Ingredients
- 1 Part(s) Gin
- 3 Part(s) Ginger Ale
Instructions
Pour Gin:
- In a cocktail glass, pour 1 part gin.
Add Ginger Ale:
- Top it off with 3 parts ginger ale.
Serve:
- Serve immediately and enjoy the zesty, refreshing taste.
Notes
Estimated Nutrition:
Where it came from
The Gin Gin is less a cocktail with a storied past and more a classic highball combination that has always existed in some form. It’s a natural pairing, like rum and coke or whiskey and soda. You’d find people mixing gin with ginger ale in homes and bars throughout the 20th century, long before it got a formal name. Its ubiquity means no single inventor or specific era lays claim to it.
This drink sits comfortably in the highball family, a broad category of simple mixed drinks. It’s a close relative to the Gin Buck or a Moscow Mule, swapping out the lime for a simpler profile. Unlike a Gin and Tonic, the Gin Gin leans into the spicy sweetness of ginger, offering a different kind of refreshment without the quinine bitterness. It’s less a craft cocktail and more a reliable staple.
You’d order a Gin Gin at a casual pub, a backyard barbecue, or when you’re unwinding at home after a long shift. It’s the kind of drink you serve when guests arrive and you want to get a cold one in their hand quickly, or when you’re kicking back on the patio. It’s not a fancy lounge drink, but it is always a satisfying one.
What it tastes like
From the first sip, the Gin Gin delivers a refreshing hit of spicy ginger, quickly followed by the juniper and citrus notes of the gin. The mid palate is a balanced interplay between the gin’s botanicals and the ginger ale’s sweetness, which softens the spirit’s edge. The finish is clean and crisp, leaving a lingering warmth from the ginger and a subtle botanical echo.
With a 1 part gin to 3 parts ginger ale ratio, a standard 1.5 oz pour of 40% ABV gin would result in about 0.6 oz of pure alcohol in a 6 oz drink. This puts the Gin Gin at roughly 10% ABV. That’s a little stronger than most light beers, which hover around 4-5%, but significantly lighter than a spirit-forward cocktail like a Martini or an Old Fashioned, which can easily hit 25-30% ABV. It’s a sessionable drink.
The technique
Building a Gin Gin is about as simple as it gets. Grab a chilled cocktail glass, or any tall glass you prefer, and pour in your gin. Follow that directly with the ginger ale. There’s no shaking or stirring required beyond the natural mixing that happens when you pour. Serve it up immediately, preferably with some ice to keep it cold and dilute slightly as you sip.
The most important technique here is using a chilled glass and fresh ice. When you pour a cold mixer like ginger ale over warm gin in a warm glass, you lose carbonation and the drink warms up too fast. A cold glass and solid ice keep the drink colder longer, preserving the fizz and the crispness that makes the Gin Gin enjoyable. Skip this, and you get a flat, lukewarm drink.
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Ingredient Spotlight
The bottles that make or break this drink.
Gin
- Use
- A good London Dry gin like Tanqueray or Beefeater works perfectly, offering a strong juniper backbone. For something softer, try a New Western style like Hendrick’s. Aim for 40-47% ABV.
- Skip
- Flavored gins that are overly sweet or have dominant artificial notes. They’ll clash with the ginger ale and make the drink unbalanced. Stick to the classics here.
- Why
- Gin provides the essential botanical complexity and alcoholic backbone. Without it, you just have a soft drink. Its juniper and citrus notes are key to the drink’s character.
Ginger Ale
- Use
- Any quality ginger ale will do. Canada Dry or Schweppes are reliable, accessible choices. For a spicier kick, try a ginger beer, but know it will change the drink’s profile significantly.
- Skip
- Diet ginger ale or artificial ginger sodas. They often have a metallic aftertaste or lack the natural sweetness and spice that balances the gin.
- Why
- Ginger ale is the primary mixer, providing sweetness, carbonation, and that distinctive spicy ginger flavor. It’s what makes the drink refreshing and gives it its name.
Three Variations
Three real ways bartenders riff on this drink. Same idea, three different jackets.
Gin Buck
- The Gin Gin with a citrus twist.
- Add 0.5 oz of fresh lime juice to the Gin Gin for a brighter, more zesty take. This brings it closer to its highball relatives.
Dark ‘n’ Stormy Jr.
- A lighter, gin-based take on a classic.
- Swap gin for a dark rum and add a squeeze of lime to get a drink reminiscent of a Dark ‘n’ Stormy, but with gin’s botanicals.
Gin Mule
- For when you want more ginger kick.
- Substitute ginger beer for ginger ale. This will make the drink much spicier and less sweet, giving it a bolder flavor profile.
What if I don't have…
Quick substitutions for when the bottle shop is closed.
Try vodka for a less botanical, more neutral base. It will be less complex but still refreshing.
Ginger beer works if you want a spicier drink, but be prepared for a bolder flavor. Lemon-lime soda can also work in a pinch for carbonation and sweetness, but you lose the ginger.
Any tall glass, like a highball or even a sturdy water glass, will do just fine. The goal is to hold ice and liquid.
Serve it cold, but understand it won’t be as refreshing or dilute as intended. Chill your gin and ginger ale well beforehand.
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers to what people search for after Googling this drink.
What is in a Gin Gin?
A Gin Gin contains gin and ginger ale. It’s a simple two-ingredient highball.
Is a Gin Gin a strong drink?
It’s relatively light for a cocktail, typically around 10% ABV, making it comparable to a strong beer rather than a spirit-forward cocktail.
What’s the best gin for a Gin Gin?
A classic London Dry gin like Tanqueray or Beefeater works well to complement the ginger ale’s spice.
Should I use ginger ale or ginger beer?
Ginger ale is traditional for the Gin Gin. Ginger beer will make it spicier and less sweet, creating a Gin Mule profile.
What kind of glass should I use for a Gin Gin?
A simple cocktail glass or a highball glass is perfect. Anything that holds ice and liquid comfortably.
Do I need to stir a Gin Gin?
No, simply pouring the ginger ale over the gin is enough to mix the ingredients.
Is the Gin Gin related to the Moscow Mule?
They are both ginger-based highballs, but the Gin Gin uses gin and ginger ale, while the Moscow Mule uses vodka, ginger beer, and lime.
Can I add a garnish to a Gin Gin?
A lime wedge or a lemon twist makes a nice garnish, adding a touch of citrus aroma and visual appeal.
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