It is a good idea to make a list if you would like to try a number of different drinks, especially because a lot of resort bars may not have drink menus. If you are not sure about the best beach drinks to order, each time that you see someone who has a drink that looks good, you will have to ask the waitstaff or patron what it is so that you can try to order it for yourself.
Pina Colada from Puerto Rico
This slurry of rum, coconut and lime is the popular pina colada and it had actually been popular throughout the Caribbean for about a hundred years before the time that a bartender by the name of Ramon “Monchito” Marrero from the Caribe Hilton Beachcomber Bar in San Juan, Puerto Rico, had perfected the drink in the 1950s by adding cream of coconut to it. Today, the signature cocktail of San Juan is one sipped the world over, but it will taste best in Puerto Rico, when you are by the beach or at poolside.
Caipirinha from Brazil
This is a drink made with lime, sugar and cachaca, which is a spirit that is fermented from the juice of sugarcane that you will often find in many seaside cafes in Brazil. Even the vendors on the beach will mix them for you! Variations are plenty, but the most popular is known as the caipifrutas, which will add one or more different fruits from the region, including cashew fruit, kiwi, mango, or passionfruit.
Mai Tai form Polynesia
After a Tahitian guest tried this cocktail made of rum, orgeat syrup from almonds, orange curacao, and lime in a Polynesian lounge in Oakland, California in 1944 called Trader Vic’s (or Hinky Dink at the time), they remarked “out of this world”, or “maita’i ro’a ‘ae.” This is where the name Mai Tai came in, or so this story goes. The drink was made popular in the movie Blue Hawaii with Elvis and has been a major staple ever since at tiki lounges everywhere.
Moscow Mule
While it is simple, this is a drink that is far from boring. It is a combination of ginger beer mixed with vodka and zesty lime for a lively, refreshing drink layer by layer. With just three ingredients, this is also a drink that is extremely easy to make even if you are at home. Just like any other sturdy or simple recipe, the Moscow Mule is a great foundation for different variations.
By using ginger as the base, you can take this vodka drink in both herbal and fruity directions that include tart pomegranate, sweet watermelon or strawberries, or earthy with a touch of rosemary. This cocktail is extremely versatile, making it a great all-weather beverage. Have it in the fall with apple cider, or with peach in the summertime.
Red Stripe Beer from Jamaica
Red Stripe is associated to a time when the island of Jamaica formally gained their independence from Great Britain back in 1961. A columnist had suggested that 1928 should be the real date, as this is when the beer was originally brewed in the Kingston area of the island. Even though there were some US market glitches in marketing along the way, this lager is now one of the more popular of all of the Caribbean beers.
