Colorful tropical Piña Colada in tiki-style presentation with exotic garnishes

Ordinary Drink

Pina Colada

La Piña Colada est un cocktail tropical emblématique, mélangeant du rhum, du lait de coco et du jus d'ananas. Servie généralement avec de la glace pilée, elle offre une expérience rafraîchissante et sucrée, évoquant les plages ensoleillées et les vacances exotiques. Parfaite pour se détendre, cette boisson est un incontournable des bars à cocktails.

  • sucré
  • tropical
  • crémeux
  • ananas
Kai
By KaiTiki & Tropical SpecialistPublished Reviewed
Prep Time
5 min
Glass
Collins glass
Difficulty
Easy
ABV
9%
Yields
1 serving
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Le Pina Colada est un ordinary drink dominé par le rum, à préparer en 5 minutes. Le résultat : des saveurs sucré and tropical qui valent chaque instant de préparation. Régulièrement en tête des recherches pour "plage".

Key Takeaways

What you’ll learn

  • Use Coco Lopez cream of coconut — not coconut milk — for the authentic richness and texture the recipe demands.
  • Blend with crushed ice for the classic frozen version, or shake vigorously for the traditional shaken style that predates the blender era.
  • White rum is essential; aged or spiced rum overpowers the tropical pineapple and coconut flavours.
  • Fresh pineapple juice makes a dramatic difference over canned or bottled versions — bright, vibrant, and worth the extra effort for special occasions.

Ingredients

Serves
1 serving
Glass
Collins glass
Prep
5 min
  • 3 ozLight rum
  • 3 tblspCoconut milk
  • 3 tblspPineapple

Method

Preparation

  1. 01

    Mélangez avec de la glace pilée dans un mixeur jusqu'à obtenir une consistance lisse. Versez dans un verre refroidi, décorez et servez.

Origin

History & Origins

The piña colada's exact origin is disputed between two Puerto Rican bartenders. The Caribe Hilton Hotel credits bartender Ramón "Monchito" Marrero with creating the drink in 1954 after three months of experimentation. Restaurant Barrachina in Old San Juan counters that their bartender Ramón Portas Mingot invented it in 1963 — they even have a commemorative plaque. What is agreed upon is that the invention of Coco Lopez cream of coconut in 1954 by Don Ramón López-Irizarry was the catalyst: before this standardised, sweetened coconut cream, making consistent piña coladas required cracking fresh coconuts and extracting cream by hand.

The piña colada's name translates literally to "strained pineapple" in Spanish, likely referring to the process of straining fresh pineapple juice. Puerto Rico declared it the island's official national drink in 1978, the same year Rupert Holmes's "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" was climbing the charts — a pop culture moment that cemented the drink's global recognition. The IBA lists it as a Contemporary Classic.

Puerto Rico declared it the island's official national drink in 1978, the same year Rupert Holmes's "Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" was climbing the charts — a pop culture moment that cemented the drink's global recognition.

The 1980s and 1990s saw the piña colada become synonymous with beach vacations and tropical escapism, often badly executed with cheap rum and artificial mixes that bore little resemblance to the fresh original. The craft cocktail movement has restored respect for the recipe: the three-ingredient formula — white rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut in proper proportions — requires no augmentation when each component is of quality.

Bartender’s Insight

Pro Tips

Utilisez du jus d'ananas frais si possible

From Kai

  • La crème de noix de coco est essentielle, pas du lait de noix de coco

  • Servir dans un verre refroidi

  • Garnir d'ananas frais et de cerise

At the Table

Perfect Pairings

Crevettes à la noix de coco
Fruits tropicaux frais
Poisson caribéen
Desserts à la noix de coco
Fruits de mer légers

Beyond the Classic

Variations

Piña Colada Congelé

Mélangé avec de la glace pour une consistencia crémeuse et glacée

Piña Colada Vierge

Version sans alcool pour tous les invités

Piña Colada aux Fraises

Ajoute des fraises fraîches pour les notes de baies

Questions

Frequently Asked

Pina Colada Recipe — Authentic Rum Cocktail | Hero Cocktails | Hero Cocktails