Are Daiquiris Always Served Frozen?

As far as cocktails go, few scream summer more than a frozen daiquiri. Fun, refreshing, and all-around delicious, the rum-based slushy is just the thing to sip on (responsibly!) when you're enjoying a hot day at the pool. Well, until the thirst-quencher turns its back on you and gives you a brain freeze, that is. Fortunately, you can easily get rid of that painful sensation by pressing your tongue or thumb to the roof of your mouth, but is there anything you can do to ensure that you'll never have your relaxing pool day ruined by such an awful experience again? Sure, just drop the frozen aspect of the boozy bevo and enjoy your daiquiri straight up.

Despite what movies, television shows, and New Orleans' famous drive-thru daiquiri stands might have you think, daiquiris aren't always served frozen. In fact, the slush factor wasn't even introduced to the equation until sometime between the 1920s and 1930s — a quarter-century or so after the Cuban-born cocktail's surprising invention in 1896. The dangerously easy three-ingredient summer cocktail features the same combination of white rum, lime juice, and simple syrup. However, instead of being blended with ice, the mixture is typically shaken in a cocktail shaker and served straight-up in a chilled coupe glass. You're welcome to enjoy the drink on the rocks, as well, just keep in mind that, like the frozen daiquiri, sitting on it too long can cause the ice to melt, thus watering it down.

Because frozen daiquiris are the norm, you might feel like a nuisance to your bartender when you ask for the classic version of this drink. However, most bartenders actually consider blended beverages more of a nuisance to make, and might be grateful for the swap. Furthermore, one bartender told Mashed that a traditional daiquiri is the underrated classic cocktail everyone should try. Therefore, there's no need to feel any shame when ordering yours, though bartenders on Reddit have suggested that you may need to clarify that you want a classic daiquiri as opposed to one made in the blender due to the latter version being the standard.

You can even request one of the many riffs on a classic daiquiri, such as the Hemingway daiquiri, which is named in honor of Ernest Hemingway. After sampling a daiquiri at the El Floridita bar in Havana, the writer declared it good but allegedly said he would prefer it with twice as much rum and no sugar. He instead began sipping on four ounces of rum mixed with a splash of lime juice — a beverage known as a Papa Doble, which he would sometimes allegedly down a dozen at a time. Of course, the novelist's liquor-heavy refreshment wasn't exactly appealing to the masses, so the bartenders at El Floridita created the Hemingway daiquiri that features white rum, lime juice, maraschino liqueur, and fresh-squeezed ruby red grapefruit juice.