The Pineapple Ginger Fizz is a refreshing fizzy gin cocktail with pineapple juice and a zip of ginger. This HCC original is an exotic gin highball that strays into tiki territory with its tropical flavors.
The pineapple and ginger compliment each other remarkably well, and this bubbly cocktail is perfect for warmer weather. The sweet and sour flavor combination with a hint of fiery ginger will be an instant favorite.
Summery drinks are usually built on rum or tequila, but the botanical complexity of gin complements the pineapple and ginger syrup. Gin is good for more than Martinis! Give it a try…
Of course, you can always substitute vodka for gin. Vodka and pineapple juice will work well together, and the average US household is more likely to have a bottle of vodka on hand.
Pineapple Ginger Fizz Recipe
Pineapple Ginger Fizz
Ingredients
Cocktail
- 2 oz Gin (or vodka)
- 2 oz Pineapple Juice
- 3/4 oz Lemon Juice
- 1/2 oz Simple Syrup
- 1/2 oz Ginger Syrup
- 2 oz Club Soda
Garnish
Instructions
- Add ingredients (except soda) to shaker with ice cubes
- Shake vigorously until chilled
- Double-strain into a highball glass containing fresh ice
- Top with club soda
- Stir Gently to mix soda with other ingredients
- Garnish with candied ginger
Notes
- You can substitute vodka if you don’t like the taste of gin. Use the same amount.
- Double-strain to remove any fruit pulp, seeds, or ice shards when pouring into the highball glass. Use the Hawthorne strainer on your shaker, and pour the cocktail through a fine mesh strainer into the glass.
- The club soda has a tendency to float on top of the drink, so stir gently with your bar spoon, plunging it up and down, to mix in the soda. Don’t stir so much that the soda goes flat.
Nutrition
Detailed Instructions and Notes
Juicing the lemons
Consider investing in a good hand-juicer for lemons and limes. It really will make a difference in speed and efficiency. If you get one like the Chef’n juicer, the gears will take a lot of the work out of your hands.
Don’t juice your lemons to death. If you really pulverize them, trying to get every last drop of juice from the flesh, you will also get the bitter oils from the lemon peel and pith. Squeeze them firmly, and be content with the juice you get from your first extraction.
I like to squeeze the juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove any pulp and seeds before I start measuring and mixing the cocktail. This way I’m working with pure lemon juice and the measurements will be exact.
Also remember to juice your lemons when you’re ready to make the cocktail. Lemon juice will only stay fresh for about 20 minutes once exposed to air.
Shaking and Straining
Shake with plenty of ice cubes. Fill the shaker 3/4 full of ice cubes, and shake vigorously. 15-20 seconds should be enough to get it arctic cold.
After shaking, double-strain the cocktail by pouring it through both the Hawthorne strainer and the fine-mesh strainer into the glass. This will catch any ice shards that will further dilute your cocktail as they melt in the glass.
Mixing the soda
Top the cocktail with club soda and gently plunge your bar spoon up and down to incorporate the soda into the cocktail. The club soda will have a tendency to float on top, so pull the juice and alcohol mixture up into the soda.
Don’t swirl or stir – that will agitate the soda too much and make it taste flat.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Gin or Vodka
London Dry Gin is the main style of gin, and the one you should use for this cocktail. Use the gin you like the most. If you need a place to start, popular brands are Beefeater and Tanqueray.
If you don’t like gin, or don’t have any on hand, you can make this cocktail with vodka. Vodka is a neutral grain spirit, and the difference in flavor from one brand to another is negligible. Use any vodka you like.
Pineapple Juice
For most home cocktail crafters, juicing a pineapple by hand is just not going to be worth the effort – especially when you can buy high-quality pineapple juice at the grocery store.
I recommend 100% pure pineapple juice, not from concentrate, with no added sugar. I get it at my grocery store and keep it in the refrigerator.
Ginger Syrup
Ginger syrup is the hardest ingredient to get because most grocery stores and liquor stores don’t carry it. If you do find it in a store, be sure to read the ingredients and understand what you’re really getting. Your cocktail is only as good as its worst ingredient.
I made my own ginger syrup following a recipe in The Bar Book. Peeling all that ginger by hand was not quick or easy, but the result was rewarding. I may cover it in a future post.
Since working up this recipe, I discovered the premium cocktail syrups from Liber and Co. I can easily recommend their Fiery Ginger Syrup because it’s real ginger juice and cane sugar – no high fructose corn syrup, extracts, or fake colors.
Candied Ginger
The candied ginger garnish is optional, but I think it adds to the presentation and emphasizes the ginger flavor when eaten.
Tiny wooden clips are all the rage right now, but you can also use a cocktail spear or toothpick.
Still thirsty?
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