Top 15 Dominican Drinks
The Dominican Republic is an excellent place to have a vacation. But what is a vacation without drinks, especially during the summer when everyone needs a drink once in a while to fight the heat.
Some of these Dominican drinks have aphrodisiac properties, such as mamajuana and champola de tamarindo. And both are excellent for either cooling down or warming up. These drinks will make every one of you wish to go to the Dominican Republic just so you can try them.
Just like Dominican food, the drinks there are spectacular whether you like alcoholic drinks or non-alcoholic you will find options to suit your taste.
Alcoholics Drinks
1. Mamajuana
This is practically the first drink you will see if you ever travel to the Dominican Republic. This is a very famous drink here, not only for its aphrodisiac properties but also because it is used in a large number of cocktails.
Mamajuana is a mixture of bark and herbs soaked in black rum, red wine, and honey. You can buy this drink filtered or unfiltered, but either way, it is ready to drink. If you want to surprise someone with the real deal Dominican drink, then Mamajuana will do the job.
2. Banana Mama
For those hot summer days, Banana Mama may be the drink to reach for. Banana Mama is a rum drink from the Caribbean and due to its popularity, people have learned to make variations depending on where they find it.
There are different recipes for Banana Mama so it is not clear which is the most common. Some people make it from two types of rum and tropical fruits. This drink will satisfy your fruit craving since it includes pineapple syrup, coconut cream, and grenadine to taste.
3. Coco Loco (Coconut Cocktail)
This one has to be on your to-drink list. Just imagine yourself on a Dominican beach, with clear, blue water, and white sand while you drink this exquisite drink straight from a coconut. The ultimate in relaxation! Its simplicity makes it one of the best drinks for a relaxing beach day.
Coco Loco normally contains only two ingredients: coconut and rum. You can’t go wrong with this combo and you can add lime juice and tequila to spice things up, and if you feel like it, you can add a lot of ice to make the drink even more refreshing.
4. Presidente Beer
If you want to feel like a genuine Dominican, you have to drink Presidente or as it is called here Una fria. Presidente is a local beer and it has become a very popular drink among tourists.
It is often served in what looks like a bamboo bottle and then you pour it into smaller cups. It tastes better served ice cold and the bottle is almost white with frost. A beer like this one will surely make it to the top five of your favorite drinks.
5. Coquito (Coconut Eggnog)
This is not a native Dominican drink but became famous around the Caribbean. It is prepared with coconut milk and is traditionally served on Christmas eve.
It is relatively easy to make and its wonderfully creamy texture makes it perfect for the festivities. As you may know, Christmas for Latinos is a lot more than opening presents. Here it is all about the food, the drinks, the festivities, being loud, being happy, and dancing, etc.
To make a coquito you will need evaporated milk, sweet condensed milk, coconut milk, coconut cream, and Bacardi light rum. And for a little extra flavor, add cinnamon and vanilla.
6. Ron Centenario
Ron Centenario is a famous premium rum in the Dominican Republic and the Caribbean. It is created with aged Costa Rican sugar cane molasses.
This drink has an elegant flavor with a dominant scent of tobacco, wood, tropical fruits, and molasses. Some people like to combine Ron Centenario with Coca-Cola to make the perfect after-work drink.
Non-Alcoholic Dominican Drinks
7. Soft Drinks
Commonly known as soda, this is the perfect fit for a hot summer’s day when you still have to work. The average soft drink contains 150 calories per 12 ounces. Most of them come in form of refined cane sugar.
In the Dominican Republic, soft drinks are very popular, which is why Coca-Cola and Pepsi are now so common, with Coca-Cola having been the market leader for a very long time.
8. Mabi
This is a very popular option for beer lovers. It is a beer made with sugar, tree bark, and spices. The Dominican Republic is one of the main exporters of these bark and leaves.
This was once a fermented beverage prepared in tiny quantities, but it is now primarily a non-fermented soft drink sold commercially. There are two types of mabi. Cacheo, darker in color, contains brown sugar, spices, bark, and fruit extract.
9. Coffee
For all you coffee lovers, you should know that in the Dominican Republic there is never a wrong time to drink coffee. You can have it at breakfast or after lunch, or even at dinner.
Every year, the Dominican Republic produces nearly 500,000 bags of high-quality arabica beans. Only 20% can be exported and the majority of it is consumed in the country. Despite this, it is one of the most recognized coffee producers worldwide.
10. Guarapo de Caña (Sugarcane Juice)
There’s almost nothing more refreshing and simple than a Guarapo de Caña. A highly powerful machine is used to make this juice, squeezing out the juice from the hard sugarcane. I don’t recommend you to try to recreate this drink at home because it may well break your blender.
So if you are in the Dominican Republic and want to try it, go for a walk, find a vendor, and live the experience. Your taste buds will thank you.
11. Champola de Tamarindo (Tamarind Juice)
What can satisfy you more than fresh fruit juice? Since the Dominican Republic is a fresh fruit producer and exporter, they have a great variety of fruit juice. But one of the most popular is tamarind juice.
And that is because of its amazing, sour taste, which no one can resist. It helps with sleep and digestion, and it has incredible antioxidant properties. You don’t want to miss this one.
12. Agua de Coco (Coconut Water)
This one is the more simple and natural drinks on this list and is a must-try for when you are visiting this lovely country. Although there are many other nations with coconut water, when you are on a Dominican beach it is simply unique.
The Dominican Republic is famous for always being in the tropical season, which is why the locals are always coming up with refreshing drink ideas. Watching a sunset on a Dominican beach must include coconut water to be complete.
13. Jugo de Avena (Oats Juice)
Any guesses what the main ingredient here is? As its name suggests, this is a juice made from overnight oats, milk, sugar, and spices. It is a super healthy and kid-friendly drink. Perfect for breakfast, too.
14. Chocolate de Mani (Dominican Peanut Milk)
This is a popular hot drink in the Dominican Republic. Although the word chocolate is part of its name, there is no chocolate in it. The main ingredient here is roasted peanuts.
To make it, just blend unsalted roasted peanuts with milk and sugar. Once the mixture is smooth, add spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg and you will have that perfect alternative to the famous hot chocolate we drink in the winter months.
15. Morir Soñando (Milk and Orange Juice Drink)
Morir Soñando, or “to die dreaming”, is a famous Dominican drink that has become famous around the Caribbean and Latin American nations. The recipe contains orange juice, cane sugar, milk, and crushed ice.
This drink has many variables depending on where you live or your family’s history. It seems like everyone has their own little secret ingredient for this drink. If you don’t have the opportunity to travel to the Dominican republic, you can easily recreate this one at home.
Final Thoughts
Dominicans can give you the vacation of a life time, with the best beaches and plenty of tourist attractions, while also giving you the best attention, drinks, and meals. It doesn’t matter whether you go for alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks, the Dominican Republic has it all for everyone’s taste.
From refreshing drinks to amazing flavored cocktails, all are easy to recreate. But if you want the real experience, you should put the Dominican Republic on your travel list.
Related: Most Popular Dominican Foods
Related: Most Popular Dominican Desserts
