The Cocktail Scientist
W I N T E R S U N S H I N E
Winter Sunshine
INTRODUCTION
The Winter Sunshine is a delicious cocktail that will surely add a tropical touch to the holiday season. One sip and you instantly feel like you have been transported to a tropical beach on a winter holiday as the drink easily entices all five senses whether through the scent of fresh coconut, the sight of an umbrella topped cocktail, the sound of a tropical cocktail being blended, the rich coconut flavor, or the frothy texture. Overall, the Winter Sunshine is a sure treat to keep the spirits high no matter what this holiday season.
MATERIALS & METHODS
Winter Sunshine cocktail recipe (1)
Ingredients:
- Coconut Flavored Rum – 1.0 oz (30 mL)
- Coconut Milk – 1.5 oz (45 mL)
- Orange Juice – 1.0 oz (30 mL)
- Ice Cubes – 4
- Garnish: Coconut Flakes
- Garnish: Orange Wedge
- Garnish: Cocktail Umbrella
Directions:
- Gently rim the edge of a chilled cocktail glass with simple syrup and then coat the edge with coconut flakes.
- Next add the coconut rum, coconut milk, orange juice, and ice cubes to a blender and blend for 15 seconds.
- Pour the blended mixture into the chilled prepared cocktail glass.
- Complete garnishing by adding an orange wedge and a cocktail umbrella. Enjoy!
DISCUSSION
Origin
On January 17th, 1920, Prohibition went into effect in the United States with the passage of the 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which banned the manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors (2). Thus, this was the beginning of the craft cocktail movement as flavorful ingredients were needed to be added to the rough tasting bootlegged liquor that was being produced during this time. During this time frame in history barrel-aging was rare, and bootleggers began resorting to the use of suspect additives to mimic flavor. Some attempts even included antiseptics, wood tar, rotten meat, and dead rats (3). Needless to say, the world of craft cocktails has come a very long way. Today there is no shortage of supply of mixologists looking to experiment and create tasty craft cocktails with more appealing ingredients. One of these creations is the Winter Sunshine cocktail. The Winter Sunshine is a charming holiday craft cocktail that is remarkably like a Piña Colada. An obvious play on the classic cocktail, the Winter Sunshine cocktail provides warmth during the winter season with a nice dose of coconut rum instead of light rum that is commonly found in the Piña Colada. Other obvious differences are the use of orange juice instead of pineapple juice and coconut milk instead of cream of coconut.
Flavor Profile
Rum
No other spirit has the flexibility and range than that of rum. To be considered a rum by law, the spirit is not to be bottled less than 80 proof. The evolution of flavored rums was inevitable however, and while typically not 80 proof, coconut flavored rums have become increasingly popular and are still relatively high in alcohol content (70 proof). Lower proof flavored rums often considered liqueurs and rum creams are considered a subcategory of the flavored rum space and are frequently used in craft cocktails as well.
The Winter Sunshine cocktail uses a coconut flavored rum. Coconuts come the from the coconut tree (Cocos nucifera) and much like flavoring rum with pineapples, flavoring with coconuts dates back a few centuries when distillers would soak raw coconut meat in barrels of rum to give the spirit sweetness and additional flavor. Modern approaches to flavoring rum have evolved and enhanced the flavor experience. Today, light rum (a low congener rum) is typically the base rum that is utilized when flavoring with coconuts. The rum is then flavored through infusion, alcohol essences, or flavor chemistry allowing for a greater unique flavor and aromatic properties.
Additional Ingredients
Orange Juice
The addition of orange juice to the Winter Sunshine cocktail provides a healthy supply of Vitamin C. However, the real reason that orange juice is added to the cocktail is due to the introduction of a high concentration of simple sugars which act as a natural sweetener.
Coconut Milk
Coconut Milk used in the Winter Sunshine cocktail is different than Cream of Coconut, which is commonly used in classic cocktails like the Piña Colada and the Painkiller. Coconut Milk is the dilute emulsion of brayed or shredded coconut meat in water with soluble and suspended solids and contains 5% to 20% fat (4). Ice is much more than just an ingredient in a cocktail. Not only does it make and keep drinks cold, ice acts as a dilution agent. By diluting a cocktail it allows flavoring ingredients in the cocktail to present themselves and become more noticeable.
NUTRITION
Thanks to the dilution of this cocktail with 4 ice cubes the relative nutrition per oz is improved. Because one ice cube on average equals 1.0 oz (30 mL) of water all categories are cut approximately in half if one were to consume the entire cocktail. And while this cocktail is not the sweetest of rum cocktails, it can be made sweeter by adding a rum liqueur, like Malibu Coconut Flavored Rum, or by adding simple syrup. However, as expected, adding additional sweeteners to the cocktail will change the nutritional profile of the cocktail by increasing the carbohydrate count.
NUTRITION FACTS
(Amount Per 1 Fl oz in a 7.5 Fl oz Cocktail)
Calories: 20.67
Total Fat: 0.97 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 0.67 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 0.91 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.09 g
Sugar: 0.75 g
CONCLUSION
Henry David Thoreau once said, “One must maintain a little bit of summer, even in the middle of winter.” The Winter Sunshine cocktail does just that by providing a tropical escape with exceptional character. With the warmth provided by the coconut rum and the cocktail’s aesthetically pleasing eye appeal it is impossible not to feel tropical vibes even on the chilliest winter day when having a Winter Sunshine cocktail.
REFERENCES
The Delicious Spoon. (2019). The Winter Sunshine Coconut Rum Cocktail. Retrieved from: https://thedeliciousspoon.com/winter-sunshine-coconut-rum-cocktail/
History.com. (2009). Prohibition. Retrieved from: https://www.history.com/topics/roaring-twenties/prohibition
Miller, J. (2019). The Modern Craft Cocktail Movement Got Its Start During Prohibition. The Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved from: https://theconversation.com/the-prohibition-era-origins-of-the-modern-craft-cocktail-movement-109623?xid=PS_smithsonian
Philippine Coconut Authority. (2014). Coconut Milk. Retrieved from: http://www.pca.da.gov.ph/pdf/techno/coconut_milk.pdf
