The Missionary's Downfall recipe
according to the IBA specification
Cut fresh pineapple into pieces of about 2 cm and pick ten mint leaves from the stem.
Add the rum, peach brandy, lime juice, honey syrup, mint, and pineapple to the blender with about 12 cl of crushed ice.
Blend for 15 to 20 seconds on the highest setting, until the mint and pineapple are completely finely blended and you can’t see any pieces.
Pour the frozen mixture into a chilled hurricane glass.
Garnish with a sprig of mint and a slice of pineapple and serve with a straw.
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The story
The Missionary's Downfall is attributed to Donn Beach, who opened his Don the Beachcomber bar in Hollywood after Prohibition and is regarded as the founder of the tiki bar. In the 1940s, the drink was on the menus of his restaurants. Tiki historian Jeff 'Beachbum' Berry writes in his book Beachbum Berry Remixed that it may already have been served in 1937. The exact origin of the name has not been passed down. The technique is striking. Donn blended many drinks for only a few seconds, but this one runs long enough to completely pulverize the mint and pineapple. Through Berry's books, it returned to menus, and today it is on the official IBA list.
The right glass
The IBA specifies a coppa grande: a large, rounded stemmed glass. A hurricane glass of around 44 cl comes closest to this. With ice, the drink is about 25 cl, leaving room for the sprig of mint and a straw. Here, consciously choose glass rather than a tiki mug, because the bright green color of fresh mint is this cocktail's calling card. The stem keeps your hand away from the cold bowl. View our hurricane glasses.
Royal Leerdam Hurricane Stemmed Cocktail Glass 44 cl (6 pieces)
Arcoroc Hurricane Cocktail Glass 44 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 95,90.
The right tools
For a Missionary's Downfall, in addition to the glass, use a jigger to measure precisely, a citrus press and glass straws. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 3 bar tools together € 122,80.
What do you make a Missionary's Downfall with?
For a Missionary's Downfall, you need rum and liqueur. Well-known bottles include Havana Club and Bacardi. On each drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Beachbum Berry Remixed includes a version with clearly more mint, more pineapple, and more ice; it is lighter in color and even fresher. If you don't have peach brandy, use peach liqueur and slightly less honey syrup. For a creamy, tropical twist, take a look at the Piña Colada, and if you prefer mixing rum and lime without a blender, start with the Daiquiri. A tiki cousin with honey and spices is the Three Dots and a Dash.
Serving tip
Use only the mint leaves, as the stems make the drink bitter and fibrous. Put the pineapple pieces in the freezer for an hour beforehand; then you need less ice and the flavor stays fuller. Drink it immediately: after ten minutes, the liquid separates from the ice.
Good to know
Missionary's Downfall recipe: the ingredients at a glance
The IBA version consists of 3 cl white rum, 1.5 cl peach brandy, 1.5 cl fresh lime juice, 3 cl honey syrup, ten mint leaves, and three to four pieces of fresh pineapple. Blend these with half a cup of crushed ice, about 12 cl. The rum is intentionally light, so mint and pineapple determine the flavor. The peach brandy provides a soft, fruity base, while the honey syrup rounds everything out without making it sticky. The lime juice keeps it fresh. Use fresh pineapple, as canned pineapple is sweeter and lacks fresh acidity.
What is peach brandy and what do you use instead?
Peach brandy can mean two things: a dry peach distillate or a sweetened brandy with peach flavor that is more like a liqueur. The latter works best for this cocktail, which is why many bartenders use a good peach liqueur. Real peach brandy is difficult to find in the Netherlands. Choose a peach liqueur with some body; a thin peach schnapps will mainly make the drink sweet. In that case, use 1 cl and taste before adding more. The peach should remain in the background, because the mint is the star.
Making Missionary's Downfall without a blender
It can be done, but it becomes a different drink. Firmly muddle the mint and pineapple with a muddler in the shaker, add rum, peach brandy, lime juice and honey syrup, and shake for twelve seconds with plenty of ice. Double-strain into a glass filled with crushed ice, so no pieces of mint end up in your straw. You will get a clear, refreshing drink instead of the smooth green frozen mixture of the original. Delicious, but with this cocktail the blender really makes a difference. Anyone who makes frozen drinks more often, such as the Frozen Daiquiri, will benefit from having one anyway.
Alcohol-free Missionary's Downfall
Leave out the rum and peach brandy and replace them with 4 cl pineapple juice and 1 cl peach or apricot syrup. Blend this with lime juice, honey syrup, ten mint leaves, the pineapple pieces and crushed ice, exactly as with the original. Because alcohol tempers sweetness, the alcohol-free version quickly becomes too sweet: start with 2 cl honey syrup and taste. A splash of cold sparkling water after blending makes it lighter. It remains a bright green, refreshing drink for warm days. Find more alcohol-free ideas in our Mocktails.
Making Missionary's Downfall for a group
A 1.5-liter blender can easily handle three portions at once. For this, add 9 cl white rum, 4.5 cl peach brandy, 4.5 cl lime juice, 9 cl honey syrup, thirty mint leaves, ten pieces of pineapple and about 36 cl of crushed ice to the jug. Blend for 20 seconds and immediately divide among three glasses. It is better to make several small batches than one large one, because in a full blender the bottom layer will not be blended finely enough. Pick the mint and cut the pineapple in advance, and each batch will be ready to serve within a minute.
Difference from the Mojito
Both combine white rum, lime, and mint, but that is where the comparison ends. The Mojito is a long drink: you muddle the mint and sugar in the glass, fill it with ice and sparkling water, and the mint remains in leaves. In the Missionary's Downfall, the mint goes into the blender with the pineapple and becomes part of the drink itself. Honey and peach brandy make it rounder and fruitier, and without sparkling water it is more concentrated. The South Side is a cousin made with gin and the same base of mint and lime.
Frequently asked questions
What is a Missionary's Downfall?
A frozen tiki cocktail by Donn Beach from the 1940s, with white rum, peach brandy, lime, honey, fresh mint, and pineapple. Everything goes into the blender with crushed ice until it becomes a smooth, light-green frozen mixture. It tastes fresh, fruity, and spicy from the mint.
What is in a Missionary's Downfall?
According to the IBA: 3 cl white rum, 1.5 cl peach brandy, 1.5 cl fresh lime juice, 3 cl honey syrup, ten mint leaves, and three to four pieces of pineapple. Blend that with half a cup of crushed ice and serve in a large stemmed glass, garnished with mint and pineapple.
Which rum do you use for a Missionary's Downfall?
A light white rum, such as Havana Club 3 Años or Bacardi Carta Blanca. It stays in the background, allowing the mint and pineapple to carry the flavor. An aged or dark rum makes the color brownish and pushes the fresh mint into the background, so it is better saved for other tiki cocktails.
Which glass do you use for a Missionary's Downfall?
The IBA calls a coppa grande a large stemmed glass. A hurricane glass of around 44 cl is the logical choice, as it provides room for the ice and shows off the green color. Choose glass rather than a tiki mug, because the color is part of the experience.
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