Yellow Submarine Cocktail

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 05/26/21
Easy Yellow Submarine Cocktail Recipe

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The yellow submarine is an absolutely delicious tropical cocktail. It's simple, requiring just three ingredients, and one of the most satisfying banana cocktails you could mix up.

Though vodka forms a solid base, the banana liqueur and white rum are keys to this drink's flavor. It's a beautiful yellow color and the banana garnish adds that finishing touch that will have you thinking of the islands with every sip.

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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces vodka

  • 1/2 ounce light rum

  • 1/2 ounce banana liqueur

  • Banana slice, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a cocktail shaker, pour the vodka, rum, and banana liqueur. Fill with ice.

  3. Shake well.

  4. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass.

  5. Garnish with the banana slice. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • For the liqueur, pick up a bottle of crème de bananes or banana schnapps.
  • Use either a fresh or dried banana slice for the garnish. Cut a small slit into a fresh slice so it slides onto the rim; float dried banana on the drink.
  • A pineapple wedge or lime spiral make good garnishes as well.

How Strong Is a Yellow Submarine?

Any cocktail that's made entirely of liquor is going to be pretty strong. The yellow submarine definitely falls into that category, weighing in at 30 percent ABV (60 proof). It's one of the strongest mixed drinks you can make, so don't let the sweet taste fool you into drinking too many.

Recipe Variations

Thanks to The Beatles' hit song, you can imagine how popular a name like "yellow submarine" is in the bar world. (There's also some connection to the USS Parche, a U.S. Navy submarine.) While this is a great recipe, there are a few more you might want to try as well.

  • Coconut and spiced rums are popular alternatives to white rum in yellow submarine recipes.
  • Jeff "Beachbum" Berry's yellow submarine recipe (created around 2002, from the "Beachbum Berry Remixed" book) is very interesting. It shakes 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice, 3/4 ounce lemon juice, 1/4 ounce each of crème de banane, crème de cacao, and simple syrup, and 1 1/2 ounces gold rum. Served in a tall glass, it's garnished with a pineapple and green cherry.
  • One recipe mixes 1 ounce each of peach schnapps, banana liqueur, and orange and pineapple juices. It's shaken and served on the rocks in an old-fashioned glass.
  • Another recipe opts for 1 ounce each of banana rum (e.g., Bacardi, Blue Chair, Cruzan), melon liqueur, orange and pineapple juices, and sour mix.
  • Patron Tequila offers an unusual recipe that uses the brand's silver tequila, "yellow juice" (take your pick, apparently), lime juice, pepper falernum, simple syrup, and "pink saline" (salt water). It has a parsley and Himalayan salt rim.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
178 Calories
0g Fat
7g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 178
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 7g 3%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 6g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 6%
Calcium 1mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 52mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)