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The Bahama Mama is an old classic that’s been tweaked over the years. Most bartenders and many recipe books have dumped the quarter ounce of coffee liqueur it calls for, and made other small changes.

This is the original recipe, as far as I can tell. It blends the flavors of pineapple juice, coconut and a touch of coffee with two types of rum.

The flavor isn’t just your typical pineapple-coconut tropical punch; the coffee liqueur adds a rich, almost chocolate note that’s way off in the background. It makes the drink better but doesn’t call attention to itself.

Bahama Mama drink with strawberry on rim

This is such a good recipe that I don’t think it matters what brands you use for each ingredient. The pineapple juice is half the drink, so it makes everything else better anyway.

I have not found, for example, that using a specific brand of dark rum changes the flavor much compared to using some other brand. Whatever you have on hand, whatever you like, will work.

A lot of new recipes toss in a dash or two of grenadine. In fact, that’s how I made it for the photos, which is why it all turned red. I think it’s good either way, but you definitely don’t need the grenadine. Try it without first.

Because this is a simple pour-and-stir kind of drink, it’s also easy to make a big batch in advance of a party. You can take it with you for tailgating or serve it at a backyard pool party.

Bahama Mama drink against blue background

Bahama Mama, the Original Drink Recipe

Name: Bahama Mama, the Original Drink Recipe
Prep time: 3 min
Total time: 3 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 ounce Kahlua; 1/2 ounce dark rum; 1/2 ounce coconut liqueur (Malibu Rum); 1/4 ounce 151 proof rum; 4 ounces of pineapple juice; Juice of half a lemon; Cherry or Strawberry for garnish

Yield: 1 drink

Prep Time: 3 minutes

Total Time: 3 minutes

The Bahama Mama is a beloved classic cocktail, but most restaurants don't serve the original version. This is it, and it may be a little bit different from what you're used to.