Bahama Mama
A fruity and sweet rum cocktail ∙ Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 9% ABV ∙
The Bahama Mama is a tropical rum punch of two Jamaican rums, coconut and coffee liqueurs, pineapple juice and lemon, shaken and served over ice.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Jamaican aged rum 15 mlJamaican-style overproof aged rum 10 mlCoconut rum liqueur 10 mlCoconut liqueur 10 mlCrème de Café liqueur 10 mlLemon juice 15 mlPineapple juice 90 ml
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with a pineapple wedge, a maraschino cherry and a mint sprig
Tips
- With 90 ml of pineapple juice in the shaker, shake hard for a full 12-15 seconds so the drink is cold and evenly mixed.
History
The Bahama Mama's origin is disputed, with no single account fully agreed upon. The most-cited claimant is Bahamian bartender Oswald "Slade" Greenslade, who said he created the drink at the Pink Elephant nightclub in Nassau in 1963, though another account has him first making it at the Nassau Beach Hotel in 1961. Greenslade's own telling credits the name to a Bahamian calypso singer performing under the stage name Bahama Mama, whom he identifies as Morene Duvalier, though other tellings name a different calypso performer, Dottie Lee Anderson, who used the same stage name in mid-century Nassau. A further theory ties the name not to a performer but to a 1932 song titled "Bahama Mama," or to the Bahamas' role as a rum-smuggling hub for the United States during Prohibition.
What is agreed is that the drink and its name originated in the Bahamas, most likely gaining its familiar form and popularity by the mid-20th century.
FAQ
How do you make a Bahama Mama?
Shake both Jamaican rums, the two coconut liqueurs, the coffee liqueur, lemon juice and 90 ml pineapple juice hard with ice for 12–15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled Collins glass and garnish with a pineapple wedge, a maraschino cherry and a mint sprig.
How much alcohol is in a Bahama Mama?
About 9% ABV. The rums and liqueurs are only 10–15 ml each against 90 ml of pineapple juice and 15 ml of lemon, so it drinks like a light fruit punch.
Why use two different styles of Jamaican rum?
The aged Jamaican rum gives the drink its funky rum flavor, and the splash of overproof adds aroma and heat so the rum still comes through all that juice.
What is the difference between a Mai Tai and a Bahama Mama?
A Mai Tai is a spirit-forward rum sour with orange curaçao, orgeat and lime. A Bahama Mama is a juicier, lower-proof punch with coconut and coffee liqueurs and a large measure of pineapple juice. The Mai Tai leans nutty and tart; the Bahama Mama leans sweet and coconut-forward.
