Ready to spice up the party with a purple rain cocktail? You will absolutely love its delicious flavors and striking violet hue.
Made with some of the tastiest ingredients you know, Purple Rain Drink will become a fast favorite at the next party or get-together you and your friends have.
It makes a nice drink to enjoy around Halloween, too, as the color suits the mood nicely. If you’re planning a purple-themed party or wedding, this makes a nice signature cocktail. Sweet and very alcoholic, it’s sure to make some noise.
What is a Purple Rain Drink?
Purple rain mixed drink can mean one of two mixed drinks. We will be sure to discuss both in the forthcoming article. The most common Purple Rain is the variant of the highball Long Island Iced Tea, in which you substitute Chambord in place of triple sec and lemon-lime soda for the typical cola you find in a Long Island Iced Tea.
The second variant and perhaps more popular is the long cocktail which is composed of vodka, lemonade, Blue Curacao and grenadine. The name of this version is derived from the color of the drink, as the grenadine is added as the last ingredient.
The red grenadine through the blue of the Curacao creates the image of purple rain. There are several variants of this drink no matter where you go. And all this time, we thought it was named after the legendary Prince song! Hey, it might be fun to listen to that classic track as you whip up this cool drink.
The flavor of the drink is just so sweet and delicious.
You might not like this particular drink if you’re not big on overly sweet stuff, as this definitely takes the cake in the sweetness department. The only non-sugary item in the entire ingredient list is the vodka, and you can’t really taste that in the drink anyway! Aside from that, you will find that the flavors are all very well-balanced and the drink tastes like candy.
This is yet another one of those drinks that you must watch yourself and your friends with, as it would be no trouble at all to take in six of these babies and then wonder why you can’t remember your name.
This drink is popular and has likely seen a resurgence in popularity due to the unfortunate passing of the great pop icon Prince. Bartenders definitely have all these ingredients on hand and can easily whip one up for you. We cannot count on the purple sugar always being available, however.
Do I Need Anything Special Like Training or Equipment to Make Purple Rain?
Not at all! You can enjoy this drink the right way with a few pieces of basic equipment you probably already have laying around the house.
We do recommend getting yourself a nice set of glasses if you do not have one already. Glasses with logos or designs on them can take away from the presentation aspect of the drink. Then again, we know many of you here aren’t looking to make a drink fancy, you just want to learn how to make it so you can get the party started.
I don’t blame you one bit.
You will, however, need a stainless steel or clear plastic cocktail mixer. They both have their merits. The plastic ones let you see your drink as it is being made, which ramps up the excitement and helps you see how cool your creation is.
The stainless-steel ones are dishwasher safe and meant to take lots of wear and tear. Plus, they look like the ones pro bartenders use, so it’s always a great choice.
Also be sure you have some ice on hand. Fill those ice cube trays up ahead of time or make sure your fridge has made some.
Your Favorite Purple Rain Drink Recipe
If you are ready to make your own great purple rain drink with vodka, we have the recipe right here. Get ready to get soaked in a sea of purple greatness. (Drink responsibly.)
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz or 45 ml of your favorite vodka (we used Absolut for this)
- 3 oz or 90 ml of lemonade (we liked Simply)
- ½ oz or 15 ml of Blue Curacao
- ¼ oz or 7 ml of grenadine
Optional: You can line the rim with purple sugar if you have it. You can also add a lemon slice to this as a garnish if you like.
Directions:
Start by rimming the edge of your glass in purple sugar. You can make purple sugar by combing a little Blue Curacao, grenadine and sugar in a bowl!
Then, in a shaking glass, add in ice, then combine with vodka, lemonade, Blue Curacao, and grenadine. Shake it up very well.
Then, strain it into the rimmed glass over ice and garnish it with a lemon slice. Poof! A delicious cocktail awaits you. Be sure to take it nice and slow as you approach this yummy cocktail.
Are There Purple Rain Variations?
