What Is A Bushwacker?
The
Bushwacker
, a novelty milky-sweet cocktail, is a rich, chocolaty concoction closely resembling another tropical favorite,
the piña colada
. However, instead of citrusy notes from coconut and pineapple, Bushwackers often steer to the chocolate and coffee side of flavor profiles. It’s decadent—and it’s dangerously potent.
In 1975, the owner of the
Sandshaker Bar,
a famous beachside bar in Pensacola, Florida, visited Sapphire Beach Village on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. There, she discovered the magical Bushwacker and brought it back to her bar in the panhandle of Florida.
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Meredith Food Studios
What Goes In A Bushwacker?
If you ask what’s in a Bushwacker, be prepared for the runaround—and a long list of ingredients. Every blend is proprietary and closely guarded.
Kahlua
and
rum
are mainstays, but some bartenders mix things up with
vodka
or
bourbon
. Irish cream,
crème de cacao, cream of coconut
, and
triple sec
appear in some Bushwackers.
Other times, in place of ice cubes and
milk
or
half and half,
some people will use
ice cream
. Most are whipped up in a blender and finished with
whipped cream
and a sprinkle of
nutmeg. Maraschino cherries
even make an appearance from time to time. Some bars and restaurants serve their Bushwackers thick and spoonable, like a Wendy’s Frosty or blended ice cream. For others, the consistency is closer to a milky slushy and entirely sippable.
Where To Find A Bushwacker
Today, Bushwackers are synonymous with the white sugar sands and crystal-clear blue waters of the Gulf, as many seaside bars
and dives
have blended up their own version of the famous drink. There are as many variations on the Bushwacker as bars, and they’re as unique as the creative minds who put them together.
« The Bushwacker is an incredibly delightful, creamy concoction of several kinds of liquors, liqueurs, and milk, » says Pat McClellan, owner of
Flora-Bama
in Pensacola, Florida. McClellan « bootlegged » his own Bushwacker recipe after many years as a regular at The Sandshaker Bar. « A Sunday regular, I’d often be there until closing when the owner would prepare her ‘secret’ recipe in Pony Kegs for the next week. »
McClellan’s Flora-Bama has one of the most popular Bushwackers on the Gulf Coast. It’s so popular people come to his waterfront restaurant and bar just for the boozy beverage.
« It became so popular that when we ran out of milk, we’d buy out the entire milk inventory at the supermarkets on both sides of the line, Alabama and Florida, on busy weekends such as Fourth of July, » he said.
Bushwackers have earned their spot on many bar and restaurant menus, even hundreds of miles from the nearest coast. In Nashville, for example, the drink has become a popular pick.
« The Bushwacker has been a mainstay of the Nashville bar scene for about a decade now, » says Austin Smith, owner of Nashville’s popular hot chicken restaurant,
Party Fowl.
« As a restaurant that’s known for hot chicken and cold drinks, it seemed like a no-brainer to include it on our menu. »
Because of their delightful flavor, it’s easy to sip on Bushwackers without noticing how potent the cocktail can be. « They make you feel all cool and fuzzy inside, » says Phillip Moseley, one of the chefs and co-owners of
Blue Oak BBQ
in New Orleans.
Indeed, many Bushwacker first-timers quickly discover why locals and bartenders warn them to sip carefully, lest they get « bushwacked » on their first go.
Our Bushwacker Recipe
If all of this talk of delicious, boozy, chocolate milkshakes has you wanting to try one for yourself, our
homemade Bushwacker recipe
takes just five minutes to whip up.