What could be more relaxing than sitting amidst a cold ocean breeze and warm sand to dig your feet deep in to? If we add a refreshing Caribbean cocktail at the scene, wouldn’t it feel like heaven? That is what a Bahama Mama Cocktail does, it gives you that enigmatic relaxed feeling (the one we were imagining) even in bad weather.
The cocktail brings out a perfect nostalgia for those who have experienced drinking it while sitting on a beach. Now that pictures a bright-looking drink topped with a cute little umbrella on it? Yes, this is exactly what you think of it to be.
Enough of imagination, let’s get straight to the point. If we have to describe this cocktail in a line it would be – “A balanced mixture of ill-matched ingredients which is amazingly delectable”
What Is A Bahama Mama?
An enticing cocktail to have on a beach, it is filled with lots of rum and fruit juices. A drink like this is ideal to serve at a pool party too. It is a heat beater for the summers and the best concoction you were looking for your sweet tooth that wants a little buzz!
As every drink has its background, this one’s too stuck in many stories. Now that the name itself has given us a hint of the Bahamas, then how can we now hold on to our curiosity? Let’s dig a little deeper…
The Stories Behind The Cocktail –
The drink does not have one full-proof story of its origin; the majority of them depend on the word that goes around. One such story starts a famous Caribbean dancer and performer of the 1930s whose name was Dottie Lee Anderson.
Folks say that the cocktail derived its name indirectly from the dancer’s stage name – “Bahama Mama”. The cocktail became famous in the early 50s when the term ‘Bahama Mama’ was widely used in songs.
Another story says that the drink got its name after the Bahamas, a place where rum was smuggled during the prohibition era. Now, these stories are quite vague, right?
Here we have one more claim in the line, but this one’s backed up with some evidence. An experienced bartender in Bahamas – Oswald Greenslade wrote a book named ‘One More Cocktail’. In it, he mentioned 1000 cocktail recipes including the Bahamas Mama recipe. He said that he discovered the concoction at the Nassau Beach Hotel in the Bahamas. Moreover, the name was given to the drink after a local singer.
Maybe Slade is right to claim the crown but the cocktail was made with slight variations before that too. As said history is always complicated but the recipe for this drink is not!
What is in a Bahama Mama?
To be precise this drink is just a mixture of three to four different rums and some fruit juices. The traditional recipe also contained coffee as one of its ingredients. As the years passed it evolved and now many people don’t prefer to add coffee in it.
Moreover, many more ingredients have been checked off the list and many added to it. A simple mixture of juices and rums comes out to be so refreshing that it’s hard to resist.
The drink is easy to make and quite affordable. Here is a traditional recipe of the Bahama Mama cocktail that you can easily make at home.
Bahama Mama ingredients –
To prepare one serving
- Coffee liqueur – 0.25 oz
- Dark rum – 0.5 oz
- Pineapple juice – 4 oz
- Coconut liqueur – 0.5 oz
- 151 proof rum – 0.25 oz
- Lime juice – half a lemon
How to make a Bahama Mama?
This tiki cocktail has a very simple procedure to follow for its preparation. Here is a traditional Bahama Mama recipe.
Bahama Mama drink recipe –
- First, take a Collins or a hurricane glass and fill it with some ice.
- Next, add all the liquids one by one in the instructed quantity.
- Now stir the mixture well.
- Finally, garnish it with a lime wedge and serve!
A modified Bahama Mama recipe
The drink is now prepared by adding or eliminating some more ingredients in it. Here’s a modern version of it.
Ingredients required –
- Light rum – 0.5 oz
- Dark rum – 0.5 oz
- Coconut rum – 0.5 oz
- 151 Proof rum – 0.5 oz
- Pineapple juice – 1 oz
- Orange juice – 1 oz
- Grenadine – 0.5 oz
The recipe –
- First in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add all the four rums, orange juice, and pineapple juice.
- Shake it well, and then strain the liquid in a Collins or a hurricane glass filled with ice.
- Now add grenadine on top and stir it a little.
