Everything we love about a Mojito, reimagined with gin and a gingery kick.
About the cocktail
Ginger Rogers was big news back in the golden era of Hollywood. Along with her regular dance partner Fred Astaire, the actress brought plenty of spice to the silver screen – and that’s just what you’ll get with her namesake cocktail. If you’ve ever had a Gin Mojito or a Southside Fizz – both blends of gin, citrus, sugar, mint and soda – you might recognise the Ginger Rogers as a spiced-up twist with the added warmth of ginger ale. Despite the relation to some cocktail classics and being named after a star who debuted almost 100 years ago, this drink is actually pretty new. It was created by San Francisco bartender Marcovaldo Dionysos in 1998. With respect to that original creation, our cocktail experts have switched it up a little, removing the ginger syrup because it can overpower the mix, especially the delicate mint. Expect a perfectly balanced cocktail. The mint is cool, the ginger is hot and, with the sweet and sour combo of the sugar and lemon juice, the Ginger Rogers might be one of the most refreshing long drinks you can make. We think the Ginger Rogers is a must-serve on a sunny afternoon. You can even scale up the quantities and serve it in a jug for a group of lucky pals.
Ingredients
10-12 fresh mint leaves
50mL London dry gin 25mL fresh lemon juice 15mL sugar syrup 60-75mL ginger ale Glass: highball Garnish: mint sprig and ginger slice
Method
Give the mint a gentle squeeze, then add it to your glass Add the gin, lemon juice and sugar syrup Fill one-third of the glass with crushed ice Swizzle well by inserting a bar spoon, covering the top with a napkin, and agitating. This is to incorporate all those mint oils, while chilling and diluting the mix Add your ginger ale and gently mix, then top with crushed ice Garnish with the mint and ginger
Dan’s top tips
This cocktail is all about the ginger. We’re using ginger ale for its gentle warmth and bubbly length, but if you prefer a punchier ginger flavour, feel free to sub in ginger beer instead. When making the Ginger Rogers, you’ll need to use a technique called ‘swizzling’. It’s a simple process but, if you’re not familiar with it, it’s very simple. You take a bar spoon (or a dedicated swizzle stick, if you have one) and agitate the ingredients in your glass. You don’t need to stir like mad – just move things around enough to help the mint release its essential oils. Finally, remember that this cocktail uses crushed ice rather than ice cubes. We’ve covered how to get the right ice before but if you a setting on your freezer for crushed ice, now’s the time to use it. Otherwise, break up the cubes with a rolling pin while they’re sealed in a ziplock bag or wrapped in a tea towel. That will do the trick nicely.
