
Ginger Rogers was one of those rare celebrities who neither smoked nor drank alcohol, which was due to her Christian Science beliefs. She explains in her biography, “Ginger: My Story,” that she “shunned alcohol,” but one of her favorite beverages was, interestingly, ginger ale. She later added that she loved hosting parties but served cold drinks instead of alcohol, and one of her favorite indulgences was ice cream sodas, according to The Washington Post. Despite her aversion to alcohol, cocktail lovers can enjoy a drink specifically made in her honor. And it’s no surprise, considering she is one of America’s most iconic stars — there are drinks named after celebs like silent film stars Charlie Chaplin and Mary Pickford.
The Ginger Rogers is simple to concoct and a pleasant summertime cocktail. Unsurprisingly, the ingredients include gin, ginger, and ginger ale, which pay homage to the star’s famous name (and her personal preferences). The recipe also includes lime juice and mint leaves.
Bartender Marcovaldo Dionysos created the Ginger Rogers in 1995 in Portland, Oregon, according to Post Prohibition. He shortly thereafter moved to San Francisco and built the bar menu at Absinthe Brasserie & Bar, where the most popular cocktail on the menu was his creation, the Ginger Rogers. He told Eater during a 2013 interview that the bar sold about 1,000 Ginger Rogers a month, and the beverage maintained its popularity over a decade later.