3 Cocktail Recipes for Your Summer Festivities

Photography by The Rogue Brussel Sprout

Summer is in full swing and celebration is in the air! Whether for your wedding day, bachelor(ette) party, or just a fun way to make a splash under the warm Hawaiian sun, consider toasting love with one of these delicious cocktail recipes, courtesy of the Koloa Rum Company.

MOJITO-INFUSED FROZEN WATERMELON 

Ingredients:

Few handfuls of fresh mint

2 tbsp Demerara sugar

1.5 c Kōloa Kaua’i White Rum

0.25 c fresh-squeezed lime juice

12 watermelon wedges with rinds

12 popsicle sticks

Directions:

1. Combine the mint and sugar in a cocktail shaker and muddle gently.
2. Add the rum and lime juice, then shake well to mix.
3. Lay the watermelon slices on a sheet tray with a rim or in several large containers. Drizzle the mojito mixture over the watermelon.
4. Let the watermelon slices sit in the mojito mixture for at least 30 minutes or for up to several hours (if the latter, place them in the refrigerator). Flip the slices occasionally so that they all have contact with the cocktail.
5. Carefully cut a small slice into the center of each watermelon rind, then insert a popsicle stick into the watermelon wedge, pushing it through about half-way.
6. Lay the slices flat on a large sheet tray (or several trays) and freeze overnight. Make sure they are not touching, otherwise they will freeze together.
7. Use any additional mojito mixture for cocktails, adding some soda water and/or watermelon juice to taste.
8. Enjoy the watermelon slices frozen on a hot summer evening or at a holiday BBQ!

BROWN SUGAR SPICE RUM GRILLED PINEAPPLE

Ingredients:

Whole fresh pineapple

4 oz Kōloa Kauai Spice Rum

2 tbsp brown sugar

¼ tsp vanilla

Oil of choice for grilling

Vanilla or caramel ice cream for serving

Directions:

1. Cut the top and bottom from the pineapple, then stand it upright and cut off the rind. Lay the pineapple back down and cut it into half-inch thick rounds.
2. In a small saucepan on the grill (or on the stovetop, or in the microwave), heat the spice rum until warm. Stir in the brown sugar until it dissolves, then stir in the vanilla.
3. Oil the bottom rack of the grill (or, conversely, an indoor grill pan) thoroughly; this is critical for ensuring the pineapple doesn’t stick.
4. Brush the pineapple slices with the rum, sugar, and vanilla marinade.
5. Grill the pineapple slices over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes per side until caramelized but not charred, then flip and grill the opposite side. Continue to brush the pineapple slices with the rum marinade as they cook.
6. Serve while still warm, topped with a scoop of ice cream. Drizzle any remaining rum marinade over the ice cream.

PINK PINEAPPLE FIZZ

Ingredients:

4 oz pineapple juice

1-2 tsp pink pitaya powder

1.5 oz Kōloa Kaua’i White Rum

Dash of soda water

Pineapple wedge for garnish

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker, dissolve the pink pitaya powder in the pineapple juice by stirring vigorously. Add the rum and ice, then shake well. Double-strain into a tall, narrow serving glass filled with ice, making sure to remove any pink pitaya clumps. Top with a dash of soda water and garnish with a pineapple wedge.