Drinks similar to pina colada: Best Cocktails If You Like Piña Coladas: Easy Tropical Drinks to Make

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December 28, 2022
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Best Cocktails If You Like Piña Coladas: Easy Tropical Drinks to Make

Drink
Great Cocktails

That feeling when you have a hankering for more than one kind of tropical tipple.

By Laura Reilly, and Thrillist Food

Updated on 6/30/2022 at 11:19 AM

Angostura Colada at Sunken Harbor Club | Photo by Cole Saladino for Thrillist

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Much like soft rock vacation anthems, Piña Coladas are hard to get out of your head. It’s difficultto forget the tropicalcombo of rum, pineapple juice, and coconut cream. On a beach, in the summer, you might even ponder whether anyother drink could ever beat it.

With origins in Puerto Rico where it’s the island’s national drink, Piña Coladas were made for hot weather. Still, throwing back acreamy coconut slushy every day could get a little old hat fast. (Or, if you’re really lazy, these days you can just snag some Piña Colada in a can.)

Ward off any colada fatigue with five slight variations that still hit the spot. If you like Piña Coladas, but hate getting caught in the mundane, then try these twists. (Getting caught in the rain is entirely optional.)

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Piña Colada Milkshake

This extra-decadent, full-blown milkshake version of the Piña Colada will make you love the classic even more. Created by the drinkable dessert masters at Brooklyn’s Butter & Scotch, this blended drink is even richer than the original thanks to a generous scoop of coconut ice cream. Whole pineapple chunks also go into the blender, which should yield some tasty pieces to nibble on as you sip.

Painkiller

If you feel awkward about ordering a Piña Colada from a bar and don’t want to hear the shameful whirring of a blender, order a Painkiller. The tiki drink is super easy to make and uses many of the same ingredients as the Piña Colada. Coconut cream, pineapple juice, and orange juice are shaken—not blended!—together, poured into a rocks glass, and topped with some freshly grated nutmeg. Being a tiki go-to, it has all of the island vibe of a colada without the fully blended fuss.

Rocket Fuel

The Piña Colada is decently potent, but it isn’t nearly as strong as some of its tropical cocktail brethren. This drink, though, lives up to its name with a healthy dose of dark rum, nutty amaretto, and goosebumps-on-you-arms strong 151-proof rum piped directly into the metal straw. That means you’ll get a whopping kick upon your very first sip, and a richer Piña Colada the rest of the way through.

Konomi

Consuming three Piña Coladas after sunbathing on the beach feels ideal (if not hurting for a sunburn), but drinking that many coconut cream drinks can also become a touch too cloying. If you want that coconut-infused flavor partnered with pineapple, but don’t necessarily feel like twirling your straw through a slushy, opt for a Konomi instead. It’s a lighter drink made with coconut oil-washed vodka, pineapple syrup, matcha powder, and amaro, then all poured over ice. The result: a complex cocktail that has sweet, bitter, and fragrant notes.

Good Morning New Orleans

If you swap out the rum for tequila in a Piña Colada, the drink still tastes like a summer getaway—one that takes place in Cabo instead of Puerto Rico. In this tequila-spiked iteration from New Orleans bar Maypop, aged añejo tequila, coconut purée, and fresh pineapple juice are blitzed together. A little Chinese five spice for garnish adds some savory intrigue.

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Laura Reilly is a traveler and former bartender who spends all of her money on pasta, new cocktails, craft beer, the extra guac and a wasted gym membership.

7 Tropical Cocktails That Aren’t Piña Coladas

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It’s your first day in the tropics. You walk up to the poolside bar in your cute new bikini and see rows and rows of rainbow-colored alcohol behind the bar. After your initial surge of excitement, the bartender asks what you would like. You realize you have no idea what to order. Overwhelmed by all the choices, you panic and ask for a piña colada.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good a piña colada, but after 3 days of drinking only those coconut concoctions, it was time for a change. Here are some tropical drinks that taste almost as good as they look.

1. Miami Vice

Photo courtesy of miamibeach511.com

Piña colada and strawberry daiquiri — why choose just one when you can have both? This combo of the classics puts a new twist on your two favorite tropical drinks.

