Bahama Mama

The Bahama Mama is a classic Tiki cocktail that's stood the test of time despite having a slightly unknown history. What we do know is, as the name would suggest, it was invented in the Bahamas, probably in the 1960's.

In true Tiki style, the Bahama Mama uses a lot of Rum, three different types in fact. The Bahama Mama uses Dark Rum, Coconut Rum, and Overproof Rum to create that typical Tiki flavour of different Rum styles combining with fruit juices and other surprising flavours. Yes, the ingredient list for this cocktail isn't the shortest, but it's well worth getting everything in order to make this cocktail. And hey, with all those different kinds of Rums and juices, chuck them into our cocktail generator and ask "what cocktail can I make." You'll be sure to find additional cocktail recipes to make with what you have on hand.

Or just keep making more Bahama Mamas, we wouldn't blame you. They're great!

Total Time 5

Servings 1 cocktail

Ingredients

15 mL Dark Rum
15 mL Coconut Rum
10 mL Overproof Rum feel free to use another Golden Rum here, but it's more fun with Overproof Rum
10 mL Kahlua
15 mL Lemon Juice
120 mL Pineapple Juice
Garnish with a slice of orange and Maraschino Cherries

Instructions

Add all Rums, Kahlua, Lemon Juice, and Pineapple Juice to a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice in it. Shake until your drink is cold and mixed.
Strain into a Hurricane Glass, Highball, or cool Tiki glass filled with fresh ice cubes.
Garnish and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

We highly suggest you do this properly with an Overproof Rum. But if you do so, make sure it's a good Overproof Rum. Good Overproof Rum can be pretty delicious, but bad Overproof Rum is essentially just rocket fuel and may cut through the other flavours in your cocktail. The good news is there's not a lot of the Overproof stuff in this recipe so it's not too crazy in terms of alcohol.

But going further on the Overproof Rum, feel free to try this with a different kind of Rum (we would suggest a Golden Rum) as a replacement. You won't get quite as bold a flavour, but it will do the job and still create a pretty tasty cocktail. After all, cocktails are meant to be enjoyed and if you're just making these drinks for yourself and you enjoy them, it doesn't matter if it's not technically correct.

Oh, and as a side note, although Kahlua may sound like a weird addition, a small amount of coffee flavour actually works very well. If you don't believe us, check out the Tiki 43!

Let’s Keep Talking About the Bahama Mama

Although the Bahama Mama has a number of variations, we’re going with this one as the proper recipe to put on the site. You may have seen recipes that are blended with Banana Liqueur rather than the Kahlua, or even more laid back sweeter versions of this cocktail. We’re not going to tell you what to drink or what to enjoy, but we like to stay closer to the original cocktail recipe when possible, and this recipe is that.

But hey, you do you. If you see a Bahama Mama recipe elsewhere that’s more to your taste, go for it. Those recipes still have a similar vibe to what you see here, they’re just a little bit different with some slightly different flavours. As always, have fun.

Am I able to increase the recipe for the Bahama Mama?

While you should be able to increase this recipe to make multiple servings, at some point you’ll out of space in your shaker; this cocktail has quite a bit of liquid! We wouldn’t suggest moving the preparation of the Bahama Mama to a mixing glass or jug, as the shaking adds something to the mouthfeel, especially with the citrus and the Kahlua. If you have a big enough shaker, you should be able to make two cocktails at a time, but that’s about it.

Can I store the Bahama Mama to serve later?

We’d suggest making this cocktail to order and serving it right away. Kahlua can be a slightly tricky liqueur, and you don’t want it to separate from the rest of the drink.

What’s the best time to drink a Bahama Mama?

If you find yourself in the Bahamas, go ahead and order one of these. This recipe originated in the Bahamas after all!

Of course we’re not all able to go visit the Bahamas just to get a cocktail, so barring that, the Bahama Mama is a great vacation drink or just a general summer time drink. Big fruity drinks like this don’t really lend themselves to meal time, rather it’s the drink you enjoy in the late afternoon as the heat of the summer day is just starting to subside. It’s also great later in summer evenings when it’s still warm outside.

With plenty of ice in this cocktail, and plenty of fruit juice, it’s certainly a refreshing drink. So keep this recipe in your back pocket for warm weather and whenever you have plenty of Rum on hand!

How strong is the Bahama Mama?

The presence of the Overproof Rum may imply that this recipe is very strong, but it’s not too bad actually. Overproof Rum is, of course, stronger than regular Rum, but we’re only using 10 mL here. So, being generous here, with the three Rums combined and the Kahlua, you’re only seeing the equivalent of about 60 mL of standard strength spirit, give or take. Combine this with plenty of Pineapple juice to dilute things, you actually have a relatively average strength cocktail.

That’s not to say that you should drink Bahama Mamas with great abandon, there’s still plenty of alcohol in this cocktail. So stay sensible.

What music goes best with the Bahama Mama?

Where do we start? The Bahamas have a variety of great musical styles, including Calypso, so if you want to start somewhere, start there.

Going further, Boney M. have a song called Bahama Mama, so if you’re making the ultimate Bahama Mama cocktail mix, you need to put it in there! And Boney M. aren’t the only band with this song.