A bracingly refreshing coconut rum cocktail with a ginger bite and a pineapple finish. Just a little but sweet and just right boozy, loaded with fresh ginger, lulled with coconut rum, lightened and brightened with fresh lime.

We have a bottle of coconut rum in our bar of unknown origin and age. A remnant of some long ago luau or rum punch fueled dance party. I have decided that this day, the first day of summer, the longest day of the year, the birth date of at least two of my favorite people, is the day to liberate the coconut rum, to free it from its dusty cage.
A few weeks ago I made a session piña colada with seekout hard seltzer that did not contain any coconut rum (though in hindsight it totally could) and so I bought a pineapple for atmosphere, then the temperature climbed up dangerously close to one hundred Fahrenheit and suddenly all things tropical called to me. But not cloyingly sweet tropical so I took that coconut rum and poured it over the fresh pineapple slices. A good start. Then my little ginger root in the window planter, the one I thought I killed, shot out a green shoot. Okay even I am growing tired of this back story so lets get to the cocktail already.

about the glass
the glass pictured is a hurricane glass from the tonga room in San Francisco- the place that anthony bourdain called “the greatest place in the history of the world”. It’s a souvenir from my 21st birthday.

for the coconut pineapple rum
combine two cups fresh sliced pineapple with one cup coconut rum and allow to meld in the refrigerator for at least one day or up to several weeks
or if you don’t have fresh pineapple you can add an ounce of plain pineapple juice to the cocktail (or sub mango or guava)
for the fresh ginger
to capture all the juices I prefer to grate or press the ginger directly over the glass
peel the ginger (I like the spoon method)
to grate the ginger a small hole grater works best- as much as I love my standard micro plane it doesn’t work for ginger
or
use a garlic press to juice and grate the ginger (no need to peel)
batch option
if making this for a crowd you can combine the pineapple coconut rum, ginger, and lime juice in whatever quantity you desire and then top with the fizzy water when ready to serve.

PIneapple Coconut Rum Cocktail with fresh ginger
Ingredients
- 2 ounces pineapple infused coconut rum – see note above
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice – about a quarter of a juicy medium sized lime
- 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger- about a one inch knob of ginger- see notes above
- 4-8 ounces carbonated water- this is a matter of personal taste start with four ounces add more if desired
Instructions
- combine rum, lime juice, and ginger in a 12-16 ounce glass
- add ice
- add fizzy water
- stir and sip
- garnish with a pineapple slice if desired
- repeat

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