour a handful of ingredients. I love cocktails (obvs) but sometimes even I don’t feel like fussing around with extra stuff. Besides a gin & tonic, this may be the easiest cocktail to make. I’d say it’s definitely the tastiest easiest cocktail.

This stupid-simple cocktail is only two ingredients: dark rum & ginger beer. The lime is optional but definitely a great addition. I enjoy my Dark and Stormy both with and without lime– it adds a great fresh element to the drink. But let’s be real– sometimes even cutting up a lime is too much work when I just need want a drink.

Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like! 

If you haven’t had ginger beer, it’s a non-alcoholic soda with a spicy kick. It’s got a much stronger ginger taste than ginger ale. Technically speaking, this drink can only be called a Dark and Stormy if it uses Gosling Black Seal rum so it’s sometimes referred to as a Safe Harbor. Whatever you want to call it, it’s delicious and so easy to make.

Not all ginger beers are created equal. Some are very light (closer to ginger ale) while others are suupperr strong and spicy. Try out a few brands to see what you like best. I personally tend to prefer a pretty strong ginger flavor, so Bundaberg is my favorite. It was the main ginger beer brand at my grocery store in Reno. However, I can’t find them locally here in Texas so my new love is actually the HEB brand. (Shout out to HEB– ilu!) It packs a surprising punch.

I’ve gotta be honest and say that EVERY time I make a Dark and Stormy, I use spiced rum. It’s not the classic recipe, but I definitely prefer it. Try it with dark rum, spiced rum, or even aged rum and see what you prefer.

I think making it with spiced rum really balances out the spiciness of the ginger beer. Spiced rum is actually referring to the fact that it has a lot of spices in it, like cinnamon and allspice, not that it’s spicy-hot. So really, spiced rum often tastes sweeter than traditional rum. The combo of sweet spiced rum, spicy ginger beer, & tart lime creates a beautiful symphony of flavors for your tastebuds. 👏 A multi-dimensional drink with minimal ingredients? SIGN.ME.UP.

The Dark and Stormy is one of the easiest cocktails to make at home. With only 2 ingredients, you'll be making this cocktail over and over again.

Also, can we talk for a second about this butterfly? It’s a Red Admiral butterfly and we’ve had so many on our property lately. This one would NOT leave me alone while I was drinking my Dark & Stormy outside. It would fly around for a few seconds, land on the railing, fly around again, and then land back on the railing an inch or so from where it was previously. It even landed on my hand! I thought I was gonna explode from pure joy.

The Dark and Stormy is one of the easiest cocktails to make at home. With only 2 ingredients, you'll be making this cocktail over and over again.

What about you– what’s your go-to cocktail when you don’t want to spend any unnecessary time fussing around with ingredients? Let me know in a comment below.

The Ingredients for a Dark and Stormy

The How-To

Fill a low-ball glass with ice. Add the rum. Top with ginger beer. Stir to mix. Enjoy the easiest cocktail you’ve ever made.

Dark and Stormy recipe

Dark and Stormy

The Dark and Stormy cocktail, sometimes called a Safe Harbor, is a delicious 2-ingredient cocktail with dark rum and ginger beer.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 min
Course Drinks
Servings 1

Ingredients
  

  • 1½-2 oz dark rum (spiced rum is my favorite)
  • 3+ oz ginger beer

Instructions
 

  • Add ice to a lowball glass.
  • Pour the rum and ginger beer into the glass.
  • Stir to combine.

Notes

The original recipe calls for dark rum but my favorite way to enjoy a Dark & Stormy is with spiced rum.
Keyword dark and stormy, dark rum, ginger beer, lime, rum, spiced rum

If you love this cocktail, check out the Sea Monster— it’s got spiced rum, ginger beer, grapefruit juice, and grenadine. Or try making the Moscow Mule or the Irish Mule if you’re feeling the ginger beer.

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