The Actual Story Behind the Piña Colada

Rupert Holmes’ 1979 hit single “Escape,” higher often called “The Piña Colada Track,” could have affected how generations view the enduring tropical cocktail. The tacky tune in regards to the scandalous exploits of two horrible individuals in a relationship remodeled the traditional drink of rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut right into a punchline.

“The tune pigeonholed the drink to this stereotype of being a trashy, enjoyable, get together drink,” says LyAnna Sanabria, co-founder and beverage director of Papi Portland in Portland, Maine. “It’s by no means handled as a drink with nuance anymore.”

Mushy rock anthems apart, the cocktail’s origin story is something however simple. The Piña Colada’s creation is as a substitute a convoluted story full with squabbling properties, public statements, and claims that will or is probably not true.

A drink of riffs and legends

The Piña Colada, as we all know it, was created in Puerto Rico. It grew to become the Caribbean island’s nationwide drink in 1978, a full yr earlier than Holmes’ tune was launched. It stays a cherished beverage in its homeland to at the present time.

These are verifiable parts. Every thing else is a bit messy.

The drink, Spanish for “strained pineapple,” was doubtless a riff on one other cocktail with its personal mythos. It’s usually agreed the unique drink was the lesser-known Cuban Piña Colada, a concoction made with rum, pineapple juice, lime, and sugar that falls in between a traditional Daiquiri and a Hemingway Daiquiri. The earliest reference to this drink comes from a December 1922 concern of Journey journal, which name-checks Bacardi and implies the drink’s recognition in Havana.

A number of historians theorize the drink goes again to the 1800s, though their account requires shopping for right into a legend. On this story, a pirate from Puerto Rico named Roberto Cofresi allegedly made a drink of white rum, pineapple juice, and coconut milk to maintain his crew blissful and keep away from a mutiny. The legend additionally mentions he took the recipe to his grave.

A contemporary debate

Two properties declare to have created the fashionable Piña Colada: The Beachcomber Bar inside Puerto Rico’s historic Caribe Hilton Resort and a restaurant two miles down the highway in historic Outdated San Juan, Barrachina. 

Three bartenders contend the drink was their thought.

The Caribe account is cut up into two elements. The story goes that bartender Ramon “Monchito” Marrero initially claimed to have invented the drink on the Beachcomber Bar in both 1952 or 1954, relying on the supply. Fellow Caribe bartender Ricardo Garcia disputed his co-worker’s assertion by saying he was the one who got here up with the recipe in 1953.

Barrachina didn’t enter the chat till 1963, when one among its bartenders, Ramon Portas Mingot, supposedly created the drink. The eatery nonetheless helps Mingot’s assertion via a sublime marble plaque that backs up his declare. However is it correct? It’s arduous to inform. 

Puerto Rico’s official tourism web site, Uncover Puerto Rico, subscribes to the Caribe idea with Marrero because the drink’s creator. They don’t explicitly say so, however the group does discuss with Nationwide Piña Colada Day on July 10, 2024, because the drink’s seventieth birthday. Somewhat math reveals their stance proper all the way down to the yr (1954). This additionally knocks Garcia out of the working since he claimed he invented the drink a yr earlier.

Marrero allegedly created the beverage after the lodge challenged him to make a drink that greatest represented Puerto Rico (some attribute an identical story to Mingot, citing a cocktail competitors because the impetus). Nevertheless, Marrero’s unique creation notably lacked alcohol, supposedly consisting of coconut cream, pineapple juice, and vanilla ice cream. The rum would come later. 

No matter Marrero created, it was successful. It’s mentioned that legendary actress Joan Crawford tried his creation and mentioned it “was higher than slapping Bette Davis within the face.”

The important thing ingredient

The catalyst behind the fashionable Piña Colada is one other quintessential Puerto Rican ingredient: Coco López, the cream of coconut concoction invented within the late Forties by Ramón López Irizarry, a professor of agricultural science on the College of Puerto Rico. 

Based on the Marrero idea, the bartender used the product, which was new on the time, to create the cocktail. Coco López’s imprint on the drink stays robust to at the present time, even when newer options now exist in the marketplace. 

“Coco López could also be antiquated in a craft [bar] setting, however it’s superior in a dive bar, the place you’re extra more likely to discover it anyway,” says Sanabria. “It holds a variety of honor due to its previous.”

Will we ever know who created the Piña Colada for certain? In all probability not. However it’s right here now and that’s all that issues.