Blue Hawaii vs. Suffering Bastard

The difference, by the numbers

They have no ingredient in common: the Blue Hawaii has pineapple juice, sweet-and-sour mix, blue curaçao, vodka and white rum, the Suffering Bastard Cognac, gin, lime juice, Angostura bitters and ginger beer. In parts, a Blue Hawaii is 3 pineapple, 1 sweet-and-sour mix, ½ blue curaçao, ¾ vodka and ¾ rum; a Suffering Bastard is 1 brandy, 1 gin, ½ lime and 3 ginger beer. By volume, the Blue Hawaii is 50% mixer and juice, 25% spirit, 17% citrus and 8% liqueur; the Suffering Bastard is 55% mixer and juice, 36% spirit and 9% citrus. Different bottles, similar balance: that makes them close cousins on the ratio map.

They are about equally strong in the glass (10.7% and 11.0% ABV), but the Suffering Bastard is the bigger drink, so it holds more alcohol (1.39 standard drinks against 1.19). The Blue Hawaii has more calories (about 224 against 176) and more sugar (23.7 g against 9.3 g). Both are served in a highball; the Blue Hawaii is built, the Suffering Bastard shaken.