Contrary to what Jack Sparrow may believe, the rum is not always gone. And, if you have some of the spirit on hand, you may be wondering what are the best drinks to mix with your rum.
Because, sure, Coke works, but there’s a whole world of drink mixers out there that make rum sweeter, spicier, and everything nicer. At least on the way down. From fruit juices to ginger beers, here’s the best rum mixers you can use to make your perfect cocktail.
Our Favorite Rum Mixers
1. Coke
Let’s start with the obvious. Rum and Coke is an oldie but a goodie. The smooth, sweet flavors of these two come together perfectly. Even if you already figured this out in college.
Don’t have a massive sweet tooth? Can’t relate, but we do have another option for you. Cut the sweetness with a little bit of lime. This sub-lime cocktail is also known as a Cuba Libre.
2. Club Soda
The combination of club soda and white rum is the foundation for a Mojito. Just don’t also forget the sugar and muddled mint leaves.
But the Mojito isn’t the only rum drink that incorporates club soda. You could also try a Rum Fizz, which nixes the mint and adds lemon juice. Because if life gives you lemons and you’re just making lemonade, you’re gonna get real bored real fast.
3. Ginger Beer
Ginger beer and dark rum (and a little bit of lime) makes a Dark and Stormy, also known as a Rum Moscow Mule. If you like sugar and spice, it’s one of the best rum cocktails as the dark rum is a perfect complement to ginger beer. Another compliment? Telling it how good its bubbles look.
4. Pineapple Juice
Pineapple and rum go together almost as well as peanut butter and chocolate. There’s a reason both are in most Tiki cocktails from the Painkiller to the Mai Tai to the Zombie.
5. Coconut Cream
If you like piña coladas (and getting caught in the rain), then you probably love the combination of coconut cream and rum. This mix is perfect for those who love a lot of sweetness, even though the “Piña Colada Song” is anything but. (Go look up the lyrics. We’ll wait).
6. Citrus Soda
We know club soda works, and we know Coke works, but how about another kind of soda? Rum pairs perfectly with lemon lime sodas like Sprite. You can also combine it with an orange soda like Sunkist to craft a fiery-looking cocktail.
7. Orange Juice
Te most famous orange juice and rum cocktail is the Hurricane. It uses dark rum, orange juice, passionfruit juice, grenadine, and simple syrup. The dark rum helps balance out all the sweetness of the fruit juices.
Or you could switch up an old favorite. Mix a dark rum with orange juice to make a vodka-less Screwdriver. It really hits the nail on the head. (Or turns the screw into a board, if you’re the type who prefers not to mix metaphors. Are you also fun at parties?)
8. Hot Apple Cider
This drink is hardly tropical, but when you come in from shoveling snow, you might not want a Bahama Mama. Hot apple cider goes great with spiced rum or a dark rum. Especially when you add spices like cinnamon or star anise.
9. Eggnog
Eggnog is a holiday drink that you’ll want to mix with spiced rum. Unless you’re serving friends and family who have more of a sweet tooth. Then, use white rum.
10. Coffee
Coffee goes with almost everything. (Our white pants agree.) Now, we know that buttered coffee sounds like bulletproof coffee. But this drink is actually good. Unlike when people put a stick of butter in black coffee and pretend it’s delicious.
You’ll need salted butter, spiced rum, brown sugar, and freshly brewed coffee to make this rum drink. Or, for an iced drink, make a twist on the Espresso Martini by combining rum, espresso, and simple syrup.
11. Heavy Cream
If you’re going to mix heavy cream with rum, you’re probably going to want it as an after-dinner drink, as it’s both rich and sweet. One popular drink that combines these two is the Mudslide. It’s made with heavy cream, rum, cocoa powder, Kahlua, and Baileys.
Don’t forget to top it off with a sprinkle of cocoa powder. And maybe some Lactaid.
She's also a published short story author who has appeared in anthologies like A Murder of Storytellers and the Abstract Elephant. Jacqueline challenges herself to learn one new skill per year, so you can often find her struggling to master crocheting, knitting, and embroidery when she's not writing.
Connect with her on her website or LinkedIn.
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