Sky Juice: The Creamy Caribbean Cocktail Perfect For Cloud-Gazing
Sky Juice – the name itself conjures up images of hammocks, white sand beaches, and a boozy beverage with little paper umbrellas. Invented in the Bahamas, Sky Juice is also known as Gully Wash, according to Liquor.com, and is loved by both locals and tourists. By either name, Julie Lightbourn, who is the chef at Sip Sip, deems it as a drink that is "what we locals call 'tru tru' Bahamian, an authentic taste of our culture and heritage."
How the drink came by its name is unknown, but some speculate it may be related to the tall palm trees where coconuts grow, or it may derive from the creamy, white color of the drink that's reminiscent of the clouds in the sky (via Kitchy Cooking). Even with all this debate, the origin may never be revealed, considering that even Goldie's Conch House, the creator, doesn't plan to tell any time soon.
A Prohibition-era drink made with gin and coconut juice
While rum may be synonymous with the Caribbean, Bahamians opted for the less-expensive sipping gin for their drinks during the Prohibition era, according to Liquor.com. At the same time, it was harder to find canned juice and soda to accompany alcoholic beverages made in the Caribbean nation. So they turned to what they had easy access to — some of these being coconut juice and other tropical fruit juices, per Kitchy Cooking.
Ranging in temperature from the low 70s to mid-80s throughout the year, TripSavvy reports that the Bahamas is a warm country where a refreshing beverage like Sky Juice is appreciated. Being so popular, finding a place to purchase a glass of Sky Juice is rather easy — you can find it sold at any bar, street vendor, or restaurant (via Tru Bahamian Food Tours). While many places make and sell Sky Juice, not all are crafted similarly; it can be sweeter, creamier, or have a bit of zing from some added spices.
Use gin and coconut water as the base, and customize the rest
Considering most alcoholic Caribbean drinks are made with rum (think the colorful Bahama Mama or Goombay Smash), the Sky Juice certainly stands out (via Sailrock South Caicos). To make this quintessential Bahama drink, gin is combined with coconut water and condensed milk to create a boozy, tasty concoction, per Liquor.com. That creamy mix is served with ice and topped with a garnish of ground-up nutmeg.
While Sky Juice can be made just from gin and coconut water, per Tru Bahamian Food Tours, it generally will contain sweetened condensed milk to enrich the coconut flavor from the water and balance out the sharpness of gin. While nutmeg is the common spice, cinnamon is also acceptable. Others also opt to increase the sweetness with extra sugar or add a few coconut chunks or pineapple wedges to seal in the tropical feel.
Food & Wine suggests using white rum as an easy substitution if gin is not on hand or preferred. And for people who don't have access to palm trees and fresh coconuts, use 2 cups of bottled coconut water. If you have access to the real thing, it takes about four fresh green coconuts to obtain 2 cups of fresh coconut water.
Serve it up with Bahamian food, or enjoy it solo
The delicious flavor of Sky Juice makes the beverage enjoyable, either sitting on a side road at a street vendor or saddled up at a bar. However, nothing quite pairs well with the sweet, creamy drink more than a Bahaman fish fry, per Liquor.com. This area is known as Arawak Cay, where you can sample variations of the infamous Bahamian sea creature — the conch. And don't forget other meals like the traditional peas n' rice or a plate of macaroni and cheese that complement the frozen concoction, as suggested by Tru Bahamian Food Tours.
And because it can be overwhelmingly sweet and filling, it makes for a suitable solo dessert beverage. But if that's not enough for you, follow it up with a snack of savory conch fritters — either at a spot in Key West, Florida (via Culture Trip) or your next trip to the Bahamas.