Bahama Mama

What Is A Bahama Mama?

Like many other classic and Caribbean cocktails, the origins are unknows and disputed. It is believed that this cocktail was inspired by the Nassau native calypso singer Dorothy “Dottie” Lee Anderson, also knows as “Bahama Mama.” She was a popular performer in the 1950s in the hottest Miami nightclubs. “Bahama Mama” was also a very popular song in the early 1900s. Or it could have been names after the island itself, since it was a popular rum smuggling port back it the day.

A Bahama Mama is a smooth combination of tropical fruity flavors of orange, pineapple, dark rum and coconut rum mixed together with a splash of grenadine to create the most incredible summer flavor. This is a tropical drink, that people usually think of as a vacation cocktail or a tiki cocktail.

Both coconut rum and dark rum add a great balance for the fruitiness and sweetness of the drink. So, grab a hurricane glass and I’ll show you just how easy it is to make with just 5 simple ingredients!

And for the kids, simply omit the liquor and combine the juices with a touch of grenadine to create them a “Bahama Baby.” (Psst…that’s my kid’s favorite!)

Important Ingredients In A Bahama Mama

While there is a little room to play around, the bases of any Bahama Mama recipe include:

• Rum – coconut rum is the most traditional (and tastiest) rum to use in combination of dark rum.
• Orange Juice – my biggest advice here is to use no-pulp or pulp-free juice. Even if you like pulp in your morning oj, don’t use it in cocktails.
• Pineapple Juice – use pineapple juice and not one mixed with other fruit flavors or it will skew the flavor of your cocktail.
• Grenadine – be careful with this ingredient, it’s very sweet! If you don’t trust your hand-pour, pour some into a teaspoon first.
• Garnish – as a garnish, you can use a pineapple wedge, orange slice, maraschino cherries, dirty cherries, lemon slice or lime slice.

Tips To Make a Bahama Mama Cocktail

• Coconut rum: choose your favorite! Not all coconut rums are created equal, so make sure to use your favorite! They can be sweeter, stronger, or have more coconut flavor. RumHaven brand, for example, is sweet but not strong. It tastes more like coconut liqueur, mild and very sweet. Parrot Bay 90 proof rum has a very strong coconut taste but it is quite strong. So make rum selection according to your personal preference. 
• Pour in grenadine: carefully and slowly pour in grenadine juice next to the inside rim of the glass, it can be touching the inside wall of the glass. Grenadine is very dense and heavy so it will naturally sink to the bottom of the glass.
• Serve it layered: You can serve a Bahama mama layered because it looks beautiful, but it will need to be stirred before drinking. So use a straw or a long spoon to stir the cocktail for a few seconds to mix all ingredients.

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Make a Pitcher Or Make Ahead

• To Make A Pitcher: this Bahama mama recipe is for one but you can very easily make it a pitcher (especially since I did the calculation for you). An average pitcher is 60 oz, which is 10-12 servings. So to make a 60 oz pitcher you will need: 18 oz of coconut rum, 18 oz orange juice, 18 oz pineapple juice, 2 oz grenadine, and 4 oz dark rum.
• Make Ahead: you can definitely make several of these cocktails ahead of time. Simply mix the rum and juices in the glass jar but do not add ice. Cover it tight and store in the refrigerator. Make it ahead of time will not give you the sunset layered looks but it’s easy way to prepare for a party.

Variations To Try

Virgin (aka Bahama Baby) – simply omit the liquors and combine orange juice, pineapple juice, and a touch of grenadine.

Less sweet – coconut rum can add some sweetness to the cocktail so to make it less sweet, use white rum instead and add a splash of lime juice.

Spiced – to make it more aromatic and bring more spice to the flavor, use spiced rum instead of dark rum.

More Summer Cocktail Recipes to Try

I love a rum cocktail and I have a whole list of Rum Drinks You Should Try!

If you want a frozen cocktail, then Strawberry Daiquiri is the rum drink for you.

Although, if you want summer in a glass but not rum, try my Mango Pineapple Frozen Margarita.

Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in June 2020.