Blue Milk of Tatooine

Star Wars, the epic and everlasting space opera, has been inspiring fans since its premiere in 1977, and there have been countless books, comics, toys, clothes and anything else that can carry the Star Wars brand. This includes, of course, the world of bartending, with drink creators finding inspiration in the people and figures of the Star War universe. The Blue Milk of Tatooine is named for the beverage that Luke Skywalker, his uncle Owen and aunt Berlu drink in their hut on the overutilized desert planet.

The Blue Milk of Tatooine has an advantage over many other Star Wars-inspired drinks, as it’s based on a fictional beverage instead of a character or a vague concept. Created by Karen Grill of Sassafras Saloon in Los Angeles, it’s essentially a blue-hued Piña Colada variation (like the Blue Hawaiian), and it’s everything you’d want in a liquid ode to Luke Skywalker’s family breakfast. Like the original Colada, it strikes a lovely balance of citrus, sweetness and creamy nuttiness along with a touch of extra botanicals. Unlike the Piña Colada, however, the Blue Milk of Tatooine calls for gin as its base spirit, which makes it lighter and more herbal. In order to get a bit of vanilla back in, which rum would normally provide, the drink takes a vanilla syrup rather than a traditional simple syrup. You can use a store-bought brand, like Giffard, or you can make your own.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the the Blue Milk of Tatooine unless it was blue. It gets its azure hue the way many drinks do: from blue curaçao. You can easily find this sweet citrus liqueur at liquor stores, but if you have the time and inclination you can make an impressive version at home. The same goes for the orgeat in the drink—while there are plenty of brands on the market for the nutty syrup, the ones you make at home will often be the best.

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