Swimming Pool

The Swimming Pool uses both vodka and white rum, each contributing a different character. Vodka provides a clean, neutral foundation, while white rum introduces subtle sugarcane and tropical notes. Drinkero recommends Absolut Vodka alongside Bacardí Carta Blanca or Havana Club 3 Años. Avoid heavily spiced or strongly aged rum, as these can overpower the delicate pineapple and coconut flavours.

Pineapple juice forms the fruity foundation of the cocktail. Choose a good-quality juice with noticeable tropical freshness and balanced sweetness. Pineapple juice also helps create a lightly aerated texture when shaken with cream and coconut. A product without excessive added sugar works particularly well.

For the coconut ingredient, we recommend Coco Reàl Cream of Coconut. This is a sweetened coconut product developed for cocktails, making it suitable for the Swimming Pool's smooth tropical texture. Cream of coconut is different from ordinary coconut milk or unsweetened coconut cream. The sweetened version provides both coconut flavour and the sweetness needed to balance the cocktail.

Heavy cream gives the Swimming Pool its characteristic richness. Use fresh dairy cream with approximately 30–35% fat rather than whipped cream from an aerosol can. A measured quantity of 20 ml is enough to create a smooth, creamy texture without overwhelming the fruit flavours.

Finally, Blue Curaçao liqueur creates the cocktail's recognisable turquoise colour. Bols Blue Curaçao 21% is a suitable choice because its sweet orange flavour complements pineapple and coconut. Use only 10 ml for this classic recipe, adding it after shaking to create the distinctive blue colour and gentle swirling effect.

The Swimming Pool combines three ingredients that contribute richness and sweetness: pineapple juice, cream of coconut and heavy cream.

The traditional recipe uses 20 ml vodka, 20 ml white rum, 60 ml pineapple juice, 20 ml cream of coconut, 20 ml heavy cream and 10 ml Blue Curaçao.

For a stronger, more spirit-forward version, increase the white rum to 30 ml while leaving the other ingredients unchanged. This makes the rum character more noticeable without significantly changing the cocktail's coconut flavour.

For a fruitier, lighter variation, increase the pineapple juice to 80 ml and reduce the heavy cream to 15 ml. The result will be less rich, with more pronounced pineapple notes.

For a creamier variation, increase the heavy cream slightly, but avoid adding too much. Excessive cream can make the cocktail heavy and obscure the refreshing tropical flavours.

If the drink tastes too sweet, check the cream of coconut and pineapple juice first. A small amount of fresh lime juice can provide additional acidity, but lime juice is an optional modern adjustment rather than part of the traditional recipe.

The goal is a smooth tropical cocktail with balanced sweetness, subtle spirit character and enough freshness to remain enjoyable from the first sip to the last.

The Swimming Pool is one of Germany's best-known tropical cocktails, created by legendary German bartender Charles Schumann in 1979.

Schumann developed the cocktail while working behind the bar at Harry's New York Bar in Munich, which was operated by Bill Deck at the time. The combination of vodka, white rum, pineapple, coconut, cream and Blue Curaçao became a recognisable example of the colourful cocktail culture of the period. 

Falstaff

The name Swimming Pool refers to the drink's beautiful blue colour, reminiscent of clear tropical swimming-pool water.

Unlike many tropical cocktails associated with Caribbean or Hawaiian bars, the Swimming Pool has a distinctly German origin. Its popularity spread through cocktail bars, restaurants and home cocktail books, particularly in German-speaking countries.

Today, numerous variations exist, including recipes made without rum, with different coconut products or with Blue Curaçao fully mixed into the drink.

The traditional Schumann-style version remains distinctive because it combines both vodka and white rum with cream and coconut, finishing with a small measure of Blue Curaçao poured over the cocktail.

The most important technique when preparing a Swimming Pool is combining the cream of coconut, dairy cream and pineapple juice into a smooth mixture.

Begin by measuring the vodka, white rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut and heavy cream into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously until the mixture becomes cold, smooth and lightly aerated.

The cream of coconut should be completely incorporated. If it is particularly thick, stir or shake the coconut product in its container before measuring.

Strain the mixture into a hurricane glass filled with fresh crushed ice.

Next, gently pour the Blue Curaçao over the back of a bar spoon. This allows the blue liqueur to flow across the surface and through the ice, producing the cocktail's distinctive colour.

For the softly blended turquoise appearance shown in Drinkero's cocktail image, stir very gently once to distribute the colour without completely removing the creamy texture.

Finish with fresh pineapple and a cocktail cherry.