page_title: Piña colada
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Piña colada / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Piña Colada plate in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Español: Placa de la Piña Colada en el Viejo San Juan, Puerto Rico. Italiano: Targa commemorativa in marmo della Piña Colada nella Vecchia San Juan, Porto Rico.
context_page_description: The piña colada is a sweet cocktail made with rum, cream of coconut or coconut milk, and pineapple juice, usually served either blended or shaken with ice. It may be garnished with either a pineapple wedge, maraschino cherry, or both.
  There are two versions of the drink, both originating in Puerto Rico.
context_section_description: The earliest known story states that in the 19th century, Puerto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresí, to boost his crew's morale, gave them a beverage or cocktail that contained coconut, pineapple and white rum. This was what would be later known as the famous piña colada. With his death in 1825, the recipe for the piña colada was lost. Historian Haydée Reichard disputes this version of the story.
  In 1950 The New York Times reported that "Drinks in the West Indies range from Martinique's famous rum punch to Cuba's pina colada (rum, pineapple and coconut milk)."
  The Caribe Hilton Hotel claims Ramón "Monchito" Marrero created the Piña Colada in 1954 while a bartender at the hotel. According to this account, Mr. Marrero finally settled upon the recipe for the Piña Colada, which he felt captured the true nature and essence of Puerto Rico. The hotel was presented with a proclamation in 2004 by Puerto Rico Governor Sila M. Calderón celebrating the drink's 50th anniversary.
  Barrachina, a restaurant in Puerto Rico, says that "a traditional Spanish bartender Don Ramon Portas Mingot in 1963 created what became the world's famous drink: the Piña Colada."
  In 1978 Puerto Rico proclaimed the cocktail its official drink.
  Historically a few drops of fresh lime juice or bitters were added to taste.
caption: Ramón Portas Mingot is credited with creating the drink.
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