(Note: this post was originally published on March 16, 2023. It has since been updated with a few tweaks.)
The zodiac suggests that your birth time plays a role in determining your personality, characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. If so, then it might determine your drink preferences too, right?? It's time for some zodiac cocktails!
I was beyond excited when my wonderful friends at Koloa Rum asked me to design a suite of 12 cocktails to represent the 12 zodiac signs. Our goal was to create a cocktail for each sign that pays homage to that sign's most notable characteristics; you'll see those characteristics represented in each of the zodiac cocktails through the ingredients, the flavors, the styling, and even the garnishes.
Because Koloa Rum is distilled on Kaua'i (the northernmost Hawaiian island) and that's where I spend winters, this whole suite of zodiac cocktails has a distinctly tropical vibe. You'll see lots of beautiful, colorful Kaua'i fruits and flowers in all the photos too.
As we approach the start of the next zodiac year, I'm so excited to be sharing these horoscope cocktails with you. Below, you'll find the 12 zodiac signs (in the order in which they occur throughout the year), a description of the cocktail, ingredients, and directions for creating the cocktail. I hope you have as much fun with them as I did!
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March 21 - April 19
Ingredients:
For the Cinnamon Simple Syrup:
Combine several whole cinnamon sticks with one cup of granulated white sugar and one cup of water. Boil until the syrup has thickened significantly, enough to coat the back of a spoon, and has become a deep amber color. Strain the simple syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, then cool it completely before using. Store any extra syrup in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.
Directions:
In a cocktail stirring glass, combine the rum and simple syrup. Squeeze the orange peel gently over the stirring glass to add the fragrant oils from the peel into the cocktail. Stir well with ice, then strain into an Old Fashioned or rocks glass with several large ice cubes. Garnish with several kumquat slices.
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April 20 - May 20
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, combine the dragonfruit puree, coconut rum, and tropical fruit juice. Shake well with ice, then strain into a chilled champagne flute. Add a dash of soda water, then gently float the Cacao rum on top. Garnish with a kumquat half or other tropical fruit.
Ingredient Note:
Pink dragonfruit is a very brightly-colored tropical fruit. Some grocery stores sell frozen packets of puree, or you can make your own in a blender. If you can’t find it, substitute ¼ tsp pink dragonfruit powder, which many artisan grocery stores sell and is easily available online. If you use dragonfruit powder, double-strain the cocktail to remove any wayward clumps.
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May 21 - June 21
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, combine the basil leaves and sugar cubes and muddle them lightly. Add the rum, mango juice, and lime juice, then shake well with ice. Strain into a tall, narrow serving glass filled with ice. Fill the glass to the top with club soda. Garnish with a sprig of basil and a lime wedge.
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June 22 - July 22
Ingredients:
Directions:
Fill a tall, narrow glass with crushed ice. Add the coconut rum and lime juice, then fill most of the glass with ginger beer. Top if off with a dark rum float, then garnish with a wedge of lime.
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July 23 - August 22
Ingredients:
For the Hibiscus Simple Syrup:
Combine several hibiscus herbal tea bags with one cup of granulated white sugar and one cup of water. Boil until the syrup has thickened significantly, enough to coat the back of a spoon, and has become a deep pink color. Strain the simple syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, then cool it completely before using. Store any extra syrup in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, combine the rum, lime juice, and simple syrup, then shake well with ice. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a piece of starfruit (or other over-the-top tropical fruit of your choice).
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August 23 - September 22
Ingredients:
For the Rosemary Simple Syrup:
Combine several sprigs of fresh rosemary with one cup of granulated white sugar and one cup of water. Boil until the syrup has thickened significantly, enough to coat the back of a spoon, and has become a pale green color. Strain the simple syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, then cool it completely before using. Store any extra syrup in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.
Directions:
In a cocktail stirring glass, combine the rum and simple syrup. Squeeze the grapefruit peel gently over the stirring glass to add the fragrant oils from the peel into the cocktail. Stir well with ice, then strain into an Old Fashioned or rocks glass with several large ice cubes. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and an additional sprig of rosemary.
