Rum and Coke: Recipe, History & Perfect Ratio

The rum and coke is one of the simplest yet most iconic cocktails in the world. Popular across the UK, it combines the sweetness of cola with the boldness of rum, making it a favourite at pubs, bars, and home gatherings alike.

Garnished with a squeeze of lime and usually served with a straw, this cocktail is ideal for hot Summer nights and quiet days on the beach alike.

Whether you’re wanting to elevate your rum and coke, or just learning how to make the perfect serve ahead of a gathering, this guide will cover everything you need: from the perfect ratio to the best UK rums and fun facts about the drink’s history.

How To Master A Rum And Coke

Rum and coke can be mastered by almost anyone - it's simply your favourite choice of rum in a tall glass filled with ice, topped with coke and a dash of lime.

That said, the ratios for a rum and coke are important. Get it wrong and the rum can really overpower the cola and become undrinkable. When making a rum and coke, aim for 1 part rum to 3 parts cola. This might look like 50ml rum to 200ml coca-cola, as an example.

If you're using Clean R and opting for a non-alcoholic version, you can be a lot more flexible with your pour of rum, even free pouring. The delicious rum flavour without alcohol doesn't overpower the sweet cola or give that horrible bitter taste that you can get when there's too much alcohol in a cocktail.

Best Rums In The UK

Just pop your head into Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose or any other UK supermarket and you'll see a broad range of Rums. We simply love the stuff. You might be surprised to learn that rum sales have surpassed whisky in the UK on-trade in recent years, marking rum as the up and coming star of the spirit game.

Big Rum Brands

The UK's favourite rums are undoubtedly the bigger players - the likes of Bacardi, Captain Morgan, Havana Club - which outsell pretty much everyone else and have held the top spots for decades. While they are the more recognisable brands, the UK micro-distillers are growing in popularity and bringing a fresh take on rum.

Smaller Micro Distilleries 

In recent years, the English Spirit Distillery has been rising up with its Old Salt Rum which is distilled in a copper pot like traditional methods. Then there's Scratch Spirits based in Scotland and Matugga Distillers which are also up and coming brands to watch.

Non-Alcoholic Rum Brands 

While an alcoholic rum and coke might still be the UK's favourite, studies show that non-alcoholic rum brands (cough, like CleanCo, cough) are rising in popularity year on year. 19% of UK adults are now alcohol-free, which is a huge increase on decades prior.

Demand for no and low spirits soared 40 per cent from Jan 2023 to Jan 2024, according to Tesco. Although the most popular non-alcoholic spirit was No/Low alcohol gin, non-alcoholic rum represents a smaller segment that is rising in popularity.

History Of The Rum And Coke

The rum and coke originated in Cuba in the early 20th century, but Rum has been around for a lot longer. All variations of the rum and coke that we know today originated as the "Cuba Libre". This drink was a staple of US soldiers during the Spanish-American War and it meant a lot to them. It wasn't just a cocktail, it represented freedom! 

Let's dig into the history.

Quick Facts About Rum's Roots 

Caribbean Roots: Rum originates from the Caribbean in the 17th century. It was distilled from sugarcane byproducts, primarily molasses, a leftover from sugar production.

Colonial Trade: Rum became a major commodity in the triangular trade, shipped from the Caribbean to Europe and North America, often in exchange for goods or enslaved people - a dark but central part of its history.

Naval Importance: The British Royal Navy issued daily rum rations to sailors from the 18th century through 1970. This “tot” of rum kept spirits high, morale steady, and sometimes masked poor water quality on long voyages.

Quick Facts About The Invention Of Coca-Cola

Invention of Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola was invented in 1886 in Atlanta, Georgia, originally as a medicinal tonic. Early formulations contained small amounts of cocaine and caffeine from kola nuts, intended to cure ailments like headaches and fatigue. It gave people a buzz and became a worldwide sensation before long.

Global Expansion: By the early 20th century, Coca-Cola had become widely available internationally, including in Caribbean rum-producing regions.

Birth of the Rum and Coke

The first records of combining these two magical ingredients to make a rum and coke, was known as the "Cuba Libre".

In Cuba, around 1900, the Spanish-American War had just ended with America claiming Cuba as their own and allowing Cuba to free themselves from restrictive Spanish rule that they had been fighting against for many years.

Cuba, a Caribbean country renowned for it's delicious rum, was under heavy U.S influence and Coca-Cola was becoming wide spread. With the U.S soldiers bringing Coca-Cola into Cuba, and the Cubans bringing their own rum to the table, the Cuba Libre was born.

The name of the cocktail, meaning literall "Free Cuba" is a nod to the war and the independence of Cuba that was recognised.

Rum and Coke in UK culture

Rum and Coke is one of the UK's favourite drinks, largely due to our long-standing affiliations with Caribbean nations.

In 1948, the ship HMT Empire Windrush brought one of the first large groups of Caribbean immigrants to the UK. Drawn by employment opportunities in the docks and shipping industries, these people had a positive impact on UK culture, particularly in areas like London. 

Between 1948–1962, the “Windrush generation” settled in the UK, from places like Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and other British colonies in the Caribbean. With them, they brought new music, food and drinks including rum.

Thanks to their influence, rum became a staple in bars where they settled which were predominantly east end areas like Stepney, Bethnal Green, Poplar, and Whitechapel at the time. Later, Brixton later became one of the most famous Caribbean communities as well as Notting Hill where the famous Notting Hill Carnival has taken place since 1966.

This Caribbean influence has become a huge part of British identity, having cultural influence across food, drinks, music and much more. Rum and coke in the UK isn't just a drink, it's a key part of our culture and a nod to our multi-cultural heritage that makes us what we are.

FAQs On Rum And Coke

What’s the ratio for rum and coke?

The classic ratio is 1 part rum to 3 parts cola, but you can adjust depending on strength preference.

What is rum and coke called?

Sometimes it's called a Cuba Libre, but technically, a Cuba Libre includes lime juice. People use the terms interchangeably. 

What are the calories in rum and coke?

An average rum and coke will be around 178 calories when made with full fat coke and alcoholic rum. Diet cola reduces the total calories to about 115 kcal per drink.

If you use a non-alcoholic rum, that will take the calories down to about 90 for a full sugar coke rum and coke and 12 calories for a rum and coke made with Clean Co Clean R and Diet Coke.

Want to start your rum and coke journey? Explore the non-alcoholic version with our Clean R.