If you want to put yourself in the mood for a vacation, there’s nothing better than a tropical drink. The Painkiller is the signature beverage of the Virgin Islands, but it’s not a medicine. Rather, it’s the perfect remedy to alleviate your worries and put you in an “island time” state of mind! You can find it in beach bars all around St. John and other nearby islands, like Soggy Dollar Bar in Jost Van Dyke, which lay claim to “The Original Painkiller”, and The Longboard, which has frozen Painkillers on tap! To extend the enjoyment of vacation and make them yourself at home, we’d like to provide the ingredients needed to make a batch of this delicious drink. These include 1 part Coco Lopez (or another cream of coconut, usually found in the grocery store), 1 part orange juice (no pulp preferred), 4 parts pineapple juice, and rum (local Cruzan Rum if you’re on St. John, Pusser’s Rum in the BVI). Combine all ingredients (except nutmeg) in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake, then pour the contents into a glass and sprinkle freshly grated nutmeg on top. St. John Spice in Cruz Bay has convenient jars of nutmeg with little graters for sale – a must-have for your vacation and a great gift to bring back home!
Nothing else quite gets you in a holiday mood quite like a tropical drink. For the Virgin Islands, the signature concoction is called the Painkiller, an effective solution to any worries, providing instant vacation vibes.
The Painkiller is readily available at beach bars in St. John, and across the Virgin and British Virgin Islands, having made its way to the mainstream thanks to Soggy Dollar Bar in Jost Van Dyke who claimed credit for the “Original Painkiller”. If you’re ever at Longboard in St. John, make sure to try the Frozen Painkillers on tap!
Here’s the recipe for the perfect Painkiller to make at your villa or home, extending the wonderful feeling of your getaway:
Ingredients:
1 part cream of coconut (Coco Lopez is usually the best bet, and should be found at any grocery store)
1 part orange juice (no pulp preferred)
4 parts pineapple juice.
Rum to taste (exercise caution!)
Fresh nutmeg.
For an authentic taste, we suggest using Virgin Islands Cruzan Rum. Shake the first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, and then pour it into a glass. Top it off with freshly grated nutmeg. You can find nutmeg pods with little graters at St. John Spice in Cruz Bay; it’s a great way to extend the island holiday atmosphere, plus they make for amazing souvenirs to take home!