National Piña Colada Day is Wednesday, July 10. This day celebrates the tropical rum cocktail that is a staple on summertime menus. Originally concocted at Caribe Hilton in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1954 by bartender Ramón “Monchito” Marrero, the recipe typically includes rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice, and it is usually served blended or shaken with ice.
In honor of the 70th anniversary of the classic cocktail, Hilton Hotels & Resorts commissioned a piña colada survey, which was conducted by Wakefield Research among 1,000 nationally representative U.S. drinkers. The results found that the drink is still considered an iconic summertime cocktail synonymous with relaxation and vacation vibes:
- 88% of Americans who have tried a Piña Colada associate the drink with that “endless vacation” feeling.
- 60% of Americans agree the tropical drink puts them into a vacation state of mind.
- 65% would drink a tropical drink at any time of day.
Help your bar guests feel like they're on a relaxing vacation without the need for a plane ticket. We've rounded up a collection of piña colada recipes for you to add to your summer cocktail menus!
Recipe: Eli Servance III, beverage manager at Hidden Tiger
Purple Tape
Ingedients:
1.5oz Ten to One White Rum
1.5oz Chinola Passionfruit
1oz Makegolli
.5oz Coco Lopez
.5oz Condensed Milk
2oz *Chicha Morada batch
- 300g Purple Corn
- Ripe Pineapple Peel
- 3-4 Cinnamon Sticks
- 2-3 Cloves
Directions:
For the Chicha Morada batch:
- Peel your pineapple, (use the pineapple core and flesh for classic pineapple garnishes).
- Remove the kettle from the core of the corn stock measuring approximately 300g or about 6 corn stocks worth of corn [might variety from each packaging].
- In a large Saucepan add all ingredients: 2 Liters of Water, Purple Corn, Pineapple Peel, the Cinnamon Sticks, and the cloves.
- Allow to Simmer, on medium heat for 45 minutes [we are essentially making a corn tea base].
- Once reaching the desired rich dark crimson color you take off heat, adding 1 cup of sugar to the mix until sugar is dissolved.
- Bring it back to heat and stir mixture allowing it to thicken up slightly.
- Allow to cool done and bottle it.
For the cocktail:
- Pour all ingredients in a shaker tin and whip shake.
- Pour over pebble or Kold Draft ice cubes and garnish with pineapple fronds.
Pineapple Whipped Colada
Ingredients:
1.0 Planteray Pina
.75 Blue Chair
Coconut Rum
.25 Fresh Lime
.25 Fresh Pineapple
.5 Kara Coconut Cream
1.5 Dole Whip Syrup
Garnish:
Pineapple half,
1 pina frond,
Shredded coconut.
Directions:
- Shake with Kold Draft cubes.
- Strain and top with pebble ice.
Ginger Piña Colada
Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum
1 part cream of coconut
¼ part pineapple juice
¾ homemade ginger syrup
Directions:
- Add Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum, cream of coconut, pineapple juice and ginger syrup to an empty mixing glass.
- Dry shake. Add ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain into highball or Tiki glass.
- Fill with ice and garnish with candied ginger.
Piña Colada
Ingredients:
2 oz. Argonaut Speculator Brandy
½ oz. Simple Syrup
½ Lemon cut into Quarters
4-6 Mint Leaves
Directions:
- Add ingredients into a cocktail shaker, and muddle together to incorporate flavors.
- Add ice and shake until cold.
- Strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
- Garnish with a bouquet of fresh mint and lemon wheel (seasonal fruit can also be added if desired).
- Garnish with citrus wheels, cinnamon sticks and fresh herbs.
Kokomo Colada
Ingredients:
2 oz Club Kokomo Tahitian Vanilla Rum
1.5 oz Coconut Cream
1.5 oz Pineapple Juice
5 Chunks of fresh pineapple
16 oz ice
Directions:
- Add all the ingredients to a blender and blend for about 30-45 seconds or until smooth.
- Pour into a hurricane glass, Collins glass, or red cup.
- Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Macadamia Nut Piña Colada
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. spiced rum
1 oz. Monin Macadamia Nut Syrup
4 oz. Monin Piña Colada Fruit Smoothie Mix
1/2 oz. dark rum floater
Directions:
- Fill serving glass full of ice.
- Pour ingredients into blender cup in order listed.
- Add ice from serving glass, cap, and blend until smooth.
- Pour back into serving glass, add garnish and serve.
Jalisco Colada
1 1/2 oz. Herradura Tequila
3/4 oz. The Perfect Purée Coconut Puree, thawed
3/4 oz. The Perfect Purée Mango Passion Fruit blend, thawed
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. agave nectar
1 spray absinthe
Directions:
- In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients with ice.
- Shake, strain and serve on the rocks in a cocktail glass.
- Garnish with coconut flakes.
Rum Fire Colada
Ingredients:
0.75 oz Green Chartreuse
0.5 oz Rum Fire
0.5 oz Velvet Falernum
1 oz Pineapple
1oz Coconut Creme
0.5 oz Lime
5x dash Angostura Bitters
Directions:
- Combine all in a shaker.
- Whip shake with pebble ice.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Matcha Colada
Ingredients:
2 oz. Tequila Herradura Silver
¾ oz. Pineapple Juice
1 oz. Coco Agave (1 part Herradura Agave, 1 part Coconut Milk)
¼ Tsp Matcha Powder
¾ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Directions:
- Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice and shake vigorously.
- Strain into a glass over fresh ice.
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