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September 23 - October 23
Ingredients:
Directions:
Fill a small, sturdy wine glass with ice. Add the Campari on the bottom, then the pineapple juice, then the dark rum, allowing each layer to mix slightly but not completely. Garnish with a pineapple slice.
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October 24 - November 21
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, combine the rum, passionfruit pulp, and diced crystallized ginger, then shake very vigorously with ice to force the passionfruit pulp to separate from the seeds. Add crushed ice to a tall, narrow glass and pour in ginger beer to fill it halfway. Double strain the rum mixture to fill the glass, then garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
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November 22 - December 21
Ingredients:
For the Chai Simple Syrup:
Combine several spoonfuls of loose-leaf chai tea mix with one cup of granulated white sugar and one cup of water. Boil until the syrup has thickened significantly, enough to coat the back of a spoon, and has become a deep amber color. Strain the simple syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, then cool it completely before using. Store any extra syrup in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.
Directions:
In a cocktail stirring glass, combine the cold brew, rum, and simple syrup. Squeeze the orange peel gently over the stirring glass to add the fragrant oils from the peel into the cocktail. Stir well with ice, then strain into an Old Fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with several orange slices.
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December 22 - January 19
Ingredients:
For the Ginger Simple Syrup:
Remove the peel from a piece of ginger root 2-3’’ long, then slice the peeled root into medallions. Combine the sliced ginger with one cup of granulated white sugar and one cup of water. Boil until the syrup has thickened significantly, enough to coat the back of a spoon, and has become a pale gold color. Strain the simple syrup through a fine-mesh strainer, then cool it completely before using. Store any extra syrup in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to several weeks.
Directions:
In a cocktail stirring glass, combine the rum and simple syrup. Stir well with ice, then strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with a piece of fresh ginger and a piece of crystallized ginger.
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January 20 - February 18
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, combine the coconut rum and the citrus juices. Shake well with ice, then strain into a small punch bowl filled with ice. Gently float the dark rum on top. Garnish with an abundance of assorted citrus slices.
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February 19 - March 20
Ingredients:
Directions:
In a sturdy highball glass, dissolve the blue spirulina in a dash of hot water and stir well. Add the mint leaves and sugar cubes, and muddle them lightly. Fill the glass with ice, then pour the rum and lime juice over the ice. Fill the glass to the top with club soda and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Ingredient Note:
Blue spirulina is an edible type of algae with a bright blue color and virtually no taste. It also has many health benefits. You can find it at specialty food stores or online. It dissolves best in hot water, so dissolving it first will be more successful than adding it to a cocktail in its powdered form.
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I hope you've enjoyed these 12 whimsical, tropical zodiac cocktails. I had such fun working on this project and I bet you'll have just as much fun experimenting with them. Which of these colorful horoscope cocktails will you try first? Your own? Someone else's? Do you think your cocktail fits your sign's stereotypical characteristics? What about your own characteristics?
I'm a firm believer that cocktails should be fun (especially these whimsical horoscope cocktails!). You won't find any stuffy cocktail "rules" on this blog. So feel free to experiment with one or several of the zodiac cocktails above and discover what formats, flavors, glassware, and garnishes you love best. Cheers and happy mixing!
It makes me so happy to hear from you and see your creations! Please leave a comment below and let me know what you think about this recipe. If you post a photo on Instagram, hashtag #TheRogueBrusselSprout and tag me (@TheRogueBrusselSprout) in the post text so that I'm sure to see it.
As with all my cocktail recipes, please enjoy responsibly!
Disclosure: These recipes have been developed through a paid partnership with Koloa Rum. However, all opinions and thoughts are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep The Rogue Brussel Sprout running.
Ever wondered what the right cocktail is for your zodiac sign? This fun guide to horoscope cocktails contains customized drinks for all 12 astrological signs. Try your own, make one for a friend, or try all the zodiac cocktails in order!
See the specifics for each zodiac sign above!
Did you make this recipe? Did you make substitutions? How did you serve it? Any helpful tips? Please share your thoughts, since these insights are really useful to both me and to other readers.
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