Bahama Mama: Tropical Bliss in a Glass

The Bahama Mama isn't classic or sophisticated but, despite those limitations, the sweet rum cocktail tastes like tropical bliss. Plus, it's easy to craft and fun to sip wherever you happen to be in the world.

Bahama MamaPhoto by2foodtrippers

We resisted crafting Bahama Mama cocktails at home since we thought the name sounded silly. And, while we still think that's the case, we're glad we got past that particular mental road block.

Our smiles were wide after we crafted our first Bahama Mama and not just because we sipped the drink through three colorful straws. The sweet rum cocktail transported our taste buds to the tropics. As we imbibed the sweet summer sipper, we swore we could hear ocean waves. Needless to say, we'll be drinking many Bahama Mamas in the future whether it's at a beach bar, on a boardwalk or on our balcony at home.

What Is the Bahama Mama?

The Bahama Mama is a tropical cocktail that's crafted with a variety of rums, juices and even coffee liqueur. Some recipes call for the rum cocktail to be shaken while others opt for stirring or blending the drink.

Our Bahama Mama recipe includes coconut rum, dark rum, three juices and grenadine. With flavors straight from the tropics, the resulting cocktail is super easy to sip either with a straw or straight from the glass.

History of the Bahama Mama

Sipping one too many Bahama Mamas will make your head fuzzy. The same can be said about the cocktail's past. Yes, the Bahama Mama is yet another cocktail with multiple origin stories.

While most cocktail historians agree that the Bahama Mama has Bahamian roots, its exact origin details are sketchy at best. Some credit the cocktail to a Oswald Greenslade, a Nassau bartender who claims to have created the cocktail during the 1960s. Other cocktail historians trace the origin to the Prohibition era while others recognize calypso singer Dottie Lee Anderson (a/k/a the Bahama Mama of the 1930s) as the drink's inspiration.

Ingredients

The Bahama Mama cocktail has more recipe variations than it does origin stories. Our recipe, which tastes like a vacation and looks like a tropical sunset, calls for the following ingredients:

• 1 ounce coconut rum
• 1 ounce dark rum
• 1/2 ounce grenadine
• 1/2 ounce lime juice *
• 1 ounce orange juice *
• 2 ounces pineapple juice *
• 1 maraschino cherry
• 1 Wedge pineapple
• ice cubes

* We recommend using freshly squeezed juices whenever possible.

We like to use Malibu coconut rum when we craft Bahama Mamas in our Lisbon home. It's a coconut-flavored liqueur made in Barbados with white rum and coconut flavors. It has an ABV of 21%. We typically have Havana Club Ańejo Especial Cuban Rum on hand so that's the dark rum we use. Doubled aged in oak barrles and sporting a 40% ABV, it tastes great in this recipe.

Don't give up if you can't find these particular rum brands where you live or if you have different rums in your liquor cabinet. Instead, use the rums that work for you. For example, if you're located in the USA, Appleton's rum would be an excellent dark rum alternative.

We strongly recommend using grenadine syrup produced by Monin unless you prefer using homemade grenadine. This French company doesn't add any artificial colors or flavors to its bright red pomegranate syrup.

How to Craft a Bahama Mama Cocktail

Crafting a Bahama Mama cocktail is easy once you gather the necessary ingredients plus a few basic bar tools.

The first step is to measure the two rums and pour them directly into a shaker. We like to use a Japanese jigger to ensure accurate measurements and avoid spillage.

Immediately pour the three juices into the same shaker.

Add a handful of ice and shake the rums and juices until they're chilled and combined - approximately 20 seconds. We like to use a Boston shaker since it doesn't leak. Plus, it looks and feels pro.

Fill a hurrricane glass with ice and strain the shaken liquids into the ice-filled glass.

Slowly pour the grenadine directly into the glass.

Pro Tip: Do NOT mix the cocktail at this point as doing so will negate the sunset effect that you've just achieved.

Garnish with a pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry.

Sip through a straw or directly from the glass. The cocktail will taste great either way.

Variations

Now that you've tried our favorite Bahama Mama recipe, feel free to find your personal favorite. Here are a few ideas to get you started on your Bahama Mama journey:

• Add a splash of coffee liqueur to craft a traditional Bahama Mama cocktail.
• Experiment with other potential ingredients like banana liqueur and pineapple liqueur.
• Replace the dark rum with overproof rum to craft a more potent Bahama Mama cocktail.
• Multiply the ingredients by four or eight to craft a small or large Bahama Mama pitcher.

This recipe was originally published on 2foodtrippers. Consider subscribing to 2foodtrippers if you enjoyed it.