11 Ginger Cocktails With a Fresh Kick of Flavor

Ginger is a richly flavored ingredient that can add a bit of spice to any dish or drink. While it may seem unusual to pair it with your go-to spirits, this list of ginger cocktails proves that this spice not only has a place in the kitchen, but behind the bar as well.

Classic Ginger Cocktails

Here are a few recipes for classic cocktails that either already incorporate ginger or have been modified to do so. Take note that many of these cocktails require you to make flavored syrups, which is an incredibly easy way to both reduce waste and add potency to an ingredient's flavor. So, whether you ride or die for a Moscow mule or can't wait to experiment with a ginger old fashioned, these are the perfect cocktails for you.

Ginger Martini

A simple staple of every mixologists repertoire, the ginger martini is a spicier version of the originally sweet cocktail. Makes one cocktail.

Ingredients

• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 1 ounce ginger syrup
• 2 ounces vodka
• ½ ounce dry vermouth
• Ice
• Pickled ginger and a thin lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, syrup, vodka, and vermouth.
3. Add the ice and shake to chill.
4. Strain into the chilled martini glass and garnish with the ginger and lime.

Ginger Old Fashioned

Adding just a few slices of ginger to an old fashioned recipe can really give the drink a deeper, more robust flavor.

Ingredients

• 1 clementine orange section, peeled
• 1 sugar cube
• 2 slices peeled ginger
• 2 dashes cocktail bitters
• 2 brandied cherries, divided
• 2 ounces spiced rum
• Ice
• Splash of water, ginger beer, or ginger ale
• Orange peel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a rocks glass, muddle the orange, sugar cube, ginger, bitters, and one cherry.
2. Add the spiced rum and ice. Stir. Top with a splash of water, ginger beer, or ginger ale.
3. Garnish with the remaining brandied cherry and an orange peel.

Ginger Rogers

Named after the famous actress, this San Francisco cocktail is both light and refreshing with it's mixture of gin, lemon juice, ginger ale, and mint.

Ingredients

• 8-10 mint leaves plus 1 sprig for garnish
• ¾ ounce ginger syrup
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1½ ounces dry gin
• Ice
• Ginger ale
• Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In rocks glass, muddle the mint leaves and ginger syrup.
2. Add the lemon juice, gin, and ice. Stir.
3. Top off with the ginger ale and stir.
4. Garnish with the mint sprig and a lime wedge.

Moscow Mule

A go-too favorite of millennials, a Moscow mule is just as refreshing as a can of cold ginger ale, but has a punch that lasts long after you've finished drinking. You can even substitute it with low-carb sodas or beers for a healthier version of the drink.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¾ ounce ginger syrup
• 1½ ounces vodka
• Ice
• Ginger beer
• Lime wedge and mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

1. In cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, ginger syrup, and vodka.
2. Add ice and shake to chill.
3. Strain into a mule cup filled with ice.
4. Top with the ginger beer and garnish with the lime wedge and a mint sprig.

Vodka Ginger

Very similar to other flavored vodka cocktails, the vodka ginger is a simple, tart drink that combines club soda, ginger syrup, lime juice, and vodka.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• ¾ ounce ginger syrup
• 1½ ounces vodka
• Ice
• Club soda
• Lime wedge and candied ginger to garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the syrup, lime juice, and vodka.
2. Add ice and shake to chill.
3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
4. Top with a splash of club soda and garnish with the lime wedge and ginger

Unique Ways to Incorporate Ginger

While some of these ginger cocktails were more recently conceived and others of them have been around for decades, one thing is for sure - these drinks are all delectable.

Foghorn

Not to be mistaken for the mid-century cartoon bird, the foghorn has a backwoods charm to it and makes a perfect drink to sip when you're tending to your garden.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 ounces Old Tom gin
• Ice
• Ginger beer
• 1 lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin and lime juice. Add ice and shake to chill.
2. Pour into a collins glass filled with ice. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a lime wheel.

Ginger-Rosemary Cocktail

For a truly aromatic experience, you can turn to this ginger-rosemary cocktail which takes the strong flavors of rosemary, lemon, and ginger, and combines it with the spicier flavors of bourbon and ginger beer.

Ingredients

• ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounce rosemary-ginger syrup
• 1½ ounces bourbon
• Ginger beer
• Ice
• Lemon wedge and rosemary sprig for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, rosemary-ginger syrup, and bourbon. Add ice and shake until chilled.
2. Strain mixture into a collins glass filled with ice.
3. Top with ginger beer and garnish with a rosemary sprig.

Napoleon's Loss

This more complex recipe centers itself firmly between sweet and sour by balancing mezcal, tequila, and lemon juice with agave and ginger.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce ginger syrup or agave ginger syrup
• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1½ ounce añejo tequila
• Ice
• ½ ounce mezcal
• Rosemary sprig and lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the syrup, lemon juice, and tequila. Add ice and shake to chill.
2. Strain into rocks glass and top with mezcal.
3. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and lemon wedge.

Penicillin

While this penicillin won't cure your strep throat, it will dance on your tongue with the taste of a variety of scotches, lemon juice, honey, and ginger.

Ingredients

• ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• ¾ ounce honey-ginger syrup
• 2 ounces blended scotch
• ¼ ounce non-blended scotch
• Ice
• Candied ginger to garnish

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lemon juice, honey-ginger syrup, and blended scotch. Add ice and shake for about twenty seconds.
2. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice and top with non-blended Scotch.
3. Garnish with a piece of candied ginger.

Perfect Storm

A ginger cocktail which infuses a sense of the tropics in it, the perfect storm pairs spiced rum with bitters, lime juice, and ginger beer for a cocktail made to be sipped on a beach.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce lime juice
• 2 dashes cocktail bitters
• 2 ounces spiced rum
• Ginger beer
• Ice
• 1 lime wedge, to garnish

Instructions

1. In a collins glass, pour the lime juice, bitters, and rum. Add ice.
2. Top the drink with ginger beer, stirring gently.
3. Place a lime wedge on the rim to garnish and enjoy.

Pom Pomme

The pom pomme is autumn in a glass with its pomegranate juice, apple brandy, apple cider, and ginger liqueur. Taking the best of the autumnal flavor profiles and combining it into one drink, this cocktail will go perfect with the cinnamon brooms and bare trees of the fall season.

Ingredients

• ½ ounce pomegranate juice
• ½ ounce ginger liqueur
• 2 ounces apple brandy
• Apple Cider
• Ice
• Pomegranate arils, mint sprig, and lime wedge for garnish.

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the pomegranate juice, ginger liqueur, and apple brandy. Add ice and shake until chilled.
2. Strain mixture into a collisn glas filled with ice.
3. Top with apple cider.
4. Garnish with the pomegranate arils, lime wedge, and mint sprig.

A Ginger Cocktail for Every Season

Although ginger may be a heated ingredient, its particular spice can be enjoyed at any time of the year, no matter if the weather in your area is blazing hot or freezing cold. So, it's time to take one of these zesty ginger recipes and give it a try.