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It’s easy for hardcore mixologists to look down upon cocktails notable for their fun colors. Often, colorful drinks are gender-coded as ‘girlie’. This is especially true when a drink’s color is a pastel shade of pink, blue or green.
To this, we say foul! It’s as unfair to judge a cocktail by its color as it is to judge the taste of durian (the stinkiest fruit in the world) by its smell.
As for us, we appreciate the aesthetics when tasty cocktails are as vivid as a peacock’s plumage. There’s simply nothing wrong with satisfying multiple senses at the same time.
Colorful cocktails run the gamut from sweet and fruity summer sippers to complex, herbaceous drinks crafted with liquors like cognac and green chartreuse. Some are shaken and some are stirred, while others are simply poured into a glass.
There’s not just one type of colorful cocktail. These eye-catching drinks multi-task by spanning the pigments of the rainbow while featuring a range of liquors including bourbon, Cointreau, gin, rum, tequila and vodka. Color options include blue, green, pink, red and yellow.
Mixologists have been crafting colorful cocktails for over a century. And, while some pre-date Prohibition, others originated during the past few decades.
Crafting colorful cocktails at home creates a wow factor. And, while it’s fun to serve show-stopping drinks to friends and family, an added benefit is that you can choose to craft your cocktails with top-quality ingredients.
Unlike bars and restaurants which may use processed juices loaded with sugar and food colorings, you can create drinks using real fruit. The difference is astounding.
There’s nothing like drinking a Hurricane made with freshly squeezed passion fruit juice. The fresh juice brings an earthy dimension to the drink that’s not overly acidic or sweet. Doing so elevates the Mardi Gras cocktail from frat boy swill to something truly special.
The Limoncello Spritz beguiles drinkers with its citrus flavor and bright yellow color. It's also bubbly and fun, not to mention easy to craft at home.
The Bahama Mama isn't classic or sophisticated, but despite those limitations, the sweet rum cocktail tastes like tropical bliss. Plus, it's easy to craft and fun to sip wherever you happen to be in the world.
Shake off any doubts about the French Blonde cocktail. While it may or may not be Taylor Swift's favorite cocktail, there's no doubt that it's flirty, floral and fun to sip.
The Singapore Sling is a fruity and fun cocktail that's sweet, herbaceous and tart. It's also easy to make at home despite its long laundry list of ingredients.
Inspired by one of Hollywood's top actresses during Prohibition, the Mary Pickford cocktail is a tasty tipple that has passed the test of time. It's also easy to craft with just a handful of ingredients.
The White Negroni is France's take on Italy's classic cocktail. The elegant drink is an update of the original version with flavors that are simultaneously bright and bitter. Plus, despite the name, it's yellow.
The Ward 8 cocktail isn't as famous as its cousin, the Whiskey Sour, but it should be. Simultaneously sweet and spicy, this pre-Prohibition potent potable is as easy to sip as it is to craft.
Though you'll be tempted to sip this refreshing drink on a hot summer day, it's also the perfect color to serve at a Christmas party or other festive event.
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Funding We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these cocktails.
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Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on their website 2foodtrippers. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers a unique taste of the world.