- Finally, garnish it with a piece of pineapple or a lime wedge and serve!
What does concoction taste like?
This alcoholic mix has a very fruity taste because of a large proportion of pineapple juice in it. The fruity flavor covers up the alcohol very well. If coffee liqueur is added it gives a bit of a chocolaty flavor to it. The cocktail is all about its fruitiness that hides the alcoholic taste of rum at first. Overall it is sweet and refreshing, perfect for a summer afternoon!
Bahama Mama Alcohol content
A cocktail that is so sweet and fruity that it covers up every hint of alcohol in it. With 11% ABV per serving this Caribbean mix is light on alcohol. Well, that doesn’t mean you can’t get high on this. Just drink a few more of these and you’ll feel that buzz kicking in soon.
Nutritional facts
The fact that it is so sweet can make you guess what it might be high in calories. So allow us to reveal the secret now, one serving of this drink made by the traditional recipe has 160 calories in it. Moreover, it contains 5g fat, 18g carbohydrates, and 1g protein. Well, now that is quite low for a 2000 calorie target in a day, isn’t it?
Some variations of the concoction –
1.) Banana mama – blended
As the name already gave you the hint, this variation has bananas in it. Not only delicious but also healthy, the banana in it enhances the cocktail’s qualities. To prepare this you’ll need –
- Banana slices – 4-5 or as required
- White rum – 1 oz
- Coconut rum – 1 oz
- Dark rum – 0.5 oz
- Banana liqueur – 0.5 oz
- Orange juice – 1 oz
- Pineapple juice – 1 oz
- Grenadine – a dash
Method to prepare –
- First, add all the ingredients in a blender with some ice in it.
- Blend the mix properly.
- Pour it out in a hurricane glass and finally garnish it with banana and pineapple slices.
2.) Applebee’s Bahama Mama
A beach cocktail launched by Applebee’s, this cocktail has a promotional name Malibu Dollarmama. Well, the recipe is quite simple and you can make one of these at home too. Here’s what you’ll need to make it –
- White Rum – 1 oz
- Malibu coconut rum – 0.5 oz
- Banana liqueur – 0.5 oz
- Grenadine – 0.5 oz
- Pineapple juice – 1 oz
- Orange juice – 1 oz
- Sprite or 7up – a splash
To prepare the concoction –
- Fill a hurricane glass with ice.
- Now add all the listed ingredients one by one in it.
- At last top it with sprite or 7up. Stir a little.
- Finally, garnish it with pineapple or banana wedge and serve!
3) Bahama Mama tropical smoothie
Are you serious, a rum smoothie? What will it taste like? These questions may have definitely popped in your mind after reading that name above. Don’t worry this one’s a gem! A mix of rum and fresh fruits well yes that does not sound so pleasing but it is amazingly delectable.
As fruits always steal the show; in this concoction, they do an amazing job of covering up the alcohol traces. You’ll not realize the presence of alcohol until the buzz hits.
Here’s a list of ingredients you’ll need to prepare this alcoholic smoothie –
- Pineapples – 2 cups freshly chopped
- Banana – 1 freshly chopped
- Strawberries – 1 cup chopped
- Dates – 7 (without seeds)
- Minced coconut – 1 teaspoon
- Coconut milk – 1.5 cup
- Spirulina powder or kale
- Carob chips – 1.5 cup
- Flaxseeds – 2 tablespoons
Follow the below-mentioned steps to make the smoothie –
- Blend all the ingredients together with ice in a blender.
- Watch out for the consistency, blend for 4-5 minutes.
- Lastly, pour the drink in a hurricane glass and garnish it with wedges of fresh fruits.
Since the 1930s this concoction has only got better with every variation. Many companies have launched premix products like the ‘Bahama Mama club tail’ that comes housed in cans. Besides this product like ‘Bahama Mama Jello shots’ is an advancement to the drink.
This classic tropical rum cocktail is no doubt everyone’s favorite. A sip of it can make you forget all the stress and fatigue, this cocktail is perfect refreshment you need to crawl to during that summer heat!
