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10 Island Drinks to Make Your Summer More Tropical

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at UFL chapter.

What’s a summer vacay without tropical mixed drinks? When you’re on vacation and sitting by the pool this summer, treat yourself to these refreshing and fruity cocktails. Don’t forget to drink up this summer (literally).

1. Mai Tai

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A Mai Tai is typically made with three different types of alcohol (partaaaayyy): white rum, dark rum, and Curaçao, which is a liquor flavored with a dried peel of a laraha citrus fruit. To give it its sweet flavor, Orgeat syrup is added to the mix. This drink is served on the rocks and typically found at tiki-themed bars and restaurants.

2. Killer Bee

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What makes this drink so “killer” is the mix of club soda, passion fruit juice, honey, and the base of rum. This drink is probably one of the most underrated tropical drinks. Bartenders make it under the bar to keep the recipe a secret.

3. Painkiller

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A Painkiller, just what we need after this semester, is made with pineapple juice, cream of coconut, orange juice, and rum. It is, of course, served on the rocks (just the way we like it, ladies) and has a good amount of nutmeg on top to give a little spice.

4. Piña Colada Sunrise Cocktail

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This sweet, slushy drink will help you forget that winter ever existed. The cocktail is made with pineapple, coconut sorbet, and rum (seeing a pattern?). The bartender will also add grenadine to add a tart, yet sweet flavor to the drink. This also gives it a reddish tint.

5. Frozen Rum Runners

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As the sunshine approaches, you’re going to want a frozen drink in hand. This slushy drink consists of gold rum, blackberry liquor, banana liquor, orange juice, and grenadine.

6. Bahama Mama

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Ah, the classic tropical drink every high school senior experiences during their Spring Break trip to the Bahamas. This popular drink is made with coconut liquor, dark rum, coffee liquor, pineapple juice, and of course, 151 proof rum (Bacardi 151).

7. Vanilla Pineapple Margarita (or any flavored Margarita)

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This Vanilla Pineapple Margarita takes the heavenly combo of pineapple and coconut to a whole new level. All the tequila lovers out there will definitely love this one.

8. Blue Hawaii Cocktail

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Combine rum, blue Curacao, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and one cup of crushed ice in a blender and you’ll be feeling like Elvis Presley in no time. Bring Hawaii to your country club or backyard pool with this frozen drink.

9. Lava Flow

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Besides its super cool name, The Lava Flow has an even better taste. It is filled with fresh, crushed-up fruit like bananas and strawberries and mixed with coconut rum, light rum, and coconut cream.

10. Hurricane

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This sweet alcoholic drink is made with rum, fruit juice, and grenadine. It is one of the most popular drinks in New Orleans, and you know they know how to drink in Nola.