Blue Lagoon Fish Bowl
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
A vibrant cocktail with a tropical kick. Blue curacao, Malibu rum, vodka, fresh lime juice, and fizzy lemon-lime soda mix in a large goblet. Ice kept dense at the bottom, candy fish pressed along the sides. Visual pops from marbles hiding under the candies, fun to sip with straws and mini umbrellas. The sweet lime tang contrasts with booze bite. Easy to tweak, great for parties. A single serving packed with colors and zing. Low sugar, light on fat, subtle minerals from soda and lime. Simple, playful, refreshing. Refresh the classic blue lagoon by stuffing the goblet more creatively. Almost a party in a glass, fizzy and bright.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
0 min
Total:
12 min
Servings:
1 serving
#cocktail
#tropical
#party drink
#blue curacao
#vodka
#Malibu rum
#lime juice
#lemon lime soda
Start stacking ice. Dense. Goblets hold stories, if you watch. The glass beads are a trick to keep candy fish perched; they cling to those slick surfaces better. Swear by those Scandinavian gummies now — chewy against the cold glass makes every sip a textural adventure. Vodka, rum, curacao — balance is king. Too much curacao and it’s all artificial blue sugar; too little, and the color’s lifeless. Lime juice must be fresh or the soda overwhelms with flat sweetness. I’ve spun this recipe around, swapping out regular ice for crushed to catch the liquids better. Soda? Use homemade lemon-lime fizz if freshness matters or Sprite for budget. The key — layer liquids over ice slowly; watch fizz form, bubbles picking up candy flavor, moving the work along. Simple but needs attention, like any good drink.
Ingredients
- 2-3 cups crushed ice
- large glass beads or marbles for goblet bottom
- 2-4 Swedish Fish candies
- 1.25 ounces blue curacao
- 1.5 ounces Malibu coconut rum
- 1.75 ounces vodka
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 12 ounces lemon-lime soda (7-Up or Sprite or homemade soda)
- lemon and lime slices for garnish
- drink umbrellas and straws
About the ingredients
Ice matters — crushed or cubed changes the chill and dilution. Cubes hold slower melt, crushed disperses flavors quicker. Glass beads or marbles are non-negotiable here; without them, candies drop straight down and muddle the sip. No Swedish Fish? Try gummy worms, sour belts—or even gummy sharks to keep the ocean vibe but sharpen the tang. Blue curacao can be swapped for triple sec and a dash of blue food coloring if you’re stuck. Malibu coconut rum brings tropical, but coconut-flavored vodka works in pinch. Fresh lime juice beats bottled every time; squeeze just before mixing. Pick lemon-lime soda with less sweetness if possible, or soda water mixed with lemon-lime syrup.
Method
- Grab your biggest goblet, fill with crushed ice; pack 2-3 cups tightly. Scatter glass marbles or large beads on bottom, hidden but bulk up the base for candy grip.
- Nestle 2-4 Swedish Fish candies against the sides pressed up onto beads so they stick visible, like swimming.
- In mixing glass or shaker, pour 1.25 ounces blue curacao, 1.5 ounces Malibu rum, 1.75 ounces vodka, add 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice. Stir vigorously or shake briefly — no need for froth, just chill and blend.
- Slowly pour booze mix over the ice in the goblet; hear the fizz start to mellow the harshness.
- Top off with approximately 12 ounces lemon-lime soda to flood the glass, watch bubbles dance, rise, hit the candies. Stop filling just before spillover.
- Garnish with fresh thin lemon and lime slices pinned on rim or floated on top, add miniature colorful umbrellas and long straws for that whimsy touch.
- Serve immediately. Sip carefully with straw, watch fish candy bob and dissolve slightly. A playful swirl of sweetness, booze, and citrus bites.
Cooking tips
Step one: pack ice tight enough to suspend candy but not crush it. If candies sink, increase beads or pack ice deeper. Combine alcohol and lime juice in shaker with no ice for faster mixing and less dilution, stir — shaking isn’t mandatory, but it blends quicker. Pour slowly, listen for fizz rise — bubbles reveal interaction, signs liquids are mingling. Add soda gradually to avoid overflow but enough to lighten alcohol bite. Garnishes aren’t just flair, they boost citrus notes visually and aromatically; run a citrus slice around rim so scent hits first sip. Straws or umbrellas? Optional but fun—freshen the vibe, watch eyes light up at presentation. Serve immediately or ice starts melting fast, dulling flavors and diluting punch.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Crushed ice mixes quicker with booze. Don’t swap with cubes unless a slower melt preferred. Cubes chill long but dilute slower which can mute flavors fast in drinks like this. Layer booze over ice slow. Listen. Fizz bubbles tell mixing starting. Marbles stop candy from sinking but use beads with smooth surfaces or irregular shapes, keeps fish visible not smushed down.
- 💡 Use fresh lime juice only, no bottled. Bottled flattens punch, soda masks fresh acidity. Blue curacao varies by brand. Too much kills flavor, too little dull blue tone. Adjust by eye; color gives clues about proportion. Malibu coconut rum adds tropical twist. Coconut vodka works but changes mouthfeel, heavier on front palate, less smooth in fizzed drinks.
- 💡 Swedish Fish candies pressed on goblet walls cling better if ice is packed firm but not crushed. If candies fall, add more beads or press ice deeper. Shaking isn’t mandatory. Stir blends fast but shaking chills quick, fluff avoided. Pour booze gradually over ice, fizz less wild, sharper taste control. Soda adds sparkle and softens alcohol. Pour soda slowly, bubbles rise pushing candy flavor around.
- 💡 Glass marbles or beads are critical. No substitutes that sink candy to bottom or no grip. Without this, fish candy muddles sip, no visual effect. Alternative gummies can change texture drastically—gummy worms give different chew, sour belts add contrast but lose ocean feel. Use homemade lemon-lime soda if budget allows, brighter acidity. Sprite or 7-Up for quick sub.
- 💡 Garnish adds scent and sight cues. Run citrus slice around rim for aroma hit; floating slices break surface tension adding light citrus bursts per sip. Umbrellas and straws not just decoration, add dimension to feel. Serve immediately after buildup, ice melts fast packing, dulling bite and fizz. Watch candy dissolve slows sweetness rise unevenly, sip pacing key.
Common questions
Can I use cubed ice instead of crushed?
Cubes melt slower, which keeps drink colder longer but dilutes flavor less quickly. Crushed ice mixes instantly, carries alcohol and soda flavors faster. For layered effect and granulated texture, crushed best.
What if I don’t have Swedish Fish candies?
Gummy worms or sour belts work but change chew, taste profile shifts. Gummy sharks keep ocean theme but tangy twist. Use glass beads still, or candy sinks, ruins look. Different gummies mean texture tradeoffs.
Why does my candy sink to bottom?
Not enough beads or marbles. They hold candy in place visually. Also, if ice packed too loose, candy drops. Pack ice denser, increase beads volume or bigger ones to fill gaps to trap candy near edges.
Can I prepare this drink ahead?
Not ideal. Ice melts, fizz dies fast. Candies soften and sink. Store booze mix separate if needed. Assemble just before serving for full effect. If made early, ice changes texture, waters down.
