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    Home » Caribbean » The Bahamas » Bahama Mama from The Bahamas

    Bahama Mama from The Bahamas

    Published on Aug 29, 2020 Modified: Aug 30, 2020 by The Foreign Fork This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

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    A Bahama Mama is a tropical drink popular in the Bahamas (duh). Made with two types of rum, orange juice, and pineapple juice, this drink is so tropical it’ll make you think you’re sunbathing on a beach!

    Close up of Bahama Mama with a cherry on the rim

    “Hello Reader! I try my hardest to research recipes as best as I can before posting to ensure I am representing each culture correctly. If this recipe is from your country and I have made a mistake or you have suggestions for how to make it more authentic, I would love to hear! Please leave a comment below letting me know what should be different, and I will rework the recipe. It is always my intention to pay homage and respect to each cultural dish that I cook. Thanks for reading!”

    Why Make this Recipe? 

    1. Fruity and Fun: This recipe masks the taste of alcohol splendidly, leaving you with a delicious drink that is easy to enjoy!
    2. Simple to Throw Together: There is no blending or exact measurements needed for this recipe. Simply use a shot glass to measure out the ingredients, shake them up in a cocktail shaker, and pour into an ice cold glass.
    3. “Visit” the Bahamas: This recipe is the perfect way to “experience” the Bahamas from your own home! This rum-filled drink is a great way to travel by flavor. 

    What Goes in This Recipe? 

    Labeled photo of Bahama Mama Ingredients
    1. Dark Rum: You can use either dark or light rum in this recipe, but I prefer dark rum. Dark rum has a complex flavor and tends to be more distinctive in mixed drinks than light rum is. 
    2. Coconut Rum: I used Malibu Coconut Rum, which, specifically speaking, is actually “Caribbean Rum with Coconut Liqueur.” If you are able to find Coconut Liqueur, this will work just as well. 
    3. Grenadine: Grenadine is the non-alcoholic, bright red syrup most commonly known for its use in Shirley Temples. The use of grenadine in this drink cuts the alcohol and acts as a sweet and tart mixer. Grenadine will normally be found in the aisle with the cocktail mixes at your grocery store. This could be in the aisle with the wine and beer, but it could also be near the club sodas or seltzers.
    4. Orange Liqueur: You can use Triple sec, an orange flavored liqueur, in this recipe. The drink should be colorless but taste of oranges. This will pair nicely with the orange juice and pineapple juice in the recipe. 

    How to Make this Recipe

    Method 1: Shaker

    The typical, easy way to make your Bahama Mama Recipe is to add all the ingredients to a shaker. 

    Simply pour each ingredient into a cocktail shaker, put the lid on, and give it a quick shake. Then pour each drink into a glass filled with ice. 

    View inside cocktail shaker with maraschino cherries and daisies in the background

    Method 2: Layer

    Many Bahama Mamas are famous for their ombre, sunset-y look. If you want to make sure that your drink has this beautiful color scheme, simply pour the ingredients directly into the glass without shaking or stirring.

    This will create the beautiful color you’re used to! This method can lead to a strong drink in some spots. To rectify this, simply add a stir stick so that your guests can mix up their drinks to their preference.

    Expert Tips

    • Measuring an ounce can be tricky. If you don’t have a shot glass with measurements, you can use a typical shot glass. Keep in mind, there is no standard measurement for a shot glass, though it’s generally considered to be 1.5 ounces.
    • To make this recipe easier, if I don’t have a shot glass with measurements on the side, I will instead just use a shot glass as my unit of measurement. When the recipe calls for 1 ounce of dark rum, I use one shot glass worth. When the recipe calls for ½ ounce of grenadine, I use ½ shot glass worth and so on. 
    • If you’re interested in trying a Bahama Mama with its original coffee flavors, sub out the grenadine and orange liqueur for coffee liqueur instead! It definitely changes the flavor of the drink, but if you love coffee, you’ll love this variation.
    • If you want a healthier alternative, try this Bahama Mama Tropical Smoothie instead!

    Recipe FAQs

    How Much Alcohol is in this Recipe? 

    Two glasses of Bahama Mama with Pineapple and Flowers in the background

    The thing that makes this Bahama Mama recipe so good is that it has plenty of delicious mixers that drown out that alcohol taste. But there is quite a bit of alcohol in one serving! 

    Of the 5 ounces of liquid in the Bahama Mama, 2 ounces are rum and there is even more alcohol in the liqueur.

    For context, a standard drink in the US is considered 0.6 ounces of alcohol. Therefore, one of these mixed drinks contains about 3 “drinks” worth of alcohol. Make sure you drink responsibly 🙂

    Can I Change the Amount of Alcohol in the Recipe?

    One ounce of the drink is dark rum, and one ounce is coconut rum. If you want a stronger drink, you can always add more liquor. Conversely, if you want a weaker drink, you can add more non-alcoholic ingredients. 

    Can this Recipe be Made with Coffee?

    Two glasses of Bahama Mama with Coconut

    Bahama Mamas weren’t always made with the ingredients that you see above. In fact, they used to have a very different ingredient: Coffee or coffee liqueur.

