Take it easy with our uncomplicated June Bug Drink recipe! This tropical cocktail, with melon liqueur, coconut rum, banana liqueur, pineapple juice, and fresh lime juice, is just right for summer.
Prep time:
1 minute
Mixing time:
1 minute
Servings:
1
Calories:
244
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Midori Melon Liqueur
- 1 oz Coconut Rum
- ¾ oz Banana Liqueur
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 3 oz pineapple juice
- Crushed ice
- Pineapple or banana slice - for garnish, optional
Equipment
- Hurricane or highball glass
- Measuring Jigger
- Bar spoon or long stirrer
- Straw
Instructions
- Combine Juices: In your Hurricane or Highball glass, mix together 1 oz fresh lime juice and 3 oz pineapple juice.
- Add Liqueurs: Add 1½ oz Midori Melon Liqueur, 1 oz Coconut Rum and ¾ oz Banana Liqueur.
- Add Ice: Fill the glass ¾ full with crushed ice and churn well to combine, for about 5-10 seconds.
- Add Straw: Add a straw and fill the glass to the top with a generous amount of crushed ice.
- Garnish: Garnish with pineapple & banana slices and serve immediately.
Notes
Substitutes:
- Midori Melon Liqueur: If you don't have Midori on hand, you can use a generic melon liqueur. However, the drink won’t have its signature green color, which comes from the use of vibrant-green Midori.
- Coconut Rum: White rum is a good alternative if you're not a fan of coconut rum's tropical taste. It changes the flavor but still works great in this cocktail. Sweetened coconut rum, such as Malibu liqueur, obviously works very well in this recipe.
- Banana Liqueur: You can use banana syrup if you don't have banana liqueur. It's sweeter, so adjust the amount accordingly.
- Fresh Lime Juice: You can use bottled lime juice in a pinch, but the flavor will be less bright and fresh. Another option is to use fresh lemon juice for a slightly different citrus kick.
- Pineapple Juice: For a different take on this cocktail, you can use a tropical pre-mixed juice (coconut & pineapple for example) or use mango juice as a substitute.
Making a Pitcher of June Bug Drink:
- Scale: To make a pitcher that serves 8, multiply all the ingredients by 8. That would be 12 oz of Midori, 8 oz of coconut rum, 6 oz of banana liqueur, 8 oz of fresh lime juice and 24 oz of pineapple juice.
- Mix: In a large pitcher, combine all the ingredients. Add ice and stir well.
- Serve: Strain to remove the ice, serve immediately into ice-filled hurricane or highball glasses and garnish each glass with banana and/or pineapple slices. If you have some leftovers, be sure to keep it in the fridge (make sure no ice cubes are left inside) in an airtight container.
Making it Non-Alcoholic:
- Melon Liqueur Substitute: Use melon syrup; these are available and reasonably mimic melon liqueur's flavor.
- Coconut Rum Substitute: Choose a non-alcoholic coconut-flavored rum (these are becoming more and more available on the market) or use a bit of coconut cream as a substitute. Just make sure to adjust the quantities depending on the sugar content of the cream you’re using.
- Banana Liqueur Substitute: Use banana syrup instead of banana liqueur.
- Proceed As Usual: Use these non-alcoholic substitutes instead of the regular ingredients, follow the original steps, and enjoy a non-alcoholic version.
Making it Vegan:
The June Bug Drink is naturally vegan as it contains doesn't animal products. Ensure that the specific brands of liqueurs and rum you're using are vegan-friendly, as some brands may use animal-derived products in their production process. That’s for example the case with Malibu, which does not contain any ingredient of animal origin per se but is made using sugar that is not vegan-certified (Cf. statement on the brand’s website: “we do not add animal derivatives into our products, however, one of our sugar suppliers uses a process that is not considered vegan-friendly. While this is a common practice in the sugar industry, it unfortunately also means we are unable to call Malibu suitable for a vegan diet”).What is a June Bug Drink?
A June Bug Drink is a tropical and fruity cocktail made of melon liqueur, coconut rum, banana liqueur, pineapple juice, and fresh lime juice. This drink isn’t a variant of another well-known cocktail but stands on its own for its unique blend of fruity flavors and vibrant green color, giving you an instant feel of being in a tropical paradise.
What is a June Bug Drink made of – The ingredients
The formula for a June Bug Drink calls for these ingredients:
-
- Midori Melon Liqueur: This gives the cocktail its distinctive green color and adds a sweet, fruity flavor.
- Coconut Rum: Adds a tropical twist to the drink with its smooth, coconut-infused taste.
- Banana Liqueur: Enhances the cocktail’s fruity profile with its rich banana flavor.
- Pineapple Juice: This contributes to the tropical vibe of the drink and adds a tangy sweetness.
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice adds a tangy, citrusy sharpness that balances the sweetness of the other ingredients.
