Jamaican Cooler – A Rum Ginger Cocktail

Beverages
Jamaican Rum with ginger simple syrup and sparkling water @MJsKitchen mjskitchen.com

Cook Around the Globe

At one time I participated in “Cook Around the Globe,“ a fun monthly event where we learned about the essence and character of different cuisines around the globe simply by cooking dishes. Each month participants cooked one or more recipes from a chosen country. This month was Bermuda & the Caribbean from which I found many new recipes I wanted to make. After a lot of interesting research I settled on this Jamaican Cooler. It was inspired by the Havana Cooler, “a refreshing drink for hot Havana evenings”.

There are a few variations of Havana Coolers, but what seems to be the standard consists of 2 cubes of ice, a shot of Bacardi rum, a sprig of mint and ginger ale or Sprite. Simple enough, but a little boring. I knew I had a 10 year old bottle of Jamaican rum (no, I don’t drink a lot!), so I decided to use the idea of the Havana Cooler and develop my version of a Jamaican Cooler. WOW! I don’t think that bottle of Jamaican rum is going to last very much longer! (NOTE: If you don’t know the difference between Cuban rum and Jamaican rum, click here.)

This Jamaican cooler is actually a ginger cocktail with Jamaican run, a homemade ginger syrup, sparkling water and a sprig of mint. So very refreshing and a nice little sipper for a hot summer day.

Dark rum cooler | mjskitchen.com
Jamaican Cooler

 

Jamaican Cooler (Rum Ginger Cocktail) Recipe
Prep
5 mins
Simple Syrup
20 mins
Total Time
5 mins
 

Gin and Jamaican rum come together for a refreshing cocktail.  WARNING! These are very easy to drink and addicting


*See Kitchen Note for substitutions and more about ingredients.


Course: Beverage
Cuisine: Jamaican
Keyword: cocktail
Yields: 1 cocktail
Recipe Author: MJ of MJ's Kitchen
Ingredients
How to make a Ginger Syrup
  • This can be made a few days ahead of time and kept in the fridge.
  • 4 ounces peeled ginger root, coarsely chopped (about 2/3 cups)
  • 3 cups water
  • 1 cup sugar
Add the sugar and water to a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the ginger root return to a boil, and then adjust the heat for a low boil. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, let cool, and strain. Yields about 2 to 2.5 cups of syrup.
    --------------------------------------
      To make one cooler
      • Add the following to a glass:
      • 1.5 ounces ginger syrup
      • 1.5 ounces Jamaican Rum
      • 3 ice cubes or 1 large ice cube
      • 1 sprig of mint
      • Top off with carbonated mineral water e.g., San Pellegrino and ENJOY!
      Kitchen Notes

      Ginger syrup substitute - You can always forgo the ginger syrup and just use ginger ale.

       

      Virgin Jamaican Cooler - Omit the rum and enjoy a minty ginger ale.

      Medicinal effect – For me, this cooler allows me to drink socially with my friends. My stomach and alcohol are not friends, so I don’t drink a lot. I absolutely can’t drink wine any longer which doesn’t make me very happy since I LOVE wine. The first time I drank this cooler and every time since, I have had no problems with the rum. I attribute this to the medicinal effect of ginger on the digestive system. I’m guessing that the ginger counters the effect of the rum. There’s my rationalization for today. 🙂

      Here are a few more refreshing cocktails that you’ll enjoy:

      30 Comments

      1. Pingback: Cranberry Old-Fashioned Cocktail - MJ's Kitchen

      2. I love the use of the homemade ginger syrup, MJ! And I did have to click over and read about the difference between Jamaican and Puerto Rican rums. Once I read it, I remembered hearing about the differences when on a trip to Puerto Rico a couple years ago… Such a refreshing drink…

      3. Pingback: Sweet Cucumber Drink Recipe | MJ's Kitchen

      4. Thanks for linking up! This drink looks fabulous… definitely will try it, probably this weekend 🙂

        –shelley

      5. Yum, can I have some? Sounds like it’s close to a mojito, so it must be good. 🙂

      6. Thanks all for the wonderful comments! It’s time for a cooler! 🙂

      7. The drink sounds so delightful and what a lovely color too! Thanks for dropping by my other blog.

      8. Thanks for participating in the event. Great to here that you did some research on Caribbean recipes for the event. That’s really the idea behind it all. Your cooler sounds like a great way to use up the rum I bought for my rum cake 🙂

      9. Your drink sounds wonderful and looks gorgeous. I would love to be sipping on one right now.

        Lisa~~
        Cook Lisa Cook

      10. Wow…Forget my mocktail; THIS is the way to go. 🙂

      11. MJ, that is a gorgeous looking drink! And I would feel soooo healthy drinking a fresh ginger drink!

      12. This looks delicious and I enjoy cool, refreshing drinks (and ginger). Your pictures are incredible!

      13. Oooh, now you’re talkin’! I adore anything with ginger. This drink has me swooning already.

      14. I have been meaning to put ginger syrup on my to do list! this looks so cool and refreshing—104F outside right now, grrrrr.

      15. For many many years my hard liquor of choice has been Myers Dark Jamacian Rum (when I drink the hard stuff). Now I have a new way to drink it. I love Mojitos so I will surely love this. That picture makes me want to try one right now. It’s noon somewhere!

      16. Cool! So glad you are in it too! I love your recipe… I have some Jamaica rum too and I LOVE ginger… great idea MJ!

      17. Thanks everyone! These were a great hit Friday night at a family gathering, then Saturday afternoon, Bobby and I enjoying nice minty gingerales with the syrup. Didn’t need anymore of the rum. 🙂

      18. Looks like a perfect summer drink! The ginger syrup sounds great!

      19. Such a lovely drink!
        Such beautiful pure pictures!

      20. yum – we made one of these for a family gathering and threw in some mango juice. love the addition of mint.

      21. Yum! This sounds fabulous! We honeymooned in Jamaica, I think we better try these for sure!

      22. Uhm… I love ginger! So ginger syrup and Rum sounds like heaven in a cooler! Great idea! 🙂

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