There are most definitely variations on this beloved purple alcoholic drink that you will enjoy right along with the classic ones. Some of these are so different from the original that they almost become their own separate cocktail. No matter which of the variations appeal to you, we will talk about all of them so you know which one suits you best.
The first one on our list is known as the Kelsey’s Purple Rain. We think this originated in Canada, at the popular food chain Kelsey’s. We tried it here in the USA and let’s just say our Canadian neighbors to the north know what’s up when it comes to varying this great drink. Check it out and see for yourself.
Kelsey’s Purple Rain
Ingredients:
- 45 ml or 1.5 oz of vodka of choice (we used Absolut)
- 20 ml or .7 oz raspberry liquor
- 20 ml or .7 oz Blue Curacao
- 5 ml or one quick squeeze lime juice
- 180 ml or 6 oz cranberry juice
- About 4-5 ice cubes
Directions:
The instructions to make this drink are simple. You can start by pre-chilling the vodka in the freezer. This will prevent you from using too much ice, which can water down your drinks.
You should also pre-chill your glass in the fridge. You should use a 9-ounce glass or larger.
Put the ice cubes into the glass or cocktail shaker.
Add in the vodka, raspberry liqueur, Blue Curacao, lime, and cranberry juice. Then shake it or stir it gently and serve it up. You can also rim the glass with the purple sugar from the first recipe if you wish. Adding a lemon wedge is not a bad idea either if you have one.
Now if you enjoyed that, you’re in good company. We mixed this up and were so glad we did. It was very unique and fun to taste with that yummy raspberry liqueur in it. It really got us thinking, what other liqueurs could you use? Turns out we would have to check out the world’s largest pineapple grower for the answer.
Dole Purple Rain Cocktail
You know, I always knew Dole Company as a place that was located in a faraway paradise called Hawaii, that they grew pineapples, and that kids love eating the fruit cups they make. I did not know they knew how to mix drinks, but I am glad I found this amazing Purple Rain by Dole.
Ingredients:
1 oz Dole Pineapple Juice- 2 oz vodka of your choice (we used Absolut again)
- ½ oz orange-flavor liquor
- ¼ oz Blue Curacao
- ¾ oz grape juice (we think you can probably use cranberry if you so wish)
- ½ a lime, juiced
- Sugar for the rim, if desired
Directions:
Combine the pineapple juice, vodka, orange flavor liqueur, Blue Curacao, grape juice, and lime juice into a glass with ice or your cocktail shaker.
Line your glass with sugar, or even make some of that purple sugar we talked about earlier.
Now strain that drink into the lovely rimmed glass and get ready to sip and enjoy.
Whoa! If you thought this drink could not get any sweeter, you were incorrect. This version had me and my partner bouncing off the ceiling and feeling like kids again.
The zip of that pineapple juice and the tang of the grape juice is something else. And that orange liqueur! What a sweet and fruity take on this cocktail. This one is for those days when you have an insatiable sweet tooth and a desire to taste paradise.
The Cran-Pineapple Purple Rain
Now this one is a bit of a different mixture, but we tried it and it worked out wonderfully. It lacked in the liquor department, which we found a little annoying, but still tasted pretty good and will still work if you’re in a pinch.
Ingredients:
- 5 parts vodka
- 1 part Blue Curacao
- 1 part cranberry juice
- 1 part pineapple juice
- 1 part grenadine
Directions:
So, you know the drill. Take the ice and put it in your shaker and then add in all the ingredients. Give it a good shake and pour it over the ice. The result was a just-fine version of the drink that would be okay to serve, but not the greatest of the ones we’ve had.
Non-Alcoholic Purple Rain?!
Yes! For those of you with friends who do not drink or some children in the house, you can absolutely make a purple rain drink. It might be a little hard to find the ingredients, but you can do it. Here’s how we made ours for the teetotalers in our lives as well as the kiddos.