2. Blue Hawaiian

Photo courtesy of Zoe Denenberg

The Blue Hawaiian, a photogenic mix of blue Curaçao liqueur, pineapple juice, and coconut rum, can be made with coconut cream and blended like a piña colada or mixed with simple syrup and poured over ice. My favorite variation is the classic Blue Hawaiian, but each take on this drink is beautiful as well as tasty.

3. Mai Tai

Photo courtesy of thecocktailproject.com

Rum, orange Curaçao, lime, what’s not to love? The Mai Tai is a gorgeous sweet-and-sour drink that will make you wish you could live at the beach year-round.

4. Hurricane

Photo by Abigail Wilkins

This drink is exactly what it sounds like: a hurricane in a glass. With up to five different kinds of alcohol in one drink, the Hurricane definitely packs a punch. There are many different variations of the Hurricane, but it commonly contains a base of rum and passion fruit juice.

5. Bob Marley

Photo courtesy of Zoe Denenberg

Each country does this drink differently, so you never know quite what you’ll get when you order the Bob Marley. In Turks and Caicos, the Flaming Bob Marley is a shot made with grenadine, banana liqueur, creme de menthe, and overproof rum. In the Dominican Republic, it’s an entire cup of grenadine, pineapple juice, creme de menthe, and other mystery ingredients.

6. Mojito

Photo by Christin Urso

No matter how many new drinks I try, I always revert back to the classic MVP: the mojito. The mint and lime make it a perfect refreshing drink for any time of day. If you’re looking to change this recipe up a bit, try making pink lemonade mojitos.

7. Sex on the Beach

Photo by Keni Lin

A fruity cocktail that tastes more like juice than alcohol, the Sex on the Beach can be very dangerous. But don’t worry, if you have one two many of these bad boys, these quick and easy hangover cures will get you back on your feet in no time.

While all of these tropical cocktails are excellent, make sure to ask the bartender what the local specialties are. Each island most likely has a signature drink that’ll trump anything you can get in the USA.

GIF courtesy of giphy.com

And remember, vacation will be over soon. It will no longer be acceptable to consume 7 drinks a day. Take advantage of island life while you can. But not to worry, you can still replicate your favorite tropical drinks at home with these recipes. Cheers!

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Sweet pina colada, admiral’s grog, classic mojito and other drinks for any mood.

1. Pina colada

Photo: MK studio / Shutterstock

The taste of this national drink of Puerto Rico can hardly be forgotten.

Ingredients

1½ cups ice;
½ cup frozen pineapple, diced;
60 ml pineapple juice;
60 ml coconut cream;
45 ml light rum;
30 ml dark rum;
pineapple wedges.

Preparation

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Pour into two hurricane glasses and garnish with pineapple wedges.

By the way, you can serve the drink right in the pineapple, after cutting out the pulp from it.

2. Daiquiri

Photo: Brent Hofacker / Shutterstock

A sour aperitif from Cuba.

Ingredients

60 ml light rum;
30 ml lime juice;
15 ml sugar syrup;
ice.

Preparation

Combine all ingredients in a shaker. Shake until cool and pour into cocktail glasses by straining through a sieve or strainer. Glasses must be pre-cooled.

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3. Mai tai

Photo: Lazhko Svetlana / Shutterstock

Recipe for a popular cocktail from Jamie Oliver.

Ingredients

ice cubes;
60 ml light rum;
40 ml dark rum;
20 ml Cointreau;
10 ml lime juice;
60 ml pineapple juice;
60 ml orange juice;
4-5 drops of grenadine syrup.

Preparation

Put ice – plenty of it – into a shaker and add the rest of the ingredients. Shake for 20 seconds. The contents must be well chilled.

It is recommended to serve the cocktail in short glasses. There are two ways to fill them:

Pour the contents into a glass along with the ice that is in the shaker.
Fill the container with new ice and use a sieve or strainer to strain the liquid so that the old ice remains in the shaker.

The drink can be garnished with a sprig of mint and a lime wedge.

4. Mojito

Photo: Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

There are so many varieties of this refreshing cocktail. Let’s focus on the classic: with mint, lime juice, soda and sugar.

Ingredients

6 fresh mint leaves;
30 ml sugar syrup;
30 ml fresh lime juice;
60 ml light rum;
ice;
60 ml soda.

Preparation

Place the mint in a shaker and shake gently. Add sugar syrup, lime juice, rum and ice. Shake well and pour into a highball glass. Pour soda into it and garnish with a sprig of mint.

