Beachcomber
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 19.5% ABV ∙
The Beachcomber is a shaken rum sour of white rum, triple sec, lime, and a touch of maraschino liqueur, served up in a coupe.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: White rum 45 mlTriple sec 20 mlLime juice 15 mlMaraschino liqueur 5 mlSugar syrup 5 ml (opt.)
- Fine strain into the chilled glass
- Garnish with a lime wedge
Tips
- The triple sec and maraschino already sweeten the drink, so taste before shaking and add the optional sugar syrup only if your lime is unusually tart.
- Squeeze the lime fresh rather than using bottled; there's only 15 ml, and anything stale or bitter in it shows straight away.
History
The Beachcomber is a tiki-era cocktail published by Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron in his 1947 Bartender's Guide, with white rum, orange liqueur, lime juice, and maraschino liqueur. Bergeron ran his own chain of Polynesian-themed restaurants under the "Trader Vic's" name starting in Oakland, California, during the tiki boom of the 1930s and 1940s.
The drink's name closely echoes Don the Beachcomber, the rival Hollywood bar that Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, known as Donn Beach, had opened a few years earlier. Beach is credited as the pioneer of tiki-style rum cocktails. Sources note the naming overlap but do not attribute this particular recipe to Beach, crediting Bergeron as its author in print.
FAQ
What's in a Beachcomber drink?
45 ml white rum, 20 ml triple sec, 15 ml fresh lime juice and 5 ml maraschino liqueur. Another 5 ml of sugar syrup is optional; add it only if your lime is very tart.
Is a Beachcomber shaken or stirred?
Shaken. The lime juice needs a hard shake to mix with the liqueurs and chill quickly, which stirring will not do.
What glass is a Beachcomber served in?
A coupe glass, served up. It is fine-strained after shaking, so no ice reaches the glass, and it is garnished with a lime wedge.
How many calories are in a Beachcomber?
About 187 calories per serving. It is also vegan, vegetarian and lactose-free: just rum, liqueurs, citrus and syrup.
