Discover a rainbow of colorful cocktails that please the eyes before they tickle the taste buds.
Colorful cocktails get a bad rap.
It’s easy for hardcore mixologists to look down upon cocktails notable for their fun colors. Often, colorful drinks are gender-coded as ‘girlie’ – especially when the 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 time.
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What Are Colorful Cocktails?
Drinking this colorful Hurricane in New Orleans inspired us to craft the colorful cocktail at home.
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.
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
You’re the boss when you craft colorful cocktails at home.
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.
Crafting Hurricanes at home results in superior cocktails.
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.
These are our favorite colorful cocktail recipes to craft at home:
28 Of The Best Colorful Cocktails
Jungle Bird
The Jungle Bird looks and tastes great whether your in an actual jungle or an urban jungle.
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 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 drink this refreshing drink on a hot summer day, it's also the perfect color to serve at a Christmas party or other festive event.
Colorful cocktails are cocktails that reflect the colors of the rainbow.
What are the best colorful cocktail?
The best colorful cocktails contain fresh juices. Our favorites include the Tequila Sunrise, Pink Lady, Fuzzy Navel and Hurricane.
Where is the best place to drink colorful cocktails?
The best place to drink colorful cocktail is at home since you craft them with fresh juice and other natural ingredients.
When is the best time to drink colorful cocktails?
It’s always a good time to drink colorful cocktails.
Thirsty For More Cocktails?
Frothy Cocktails
Pre-Prohibition Cocktails
Sour Cocktails
About The Authors
Daryl & 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.
Article Updates We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.
Funding We purchased the ingredients and tools used to craft these cocktails.
