This riff on the classic Painkiller uses acid-adjusted orange juice, made with citric and malic acids, in place of lime juice. This technique “adjusts” the orange so it reads as brighter and more acidic – similar to lime juice, although the drink actually contains no lime at all.
The Remedy
Don Lee, Existing Conditions | New York

Ingredients
- 1 1/2 ounces Plantation Pineapple Rum
- 1/2 ounce overproof white rum, preferably J. Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum
- 3/4 ounce acid-adjusted orange juice (see Editor's Note)
- 3/4 ounce caramelized condensed coconut (see Editor's Note)
- 4 drops saline solution (1:4, salt:water)
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing tin and shake with ice.
- Strain into a Collins glass over pebble ice.
Editor's Note
Acid-Adjusted Orange Juice:
1 liter orange juice
20 grams malic acid
32 grams citric acid
Caramelized Condensed Coconut:
In a pressure cooker, combine 1 can of sweetened condensed coconut with enough water to cover it at 15 psi for 1 hour. Allow to cool completely on stove top without rapid depressurization.