classic · shaken
Daiquiri recipe
White rum, lime, sugar. The benchmark for balance.
A Daiquiri is 60 ml (56.4 g) White Rum, 22 ml (22.7 g) Fresh Lime Juice and 15 ml (16.7 g) Simple Syrup, shaken and served in a coupe. It pours to about 97 ml before ice, at roughly 24.7% ABV. Weighing the ingredients instead of measuring them is what keeps the balance identical from one round to the next.
- Glasscoupe
- Methodshaken
- Pour volume97 ml
- Strength (est.)24.7% ABV
- Time3 min
Daiquiri ingredients — in millilitres and grams
Grams are what the PourPilot coaster actually targets. They are not the same as the millilitres: a spirit is lighter than water, a syrup is heavier, so 30 ml of one is never 30 g. The right-hand column is the density we use, in grams per millilitre.
| Ingredient | Volume | Weight | g/ml | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White Rum | 60 ml | 56.4 g | 0.94 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Fresh Lime Juice | 22 ml | 22.7 g | 1.03 | Weighed by the coaster |
| Simple Syrup (1:1) | 15 ml | 16.7 g | 1.11 | Weighed by the coaster |
How to make a Daiquiri
- Set your coupe on the scale (or on the PourPilot coaster) and zero it. Every measurement below is given in millilitres and in grams, so you can use either.
- Add White Rum, Fresh Lime Juice and Simple Syrup to a shaker, weighing each ingredient rather than eyeballing a jigger.
- Fill with ice and shake hard for 12–15 seconds.
- Double-strain into a chilled coupe.
Daiquiri: the questions people actually ask
How strong is a Daiquiri?
Roughly 24.7% ABV as poured, before the ice dilutes it — typically another 15–25% water by the time you finish stirring or shaking. Spirit-forward. Sip it, do not sink it.
What glass should a Daiquiri be served in?
A coupe. Chill it first — a room-temperature stemmed glass will undo half the work you just did in the mixing tin.
Can I make a Daiquiri without a jigger?
Yes — that is what the gram column is for. Put the glass or tin on a kitchen scale, zero it, and pour to the weight. It is more accurate than a jigger because nothing is left clinging to the inside of the measure. The PourPilot coaster does the same thing without you having to watch a display: it lights up as you approach the target and tells you when to stop.
If you like the Daiquiri
Don's Special Daiquiri
A tiki-era daiquiri with grapefruit and maraschino.
Jungle Bird
Dark rum and Campari with pineapple. Surprisingly refreshing.
Mai Tai
Trader Vic's original. Rum, orgeat, lime — no juice.
Hemingway Special
A grapefruit-and-maraschino daiquiri. Papa took his without sugar.
Mojito
White rum, lime and mint, topped with soda over ice. Cuban classic.
Zombie
A potent tiki blend of rums, lime, falernum and grenadine.