Refajo Submarino: Colombian Spiked Beer & Cola Cocktail
Refajo Submarino is a potent and incredibly popular variation of the traditional Colombian refajo. Highly favored in the Santander region, this refreshing cocktail takes the classic, sweet mix of cold beer and local cola, and turns it up a notch by “submerging” a heavy shot of anise-flavored aguardiente right into the pitcher!
The secret to this lightning-fast 5-minute recipe is the temperature and the pour. Everything must be ice-cold, and the liquids must be mixed very carefully to prevent the beer from foaming over when it reacts with the sweet, highly carbonated soda and the strong liquor.
Refajo Submarino (Spiked Beer & Cola Cocktail)
The ultimate Colombian BBQ drink! An ice-cold mix of beer, local cola soda, and a strong double shot of aguardiente.
Ingredients
- 2 bottles Beer Ice-cold
- 1 bottle Cola soda Ideally Cola Hipinto, Colombiana, or Kola Román, ice-cold
- 1 double shot Aguardiente Traditional Colombian anise liquor
Instructions
- The mix: The preparation is incredibly simple. In a large pitcher, very carefully pour in the cold beer and the cola soda. (Chef's Hack: Pour them slowly at an angle down the side of the pitcher to prevent the carbonation from overflowing!)
- The "Submarine": Once the beer and soda are combined, pour the double shot of aguardiente directly into the mixture. Give it a very gentle stir.
- Serve: It's that simple! Serve the cocktail immediately in tall glasses and enjoy.
Notes
- Custom Proportions: The exact ratio of beer to soda depends entirely on personal taste! Some people prefer a strict 50/50 mix, while others lean heavily towards more beer with just a splash of sweet soda.
- The BBQ King: This spiked beverage is the absolute favorite and undisputed drink to accompany traditional asados (BBQs) throughout the departments of Santander and Norte de Santander.
- The Soda Replacements: Cola Hipinto, Colombiana, and Kola Román are iconic, sweet Colombian sodas. If you are outside the country and cannot find them, you can substitute them with any standard cola soda from another brand, though the flavor profile will naturally change slightly!
- The “Carabina”: Beyond the traditional refajo and this submarino version, there is yet another famous and potent variation of this drink known locally as the “Carabina”.
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Refajo Carabina: Colombian Guarapo & Cola Cocktail