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5. Cuba Libre

Photo: KristinaSh/Shutterstock

This Cuban drink is one of the most popular cocktails in the world.

Ingredients

fresh lime juice ¹⁄₂;
ice cubes;
60 ml light rum;
120 ml Coca-Cola.

Preparation

Add lime juice to a collins or highball glass. It is better to choose the first one: it is narrower and higher, so the soda will run out more slowly.

For a more intense citrus flavor, throw a lime wedge into the glass, shake it and remove the lime – you’ll get some more flavor from the zest. Put ice cubes, pour in rum and cola. Mix well.

6. Hot rum with butter and milk

Photo: Alphonsine Sabine / Shutterstock

Such a cocktail will warm even the most chilly evening.

Ingredients

½ tablespoon softened butter;
1 tablespoon brown sugar;
½ tablespoon powdered sugar;
1 cup hot milk;
45 ml dark rum;
pinch of cinnamon;
pinch of nutmeg.

Preparation

Combine butter, sugar and icing sugar in a mug with a spoon. Add hot milk, rum and spices, mix well.

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7. Knickerbocker

Photo: Shivam Chy / Shutterstock

A classic cocktail from 1800s New York. Thanks to the rich taste of raspberries, you will not even notice that there is alcohol in the drink.

Ingredients

ice;
45 ml golden rum;
15 ml raspberry syrup;
1 teaspoon orange liqueur;
15 ml lime or lemon juice.

Preparation

Put ice in a shaker, add the rest of the ingredients and shake well. Strain the cocktail through a sieve or strainer into a low wide old fashion glass filled with crushed ice. Garnish with an orange slice or seasonal berries.

8. Hurricane

Photo: Micaela Fiorellini / Shutterstock

Strong New Orleans cocktail is a real legend. Try to cook it yourself, it’s not that hard.

Ingredients

60 ml light rum;
60 ml dark rum;
30 ml lime juice;
30 ml orange juice;
60 ml passionfruit juice;
15 ml sugar syrup;
15 ml grenadine syrup;
ice.

Preparation

Mix all ingredients in a shaker, add ice. Shake well. Strain through a sieve or strainer into a hurricane glass filled with fresh ice.

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Ingredients

For Don’s Mix Syrup:

3 cinnamon sticks;
1 cup sugar;
1 glass of water;
freshly squeezed grapefruit juice.

For a cocktail:

45 ml Hawaiian rum;
45 ml Puerto Rican rum;
30 ml extra strong rum;
⅛ teaspoon anise liqueur;
15 ml falernum syrup;
15 ml Don’s Mix syrup;
1 teaspoon grenadine syrup;
4-5 drops of angostura;
180 g crushed ice;
sprig of mint for decoration.

Preparation

Let’s start with Don’s Mix syrup. Break up the cinnamon sticks, put them in a small saucepan or saucepan, add the sugar and water, and bring to a boil. Sugar should be completely dissolved. Hold on fire for about two minutes and remove. Let cool for about a couple of hours. The resulting sugar syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for a month, so at the next party you do not have to bother and wait until it cools.

For Don’s Mix, combine one part syrup with two parts grapefruit juice.

Now let’s get to the cocktail. Place all ingredients, except ice, in a blender and blend on high speed for 5 seconds or less.

Pour into glass and add ice. Use a tall and narrow zombie-like glass (it’s taller and narrower than a collins). Garnish with a sprig of mint.

10. Grog

Photo: Sea Wave / Shutterstock

Do you remember that this is the favorite drink of pirates?

Ingredients

60 ml dark rum;
15 ml lime juice;
1 teaspoon brown sugar;
120 ml boiling water or hot black tea.
cloves and cardamom optional;
orange slice;
cinnamon stick.

Preparation

Mix rum, lime juice, sugar and boiling water or tea in a mug. For taste, you can add cloves and cardamom. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and an orange slice.

Cocktails in the Dominican Republic. Top 5 Caribbean Cocktails You Must Try

The Dominican Republic will turn anyone’s head with its bright colors, hot dances and, of course, breathtaking cocktails! In this article, we will share with you the recipes for the most popular Dominican cocktails, having mastered them, you will become a welcome guest at any party! You will learn how to make a cocktail with the crazy name “Coco Loco”, how to add a Russian accent to Caribbean drinks, and a Dominican accent to Cuban drinks, and even about which drink can wake up the real devil in you!

