One Base, Three Strengths: A 0%, Low-ABV & Full-Strength Cocktail Menu

One flavor family, three different pours

A mixed group does not need three unrelated drinks. This menu keeps the same pineapple-lime-ginger profile in every glass. The only thing that changes is the amount of white rum and soda water.

That matters because simply removing the spirit from a cocktail can leave the drink thin, overly sweet or out of balance. Here, the 0% version gets more soda, the low-ABV version gets a small measured rum pour, and the full-strength version gets a standard 60 ml / 2 oz pour.

• 0%: bright, gingery and sparkling, with no rum
• Low-ABV: about 5.1% ABV, light but still clearly cocktail-like
• Full strength: about 12.3% ABV, with a full 60 ml / 2 oz rum pour

The ABV estimates assume 40% ABV rum and 0.0% mixers, before meaningful dilution from melting ice. If strict 0.0% matters, check the ginger beer label: some products called ginger beer contain alcohol.

Make the pineapple-lime base once

The shared base is deliberately simple. Pineapple brings fruit and body, while fresh lime keeps the drink bright enough to work with or without rum. Ginger beer and soda stay separate until serving so every glass keeps its bubbles.

Shared base for 8 drinks

• 480 ml / 16 oz pineapple juice, chilled
• 120 ml / 4 oz fresh lime juice

1. Pour the pineapple juice and lime juice into a clean jug or lidded bottle.
2. Stir or shake gently until combined.
3. Refrigerate until cold. Measure 75 ml / 2.5 oz of base for each drink.

Make-ahead tip: Prepare the base up to about 4 hours before serving and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Keep the ginger beer and soda water unopened and cold until the first drink is poured.

Do not sweeten the whole base before you test a finished glass. Pineapple juice and ginger beer vary a lot in sweetness, so the best adjustment is made after you taste the complete drink.

Build the three strengths

Version 1: 0% Pineapple-Lime Ginger Fizz

This is not the cocktail with the rum simply removed. Extra soda keeps the glass long, cold and lively while the ginger beer gives it enough bite to feel finished.

• Serves: 1
• Approx. ABV: 0% if all mixers are labelled 0.0%
• Taste: fruity, zesty, gingery and sparkling

Ingredients

• 75 ml / 2.5 oz pineapple-lime base
• 60 ml / 2 oz chilled non-alcoholic ginger beer
• 60 ml / 2 oz chilled soda water
• Ice
• Lime wheel or small pineapple wedge, optional

How to make it

1. Fill a highball glass with ice and add the pineapple-lime base.
2. Pour in the ginger beer and soda water.
3. Stir once or twice, garnish if you like and serve immediately.

Quick tip: If it tastes too sweet, replace 15 ml / 0.5 oz of the ginger beer with the same amount of soda water. If it tastes too sharp, replace 5 ml / 0.2 oz of the soda with 5 ml / 0.2 oz simple syrup.

If you want more alcohol-free drinks built around bubbles, citrus and proper balance, try our non-alcoholic spritz recipes.

Version 2: Light Pineapple Rum Ginger

A 25 ml / 0.85 oz rum pour gives this version a clear rum note without pushing the drink anywhere near the full-strength build. It lands at about 5.1% ABV before ice dilution when made with 40% ABV rum.

• Serves: 1
• Approx. ABV: 5.1% before ice dilution
• Taste: bright, gently rummy, gingery and refreshing

Ingredients

• 75 ml / 2.5 oz pineapple-lime base
• 25 ml / 0.85 oz white rum, ideally around 40% ABV
• 60 ml / 2 oz chilled non-alcoholic ginger beer
• 35 ml / 1.2 oz chilled soda water
• Ice
• Lime wheel or small pineapple wedge, optional

How to make it

1. Fill a highball glass with ice and add the base and measured rum.
2. Add the ginger beer and soda water.
3. Stir gently, garnish if you like and serve cold.

Quick tip: Measure the rum. This version only stays meaningfully lighter if the 25 ml / 0.85 oz pour stays consistent.

For more deliberately lighter drinks with estimated strength in every glass, see our low-ABV cocktail guide.

Version 3: Full-Strength Pineapple Rum Ginger

This is the fullest version of the same drink: a standard 60 ml / 2 oz rum pour, the same pineapple-lime base and the same amount of ginger beer. There is no extra soda, so the rum is more noticeable and the finish is richer.

• Serves: 1
• Approx. ABV: 12.3% before ice dilution
• Taste: tropical, lively, rum-forward and still refreshing

Ingredients

• 75 ml / 2.5 oz pineapple-lime base
• 60 ml / 2 oz white rum, ideally around 40% ABV
• 60 ml / 2 oz chilled non-alcoholic ginger beer
• Ice
• Lime wheel or small pineapple wedge, optional

How to make it

1. Fill a highball glass with ice and add the base and rum.
2. Top with the ginger beer.
3. Stir gently, garnish if you like and serve immediately.

