Refajo Colombiano: Traditional Colombian Beer and Soda Cocktail
Refajo Colombiano is a refreshing mixed drink deeply rooted in Colombia’s Andean region. This simple yet iconic beverage brilliantly blends the crisp bitterness of pale beer with the unique, sweet effervescence of traditional Colombian cola, creating the ultimate thirst-quencher.
The secret to this quick 5-minute recipe is ensuring all your liquid ingredients are chilled to the absolute maximum before mixing. By gently pouring the carbonated beverages together, you preserve the lively fizz and create a perfectly balanced, sweet, and malty cocktail that is ready to serve immediately.
Refajo Colombiano (Colombian Beer Cocktail)
A refreshing and iconic Colombian mixed drink combining cold beer and sweet Colombian cola, perfect for barbecues.
Ingredients
- 2 Beers Standard light or pale lagers work best
- 2 Bottles of Colombian champagne cola or red cola Gaseosa Colombiana, Kola Román, or Cola Hipinto
- 1 Bottle of Malt beverage Malta (Optional)
Instructions
- Mix gently: In a large pitcher or serving vessel, carefully pour together the beer, the sweet cola, and the optional malt beverage. It is highly recommended to perform this step with all your beverages thoroughly chilled in the refrigerator beforehand to preserve the carbonation.
- Serve immediately: And just like that, it is ready! Simply proceed to pour the freshly mixed, fizzy cocktail into individual glass mugs and enjoy right away.
Notes
- The Perfect Ratio: The exact proportions of this beverage vary widely according to each family’s preference; some people use an exact 50/50 split of both liquids, while others prefer to mix in a larger quantity of beer than sweet soda.
- Andean Variations: In the Andean region of Colombia, there are other traditional variations of this specific mixed drink; one popular version is called a “submarino”, while another is uniquely named a “carabina”.
- The Ultimate BBQ Pairing: This sweet and slightly bitter beverage is traditionally the most popular drink of choice to accompany heavy, savory dishes like grilled meats and traditional Colombian barbecues (asados).
- Sourcing the Soda: Cola Hipinto, Colombiana, and Kola Román are iconic, fruit-flavored Colombian sodas. If you do not have access to a Latin American market to find these specific brands, you can substitute them with another sweet, fruity cola or champagne cola.
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