Junior Colada

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Cocktail History

The Junior Colada is a modern tiki cocktail that was created by David Perez, the owner of Lei Low in Houston, Texas. It was meant to be a lighter, lower-proof version of the classic Piña Colada and is easy to make by using fruity pineapple rum and fresh pineapple juice, coconut liqueur, refreshing coconut soda, and sour citrus.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Coconut Soda: This is a carbonated beverage made with coconut flavoring, water, and sugar, which are infused with carbon dioxide gas to develop a fizzy, slightly tropical flavor.

Pineapple Rum: This is a type of rum made with fermented sugarcane juice or molasses and yeast, which are distilled and then aged and infused with pineapple to develop a spiced, tropical flavor.

Coconut Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with coconut, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are blended and infused to develop a sweet, tropical 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.

Lime Juice: This is the liquid extracted from the flesh of ripe limes that has a zesty, sour flavor and light green color.

Pineapple Fronds: This the leaf of a pineapple.

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.

Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. I used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.

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

Pineapple Corer: This is used to remove the core of the pineapple so the flesh can be cut. I used the OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer.

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

Swizzle Stick: This is used to mix the ingredients. I used the Piña Barware Stainless Steel Swizzle Stick.

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Bright yellow color

• Aroma: Pineapple and coconut

• Taste: Tart lime and pineapple flavor with a hint of coconut and noticeable rum spices

• Finish: More coconut and tropical fruit

Kendall’s Take: “When I tasted the Junior Colada for the first time, I just kept saying ‘Mmmmmmm’ after each sip. I honestly liked this pared down version of the Piña Colada better than the classic itself. It’s much lighter and much more flavorful, in my opinion. The pineapple and coconut mix very well together as they do in so many other tiki drinks, but they offer a tanginess in this one that’s really pleasant and refreshing. I would absolutely sip this poolside as the sun beats down on the hottest days of summer.”

Recipe

This cocktail recipe was found in the book Easy Tiki: A Modern Revival with 60 Recipes by Chloe Frechette.