Brancolada

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Cocktail History

The Brancolada is a modern tiki cocktail that was created by Jeremy Oertel in New York City, New York. It combines aspects of the classic Piña Colada, including rum, pineapple, citrus, and coconut, with the menthol-flavored Italian amaro Fernet-Branca Menta. It’s said that he came up with this concoction after all of the times he and his bar buddies would drizzle the chilled spirit over ice cream sandwiches before their shifts.

Cocktail Ingredients

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Dark Rum: This is a type of rum made with fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then aged, often in charred barrels, to develop a full-bodied, caramelized flavor.

Fernet-Branca Menta: This is a liqueur made in Italy with a proprietary blend of herbs, roots, and spices, including myrrh, saffron, chamomile, and rhubarb, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused with mint to develop a cooling, bittersweet flavor.

Pineapple Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe pineapples that has a sweet, tangy tropical flavor and bright yellow color.

Orange Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe oranges that has a light, sweet citrus flavor and pale orange color.

Coconut Cream: This is a condiment made with coconut milk and sugar, which are blended into a thick, rich texture with a natural coconut flavor.

Mint: This is an herb made from the leaves of the mint plant, which are harvested and used for their cool, aromatic flavor.

Orange Wedge: This is a slice of orange that has been cut into a wedge shape.

Bartending Tools

To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:

Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. I used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.

Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple before it’s juiced. I used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut ingredients. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

Juicer: This is used to juice citrus, fruits, and vegetables. I used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer for the orange and the Hamilton Beach Large Juicer for the pineapple.

Chef’s Knife: This is used to cut larger fruits and vegetables into slices for the garnish. I used the OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife.

Blender: This is used to blend up ingredients. I used the Cuisinart SPB-7CH SmartPowder Electronic Bar Blender.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Bright yellow color

• Aroma: Mint and fruit

• Taste: Coconut and pineapple flavor combined with subtle herbal Fernet and tangy citrus

• Finish: Bitter menthol and more coconut

Kendall’s Take: “This is such a distinctive cocktail that you really just have to try it for yourself to understand what it’s like. Pineapple, coconut, and mint backed by the slight bitterness of the Fernet Branca-Menta are incredibly unique when mixed together. I can’t say that I was head over heels in love with the combination, but I appreciated the Brancolada for what it was. Its flavor kind of reminded me of a minty coconut candy. If that intrigues you, give this a try.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was adapted from The Essential Cocktail Book: A Complete Guide to Modern Drinks by the editors of PUNCH and Megan Krigbaum.