The Beach Street Cooler is a simple, refreshing highball-style cocktail that dates back to classic bar recipes. It’s not one of the ultra-famous tiki or modern beach drinks, but it’s a straightforward, easy-to-make option for warm weather—essentially a brandy sour lengthened with cola for a fizzy, citrusy kick.
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Ingredients (for one drink)
- 1 ½ oz brandy (or cognac)
- ½ oz curaçao (orange liqueur; blue curaçao works for color if you want a fun twist)
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- Cola (such as Coca-Cola), to top
- Ice
- Optional garnish: lemon wheel or twist
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add the brandy, curaçao, and lemon juice.
- Shake well until chilled (about 10–15 seconds).
- Strain into a chilled Collins glass (or highball glass) filled with ice.
- Top with cold cola and stir gently to combine.
- Garnish if desired and serve immediately.
The result is a balanced drink: the brandy provides warmth and depth, the curaçao adds sweet orange notes, the lemon brings tartness, and the cola gives it a bubbly, slightly caramelized finish that makes it very quaffable. It’s lighter and more approachable than a straight brandy cocktail, similar in spirit to a Brandy and Cola but with extra citrus brightness.
Tips and Variations
- Use a good-quality brandy for best results—nothing too aged or expensive, as the mixers will shine through.
- For a slightly sweeter or more vibrant version, some people swap in blue curaçao.
- Serve it very cold; the cola should be straight from the fridge.
- It’s forgiving and great for batching if you’re entertaining—just scale up the shaken ingredients and top individual glasses with cola to keep the fizz fresh.
