Painkiller
Shake ∙ 3 min ∙ 12.9% ABV ∙
The Painkiller is a shaken tiki drink of navy rum, pineapple and orange juice, and cream of coconut, finished with a dash of aromatic bitters. Rich coconut cream coats a tide of tropical pineapple and orange, with the rum's dark warmth and a bitters-spiced edge lingering on the finish.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- Shake all ingredients with ice: Navy rum 45 mlPineapple juice 90 mlOrange juice 20 mlCream of coconut 15 mlAngostura aromatic bitters 4 dashes
- Strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with a pineapple wedge
Tips
- Shake vigorously for a full 12-15 seconds since cream of coconut is thick and needs hard agitation to fully emulsify with the juices.
- Fill the serving glass completely with fresh ice before straining so the shaken mixture chills further and dilutes slightly on contact.
- Shake cream of coconut with the rum and juices straight from the can and stir it first if separated, to avoid clumps in the strain.
- The four dashes of Angostura go into the shaker with everything else - that is what carries the spice through the coconut and pineapple rather than leaving it on the surface.
History
The Painkiller was created in the 1970s at the Soggy Dollar Bar, a small beach bar at White Bay on the island of Jost Van Dyke in the British Virgin Islands, a spot whose name came from patrons having to swim ashore, soaking their cash in the process. Most accounts credit the drink to Daphne Henderson, the bar's owner at the time, who mixed it with Cruzan rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut, topped with grated nutmeg; other sources instead name George and Marie Myrick, earlier owners of the bar, as the true originators. Henderson reportedly kept her exact recipe secret, and Charles Tobias, founder of Pusser's Rum, is said to have obtained a sample and worked out his own version built around his navy-style rum, which he began promoting commercially and credited to her as inspiration. In 1989 Pusser's Rum Ltd. filed a US trademark on the Painkiller's name and recipe, and in 2011, when a tiki bar called Painkiller opened in New York City, Pusser's issued a cease-and-desist to owners Giuseppe Gonzalez and Richard Boccato over both the bar's name and its use of rums other than Pusser's; the dispute was settled with the bar renamed PKNY, prompting a wave of bartender boycotts against the rum brand.
FAQ
What is a Painkiller drink made of?
A Painkiller is navy rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut, shaken with a few dashes of Angostura aromatic bitters and strained over ice. It's garnished with a pineapple wedge and served in a tiki mug or Collins glass.
Is a Painkiller cocktail strong?
It's moderate, not strong — about 12.9% ABV, lighter than a straight spirit drink because the juice and cream of coconut make up most of the volume. The navy rum still comes through, but the sweetness and fruit soften the burn considerably.
What's the difference between a Piña Colada and a Painkiller?
A Piña Colada is rum, pineapple juice, and coconut cream blended smooth, often with ice, while a Painkiller is shaken rather than blended and adds orange juice and a dash of Angostura bitters on top. The bitters and orange juice give the Painkiller a spicier, less purely tropical edge than the Piña Colada's cream-forward sweetness.