Quick tip: If this feels stronger than you want, replace 15–30 ml / 0.5–1 oz of the rum with the same amount of soda water. You keep the same fruit-and-ginger profile while moving the drink toward the lighter build.

The three-strength build at a glance

• 0%: 75 ml base + 0 ml rum + 60 ml ginger beer + 60 ml soda water = 195 ml / 6.6 oz
• Low-ABV: 75 ml base + 25 ml rum + 60 ml ginger beer + 35 ml soda water = 195 ml / 6.6 oz, about 5.1% ABV
• Full strength: 75 ml base + 60 ml rum + 60 ml ginger beer = 195 ml / 6.6 oz, about 12.3% ABV

Keeping the final liquid volume the same makes the comparison easier. The fruit and ginger stay familiar; the rum increases while the neutral soda decreases.

How to serve all three without mixing them up

Use the same glass, ice and garnish for all three versions. That makes the table feel intentional instead of making the alcohol-free drink look like the backup option.

• Label the 0% option clearly. A small card beside the glass or base is enough.
• Keep the rum separate from the shared base. Never add alcohol to the jug everyone is using.
• Measure every alcoholic pour. The whole point of this menu is that “light” and “full” mean something consistent.
• Use a separate clean measure for strict 0.0% service. This is especially useful when avoiding even trace alcohol matters.
• Keep the bubbles cold and closed. Open ginger beer and soda only when you are ready to serve.

Make it ahead for a party

For eight drinks, the 600 ml / 20 oz pineapple-lime base is the only part you need to prepare in advance. Each guest can then choose a strength when you pour.

• Shared base: 600 ml / 20 oz total
• Ginger beer: 480 ml / 16 oz total for 8 drinks
• Soda water: up to 480 ml / 16 oz if all 8 drinks are 0%
• White rum: 25 ml / 0.85 oz for each light drink, or 60 ml / 2 oz for each full-strength drink
• Maximum rum needed if all 8 choose full strength: 480 ml / 16 oz

A standard 700–750 ml bottle of rum is therefore more than enough for eight full-strength pours, with some left unopened if the group chooses a mix of strengths.

If you would rather offer three genuinely different drinks instead of one shared flavor family, our three-drink party menu for 8 guests uses one short shopping list across two cocktails and a mocktail.

Planning for a bigger crowd? Use our party drinks quantity guide to estimate total servings, alcohol-free options, water and ice before you shop.

Adjust the taste without breaking the system

Make small changes in the individual glass rather than changing the entire shared base. That way one sweeter pineapple juice or one stronger ginger beer does not throw all three versions off at once.

• Too sweet: replace 15–30 ml / 0.5–1 oz ginger beer with the same amount of soda water.
• Too sharp: replace 5 ml / 0.2 oz soda water with 5 ml / 0.2 oz simple syrup in the 0% or light version. For the full version, add 5 ml / 0.2 oz simple syrup only if it genuinely needs it.
• Too gingery: reduce the ginger beer by 15–30 ml / 0.5–1 oz and replace it with soda water.
• Too strong: reduce the rum and replace the missing volume with soda water. The drink becomes lighter without needing a new recipe.
• Too flat: use colder, freshly opened ginger beer and soda. Warm or tired bubbles make this style taste heavier and sweeter.

FAQ

Does low-ABV mean alcohol-free?

No. The light version still contains rum and is about 5.1% ABV before ice dilution when made with 40% ABV rum. Only the 0% version is alcohol-free, and strict 0.0% depends on the labels of every mixer you use.

Can I use ginger ale instead of ginger beer?

Yes. Use it in the same quantity, but expect a softer and usually sweeter drink. You may want a little more lime or soda water to keep the finish fresh.

Can I use dark rum?

You can, but it will make the full-strength version richer and more molasses-led. White or lightly aged rum keeps all three glasses closer to the same bright pineapple-lime profile.

Can I make the shared base the day before?

It is better the same day. Fresh lime tastes brightest when recently squeezed. For easy hosting, mix the pineapple and lime up to about 4 hours ahead, cover and refrigerate.

What if I need a strict 0.0% drink?

Check that the ginger beer and every packaged mixer are labelled 0.0%, and use clean measuring tools that have not just been used for rum. Keep the alcohol-free glass and ingredients clearly separate during service.

One base, everyone chooses the pour

Make the pineapple-lime base, chill the bubbles and put the rum beside the jigger instead of inside the batch. Then each glass can be 0%, light or full strength without turning your kitchen into three different cocktail stations.

Same flavor family. Same good-looking glass. Just the strength that works for the person drinking it.