The Best Cocktails To Elevate With A Pickled Ginger Garnish

When most people picture pickled ginger, what usually comes to mind is the palate-cleansing side dish that accompanies sushi and sashimi, or it summons certain dishes in the Chinese culinary tradition. As consequential as it is to those beloved food experiences, pickled ginger has another well-deserved place in the consumables category: as a cocktail garnish.

Pickled ginger at its simplest is what you get when thinly sliced ginger root is pickled in a solution of sugar, salt, and vinegar. It's called gari or amazu shoga in Japan, and the flavor is generally described as both sweet and sour with just a little bit of spice. The different ingredients used in the pickling process of course lead to different flavors, but most likely those who try this condiment will find a little bit of heat, tanginess, acidity, and more sweetness than raw ginger root offers. Because pickled ginger is so dynamic while also being refreshing, it can make for a stellar and much-needed addition to your cocktail garnish roster. The condiment can readily be found in many groceries and Asian food specialty stores, or you can easily make your own pickled ginger at home.

The Japanese cocktail community has pounced upon the pickled ginger opportunity and provided a wealth of inspiration, so it's hard to go wrong when playing with these flavors. One simple place to start is the highball. Highballs are composed of a simple combination of liquor and either club soda or ginger ale (or another fizzy mixer). Japanese whiskies are renowned for their quality, so take a peek at our list of the 12 best Japanese whiskies and pour yourself a whiskey highball. A whiskey highball with club soda would be a wonderful base to let the pickled ginger simultaneously stand alone and play off of the spirit, while a ginger ale whiskey highball would appeal to those who like the fizz but want to double down on the ginger flavor and sweetness.

You could also try pouring a classic gin and tonic and giving it a drizzle of ginger syrup before topping it with the pickled variety for a sweet and spicy spin on a classic. Another timeless drink that's perfect for a little cocktail improv is the French 75. Instead of the classic lemon twist, try swapping in your pickled ginger. Lemon and ginger are a natural (and ultra-refreshing) pairing. You can also try out crafting a "dirty" pickled ginger martini, a pickled ginger Moscow mule, or a pickled ginger margarita. With this classic condiment, the garnish opportunities are bountiful.