The Story Behind The Zombie

A quintessential tiki drink — combining three kinds of rum, two juices, apricot brandy, and tropical liqueurs and syrups — the Zombie is just the drink to bring you back to life.

According to tiki enthusiast Arnold Bitner, the Zombie was created in 1934 at Donn Beach’s Don the Beachcomber restaurant in Hollywood, known for being the first tiki bar. Rumor has it that the Zombie was concocted to aid a hung over customer who was on his way to a business meeting. Several days later, the customer returned, claiming the drink had turned him into “a zombie” for his entire trip. Subsequently, Beach’s restaurants would limit customers to only two Zombies per meal.

While Beach also claimed to have invented the classic Mai Tai, as tiki historian and mixologist Jeff Berry says, his invention of the Zombie is a great introduction to the complex and bombastic world of tiki cocktails.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce light rum
  • 1 ounce dark rum
  • 1 ounce apricot brandy
  • 1/2 ounce falernum liqueur
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 1 ounce pineapple juice
  • 1/4 ounce Grenadine
  • 1/2 ounce overproof rum
  • Garnish: pineapple wedge, cocktail cherry

Directions

  1. Add all the ingredients except the overproof rum to a shaker with ice and shake.
  2. Strain into a Collins or highball glass with fresh ice.
  3. Float the overproof rum on top, then garnish with the pineapple and cherry.

Rate This Recipe:

★ ★ ★ ★ ★
(56 votes)

Yield: 1
Calories: 322
Updated: 2022-08-01

Listen To Our Cocktail College Zombie Podcast 
The Zombie Recipe

Zombie FAQ

How do you make a Zombie at home?

To make a Zombie at home, combine both light and dark rums, apricot brandy, falernum, freshly-squeezed lime juice, pineapple juice, and grenadine in a cocktail shaker. Shake, and strain the contents into a Collins or highball glass filled with ice. Top the cocktail with a float of overproof rum, and garnish with pineapple and cherry.

What types of rum do you need for a Zombie?

The Zombie recipe calls for three types of rum: light rum, dark rum, and overproof rum.

Why is it called a Zombie cocktail?

According to legend, the Zombie was named after the concoction was whipped up to aid a very hungover man on his way to a business meeting. When the same man returned to the bar, Donn Beach’s Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood, he claimed that the drink had turned him into a zombie for the remainder of his trip.

Related Reads & Recipes

Learn About Rum

· Rum 101

· Our always updated list of the best Rum to buy right now!

More Rum Recipes To Explore

The Rum Hot Toddy Recipe

The Rum Hot Toddy Recipe:
This Hot Toddy variation subs out whiskey for quality aged rum. Flavorful and not too sweet, it perfectly fits the cold-weather drink. Get the recipe here!

Tropical Escape Recipe

Tropical Escape Recipe:
As the weather continues to disappoint, let’s go on a spiritual journey to a warmer place with this Tropical Escape cocktail

The Leo, a Take on the Daiquiri

The Leo, a Take on the Daiquiri:
Created as a homage to the Leo zodiac sign, this Daiquiri variation sweetens up the typically tart and refreshing Daiquiri.

The Frozen Mango Piña Colada Recipe

The Frozen Mango Piña Colada Recipe:
Starting with the traditional Piña Colada as the base, adding mango really provides this classic summer cocktail with a twist it deserves.

The Dirty Banana Recipe

The Dirty Banana Recipe:
This boozy frozen cocktail is a fan favorite across the Caribbean islands made with a hefty amount of rum, coffee liqueur, and bananas.

The Pineapple Daiquiri Recipe

The Pineapple Daiquiri Recipe:
A tropical twist on an old classic, just in time for National Rum Day. The Pineapple Daiquiri will immediately whisk you away to the islands.