Coconut water is everywhere on shelves… but not on restaurant drink menus. Maybe it’s time for that to change.
Coconut water is the clear liquid inside young, green coconuts. It’s not thick and rich like coconut milk, but it adds a silkiness and subtle sweetness to any drink. Long served as an instant refresher right out of the coconut, it has more recently been packaged and marketed as a sports recovery drink and hydrating beverage.
With broad appeal to wellness-focused customers, coconut water can be a winner for restaurants. Here are seven suggestions for ways to add it to the menu.
1. Concoct coconut water coffee drinks.
Did you know that Gen Z consumers (and many millennials) prefer cold coffee drinks to hot coffee? Iced coffee, cold brew, and frozen blended coffee drinks all appeal to young people more than traditional hot coffee. Adding coconut water can create a different flavor profile and satisfy their thirst for something different. Possible additions to the menu:
- Iced Americano: shot of espresso poured over a glass of iced coconut water. Top with cold foam to make it look and taste even better; the Hamilton Beach Commercial AirWhip™ Frothing Jar makes it easy.
- Double coconut iced coffee: cold brew plus coconut water and coconut milk
- Coconut water cold brew: coarsely ground coffee steeped in coconut water overnight, then strained
While it may not add much flavor to a fresh smoothie, coconut water’s health and hydration benefits make it a popular ingredient. One cup (.23 L) contains 600 mg of potassium — more than a banana. Coconut water also has small amounts of magnesium and iron, plus vitamins B and C. Because it’s low in sugar, too, coconut water is the perfect base for fitness-focused or workout recovery smoothies.
3. Blend agua frescas with coconut water.
A refreshing combination of fresh fruit, lime juice, water and sweetener, agua fresca is even better with coconut water. Watermelon, mango, pineapple, hibiscus, strawberry… it’s hard to think of a fruit that doesn’t pair well with coconut water in an agua fresca. Blend, strain, and serve over ice.
4. Freeze coconut water to chill out your cocktails.
You might think coconut water ice cubes just make a drink sweeter, but they actually do so much more. “It’s diluting, but it’s also enhancing,” said Blake Cole, owner of the Friends and Family bar in Oakland, CA. “The cocktail starts as one flavor profile, and as the coconut cube melts, it gets a little bit more robust. That sweetness and rich velvety mouthfeel adds a whole other layer of complexity.” The bar’s For Rei cocktail combines coconut oil washed Japanese whisky with coffee-infused Cynar (an Italian aperitif containing artichoke) and a coconut water popsicle.
Coconut water has another secret power when added to cocktails, Cole explained: It mellows out the taste and heat of spirits. If a particular drink is just a little too much, try adding coconut water ice cubes to turn down the intensity.
5. Blend frozen cocktails with coconut water.
Coconut water, whether frozen as cubes or added to a blended drink, provides a tropical lift to frozen cocktails. Try a frozen mojito with coconut water or a frozen margarita with coconut water. All you need is a classic bar blender from Hamilton Beach Commercial. Both the affordable 908®R Bar Blender and the Rio® Drink Blender are known for reliable power and durable design.
6. Make a coconut water simple syrup.
A simple syrup made of equal parts sugar and coconut water is more flavorful and complex than the standard sugar-water version. Plus, did you know you can use the PrimaVac™ commercial vacuum chamber sealer to infuse simple syrups for cocktails? The pressure in the chamber rapidly extracts flavor from fruits, herbs, or other flavoring agents and infuses it into the syrup. Then, seal the package (which is neater and easier to store than a large, sticky container.)
7. Craft inspired coconut water mocktails.
Coconut water can be a supporting ingredient or the star of the mocktail. For a refreshing non-alcoholic drink, just add a few simple ingredients to complement the coconut flavor: muddled mint leaves, a squeeze of lime, a splash of pineapple juice, a few slices of cucumber.
One food writer called the Welcome Cocktail from Chicago’s Omakase Room “a masterclass in mocktail magic.” It’s a deceptively simple mixture of oolong tea, coconut water and pandan syrup.
A hit mocktail at Singapore restaurant Naked Finn is called simply… “Coconut.” It’s made with fresh coconut water, fresh coconut kernel and fresh coconut milk, frozen into a sorbet. It can be served with rum, but why add spirits to something so purely delicious?
Ready to mix up your own magical drinks? Discover Hamilton Beach Commercial’s foodservice equipment solutions for bars and cafés.