On our website you can buy wonderful excursions in the Dominican Republic!

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What do you need to make a delicious Dominican cocktail?

respect the proportions and cooking technique
classic cocktail must contain no more than 5 ingredients
quality alcohol, fresh ingredients, ice as needed
a glass of the correct shape (yes, yes, this is also very important!)
shaker, blender, sleight of hand and a little imagination!

Dominican Republic is a country of fragrant rum and fresh fruits! By combining these ingredients, the Dominicans have learned how to create excellent cocktails!

See also: Dominican cuisine

1. Coco Loco

The most that neither is a Dominican cocktail, the name of which is translated as “Crazy Coconut” (Spanish: coco – coconut, loco – crazy, crazy). In its most classic version, the cocktail is made right in the coconut: after cutting off the top, rum and fruit juice are added to the coconut. Since the Dominican resorts have become popular all over the world, this drink has become widely known. The recipe for the cocktail has changed a bit, and you can see different versions of Coco Loco, but many Dominicans still make it using the original recipe.

Ingredients:

80 ml coconut milk
50 ml pineapple juice
30 ml light rum
30 ml Malibu
ground cinnamon
ice cubes

Preparation:

mix ice, coconut milk, pineapple juice, Malibu liqueur and white rum
shake everything well in a shaker
Pour into a glass, top with ground cinnamon
serve in a highball glass – a special glass for long drinks of the correct cylindrical shape

2.

Pina Colada

This delicious Caribbean cocktail has long won the hearts of lovers of sweet and exotic all over the world. The Dominican Republic is no exception, because the inhabitants of this country have a rare sweet tooth. Literally, the name of the cocktail is translated as “filtered pineapple”. Indeed, in the Caribbean, this drink is often served right in the pineapple!

There are many variations of this cocktail. For example, you can make a non-alcoholic Pina Colada by excluding rum from the list of ingredients.
Or you can add a Russian accent to the drink by replacing the rum with vodka (gets Pina Colada Chi Chi)

Ingredients:

30 ml light rum
30 ml coconut milk (can be replaced with coconut liqueur: e.g. Malibu)
90 ml pineapple juice
crushed ice
cherry and pineapple slice

Preparation:

mix ice, white rum, pineapple juice and coconut milk (liquor) in a blender
whip at maximum speed
Pour into a glass, garnish with a pineapple wedge and a cherry
serve in a hurricane – a glass for tropical cocktails on a low stem

See also: Dominican rum

3.

Cuba Libre

The name of the cocktail is translated as “Free Cuba”. One of its main advantages is the ease of preparation and the composition, which includes simple and affordable ingredients. Yes, and this drink will not require special costs. Therefore, simple Dominicans love it so much, they are not able to afford expensive drinks. By the way, it was they who came up with one of the variations of this famous cocktail – “Santa Libre”, in which Cola was simply replaced with Sprite. Try it – very refreshing!

Ingredients:

50 ml light rum
120 ml Cola
10 ml fresh lime juice
ice cubes

Preparation:

fill glass with ice
squeeze lime juice
add rum and pour cola
Serve in a highball glass, garnished with a lime wedge

4. Mojito

Another drink originating from Liberty Island (Cuba) is Mojito. This cocktail has become popular due to the excellent combination of juicy citrus and mint, which is very refreshing both on a hot day and in the heat of a party. Classic Mojito always contains 5 main ingredients: rum, soda, sugar, lime and mint. But in recent years, soda has been increasingly replaced by various sugary drinks, such as Sprite. The non-alcoholic version of the cocktail is also very popular, in which all the same ingredients are present, with the exception of rum.

Ingredients:

40 ml light rum
30 ml fresh lime juice
6 peppermint leaves
100 ml soda
2 tablespoons cane sugar (you can use regular sugar instead of tropical sugar, or just replace the sugar and soda with Sprite)
crushed ice

Preparation:

place mint, lime and sugar in a glass
gently knead and mix contents
fill glass with crushed ice
add rum and soda (sprite)
serve in a highball glass (tall glass) with a straw, garnish with a lime wedge and mint sprig

On our site you can buy wonderful excursions in the Dominican Republic!

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