Agua Loca Recipe: Coconut Rum and Pineapple

Ingredients

1¾ oz coconut rume.g. Malibu · Bacardi · Koko Kanu · Parrot Bay
4 oz pineapple juice well chilled
¼ oz lime juice optional, for balance (optional)

Garnish: Maraschino cherry and pineapple wedge · Ice: Ice cubes

Method

Fill a highball glass to the top with ice cubes.
Pour in the coconut rum and the cold pineapple juice.
Add the lime juice if you like a fresher finish.
Stir briefly and garnish with a cherry and a pineapple wedge.

Watch it made

Agua Loca

Taste

Sweet, juicy pineapple with creamy coconut and only a light alcohol warmth. Soft, easy and low in bitterness.

History and origin

"Agua loca" is Spanish for "crazy water", a name used for several quite different party drinks in Latin America, including Mexican and Chilean punches made with fruit, sugar and whatever spirit is at hand. The name hints at the same thing every time: a drink that goes down like juice and catches up with you later.

The version here is the simple two-ingredient highball of coconut rum and pineapple juice that became popular with the rise of flavoured coconut rums in the late 20th century. It has no documented creator and is best seen as a home and party drink in the tropical highball family, closely related to the Piña Colada in flavour but far quicker to make.

Bartender tips

For a pitcher, keep the ratio at about 1 part coconut rum to 2.5 parts pineapple juice and add ice only in the glasses so the jug does not water down.
Shake it hard with ice for 5 seconds before pouring if you want a light, frothy head from the pineapple juice.
A few dashes of Angostura bitters on top add spice and cut the sweetness.

Variations

Painkiller: Dark rum, pineapple, orange juice and cream of coconut with grated nutmeg, a richer tiki relative.
Spiced Agua Loca (twist): Use half coconut rum and half spiced rum for more vanilla and baking spice.