Rock Lobster Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 02/10/23
Tested by Joan Velush
Frozen rock lobster cocktail

The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 14 ounces
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
238 Calories
0g Fat
37g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 238
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 15mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 37g 13%
Dietary Fiber 2g 5%
Total Sugars 28g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 6mg 29%
Calcium 11mg 1%
Iron 0mg 1%
Potassium 218mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

There are a few different cocktails that use the name rock lobster. You can choose from a banana-heavy blended drink, a whiskey highball with raspberry and cranberry, or a couple of fun party shots. They're all quite tasty and there's sure to be a rock lobster for any mood you're in.

The frozen rock lobster is a delicious blend of fruity flavors. It's very tropical and features two types of rum; coconut rum is blended into the drink and dark rum is floated on top. The fruits include banana (liqueur and fresh), pineapple, orange, and pomegranate.

This is a fun frozen drink for your summer blender adventures, and it's a good one to play around with. If you like a little more coconut, add more rum or pour in some coconut milk or cream. An extra shot of pineapple gives it a nice boost and, for a drink that's a little sweeter, ramp up the grenadine. Have fun and make it your own.

“A mix of coconut and dark rum, fresh banana and banana liqueur, tropical juices and grenadine blend together to make a frozen, fruity, sweet summer cocktail.” —Joan Velush

Rock Lobster Cocktail/Tester Image
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    ingredients to make frozen rock lobster cocktail

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a blender, add the coconut rum, banana liqueur, grenadine, banana, pineapple and orange juices, and ice.

    blender with fruit and alcohol

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  3. Blend until smooth.

    rock lobster cocktail puree

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  4. Pour into a chilled highball glass.

    frozen rock lobster cocktail

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

  5. Float the dark rum on top by slowly pouring it over the back of a bar spoon.

    frozen rock lobster cocktail

    The Spruce/Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • For many drinkers, "coconut rum" means Malibu. While it is a nice choice, think about exploring your options because there are some great ones available. Brinley Coconut is a favorite for many rum fans and Cruzan, Caruba, and Don Q are good ones to try as well.
  • The list of banana liqueurs available is short because it is not one of the most common flavors for drinks. Look for 99 Bananas Schnapps or Bols Creme de Banana as these are two of the best options.
  • You will find quite a few dark rum options available in any liquor store. It's very common to use Myer's Dark Rum for a float, though you might also give Gosling Black Seal Rum or Whalers Original Dark a try. Any of these can become your go-to floater for tropical cocktails like the mai tai as well.

More Rock Lobster Drinks

If you're not in the mood for the blended rock lobster, you might try one of these.

  • A very popular rock lobster recipe is served on the rocks in a highball glass. To make it, pour 1 1/2 ounces each raspberry liqueur and Crown Royal Whisky, then add 3 ounces of cranberry juice and stir. Any raspberry liqueur will work: Chambord and DeKuyper Razzmatazz are two popular options. 

The raspberry rock lobster can also be made into a party shooter. There are a couple of unique shots floating around that also go by this name.

How Strong Is a Rock Lobster?

As with all blended cocktails, the ice used into the rock lobster knocks the alcohol content down significantly. On average, you can expect this drink to weigh in somewhere around 5 percent ABV (10 proof), so it's similar to drinking a beer, only much fruitier.