Waikiki Beachcomber
The Waikiki Beachcomber is a tropical cocktail that transports you to sun-soaked shores with its vibrant blend of rum, orange juice, and grenadine.
- 5 min
- Easy
- Cocktail glass
- 3 ingredients
Waikiki Beachcomber
Ingredients
- Triple sec¾ oz
- Gin¾ oz
- Pineapple juice1 tblsp
Method
- Shake all ingredients with ice, strain into a cocktail glass, and serve.
What you need
Nothing fancy. Here is what to look for. We earn a small cut if you buy through these links, at no cost to you.
A shaker that seals
Two weighted tins beat three-piece shakers. They chill faster and never jam.
See on Amazon ↗A Hawthorne strainer
The coiled spring holds back ice and pulp. Look for a tight coil.
See on Amazon ↗The hero bottle
Gin stands as cocktail culture's most versatile spirit — a botanical-infused canvas that transforms simple ingredients into extraordinary drinks. From the elegant simplicity of a perfectly chilled Martini to the complex interplay of a Negroni, gin cocktails have shaped drinking culture for centuries.
See 112 Gin drinksWhere it comes from
This tropical tiki-style cocktail emerged from Hawaii's rich cocktail tradition and the mid-20th-century tiki movement that captured American imaginations with exotic, vacation-inspired beverages. The drink celebrates Hawaiian culture through tropical fruit ingredients and vacation-evoking presentations. Its continued popularity reflects enduring appeal of escapist cocktails and tiki bar culture's influence on contemporary mixology.
Tips from the bar
- Use light rum as the primary spirit, preferring white or silver varieties that won't overpower delicate tropical fruit flavors with dark molasses notes
- incorporate fresh tropical juices like pineapple, coconut, and passion fruit rather than pre-made syrups or concentrates for authentic, vibrant flavors
- balance sweetness with citrus and perhaps a splash of orgeat for depth that prevents the drink from becoming one-dimensional
- serve in a tiki mug or specialty glass over crushed ice for proper presentation and traditional appeal
- garnish generously with pineapple wedges, orchids, or other tropical elements that complete the vacation aesthetic
Twists worth trying
- Dark Rum Version
- A deeper, richer variation using dark rum and perhaps Demerara or Barbados styles for molasses and spice notes
- Mai Tai Inspired
- A variation incorporating ingredients from classic Mai Tai for a more complex, historically-rooted tropical experience
- Premium Tropical
- A premium adaptation using top-shelf aged rum with house-made tropical fruit purees and specialty liqueurs
What to eat with it
- Coconut shrimp
- Kalua pork
- Fresh pineapple
- Grilled fish with tropical salsa
- Hawaiian plate lunch items
- Coconut cake
The finished drink
Questions
What is in a Waikiki Beachcomber?
A Waikiki Beachcomber is made with triple sec, gin, pineapple juice.
What glass do you use for a Waikiki Beachcomber?
Serve a Waikiki Beachcomber in a cocktail glass.
What does a Waikiki Beachcomber taste like?
Expect tropical, fruity, refreshing.
What can I make with Gin?
We have 112 drinks built around Gin. See them all on the Gin page.
More with Gin
Every Gin drink →One good drink, every Friday.
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