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Electric Cure’s Passion of the Christ
What’s in it: Pusser’s Rum, Plantation O.F.T.D. Rum, coconut creme, orange juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, lime, demerara
What it tastes like: A Painkiller, a classic beach cocktail born in the British Virgin Islands. This Edgewater bar’s version is missing the pineapple juice but comes adorned with a mini wooden cross, crowned with greenery, and graced with a dried round of citrus.
Soak up the booze: Unless rum counteracts more rum, you’re in a lot of trouble.
A5’s Cobra Fang
What’s in it: Smith & Cross and Ron del Barrilito rums, orange juice, passionfruit juice, cinnamon syrup, grenadine
What it tastes like: Served over pebble ice with an orange-and-maraschino-cherry garnish, A5’s take on the Cobra’s Fang, a classic Tiki cocktail, leaves out a few traditional ingredients (notably absinthe and angostura bitters) but doesn’t skimp on flavor. The rum-happy sipper has the beachy citrus notes you want paired with an unexpected cinnamon-y warmth you never knew you absolutely needed.
Soak up the booze: Nothing says “ocean” like a dozen oysters on the half shell, which seven-month-old A5, located in LoDo, serves up for $1.50 each during happy hour.
The Tatarian’s Rainbow
What’s in it: Flor de Caña (7 Year Rum), lime, lemon, blue Curacao, house-made coconut crème, house-made orgeat, Velvet Falernum liqueur, bitters
What it tastes like: Much less cloying than its flamboyant appearance might suggest, the Rainbow cocktail leans slightly bitter with nutty and citrus-y notes. You might not have room in your belly for a second round—the drink is on the heavier side—but the little umbrella will make you feel like you’re at a Caribbean resort, so anything is possible.
Soak up the booze: Just order another drink; there’s no food on the menu here.
Fellow Traveler’s Dream Lover
What’s in it: Vodka, citrus medley, guava syrup
What it tastes like: If you didn’t know about the alcohol in this lovely little libation, you might think you’ve found the most delicious guava smoothie this side of the American tropics. And, well, you kinda have—if you’re into boozy smoothies topped with edible dried oranges.
Soak up the booze: This five-month-old Englewood spot serves vegan victuals that smell divine and taste just as good. Try the chile garlic cauliflower.
Yacht Club’s Strawberry Daiquiri
What’s in it: Appleton Estate rum, madeira, strawberries, lime, salt
What it tastes like: Remember spring break? This tall drink of strawberries will take you right back to teeny bikinis, sunburns, and bad choices in the best way possible. Also, the rum is way better, the mint sprig delivers an air of sophistication, and, well, you’re not drinking it out of a keg cup.
Soak up the booze: Funny enough, the petite menu at six-month-old Yacht Club, located in the Cole neighborhood, also has a college-dorm-dinner vibe to it. Order a loaded hot dog or an appetizer-size cheeseball.
Three Saint’s Revival’s Monarch of the Sea
What’s in it: Pusser’s British Naval Rum, Mathilde Cassis, Allspice Dram, cardamom syrup, pomegranate tea, pineapple syrup, lime
What it tastes like: A little earthy and a little sweet, the easy-drinking, pomegranate-forward Monarch cocktail comes on a branded king cube in a sassy little low ball. It’s not your typical pool bar beverage, but it’s light and refreshing enough to have more than one, which you’ll want to while you sit at the seven-month-old restaurant’s airy bar inside the Hotel Indigo in the Union Station neighborhood.
Soak up the booze: The charred eggplant baba ganoush with tahini dressing and toasted pita is tapas-size, so it won’t ruin your beach bod.
Adrift’s Mai Tai
What’s in it: Martinique rum, Jamaican rum, white rum, Curacao, lime, toasted almond orgeat
What it tastes like: Happiness. Honestly, Mai Tais—possibly the most famous beach drink of all time—are much harder to make well than you might expect. Too often the balance just isn’t right, a crime that can often be pinned on too many sweet juices. The experts at South Broadway’s Adrift know that the only nectar in an authentic Mai Tai should be from a lime.
Soak up the booze: The Polynesian bruschetta—mango, pineapple, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro served on a plantain chip—won’t absorb much rum, but it tastes like vacation.
(Read More: 20 of the Best Patios and Rooftops in Denver and Beyond)
