If you’re looking for a funky, fun-filled cocktail that you can prepare with minimal bartending experience, then we’ve got the recipe you’ve been searching for!
This multi-colored delight is sweet, coconut-filled, and packs not only a colorful look but a boozy punch too. In this article, we’ll explain how you can create a vivid, multi-colored cocktail complete with distinctive layers of dark red, yellow, and blue coloring.
Right, let’s start learning how to make the best Rainbow cocktails!
What is the Rainbow cocktail?
Rainbow drinks are delightful, colorful cocktails that consist of different layers of alcoholic spirits, mixers, and ice and garnishes that create a wonderful, distinctive rainbow effect.
As far as rainbow cocktail recipes go, this one’s rather easy too. The ingredients we use naturally separate, ensuring that while your friends are impressed by multi-colored drinks, you don’t need any bartending experience to get started!
Our rainbow recipe consists of several key ingredients:
- Grenadine
- Pineapple juice
- Coconut rum
- Blue Curacao
- Water
- Fruit to garnish
- Crushed ice to serve
You’ll need a cocktail mixer to taste the rainbow, as well as an Ice ball maker to prepare the best crushed ice possible. For the best results, a hurricane glass is recommended.
If you follow our instructions and quantities below, then your Rainbow mixed drink will result in a bottom layer of Grenadine (red), a middle layer of Rum and pineapple juice (yellow), and a top layer of Blue Curacao (blue).
Of course, real rainbows have more colors than this, but that won’t matter when you taste the Rainbow concoction you’ve just prepared!
How do you make a multi-colored drink?
But before we get to the Rainbow Cocktail recipe, you’re probably wondering how to achieve that distinctive ‘taste the rainbow’ look that these fabulously colorful cocktails have.
It’s really rather easy and doesn’t rely on any incredible bartending skills or talent, but on the natural densities of the liquids themselves. Essentially, to create a vivid rainbow alcoholic drink, you need to make sure that your densest drink goes in first and your lightest drink goes in last.
This simple technique means that the drinks sit at different levels in the glass. They don’t mix until you actually give them a stir when you’re ready to really taste the rainbow you’ve created.
The densest drink we have in our Rainbow Cocktail is the sugary, syrupy Grenadine. This sweet mixer goes in first, and it will sit at the bottom of the glass in a dark shade of red until it’s mixed in.
Next, you need to mix in Rum and pineapple juice. These form the yellow band across the middle and sit nicely above the Grenadine. Finally, Blue Curacao goes in for the blue top. Importantly, you must pour gently (or the drinks start to mix too soon), and you must ensure you’ve placed crushed ice and garnish into the glass before you start pouring!
How to make Rainbow Drink cocktails
Okay, now we know the techniques and ingredients needed to prepare a Rainbow Cocktail, let’s take a look at the quantities and steps necessary to get there.
Rainbow Drink cocktail recipe
The following Rainbow Cocktail recipe prepares 1 large (12-ounce) hurricane glass of Rainbow Drink. You can really taste the rainbow with this one!
Ingredients
- Crushed ice (enough to fill a hurricane glass)
- 1 ounce of Grenadine
- 2 ounces of Coconut Rum
- 4 ounces of pineapple juice
- 1 ounce of water
- ½ ounce of Blue Curacao
- Orange wedge to garnish
Directions
- All rainbow drinks recipes start by preparing your crushed ice. We recommend using an ice ball maker to ensure you have the freshest, smoothest ice. Next, measure out 1 ounce of Grenadine and pour it smoothly into a hurricane glass. Allow it to settle on the bottom, then fill the hurricane glass with your fresh crushed ice.
- Measure 2 ounces of Coconut Rum and 4 ounces of pineapple juice into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to combine both ingredients together. Pour the shaken Coconut Rum and pineapple juice over the crushed ice gently. Allow it to settle above the Grenadine.
- Next, shake together ½ an ounce of Blue Curacao with 1 ounce of water. Again, slowly pour over the ice and allow to settle above the Coconut Rum and pineapple juice.
- Finally, complete your Rainbow Cocktail recipe by garnishing the rim of the glass with a wedge of orange. Serve your Rainbow Drink fresh and cold!
Recipe FAQ
Can I make a pitcher of Rainbow Cocktail?
The great thing about this drink is that you can make a pitcher of this delightful cocktail to share with all your friends. Keep in mind, however, that it takes a little more skill to get the layers right when you scale the size of this drink up - make sure you get the ratios right and stick to the instructions in the recipe above.
As soon as you start pouring out individual drinks from the pitcher, the different layers will disappear too. Still, it’s a great party cocktail - this is one tasty drink!
To make a pitcher, simply scale up the ingredients above to fit your pitcher size. Keep the ratios exactly the same.
What’s the Starbucks Rainbow drink?
Our Rainbow juice should not be confused with the Starbucks version, which is an admittedly delightful but very different beverage.
Starbucks Rainbow drinks are found in Starbucks coffee shops across the world, but there’s no alcohol. This is a cold, refreshing drink that’s prepared with a base of hibiscus tea that’s then mixed with pomegranate juice.
Add coconut milk for a creamy, filling finish, and serve over ice cold ice with a garnish of fresh fruit (strawberries are popular). It can be prepared at home too, and it’s a good way to practice your layering and to create a non-alcoholic drink.
It’s time to taste the rainbow!
That’s it for our Rainbow recipe, so now it’s time for you to start pouring drinks and creating multicolored cocktails. This is one vivid, bright recipe to try out, but despite the magnificent look and finish, it’s still surprisingly easy to make.
Remember, you need to follow our instructions exactly to get the multicolored effect, or else the different drinks will mix, rather than forming layers. It will still taste great, but it won’t be an authentic Rainbow Cocktail.
If you’re looking to impress your friends with your cocktail mixing skills, then why not start with this one?