Here’s how to make the perfect Pina Colada cocktail

We’ve been making Pina Coladas at parties for over ten years. It’s one of the most popular cocktails at our cocktail bar. But what exactly makes this cocktail so popular with our cocktail catering?

How to make a Pina Colada cocktail

Step 1: Gather the ingredients 
To make a Pina Colada, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• 60 ml white rum
• 120 ml pineapple juice
• 60 ml coconut milk
• 2 cups of ice cubes
• Pineapple wedges for garnish (optional)

Step 2: Blend the ice cream
The first step in making a Piña Colada is to blend the ice. Add the 2 cups of ice to the blender and blend until the ice is finely crushed. It is important to ensure that the ice is completely finely crushed, so that the cocktail has the right texture.

Step 3: Add the rum
Next, add the 60 ml of white rum to the blender. It is important to make sure you use a good-quality rum to get the best flavour. Blend the ice and the rum together until well combined.

Step 4: Add the pineapple juice
Add the 120 ml of pineapple juice to the blender. The pineapple juice gives the cocktail its sweet and fruity flavour. Blend again until everything is well mixed.

Step 5: Add the coconut milk
Finally, add the 60 ml of coconut milk to the blender. The coconut milk gives the cocktail its creamy, tropical flavour. Blend again until everything is well mixed.

Step 6: Serve the cocktail
Pour the Pina Colada into a large glass and add some extra ice if you like. Garnish the cocktail with a slice of pineapple and, if you like, a little cocktail umbrella for an extra tropical touch.

Tips for making the perfect Pina Colada

• Use fresh ingredients: Fresh pineapple and freshly squeezed pineapple juice give the cocktail the best flavour.
• Use a good blender: Make sure you have a powerful blender that can blend the ice and the ingredients thoroughly.
• Adjust the proportions: If you find the cocktail too strong or too sweet, you can adjust the proportions to suit your taste.
• Try different types of rum: There are various types of white rum available, and they all have a different flavour. Experiment with different types to find out which one you like best.
• Serve the cocktail cold: A Pina Colada tastes best when served cold. So always add ice to the glass and keep the ingredients in the fridge before using them.

Make the Piña Colada cocktail even more delicious

We tailor the Pina Colada to suit our guests’ tastes our cocktail bar. We’d be happy to tell you how we can adapt the classic Pina Colada:

Add fresh fruit
To make the piña colada even fruitier, you can add fresh fruit to the mixture. Think of strawberries, mango or banana, for example. Add about a handful of fruit to the blender before adding the other ingredients. This gives the cocktail an extra tropical flavour.

Use dark rum
Instead of white rum, you can also use dark rum. Dark rum has a richer and more complex flavour than white rum and goes well with the sweet taste of pineapple and coconut milk.

Add lime juice
To make the cocktail a bit fresher, you can add lime juice to the mixture. Squeeze the juice from half a lime and add it to the blender. Lime juice adds a tangy and refreshing element to the cocktail.

Make a frozen piña colada
Instead of ice cubes, you can also use frozen pineapple to make a frozen piña colada. Use the same amount of frozen pineapple as you would ice cubes and blend everything together thoroughly. This gives the cocktail an extra thick and creamy texture.

Add a dash of Add Blue Curaçao
Blue Curaçao is a liqueur with a blue colour and a slightly bitter orange flavour. Add a splash to a piña colada for an extra touch of exoticism and a lovely blue colour.

Use coconut water instead of coconut milk
Coconut water is a lighter and less creamy alternative to coconut milk. If you want to make the cocktail a bit lighter, you can use coconut water instead of coconut milk.

Make a mocktail
If you don’t want to use alcohol, you can leave out the rum and make the cocktail as mocktail. In that case, use a little extra pineapple juice and coconut milk to ensure the cocktail is still lovely and creamy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why shake rather than blend?

Shaking creates a light, airy texture and a lovely balance between the ingredients. By shaking vigorously, you mix the alcohol, juice, syrup and citrus to perfection, whilst also cooling the cocktail immediately. Blending adds extra air and often extra ice, which makes the texture thicker and sometimes less refined. For fresh, crisp cocktails with a lovely head of foam, shaking is usually the better choice.

Which coconut milk should I use?

It is best to use full-fat coconut milk with a fat content of at least 17 to 20 per cent. This provides body, creaminess and a stable emulsion when shaken. Low-fat varieties are often too watery and do not foam up as well. A slightly thinner variety works fine for iced cocktails, but for creamy shaken cocktails, always choose the full-fat version.

Won’t the cocktail become too watery from being shaken with ice?

No, provided you do it properly. Ice actually ensures the right dilution. Whilst shaking, a small amount of the ice melts, allowing the flavours to blend better and making the alcohol less harsh. Shaking for too short a time results in a cocktail that’s too strong, whilst shaking for too long can over-dilute it. Shaking vigorously for an average of 10 to 15 seconds with good, hard ice is ideal.

What is the best ratio?

A safe basic ratio for a balanced cocktail is:

• 50 ml spirits
• 25 ml of an acidic liquid such as lime juice
• 20 to 25 ml of something sweet, such as syrup
• 30 to 60 ml of coconut milk or juice, depending on the desired creaminess

Always taste as you go and adjust accordingly. If you want it fresher, add a bit more acidity. If you’d prefer it milder, add a little more sweetness or coconut. Balance is more important than fixed rules.