Cocktails with Coconut water
Coconut water is the clear liquid from inside a young coconut — light and lightly sweet.
How it's used
It lengthens a drink and softens a strong spirit while adding almost no body, which sets it apart from other coconut products. It is faintly sweet and faintly salty, with 2.6 to 6 g of sugar per 100 ml depending on the source. A long drink built on it needs less sugar than one built on water.
Substitutes for Coconut water
Plain water
Add a small pinch of salt and half a barspoon of 2:1 syrup per 60 ml. That gives the volume and a light salinity, but not the coconut.
Maple water or birch sap
Both work in the same amount, but they are less sweet.
Coconut milk and cream
Don't swap them in. They turn a long, light cocktail creamy.
Not a match. It is far too rich and sweet.
Storage
Once opened, refrigerate it and use it within a day or two. It sours quickly: watch for cloudiness, a tangy smell or a faint fizz. Fresh from the nut it is more aromatic than any carton but lasts hours, not days, because the enzymes that brown it are still active.
