Piña Verde

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Cocktail History

The Piña Verde is a tropical cocktail that was created in 2010 by Erick Castro while at Polite Provisions in San Diego, California. As can be deduced from its name, the recipe is a variation of the iconic Piña Colada that also calls for pineapple, creamy coconut, and citrus juice like the classic, but this version omits the rum in favor of herbal Green Chartreuse.

Cocktail Ingredients

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

Green Chartreuse: This is a liqueur made in France with a blend of 130 plants, bark, roots, spices, and flowers, distilled alcohol, water, and sugar, which are macerated, blended, and then aged to develop a complex, herbal 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.

Cream of Coconut: This is a condiment made with coconut cream or coconut milk and sugar, which are blended and emulsified into a thick, rich spread.

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

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

Brands I Used

• 🔗 Green Chartreuse
• 🔗 Coco Lopez Real Cream of Coconut

Bartending Tools

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

Bar Mat: This is a rubber or silicone mat that’s placed on the bar surface and used for catching spills, providing grip for glasses and tools, and keeping the workspace clean and organized.

Jigger: This is a small double-sided tool with different volume measurements on each side that’s used for accurately portioning ingredients.

Cutting Board: This is a flat, durable kitchen surface made from materials like wood or plastic that’s used for slicing ingredients and preparing garnishes.

Chef’s Knife: This is a large kitchen knife with a broad, sharp blade that’s used for chopping and slicing ingredients.

Pineapple Corer: This is a kitchen tool with a circular cutting blade that’s used for coring and slicing pineapples into rings or chunks.

Big Mouth Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a wide, bowl-shaped reamer and deep reservoir that’s used for efficiently extracting juice from large fruits.

Paring Knife: This is a small kitchen knife with a narrow, sharp blade that’s used for peeling fruit and trimming garnishes.

Electric Citrus Juicer: This is a kitchen appliance with a motorized reamer that’s used for quickly extracting juice from citrus fruits.

Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a mesh metal strainer with a tightly woven bowl and handle that’s used for straining out small ice shards and other solids while pouring cocktails from a shaker or mixing glass.

Measuring Cup: This is a kitchen tool with a handled cup and marked volume measurements that’s used for accurately measuring and pouring liquid ingredients.

Blender: This is an electric kitchen appliance with rotating blades that’s used for blending, puréeing, and emulsifying ingredients.

Straw: This is a thin tubular utensil that’s used for more slowly sipping cocktails and mixed drinks.

Lowball Glass: This is a short, wide glass with a thick base that’s used for serving cocktails with ice or spirits neat.

Tools I Used

• 🔗 A Bar Above 18×12 Premium Bar Mat
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Japanese Jigger
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Boston Shaker
• 🔗 A Bar Above Stainless Steel Hawthorne Strainer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2-Piece Cutting Board Set
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 8-Inch Chef’s Knife
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Pineapple Corer
• 🔗 Hamilton Beach Big Mouth Juicer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife
• 🔗 BLACK+DECKER 32 oz Electric Citrus Juicer
• 🔗 Barfly Silver Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer
• 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2 Cup Angled Measuring Cup
• 🔗 Ninja UltraCrush Professional Blender
• 🔗 Compostable Bamboo Paper Straw
• 🔗 RCR Crystal Timeless Double Old Fashioned Glass

Tasting Notes

This cocktail has the following flavor profile:

• Appearance: Creamy pastel green color

• Aroma: Fragrant blend of fresh pineapple and coconut with a subtle herbal edge

• Taste: Lush, tropical sweetness from the pineapple and coconut cream that’s beautifully balanced by the complex, herbal intensity of the Chartreuse

• Finish: More sweet coconut and herbs

Kendall’s Take
“The Piña Verde plays off the familiar Piña Colada template but gives it a completely different personality thanks to the addition of Green Chartreuse. That herbal liqueur adds a surprising layer of complexity to the creamy pineapple and coconut combination, making the recipe a fun example of how a single ingredient can transform the classic tropical profile into something a little more adventurous. If you enjoy tiki drinks that lean slightly herbal and unexpected, this one is a great conversation starter.”

Recipe

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