Ingredients:
- 1 part of blue raspberry soda or Blue Hawaiian Punch
- 1 part grenadine
- 1 part pineapple juice
- 1 part cranberry juice
Directions:
The result is a purple non-alcoholic drink that everybody can enjoy. You can still put sugar on the rim, but we advise doing it with blue and red food coloring and not Blue Curacao of course! The kids will love their purple juice and you will love the fact that you don’t get a buzz but can still enjoy the yummy flavors.
I Don’t Like Cranberry Juice/Pineapple Juice/Other ingredients. Do I Have to Use It?
Of course not. You can absolutely make the drink tailored to your taste and your liking. Mix and match your favorite fruit juices to see which ones work for you.
For instance, there are plenty of people who do not like cranberry juice. You can definitely use grape juice instead, or even try one of those blends you see in the store like cran-grape or cran-mango.
Using something like apple or orange juice might be a bit much, as they will not add to the color. Also, orange juice is rather acidic. You might even use pomegranate juice in place of the cranberry as well.
The sweet taste of the pomegranate will make a nice addition to your particular cocktail. And when you are using the original recipe, you can experiment with different lemonades, too.
We’ve seen watermelon lemonade, pink lemonade, and even strawberry lemonade. So, you could try those out if you want, but who knows what the results will be? It’s up to you to find out which one is the best-tasting.
However, do not leave out the fruit juice altogether. Doing so will mean that you don’t get the cool colors of the cocktail that give it its legendary name. Our advice will be to just get the basic recipe down pat, and then go ahead and start your experimentation from there.
What About Garnishes?
You already know about the garnishes we recommend — mix up that delicious purple sugar and add it to the rim. And of course, you already know about adding an orange slice or lemon slice to the side of the glass. But you’re probably wondering if you can add some fresh fruit to the drink.
For this one, it’s hard to say.
None of the recipes or purple rain drink ingredients we encountered used any fruit in the drink, though we can’t really see the harm in doing so. You can add whatever you like, but we think that pineapple would be the best addition to the drink.
To be honest, no fruit sounds good in that particular drink – it’s great just the way it is. And nobody ordering a drink does it for the fruit (although it does make a nice presentation piece).
How Popular Is the Purple Rain?
This drink is pretty popular and is enjoyed all over the world. If you want one overseas, you might have to tell the bartender how to make it, but in the USA and Canada this one is pretty popular.
The drink is reminiscent of the popular singer Prince’s legendary song, and it was probably enjoyed by many on the night he passed away. Some people mixed up the drink in honor of the now-gone musical artist.
Indeed, you can go just about anywhere, and they will know what a purple rain is. And even if you have a newbie bartender who doesn’t, just show them how. We can pretty much guarantee the ingredients will be in the bar. And that way, the next time you stop in, you won’t have to ask again.
Other Delightful Purple Drinks
A few other delightful purple drinks you can use do exist. Here are our favorites!
The Purple Lullaby – this one is all about mixing up Viniq, Hypnotiq, grape vodka, and a lemon-lime soda as the topper. It’d behoove you to rim the glass with some sugar colored with purple if you have it, as it makes the drink look good. Mix up all the ingredients and strain them into a nice tall glass over ice. Guaranteed to make whoever is drinking it crack a smile!
The Purple Gecko is a fun one. This one gets us in a South of the Border mood, as you make it with tequila, Blue Curacao, Orange Curacao, cranberry juice, sweet and sour, lime juice and some sugar for the rim. Just shake it all up in your shaker with ice inside, pour it out, and enjoy it. Garnish with a lime wheel if you’re feeling extra fancy.
Conclusion
What will you put in your own variant of the Purple Rain cocktail? The possibilities are endless. This drink will definitely get you into a party mood, and your guests will love it.
If you need a way to stand out at your next party, this is how you can do just that. It tastes wonderful and sweet, and you can make it with a variety of juices. So, get the mixer, get the ingredients and make one for yourself. The Purple Rain Drink is epic.
