Pineapple juice and triple sec push this gin drink firmly into tropical territory. The Grass Skirt shakes gin with triple sec, pineapple juice, and a half-teaspoon of grenadine, then pours the mixture into an old-fashioned glass garnished with pineapple. The fruit juice and orange liqueur set a sweet, fruity counterpoint against the gin's botanicals, while the small measure of grenadine lends a warm blush of color and a thread of pomegranate sweetness. At roughly 17 percent alcohol by volume, it remains moderately strong despite its fruit-forward presentation, the gin still detectable beneath the layers of sweetness.
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Grass Skirt
Ingredients
- Gin 1 1/2 oz
- Triple sec 1 oz
- Pineapple juice 1 oz
- Grenadine 1/2 tsp
- Pineapple 1
Instructions
In a shaker half-filled with ice cubes, combine the gin, triple sec, pineapple juice, and grenadine. Shake well. Pour into an old-fashioned glass and garnish with the pineapple slice.
The Grass Skirt is a tropical gin cocktail combining gin, triple sec, pineapple juice, and grenadine, served in an old-fashioned glass garnished with pineapple. The tropical pineapple juice and sweet triple sec provide a fruity contrast to the gin's botanicals, while the grenadine adds a warm blush of color and pomegranate sweetness. It is a moderately strong, fruit-forward cocktail.
History & Origins
The Grass Skirt takes its name from the traditional hula skirt associated with Hawaiian and Polynesian culture and reflects the mid-20th-century American tiki and Hawaiian cocktail fashion. It belongs to a category of gin-tropical fruit cocktails that emerged during the tiki era's influence on mainstream bartending. Its precise origin is disputed and unattributed.
Tasting Notes
Aroma: fresh pineapple tropical sweetness, gin juniper botanicals, orange from the triple sec, and a faint floral grenadine note. Palate: sweet and tropical with pineapple dominating, balanced by the gin's herbal backbone and the orange liqueur's citrus sweetness. Finish: fruity, moderately sweet, and botanical with a lingering tropical fruit note.
Pro Tip
Shake with plenty of ice to achieve a well-chilled drink and strain into a fresh-iced glass — garnish with a fresh pineapple slice placed on the rim for the classic tropical presentation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What goes into a Grass Skirt cocktail?
The Grass Skirt is a tropical cocktail combining gin, triple sec, pineapple juice, and grenadine. It is shaken with ice and strained into a chilled cocktail glass, producing a pale orange-pink drink with a fruity, citrus-forward flavor. The pineapple and grenadine create tropical sweetness while the triple sec adds orange depth, and the gin provides botanical structure.
What does a Grass Skirt taste like?
The Grass Skirt offers a tropical fruit-forward flavor profile: the pineapple juice provides sweet, bright acidity, the grenadine adds pomegranate sweetness and a rosy hue, and the triple sec contributes orange zest bitterness and depth. The gin grounds the drink with botanical complexity, preventing it from becoming overly sweet or one-dimensional despite the fruit-heavy ingredient list.
What is the origin of the Grass Skirt cocktail?
The Grass Skirt takes its name from the Polynesian-inspired hula dance costume, evoking the tropical flavor profile of its ingredients. Like many tiki-adjacent cocktails, it belongs to the mid-20th century tradition of American cocktail culture embracing Polynesian and tropical themes, blending accessible fruit juices with gin rather than the rum more typical of true tiki drinks.
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