Rum Drinks for Your New Year's Eve Party

Vermont winters are frigid events that provide plenty of chances to get outside and experience skiing, snowboarding, and other freezing events. Although I love making a snow fort with friends, my favorite winter activity is cranking the heat up and turning the surfer music on for a tropical party in the middle of winter.

Rum based drinks are my favorite to serve at these gatherings. I buy a big bottle of spiced rum, a little bottle of light rum, and a jar of coconut cream. I ask my guests to bring the juices and liquors, throw on some surfer music from the 1950s and a party is made in no time.

Here are my favorite tropical rum drinks, including a special New Year's Eve Champaign fizz. On a budget? Serve your guests these Pina Colada Fizzes with sparkling white wine at midnight - the drinks are so delicious no one will mind the switch!

Blue Hawaiian Shooters

This recipe makes 8-10 shots so serve these all around!

1 ½ c. Spiced Rum

¾ c. Blue Curacao

2 oz. Fresh Lemon

Mix all ingredients in a Boston Shaker with ice and strain into tequila shooters.

Bay Breeze

Jazz this classic drink up by serving it frozen - just blend with ¾ cup ice and garnish with a slice of pineapple.

2 oz. Light Rum

3 oz. Cranberry Juice

1 oz. Pineapple Juice

Pour ingredients into highball glass filled with ice and stir briefly.

Cacaotini

This is a tropically sophisticated cocktail that is sure to please your die hard martini guests.

1.5 oz. Light Rum

1 oz. Cream de Cacao

1 oz. Coconut Cream

Chocolate powder

Shredded Coconut

Mix all ingredients in a Boston Shaker with ice. Strain into a Martini glass rimed with chocolate powered and garnish with shredded coconut.

Elvis on the Beach

Have a few of these and you'll see him too!

2 oz. Spiced Rum

1 oz. Barkeeper's Call

1.5 oz. Triple Sec

1 oz. Pineapple Juice

1 Frozen Banana

½ tbs. Peanut Butter

Blend Rum, Barkeeper's Call, Triple Sec, Pineapple Juice, and Frozen Banana together and serve in a wine goblet. Garnish with Peanut Butter.

Pina Colada Fizzes

Serve these yummy tropical Champaign drinks at midnight

1 oz. Spiced Rum

¼ oz. Coconut Cream

3.5 oz. Pineapple Juice

Champaign

Shredded Coconut

Mix Rum, Coconut Cream, and Pineapple Juice in Boston Shaker with ice and strain into Champaign flute. Fill with Champaign and garnish with shredded coconut.