    Wine enthusiast describes the phenomena of tastes better than I ever could by saying, “Here’s why it works: Pineapple brings a rich sweetness and prickly acidity to play, while the bitter astringency of coffee adds depth, earthiness and and roasted notes to what would otherwise be a one-dimensional punch. Coconut is the great unifier that puts a flavorful bow on the entire package.”

    Follow the instructions in “Expert Tips” to try this recipe with a coffee substitution. 

    Does Rum Come from The Bahamas? 

    Tropical set up with two glasses of a pink drink

    This Bahama Mama recipe includes two different types of rum. Due to the popularity of rum in The Bahamas, this is no surprise!

    Most of the world’s rum comes from the Caribbean, and has been since its invention. Rum was invented in the 1600s when it was discovered that molasses could be fermented into alcohol.

    Pirates used rum to keep their drinking water from growing algae. Eventually, they began drinking the rum with lemon juice because they thought that it would prevent scurvy (untrue).

    In 1923, rum was smuggled across the ocean from The Bahamas to provide alcohol to prohibition-era America. Rum smugglers could make hundreds of thousands of dollars by providing rum to America, which is quite a large sum in comparison to the $6000 a year average salary at the time.

    If you like this recipe, you’re sure to love the other Drink Recipes from Around the World that I picked out just for you!: 

    • Iced Coffee Recipe from Southeast Asia
    • Pineapple Coconut Agua Fresca 
    • Colombian Hot Chocolate with Cheese

    If you make this recipe at home, leave a review/comment on this post letting us know what you thought!

    And don’t forget to share a photo of your finished product on Facebook and Instagram and tag @TheForeignFork and hashtag #TheForeignFork.

    Bahama Mama with Coconut

    Bahama Mama (The Bahamas)

    Bahama Mamas are a tropical drink popular in the Bahamas (duh). Made with two types of rum, orange juice, and pineapple juice, this drink is so tropical it’ll make you think you’re sunbathing on a beach!
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: drink recipes, Drinks
    Cuisine: The Bahamas
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Total Time: 2 minutes
    Servings: 1 serving
    Calories: 240kcal
    Author: The Foreign Fork

    Equipment

    • Cocktail Shaker

    Ingredients

    • 1 ounce dark rum
    • 1 ounce coconut rum
    • ½ ounce orange liqueur
    • ½ ounce grenadine
    • 1 ounce pineapple juice
    • 1 ounce orange juice
    • Maraschino cherry

    Instructions

    • Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Shake to combine. Pour over ice in the glass.
    • You can also layer in the ingredients over the ice instead of mixing to combine. This will provide an ombre, sunset look. 

    Notes

    Recipe copyright The Foreign Fork. For educational or personal use only. 
    1. Dark Rum: You can use either dark or light rum in this recipe, but I prefer dark rum. Dark rum has a complex flavor and tends to be more distinctive in mixed drinks than light rum is. 
    2. Coconut Rum: I used Malibu Coconut Rum, which, specifically speaking, is actually “Caribbean Rum with Coconut Liqueur.” If you are able to find Coconut Liqueur, this will work just as well. 
    3. Grenadine: Grenadine is the non-alcoholic, bright red syrup most commonly known for its use in Shirley Temples. The use of grenadine in this drink cuts the alcohol and acts as a sweet and tart mixer. Grenadine will normally be found in the aisle with the cocktail mixes at your grocery store. This could be in the aisle with the wine and beer, but it could also be near the club sodas or seltzers.
    4. Orange Liqueur: You can use Triple sec, an orange flavored liqueur, in this recipe. The drink should be colorless but taste of oranges. This will pair nicely with the orange juice and pineapple juice in the recipe.
    5. To make this recipe easier, if I don’t have a shot glass with measurements on the side, I will instead just use a shot glass as my unit of measurement. When the recipe calls for 1 ounce of dark rum, I use one shot glass worth. When the recipe calls for ½ ounce of grenadine, I use ½ shot glass worth and so on.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 240kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 6mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheForeignFork or tag #TheForeignFork!

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    5 Minute Recipes, Drinks, The Bahamas

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    Comments

    1. Irina says

      June 10, 2020 at 10:31 pm

      5 stars
      Your pictures have convinced me to make this tropical drink! It is amazing: I am enjoying right now 🙂

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        June 11, 2020 at 12:05 am

        Aw I am so glad that you liked it Irina!! Thanks for leaving a comment 🙂

        Reply
    2. Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      June 10, 2020 at 7:50 pm

      5 stars
      If we can’t go on vacation, bring the vacation back to us! This recipe is all I need to remind me of enjoying the tropical feel in my own backyard.

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        June 10, 2020 at 9:20 pm

        That’s exactly what I’m saying! Somebody bring me a drink with an umbrella please lol

        Reply
    3. Dannii says

      June 10, 2020 at 7:49 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so refreshing. I could definitely go one or two of these right now.

      Reply
      • The Foreign Fork says

        June 10, 2020 at 9:21 pm

        Thank you so much!! They are definitely an easy drink to love.

        Reply

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