Malibu Sunset: Tropical Twilight in a Glass
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The Malibu Sunset is a gorgeous drink that will transport your tasted buds to the Caribbean. The layered coconut rum cocktail is super easy to craft at home without any exotic ingredients or special bar tools.
We have an issue with the Malibu Sunset. Sure, it looks like a glorious tropical twilight and, with just a few ingredients, is easy to craft at home. Obviously, we like those features. Our only issue relates to the colorful cocktail’s sippability.
With ingredients that include coconut rum, orange juice and pineapple juice plus a splash of grenadine, the Malibu Sunset tastes like punch. On a hot summer day, the fruity cocktail is way easy to sip in mere minutes.
Thus, we need to be careful when we craft Malibu Sunsets at home. One refreshing drink could quickly turn into two, and so on. Consider yourself warned.
Discover more colorful cocktails.
What Is the Malibu Sunset?
The Malibu Sunset is a modern cocktail that borrows from two popular cocktails: the Bahama Mama and the Tequila Sunrise.
Similar to the Bahama Mama, the Malibu Sunset is crafted with coconut rum, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine. However, the Bahama Mama goes further with the additions of dark rum and lime juice. Both rum cocktails are sweet, fruity and fun.
The same can’t be said about the Tequila Sunrise despite its similar name and appearance. The tequila cocktail isn’t so sweet, plus it’s way more potent. Tequila has an ABV that ranges from 35% to 55% , while Malibu clocks in at a more mellow 21%.
History of the Malibu Sunset
We’d like to tell you that the Malibu Sunset cocktail was created by a Caribbean bartender who was inspired by an epic tropical sunset that set the sky on fire. However, that wouldn’t be true since our research has not revealed a definitive origin story for the Malibu Sunset.
What we do know is that the sweet tropical sipper debuted after 1978, since that’s the year that Tom Jago introduced Malibu coconut rum to the world. Jago also created Baileys Irish Cream. The brand is now owned by the monstrous multinational Pernod-Ricard. Ka-ching!
Ingredients
You don’t have to travel to the beach to drink a Malibu Sunset. Instead, you can easily craft the beachy cocktail at home with the following ingredients:
Ingredient quantities are detailed in the printable recipe card below.
How to Craft a Malibu Sunset
Once you’ve gathered the necessary ingredients and tools, the first step is to measure the coconut rum, orange juice and pineapple juice.
Pour the measured coconut rum and juices into a shaker. While we use miniature angled measuring cups to measure the juices, we use a Japanese jigger to measure the coconut rum. Using this type of jigger enables us to get an accurate measurement and make a clean pour.
Buy a Japanese jigger from Amazon if you need a jigger or want an inexpensive upgrade.
Add ice to the shaker and shake until the three liquids are chilled and combined.
We use a Boston shaker for this and other cocktail recipes since it doesn’t leak and is easy to clean. You can buy one from Amazon if you need a new or better shaker.
Strain the cocktail into a highball glass that’s filled halfway with ice cubes.
Slowly pour the grenadine into the center of the cocktail.
Pro Tip
Don’t stir the cocktail after the grenadine sinks to the bottom of the glass. If you do, you’ll lose the sunset effect.
Garnish with a pineapple wedge and maraschino cherry.
The final step is to take a sip and pretend that you’re located on a tropical island. This step is recommended but not required.
Variations
Since the Malibu Sunset isn’t a classic cocktail, there are no hard and fast rules with its recipe. Here are a few ideas to get you started in your quest for your perfect version:
Discover 10 essential bar tools for the home mixologist.
Malibu Sunset Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces coconut rum (preferably Malibu)
- 2 ounces orange juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 ounces pineapple juice (freshly squeezed)
- 1/2 ounce grenadine
- 1 maraschino cherry (garnish)
- 1 wedge pineapple (garnish)
- ice cubes
Equipment
- Electric Citrus Juicer (optional)
Instructions
- Pour coconut rum, orange juice and pineapple juice into a shaker.
- Add ice and shake until rum and juices are chilled and combined – approximately 20 seconds.
- Strain into a highball glass that's halfway filled with ice cubes.
- Slowly pour the grenadine into the center of the glass. Do NOT stir.
- Garnish with a maraschino cherry and pineapple wedge.
Notes
- Do not stir the cocktail after you add the grenadine. If you do, you’ll lose the sunset effect.
- You can substitute the fresh pineapple with canned pineapple if you don’t have access to a fresh pineapple.
Nutrition
💡 Frequently Asked Questions
The Malibu Sunset is a layered cocktail that’s crafted with Malibu coconut rum, orange juice, pineapple juice and a splash of grenadine.
Malibu Coconut Rum, Orange Juice, Pineapple Juice, Grenadine, Maraschino Cherry (garnish), Pineapple Wedge (garnish) and Ice Cubes
The Malibu Sunset is stirred, not shaken.
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