S&C Design Studios
The Beachcomber is the lightest of these tiki cocktails and it is the only drink not served in a tall glass. It is much more a rum sour than the typical tiki drink, yet it’s fun and super easy and you’ll love it all the same.
You Will Need: light rum, triple sec, lime juice, maraschino liqueur, simple syrup
By the name, you might think that Donn the Beachcomber created this one, but the recipe is actually attributed to Trader Vic’s. It’s an odd twist and one that might not be entirely true, but we do love to debate our bar trivia!
Total:3 mins
- Prep:3 mins
- Cook:0 mins
- Yield:1 cocktail (1 serving)
| Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 288 | Calories |
| 1g | Fat |
| 32g | Carbs |
| 3g | Protein |
See Full Nutritional Guidelines
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
The beachcomber is a fun and simple rum cocktail that offers an interesting mix of flavours which are most enjoyable on summer evenings. This drink is best described as a maraschino-flavoured daiquiri. Despite only using a small amount of maraschino liqueur, the dry cherry taste comes to the forefront of this otherwise transparent drink, giving it a nice, lively touch.
This recipe is a close adaptation of the original beachcomber as printed in “Trader Vic’s Bartender’s Guide” (1947). That recipe called for the drink to be blended with 1 cup of ice. Whether shaken or frozen, it’s hard to deny that is a great drink.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces light rum
- 3/4 ounce triple sec
- 3/4 ounce lime juice
- 2 dashes maraschino liqueur
- Optional: 1/4 teaspoon simple syrup
Steps to Make It
- Gather the ingredients.
- Pour the ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
- Shake well.
- Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tips
- Be sure to choose a premium rum for this cocktail because the drink’s light flavours will not mask any impurities in the spirit. You want to enhance the fruits with the rum, not bring them down.
- Likewise, it’s best to invest a little more money into a quality triple sec. Many of the cheapest options are too syrupy or have an artificial orange flavour that will not work well in this drink. Besides that, triple sec is one of the most used liqueurs in the bar and an upgrade will improve all of your daiquiris and margaritas.
- Fresh lime juice is highly recommended to create the best tasting beachcomber. On average, you should get enough juice from one lime for a single drink.
- Serving the beachcomber in a chilled glass will keep the drink colder to the very last sip.
Recipe Variations
The beachcomber is such a popular cocktail that it has been remade many times over the years. Beyond the frozen cocktail option, there are other flavours that you can add to the drink.
- A common variation is to replace the light rum with equal parts of coconut rum and vodka. You could also keep the light rum and split it with coconut vodka (Cîroc makes a fabulous one).
- Add a splash of banana liqueur if you like.
- Cherry brandy, Cherry Heering, and other cherry-flavoured liqueurs are often used as substitutes for the maraschino. Each of these options will result in a slightly sweeter drink and it will be best to skip the optional syrup.
How Strong Is a Beachcomber?
With three liquors and one non alcoholic mixer, you can expect the beachcomber to be a strong drink. It will typically have an alcohol content in the 26 percent ABV (52 proof) range. That’s equivalent to the average martini and the reason why it’s served just over 4 ounces.