Spiced Pineapple Gin & Tonic

Here's how to make an easy tropical gin & tonic for summer with ginger, brown sugar, and pineapple flavors.

The weather has really been weathering, hasn't it?! I'm counting the days til I make a brief escape up north but in the mean time, need to keep cool somehow. A good gin and tonic is one of my go-to drinks when I make cocktails at home because it is extremely simple to make, and nice and light. You can't beat an easy refreshing gin cocktail at the end of a hot summer day, in my opinion. But I do like to change things up every now and then. Thankfully, the sky is the limit when it comes to unique G&T cocktail ideas so I put my spiced brown sugar pineapple cocktail syrup to good use and created a gin and tonic recipe for summer. It's cool, a little sweet, and as potent as a G&T should be. Let's get into the details!

If you enjoy the flavor notes in this drink, try these cocktails, next:

• Brown Sugar Pineapple Mojito
• Jalapeño Pineapple Mimosas
• Pineapple & Ginger Whiskey Sipper

How do You Make a Gin Tonic Better?

The G&T is a cocktail classic because it's simple and delicious. It's all about complementing the botanical mix of the gin with a sweet effervescence and a touch of lime. So it's good as-is. But to make it even better, add more complementary flavors. I've mixed up a springtime hibiscus gin and tonic cocktail and well as this spiced apple G&T for autumn (go ahead and bookmark both). Now, for summer, sweet, juicy pineapple and zingy ginger are totally the move. This is the one to sip when you wish you were on the beach but have no sexy vacation in sight. Here's what you'll need to make my easy summer gin & tonic.

• Brown Sugar Pineapple Simple Syrup
• Fresh Lime
• Gin
• Ice
• Tonic Water

The process for making this cocktail is the same as making a traditional G&T with one additional step: add a bit of the pineapple and ginger infused syrup to the situation and stir. Also, most gin and tonic recipes will have you add the lime wheels in for a garnish but I always like my lime to be more pronounced (I request an actual lime wedge when ordering at bars) so I squeeze the juices into the glass, which works very well with the pineapple and ginger notes.

Tools You'll Need for this Cocktail

Another reason I love G&Ts is because they're low-maintenance. No fussy shaking or straining is required. Just add everything to a glass and give it a stir. I mean, who doesn't love a drink where you can just get straight to it? All you'll need for this recipe is a jigger or a shot glass and a cocktail stirrer--or regular spoon, if you don't have one of those.

Helpful Recipe Tips

• What kind of gin to use for a gin and tonic cocktail? Because gin and tonics are so simple, the flavor notes of the spirit fully shine through. Therefore, you want to use a good quality gin with a botanical profile that you enjoy straight up. My personal favorites, all of which work well in this recipe, are Empress 1908 gin, Still ATX gin, and The Gin Factory rosemary gin.
• Can I make this cocktail recipe ahead of time? With the exception of sangrias and alcoholic punches, cocktails are best when made just before sipping. You can however, make the brown sugar cocktail syrup ahead of time. In fact, I highly recommend it. That way, you have it cooled and ready to go whenever you're ready and can even make a batch gin and tonic, if you need to!
• Can I use sparkling water in a gin and tonic? Absolutely not! Tonic is in the title because it is key to the taste of this drink. Gin and soda is a whole different drink called a gin Rickey. Club soda, sparkling water, seltzer--don't even try it.

There is still plenty of summer heat left to go around so get a spiced pineapple G&T in your hand as soon as possible and cool down, sis. And sharing is caring so make sure you pin this summery gin cocktail recipe over on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Easy Pineapple Gin & Tonic Recipe