The name piña colada (Spanish) literally means "strained pineapple", a reference to the freshly pressed and strained pineapple juice used in the drink's preparation.
History of the Piña Colada
Stories of the Piña Colada's origins seem to be as numerous as the number of people who have enjoyed this tropical cocktail.
A few of the more widespread stories:
In the 19th century, Peurto Rican pirate Roberto Cofresí gave his crew a cocktial that contained coconut, pineapple, and white rum to help boost his crew's morale. When he passed away in 1825, the recipe was lost.
The Caribe Hilton Hotel claims Ramón "Monchito" Marrero created the Piña Colada in 1954 while a bartender at the hotel. According to the account, Marrero settled on the recipe he felt best captured the true nature and essence of Puerto Rico.
While Barrachina, a restaurant in San Juan, Puerto Rico tells the story that the cocktail was first invented by Spanish bartender Don Ramon Portas Mingot in 1963.
