Grapefruit Gin Fizz Cocktail is a refreshing, pink, low carb, and low calorie skinny mixed drink using no refined sugar made with fresh grapefruit juice, seltzer water, rosemary, and cucumber.

Speaking of gin, during a weekend getaway to nearby historic St Augustine, Florida, my family and I toured  St Augustine Distillery. Their gin is not only delicious; it’s award-winning!

Locally owned and committed to sustainability, St Augustine Distillery offers free daily tours that are informative and entertaining.

Would it be saying too much to share that we now take the tour whenever we’re in the area? And yes, there are free samples—did you have to ask?

Whenever we’re in St Augustine, we always find our way to a lovely local spot called The Floridian.  

The vibe at The Floridian is just like its name suggests—it’s charming, oozing with Florida’s laidback beach energy and cozy.  

What can I say? Though born and raised in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, I’m happy as a clam down here in the sunny warm south!

This restaurant and bar combo describes its offerings as innovative southern fare for omnivores, herbivores, and locavores—now that’s cute!  

When you take a seat at the Floridian, you can count on food that’s regionally-inspired and full of down-home southern comfort, complete with an extra helping of beachy, old-school with a modern twist, Floridian flair.  

Since The Floridian and the St Augustine Distillery inspired this cocktail recipe, we wanted to be sure to give them a heartfelt shout out!

What’s Gin and Juice Called When Ordering a Drink?

Gin and juice is the description of a fruity drink made of gin and almost any juice. A bartender will often ask you what juice you’d like in your gin and juice cocktail and will give you a choice of whatever bottled juice they have on hand. Most times, the option is grapefruit, orange, or lime juice, or a combination.

Traditionally speaking, a gin and juice cocktail also has a significant amount of added sugar by adding simple syrup.

That is where this recipe for a grapefruit juice and gin fizz cocktail parts ways with tradition.

We cut out added sugar in our gin and juice mixed drink to arrive at a clean, bright, and refreshing gin and juice cocktail. You could even go so far as to call our version of gin and juice refined sugar free, low-carb, and skinny!

Which Juices Mix Well with Gin?

As we’ve mentioned, the most common juices offered when ordering gin and juice mixed drinks is typically citrus, typically either grapefruit, orange, or lime. But don’t let that stop you from trying other favorite fruit juices to change up your grapefruit seltzer cocktail! Mango, apple, and cranberry juices also pair beautifully with gin.

Is Gin and Juice Good For You?

While we aren’t going to advocate that you indulge in our grapefruit gin fizz cocktail with cucumber and rosemary daily, we will say that this mixed drink is undoubtedly healthier than most. For example, our recipe provides you with eighty-eight percent of the daily requirement of vitamin C.

Additionally, we add no refined sugar or other sweetener in this grapefruit juice and gin cocktail recipe. And skipping the sugar is worth noting and makes this mixed drink come in at around 150 calories and very few carbs. This low-carb grapefruit seltzer cocktail is worthy of being thought of as a skinny drink.

If you prefer to add sugar to your mixed drinks, do skip the simple syrup. Instead, add pure maple syrup to sweeten the deal. Raw agave nectar is another natural sweetener that will sweeten your drink in a healthier, less processed way.

What Kind of Seltzer is Best to Mix Cocktails?

We used a little sparkling mineral water such as Perrier as the water of choice in our bubbly low-carb grapefruit seltzer cocktail. We intentionally chose sparkling mineral water for the sake of adding a few nutritious minerals along with the bubbles.

Generally speaking, there are many brands of sparkling waters, or seltzer waters, on the market these days; any should work well to add a nice bit of fizz to your gin and juice and other cocktails.

While we’ve read that the brand Spindrift cucumber seltzer tastes excellent in gin cocktails, we’ve not personally had the pleasure of trying that flavor. However, we have tried the grapefruit, lime, and lemon flavors of that brand—they would each work beautifully in this skinny cocktail.

If you prefer to skip the fizz in your gin fizz cocktail, simply use regular water. Use tap water in the place of seltzer or carbonated mineral water in most mixed drinks without issue.

How to Make Pink Cocktails

The secret to making gorgeous looking natural colored yet inviting cocktails is to use pure ingredients. Nature does so much of the work for us when we give it a chance. Inviting colors, aromas, flavor—nature’s got your back!

We used pure, freshly squeezed red grapefruit juice to achieve our gin fizz’s gorgeous pale pink color.

Creative Ways to Garnish a Mixed Drink 

It’s common practice to garnish a cocktail with a wedge of lime or another citrus, mainly when the mixed drink contains that garnish’s juice.

In this drink, we added a sprig of fresh rosemary and a few slices of cucumber. We include those green elements as a garnish to enhance the earthy, almost swampy notes of the juniper berries used to make the gin.

There’s a note below the recipe describing how to infuse even more of the rosemary and cucumber into this refreshingly lite cocktail.

12 Tasty Plant-Based and Gluten-Free Snacks to Enjoy with Cocktails

Since you’re choosing a healthier, cleaner cocktail, what not round out the evening with a selection of mindful appetizers and snacks?

Here are twelve savory vegan, oil, and gluten-free appetizers and bites to enjoy with your healthier low carb gin fizz:

• Creamy Cashew Garlic Cheese
• Dairy-Free Feta Cheese Dip
• 1-Bowl Pizza Frittata
• Hippie Harvest Tofu Feta Dip
• Oil-Free Spinach Walnut Oregano Pesto
• 3-Step Sage & Cashew Cream Cheese Spread
• Potato Avocado Hummus & Radish Chip Appetizers
• Quick Pickle Cucumber Slices with Fresh Dill
• Cucumber, Mint & Tomato Salad
• Savory Oil-Free Baked Tofu Four Ways
• Cheesy Smashed Chickpea Spread
• Easy Baked Vegan Dip with Spinach & Artichokes

Cheers—Now it’s Time to Share a Low-Carb Gin Fizz!

As always, we’re so glad you’re here—and it’s such a pleasure to share food and drink ideas with you! And on that note, we invite you to reach out and share some vegan food, fun, and this healthier minded cocktail with your friends and family.

People will positively associate with the idea of a plant-based lifestyle when they have the opportunity to spend time in your good and generous company—and then taste and see just how genuinely good it is!

Happy Eating!