Refajo Colombiano is a traditional and simple cocktail made with beer, ice and a Colombian soda (Colombiana). It's refreshing and delicious.
What is Refajo?
It's a traditional Colombian cocktail made with beer and “Colombiana”, which is a soda from Colombia. It is a very simple and quick recipe but refreshing and delicious. It is very popular in Colombian restaurants and it is a great accompaniment to our asados or grilled meats.
Colombian Refajo is the perfect drink to serve on a warm day. It's easy to make and sure to please a crowd!
Here’s what you’ll need to make Refajo:
You can find the full printable recipe card with ingredients and directions below.
Colombiana: A traditional Colombian soda that taste like Kola. In the USA I find Colombiana in my local Latin food market, Amazon or at Amigos Food online.
Beer: In Colombia this cocktail is usually made with "Cerveza Aguila" a Colombian beer, But you can use your favorite beer to make refajo.
Aguardiente: Colombian anise flavored alcoholic drink. This ingredient is optional.
Ice cubes: For serving.
Some people like to add sliced fresh oranges to their refajo, feel free to add them if you like.
This cocktail is so easy to make as all you have to do is place the ingredients in a pitcher and stir. No shaking, no straining and no bar tools needed.
This drink is perfect for brunch, cocktails on the porch, or just serve for dinner with grilled beef, pork skewers or steak with chimichurri.
How to Serve this Cocktail
You can serve Colombian Refajo is a large pitcher or individual glasses. Keep it in the fridge until ready to serve.
More Cocktail Recipes to Try:
Sabajón (Colombian Style Eggnog)
Aguardiente Sour (Orange Cocktail)
Colombian Refajo Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 liter Colombiana Soda
- 2 liter beer
- 4 cups ice
- 3 aguardiente shots optional
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients serve and enjoy.
rebecca subbiah
cool love learning about your food, your recipe will be published on monday have a fab weekend Rebecca
Erica
Thank you Rebecca!
Michael
I had refajo 50 years ago in Colombia at the host family farm. Delicious.
Danielle
I'm not usually a beer drinker but this is intriguing. Can you get Colombiana Soda in the states?
Erica
Hi Danielle,
yes, you can find it online at amigosfood.com or Latin stores.
Thank you.
Michael
I had refajo 50 years ago in Colombia at the host family farm. Delicious.
Juju
Oh man this sounds delicious and chocked full of calories.
Felisha
Cool! Any type of beer?
Erica
Hi Felisha,
Yes, you can I use your favorite beer. In Colombia we use cerveza pilsen.
Soma
Perfect timing to post this Erica:-) its weekend. a perfect time to mingle & have a mug (or a jug?) of this when we are running 100 degrees plus outside.
robert guerrero
OMG, I'm rolling on the floor laughing. My Mom is from Cali and we like to drink it on a hot day. Also, sometimes the women like to drink it so they don't get so drunk. Thanks for the post. Brings me back to the homeland!
Robert (Burbank, CA)
Kim
I enjoy your posts so much!! You always have something unique that I haven't seen or tried before.
Cynthia
I want my own mug! 🙂
Erica
Thank you all for your continued support.
Oysterculture
Ah now this just sounds yummy and refreshing, a perfect thirst quencher for a hot day.
Pocky
It's so hot where I am now. Pass me a big mug, Erica. haha! 🙂
Respondon
Kola y Pola! Whatever happened to that brilliant idea?
Fercho
Hola, my son in law is from Scotlan and they have a drink named Iron Brew that tastes exactly as Colombiana.
Isabel Cristina
No tienes bebidas con panela!!!
que mas tipico de Colombia que una agua de panela fria o caliente...
Your missing recipes with Panela ( made of sugar cane juice) its very typical of Colombia, you will find cold drinks, with some lime juice, or hot...its delicious.....
Me encanta haber encontrado tu pagina, las recetas son faciles de seguir..
Linda
I had the opportunity to try Refajo at a Colombian Pavilion during our Folkorama Days...very enjoyable. Can you tell me if Colombiana Soda is like Cream Soda?
Erica
Linda- No, It is not cream soda.
Anonymous
I think it tastes very similar.
Michelle
Linda: Colombiana is a champagne soda minus the alcohol of champagne.
Anonymous
Is a champagne kola
soniA
For Refajo you can use any type of Red Soda or Orange Soda, it will taste as good as with colombian Soda.
Dougy EL Paisa
Is this pola y cola that is sold in Antioquia?? PLEASE SAY YES!! I LOVE THAT STUFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!
Erica
Dougy- Yes it is!
Dougy EL Paisa
QUE RICA!!! THANK YOU!!! I miss that so much!!!!
Natalia Leal Gómez
I am Colombian and Colombian refajo alcoholism can be high if he appends a lot of beer, I have 14 years and take refajo since I was 12 years, I would not put a lot of beer, but in hot weather most people are not drunk so much, that this is partly energizing, I have taken more than 6 drinks. In Colombia also be purchased already prepared, is called "Cola & Pola", but I recommend that if you drink it in cold weather, and not being accustomed to this beverage, began to feel dizzy from the second drink, what happened in my case the first time I drank.
Ann
This is very cultural. I had this in Colombia and there was nothing appealing about this drink. There are so many other things about Colombian food that are however.
Michelle
I grew up drinking Refajo. We use Colombiana, Pony Malta (a dark barley type soda), and Heineken (in the USA the taste is the closest to the Colombian beer).
Robert
If you live in the UK ( they might deliver to the continent and Ireland, I'm not sure ) then you can buy colombiana here.
labodeguita.co.uk/product/postobon-colombiana-25ltr-bottle,54043216
Robert
Or if you don't like ordering things online and live really far away from London like me then Irn-Bru is a good substitute, although you're making it a tad Scottish and it can be hard to find in England (my family is from Scotland) although you can find it if you really look, I think you can buy it in Greggs, of course, if you live in Scotland it's really easy to find (don't go looking for it in the US because your government banned it for some odd reason).
debi
I provided this for my Columbian ESL student at our dinner last night. He had mentioned it during one of our classes this year.
I found the Columbiana at the Asian/world Market here. It was not at the larger Latino store. They also had cans of Columbian champagne cola - which I wasn't sure was the same. My student said it didn't taste quite like what they get in Columbia, but it was close with BudLite.
I must admit, it sounded like a bad combo, but really was quite good. It is great on a hot day and if you are wanting to limit your alcohol consumption. It's also good with aguardiente - but oh my, that would be so dangerous!
Thanks for the recipe! It was a hit that will be on the menu for future BBQ's.
Ariesbear
I just got back from Columbia... Loved the food: empanadas, arepas and yummy grilled meats. Refajo paired perfectly with all. I am a foodie but I don't tolerate much alcohol so refajo is now my choice for an adult beverage with food. A little bit sweet but not sugary.. It reminds me like a light cream soda. Mixed with a Pilsner is refreshing but you need not worry about an hangover.
Giancarlo
Cerbeza Aguila, Colombiana, helo y aguardiente Blanco del Valle.
Giancarlo
Cerbeza Aguila, postobon soda, helo, aguardiente Blanco del Valle.
argentinian restaurants
I actually adore your post. I read your blog fairly regularly and you're constantly coming out with some amazing things.
I discussed this on my FB and my followers just adored it. Keep up
the great work!
Aiste
The best drink!!! I love it! I've tried it when I was Bogota ❤❤
Alan Bowman
If you have difficulty getting Colombiana try getting "Ir'n Bru" which comes from Scotland and is almost identical in taste, colur etc.