How to Make a Fresh Pina Colada

Pina Coladas are one of the most popular cocktails, especially during the summer months.  Impress your friends by building them from scratch--leave that premix in the cupboard!

You'll need a shaker for this (either a metal one or just another cup that will fit over the cup you're using and make a seal).  A Pina Colada is made with three basic ingredients: rum, pineapple juice, and coconut syrup.  Start off with your glass filled with ice.  Pour 1.5 oz. of light rum (more or less to taste) and fill the rest with equal parts pineapple juice and coconut syrup. Shake this up and pour it back into the glass.  Garnish with a pineapple wedge.

Coconut syrup comes in a can or bottle.  It might be called "coconut hearts", "heart of coconut", "coconut juice", or "coconut syrup".  At the liquor store it will be on the shelf next to the pre-made Pina Colada mix.  Coconut syrup coagulates if you keep it in the fridge so I recommened storing it at room temperature.  Shake it up before using it to make sure it'll flow.

You can use more or less rum.  In some restaurants, they will use extra rum, usually coconut rum like Parrot Bay to go with the natural coconut flavor.

This drink is also popular frozen.  Get out your blender and follow these simple steps:

If you're making one serving, get the cup you'll be using, fill it with ice, and put that into the blender.  If you're making more servings, use that many cup-fulls of ice.  Add in the rum, and then pour the juice and syrup in equally just until the ice dislodges and starts floating.  Just watch the ice in the blender, and when there is enough liquid it will shift and start floating.  If you only pour this much, there should be little to no waste left in the blender.

Personally, I'd rather not used pre-made mixers, and this is a great way to make a delicious, fresh-tasting Pina Colada!