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Don’t be scared by its spooky name: The zombie cocktail is a colorful, boozy, fruity drink that will have you feeling like you’re on a tropical island!
Zombie cocktails are long drinks made with a few types of rum, fruit juices, flavorful syrups, and a dash of spicy, herbal bitters. It’s the kind of drink that brings up images of white sandy beaches, clear blue seas, and palm trees. You’ll need a fair few ingredients to make it, but it comes together in a flash! Just have your ice, cocktail shaker, and tall glasses ready!
The zombie cocktail is somewhat similar to a mai tai, but is actually much older! It was created by restaurant owner Donn Beach in the 1930s and was given its name after the first person who tried it claimed to feel like a zombie for a few days after. (I only feel good, not bad, after drinking one of mine!) If you’re in the mood for more cocktails using rum, then try my hurricane cocktail drink, mojito cocktail recipe, or coquito recipe.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Rum — you’ll need 3 different rums for this recipe: golden rum (or aged rum), white rum, and 151-proof rum. If you want the drink to be less boozy, you can omit the 151-proof rum or use black or dark rum.
Juice — two fruit juices go into this cocktail: pineapple juice and lime juice. Pineapple juice gives this zombie cocktail recipe a tropical vibe, and fresh lime juice balances out the sweetness of the syrups.
Syrup — passion fruit syrup and grenadine both add a divine sweet-tart flavor and some color. If you can’t find passion fruit syrup locally, it’s easy to order online (and worth it!).
Bitters — Angostura aromatic bitters have herbal, spicy, fruity notes that balance the acidity of the other cocktail ingredients. It is bitter, and you’ll likely taste cinnamon and clove when you drink it! You only need a dash for this cocktail, though, so don’t worry about it overpowering your drink.
Garnish — you can use mint leaves, maraschino cherries, or orange slices to garnish the cocktail.
How to Make a Zombie Cocktail
1. Add the light rum and gold rum to a cocktail shaker.
2. Pour in the pineapple juice and lime juice.
3. Add the passion fruit syrup and grenadine to the cocktail shaker.
4. Fill the cocktail shaker with ice cubes.
5. Shake for about 30 seconds or until the outside of the shaker is frosty.
6. Strain the cocktail into a glass filled with ice. A tall glass or a tiki glass are great options.
7. Float the 151-proof rum onto the cocktail. Do this by slowly pouring the rum into the glass over the back of a spoon.
8. Garnish the cocktail with a mint sprig or mint leaves, a maraschino cherry, or an orange slice.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
- Use good rum! I like to use a Jamaican white rum, Puerto Rican gold rum, and an overproof rum like 151-proof or demerara (made from molasses).
- Use orange juice. Instead of pineapple juice, you can use orange juice for a more citrusy drink.
- Don’t skip the bitters! Even though you only need a small amount, Angostura bitters add depth and complexity to the drink. You can substitute them with cinnamon syrup if you can’t find bitters.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can use ice cubes or crushed ice in this drink.
This type of rum is 75.5% ABV (alcohol by volume), which, in the US, is referred to as 151 proof. This is a very high alcohol percentage: To compare, white rum is 40% ABV or 80 proof. Only a small amount is used in the cocktail.
Because these tiki drinks are served over a lot of ice, I don’t recommend assembling them too far in advance. If you’re serving them to several guests, you make a batch of the main cocktail, by multiplying the recipe by the number of servings desired and stirring together all of the ingredients aside from the bitters and 151-proof rum. Then measure out 6 ounces of the mixture into a cocktail shaker when you’re ready to serve them up. Add the bitters and float the rum to each individual cocktail.
Yes, and the easiest way to do that is by leaving out the 151-proof rum. Be aware that the flavor of your cocktail will be a little different.
If you’ve tried this zombie cocktail recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Zombie Cocktail
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
- Tall cocktail glass or tiki glass
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces golden rum
- 1 ounce white rum
- 1 ounce pineapple juice
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1 ounce Passion fruit syrup
- ½ ounce grenadine
- 1 dash Angostura bitters
- ½ ounce 151-proof rum
- Mint leaves, maraschino cherry, or orange slice, for garnish
Instructions
- Combine the white rum, golden rum, pineapple juice, lime juice, passion fruit syrup, grenadine, and bitters in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice.
- Shake until the outside of the shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds. Strain into a tall glass or tiki glass filled with ice.
- Float the 151-proof rum onto the cocktail by slowly pouring it into the glass over the back of a spoon. Garnish with mint, a cherry, or orange slice, as desired.
Notes
- Use good rum! I like to use a Jamaican white rum, Puerto Rican gold rum, and an overproof rum like 151-proof or demerara (made from molasses).
- Use orange juice. Instead of pineapple juice, you can use orange juice for a more citrusy drink.
- Don’t skip the bitters! Even though you only need a small amount, Angostura bitters add depth and complexity to the drink. You can substitute them with cinnamon syrup if you can’t find bitters.
Nutrition
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