Jungle Bird Cocktail

Patty Catalano
Patty CatalanoFood Editor at The Kitchn
The only subject that has ever held my attention has been food, because there’s no end to what you can taste, smell, learn, and cook. I patchworked my way to recipe development and food writing by earning degrees in Family & Consumer Sciences (you may have known it as Home Ec) and Food, Nutrition, and Culinary Science, and working anywhere that would take me: university food services, local bakeries, and the set of Good Eats on Food Network. Early on, I asked my mom how she knew what a cookbook recipe (with no pictures) would look and taste like. While my mom was there to teach me, I realized that not everyone has someone to turn to for trusted cooking guidance. I try every day to be that person for The Kitchn’s readers by sharing smart recipes they can feel proud to serve. Recipe development is the most fun job I can imagine, but it also comes with a lot of dirty dishes and hours spent in the grocery store. I’ve found that I actually really love grocery shopping — especially at Costco and Aldi — and it brings me such joy to share my finds with The Kitchn readers.
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published Aug 2, 2024
summer
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angled shot of two jungle bird cocktails in rocks glasses, garnished with pineapple and pineapple leaves.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

A vintage tiki cocktail made with rum, Campari, pineapple, and lime.

Serves1

Makes1 drink

Prep5 minutes

Jump to Recipe
Jump to Recipe
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angled shot of two jungle bird cocktails in rocks glasses, garnished with pineapple and pineapple leaves.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

It’s time to upgrade your summer drinks from flimsy plastic cups filled with blended fruit syrup and bottom-shelf booze. True tiki cocktails are made with quality spirits (mainly all kinds of rum) and real fruit juices. Plus, they are expertly garnished, making them as fun to look at as they are to drink. My favorite tiki drink to make at home is the Jungle Bird because it’s perfectly balanced (read: not too sweet) and simple to make with just five ingredients. 

The Jungle Bird was created in 1973 at the Aviary Bar in Hilton in Kuala Lumpur and made its cookbook debut in John J. Poister’s New American Bartender’s Guide in 1989. It gained even more popularity when tiki-aficionado Jeff “Beachbum” Berry published a recipe for the drink in 2002. A short ingredient list and balanced flavor profile (thanks, in large part, to the aperitif Campari) have helped it become a staple on both tiki-centric and standard menus in the years since.

Why You’ll Love It

  • It’s perfectly balanced. Tropical tiki cocktails are often cloyingly sweet, but that’s not so for the Jungle Bird. Mixing tart lime juice and bitter Campari with dark rum and pineapple juice makes a balanced drink.
  • The garnish is part of the fun. Finishing the drink with pineapple wedge and leaves is simple and impressive.
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Ben Weiner

Key Ingredients in a Jungle Bird

  • Dark rum: Dark rum has a deeper color and flavor than silver rum because it is aged in oak barrels and sometimes has molasses and caramel added.
  • Pineapple juice: Make sure to use 100% pineapple juice for its naturally sweet tropical flavor.
  • Campari: This bitter orange Italian aperitif gives this cocktail its vibrant hue and balances the sweetness of the tiki drink. 
  • Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice balances the bittersweet flavors of this cocktail.
  • Simple syrup: This liquid sweetener combines seamlessly with cold liquids without leaving a gritty texture of granulated sugar. 

How to Make a Jungle Bird

  1. Shake the ingredients. Combine lime juice, rum, pineapple juice, Campari, simple syrup, and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake until thoroughly chilled. 
  2. Strain and garnish. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and a few pineapple leaves.

More Rum Cocktails to Try

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Jungle Bird Recipe

A vintage tiki cocktail made with rum, Campari, pineapple, and lime.

Prep time 5 minutes

Makes 1 drink

Serves 1

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • Ice

  • 1

    medium lime

  • 1 1/2 ounces

    dark rum, preferably Jamaican

  • 1 1/2 ounces

    100% pineapple juice

  • 1/2 ounce

    Campari

  • 1/2 ounce

    simple syrup

  • Pineapple wedge or leaves, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. Fill an old-fashioned glass with ice.

  2. Juice 1 medium lime until you have 1/2 ounce and place in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 1/2 ounces dark Jamaican rum, 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice, 1/2 ounce Campari, and 1/2 ounce simple syrup. Fill the shaker halfway with ice, seal, and shake until the outside of the shaker is very frosty, about 20 seconds.

  3. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into the glass. Garnish with a pineapple wedge if desired.

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Beverages
Cocktails