Get in the Mardi Gras spirit with a classic New Orleans Hand Grenade Drink. If you’ve ever noticed the bright green Hand Grenade yard glass in the hands of people celebrating on Bourbon Street– this is the popular drink they are sipping on!
Fill a cocktail shaker full of ice. Add the Midori (1.5 oz), pineapple juice (2 oz), vodka (1 oz), gin (1 oz), and white rum (1 oz) to the shaker. Cover and shake until the drink is well chilled. At least 20-30 shakes.
Fill a Collins* glass full of ice and strain the mixture into the glass. *aka Highball about a 10-12 oz glass
Garnish with a few pineapple leaves, honeydew melon ball, or pineapple spear, and enjoy. See notes to make by the pitcher.
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Notes
Just so you know, bartenders and establishments have their variations of the New Orleans Hand Grenade, so feel free to experiment with the ratios and ingredients to suit your taste preferences.Hand Grenade Cocktail by the Pitcher (serves 8-10) 1 ½ cups Midori melon liqueur 2 cups pineapple juice 1 cup vodka 1 cup gin 1 cup white rumChill all ingredients well, then combine all the ingredients in a pitcher and keep in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Stir ingredients well before serving. You can serve with these instructions, fill glasses with ice (keep an ice bucket nearby), pour Hand Grenade, and top with pineapple leaves or slices.
What is Midori, and is there anything else I can use in its place? This is a melon-flavored liquor. You can use another melon liqueur, the closest one is Bul.
Can these be made in advance? Yes, these can be made in advance, but they are so simple to put together on the spot.
Can you make this into a hand grenade mocktail? Well, considering all but one ingredient has alcohol in it, this is a tough one, but here’s what I suggest if you want the spirit of a hand grenade cocktail but without all the alcohol. But if you can find Still Spirits Melon Liqueur Essence, this would be a good alternative; use a non-alcoholic vodka, gin, and rum.
Variations and Substitutions
Add a splash of Sprite or 7-up
Feel free to play around with the amounts of alcohol to make it a less strong drink.
Add a splash of grapefruit juice, limeade or lemonade
You may also try a little sweet and sour mix
Frozen Hand Grenade Cocktail On Bourbon Street, you can find these potent cocktails sold frozen or on the rocks; take care, as this is a very strong cocktail. If you desire to serve frozen, you can do one of two things. Mix all ingredients and place in the freezer. The pineapple juice alone will freeze, creating a slushie of sorts. Or, just as you would make a frozen margarita in a blender filled with the mixed cocktail ingredients, then add as much ice as you desire. If the blender has a smoothie or margarita setting, use that setting, adding ice until desired consistency. Serve immediately. This adult recipe is meant for 21+, please drink this strong drink responsibly.