The Blue Hawaii was invented in 1957 by Harry Yee, head bartender of the Hilton Hawaiian Village (formerly the Kaiser Hawaiian Village) in Waikiki, Hawaii[1] when a sales representative of Dutch distiller Bols asked him to design a drink that featured their blue color of Curaçao liqueur.

The era was immediately pre-statehood, a time when Hawaii was thought of by Americans as a playground for the rich.

The base liquor is usually light rum but vodka may be partially or completely substituted as a matter of taste.

Some venues will attempt to pass off their “version” without the pineapple in favor of sour mix.

Occasionally, because it contains yellow pineapple juice, the Blue Hawaii will have a green coloration instead.