Classic cocktail · Guided recipe
Painkiller
Start makingDark rum, pineapple, orange and coconut cream — the Caribbean beach in a glass, dusted with nutmeg. Creamy, tropical and aptly named.
In the glassDark rum · Pineapple juice · Orange juice · Coconut cream
See exact amounts
What goes in
Ingredients
Set up before you pour
Use a hurricane glass.
The tall curved bowl holds crushed ice and a generous tropical serve while leaving room for garnish.
- Standard size
- 440 ml15 oz
- Ice & serve
- Pack it generously with crushed ice.
- If you don’t own one
- Use a highball or any tall glass with enough capacity.
- cocktail shaker
- strainer (or a small sieve)
- jigger or measuring spoon
- Dark rum60 ml
- Pineapple juice60 ml
- Orange juice30 ml
- Coconut cream30 ml
From bottle to glass
Method
- 01
Measure into the shaker Pour 60 ml dark rum into your shaker
Dark rum
- 02
Measure into the shaker Add 60 ml pineapple juice
Pineapple juice
- 03
Measure into the shaker Add 30 ml orange juice
Orange juice
- 04
Measure into the shaker Add 30 ml coconut cream
Coconut cream
- 05
Ice the shaker Fill the shaker with ice
- 06
Seal and shake Seal and shake hard
- 07
Ice the glass Fill your glass with fresh crushed ice
- 08
Strain cleanly Strain into your glass
- 09
Finish the drink Finish it — add a pineapple wedge and a cinnamon stick
Know your drink
About the Painkiller
Pusser's owns the name
White Bay on Jost Van Dyke has no dock, so drinkers anchor out and wade in, which is how the Soggy Dollar Bar got its name and its reputation. Daphne Henderson is usually credited with the drink there in the 1970s. Story goes that Charles Tobias of Pusser's tried to buy the recipe from her, got turned down, and worked it out by taste instead.
Trademark registration followed, and Pusser's has defended it, most visibly in 2011 against a New York bar of that name, which reopened as PKNY rather than fight. Their spec is four parts pineapple to one orange to one cream of coconut, with two ounces of rum. Grate the nutmeg fresh over the top; the pre-ground jar tastes like sawdust.
Common questions
Painkiller FAQ
What is the difference between a Painkiller and a piña colada?
The Painkiller adds orange juice, insists on rich dark rum (Pusser’s, by trademark), and is served over crushed ice with fresh-grated nutmeg — a bit drier and spicier than the piña colada. It was born at the Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke, where you swim ashore to order one.
What ingredients are in a Painkiller?
A classic Painkiller calls for 60 ml (2 oz) Dark rum, 60 ml (2 oz) Pineapple juice, 30 ml (1 oz) Orange juice, 30 ml (1 oz) Coconut cream. That single-serve spec scales cleanly — the recipe above converts it to oz and multiplies it for 2–4 drinks.
How strong is a Painkiller?
A standard Painkiller is roughly 13% ABV once mixed (before ice melt softens it further). That makes it about as strong as a glass of wine.
Is a Painkiller shaken or stirred?
A Painkiller is shaken. About 13 seconds with plenty of ice chills and dilutes it correctly.
What glass do you serve a Painkiller in?
Serve a Painkiller in a hurricane glass, packed with crushed ice.
How many calories are in a Painkiller?
One Painkiller has approximately 270 calories, estimated from the standard spec above. Bigger pours, extra syrup or sweetened mixers raise that number quickly.
Sharpen the technique
Skills used in this recipe
Where to go next
If you like the Painkiller, try these.
Bahama Mama
Two rums with pineapple, orange, coconut and grenadine — the Bahamas in a tall glass. Sweet and unabashedly tropical.
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Planter’s Punch
Dark rum with citrus, a little grenadine and bitters — the original Jamaican punch. “One of sour, two of sweet, three of strong, four of weak.”
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Cobra's Fang
Sixty milliliters of rum, a quarter of it overproof, buried under passion fruit and citrus so completely that you won't notice the strength until you stand up. Dark, sweet-tart and unrepentant. One is plenty.
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