The Bikini Martini Offers A Delicious Taste Of The Tropics

When you think of "tropical cocktails," there's probably a good chance that a frozen pina colada or strawberry daiquiri comes to mind. But the world of non-frozen tropical cocktails is rife for exploration, tragically overlooked, and worthy of much attention. When the dog days of summer roll around (or when your wintertime blues are crying out for a splash of liquid sunshine), non-frozen tropical cocktails have a chance to shine. Mai tais, mojitos, and peach bellinis are boardwalk staples for a reason. Today, we're talking about one perhaps lesser-known non-frozen tropical cocktail — and, believe it or not, it's a martini variation. It boasts way more personality than a 50/50 and is (arguably) even more fun than a lemon drop martini.

Introducing the bikini martini: Your new BBF (best beach friend). It's a combination of coconut rum, vodka, pineapple juice, and grenadine. There's another popular cocktail with the same name, made with blue curaçao, gin, and peach schnapps, but (while also scrumptious, it's not the bikini martini we're talking about today. The tropical flavors of the coconut rum and pineapple juice are complemented by the sweetness of the grenadine, with a vodka-rum combination reminiscent of a martini and with all the ABV punch you'd expect from a tropical jungle juice. Plus, the bikini martini doesn't require any fancy techniques or honed mixology skills — a solid cocktail for entry-level bartenders to make and for everyone to enjoy. Here's how to do it.

Shake all the ingredients together except for the grenadine in a shaker with ice and crank away. Then, pour it into a martini glass and hit it with a touch of grenadine in the center. The density of the grenadine cuts through the pineapple juice, sinking to the bottom to create an aesthetically pleasing yellow-to-red gradient, similar to the hue you might see in a tequila sunrise. Just be sure to take your time with this step; a slow pour is essential for achieving a successful layered cocktail. Pour too quickly, and you run the risk of creating ripples in your cocktail, which will cause the grenadine to spread out and muddle the distinct layers. Luckily, this won't affect the flavor at all, but if you're going for an impressive visual here, slow and steady is the name of the game.

For a bright, sweet, non-astringent rum that'll keep your cocktail light, try using RumHaven or Malibu rum. Many bars stock cans of Dole pineapple juice specifically as a mixer. Or, this pineapple coconut juice by L&A adds a thicker viscosity and more coconut flavor; it functions super well in cocktails. Since these two ingredients are already packed with flavor, opt for a neutral vodka-like Absolut or Tito's.

Garnish with an orange wheel and a handful of maraschino cherries. If you're feeling wild, feel free to stick a kitschy miniature drink umbrella in there, too. (We aren't judging.)