This post was created in partnership with The Naked Turtle White Rum.
Despite the fact that there’s already Halloween candy in the stores and everyone on the internet is obsessing over back-to-school food, I’m over here soaking up the last days of summer and throwing shade at all the people who keep announcing that fall is here.
FALL IS NOT HERE. Check your calendars, people. That glorious season begins on September 22, A.K.A. five weeks from now.
Five. Weeks.
I don’t know about you, but five more weeks of summer sounds like a whole heck of a lot of time left to go to the beach, load up on late summer produce at the Farmer’s Market, take a spontaneous weekend road trip, eat dinner outside, make all the s’mores, and drink all the summery cocktails.
Who’s with me?
Let’s chat about alcohol for a minute. Specifically, about sourcing high quality alcohol.
It can be overwhelming to walk into a liquor store and try to pick out a bottle of anything, let alone a bottle of rum. Not only are there endless options, but most alcohol companies aren’t completely transparent about their values up front. I strongly believe in the power of the ‘vote with your dollar’ slogan, but it can be difficult to do so when you don’t have all the facts available to you.
As is clear on my Pantry Staples page, I prefer to purchase from companies that hold themselves to high standards (read: fair trade, organic, sustainable), but I find it difficult to walk into a liquor store and uphold those values. Not only is there a limited selection of organic/sustainable alcohol in the average liquor store, but the average bottle doesn’t even list the ingredients, so there’s no way to know what’s actually in that expensive bottle on the shelf. 
Enter The Naked Turtle White Rum.
The Naked Turtle Rum is made from high quality sugarcane molasses and water from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Yup, that’s it. It’s distilled five times and bottled “naked”, which means it isn’t stored in an oak barrel and lets the pure sugarcane molasses flavor shine. It’s crisp, clear, and has subtle notes of molasses and caramel that goes oh so perfectly with grilled pineapple, if I do say so myself. The Naked Turtle Rum also happens to be gluten-free and preservative-free, which is pretty great, too!
The best part about The Naked Turtle Rum, other than it’s mellow, sugarcane-infused flavor, is the fact that every single bottle of rum saves a sea turtle through their partnership with The Sea Turtle Conservancy.
Let me repeat myself: every bottle of The Naked Turtle saves a sea turtle. Yes!!
Since 2012, over 234,000 sea turtles have been saved, just from rum purchases!
So, since today is National Rum Day (what, you didn’t know?), let’s celebrate by sipping on a Grilled Pineapple & Mint Mojito and trying to make this planet better for our sea turtle friends. 
This Mojito is rather simple:
6 ingredients
10-ish minutes (depending on how quickly you can grill up some pineapple!)
BIG summertime flavors
A little bit sweet and smoky from the grilled pineapple
Slightly spicy
And oh, so refreshing
What’s not to love?
It goes like this:
Thinly slice and grill up some pineapple (on your outdoor grill or inside on a grill pan!)
Muddle pineapple, jalapeno slices, mint, and lime juice in the bottom of a glass
Add The Naked Turtle White Rum
Cover with crushed ice
Top with seltzer water, stir gently
Add a sprig of mint, a slice of lime, and a wedge of grilled pineapple on top to make it look extra fancy
DRINK.
See? Easy peasy. 
Let’s enjoy the last five weeks of summer in style! I’m thinking a backyard barbecue, a pitcher of mojitos, and plenty of s’mores ingredients for after dark will do the trick.
If you make this cocktail, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram!
This post is sponsored by The Naked Turtle Rum, a company committed to sea turtle conservation while making the highest quality rum from sugarcane molasses. All opinions are my own and I think The Naked Turtle is pretty darn awesome!
Grilled Pineapple & Jalapeno Mojitos
Ingredients
- Half of a ripe pineapple 8oz of pre-sliced fresh pineapple works, too!*
- 2 limes
- 1/2 cup mint leaves
- 1 jalapeno**
- 8 oz Naked Turtle White Rum
- crushed ice
- 16 oz unflavored seltzer water
Instructions
- 1. Turn your grill on to high (or heat a grill pan on the stove).
- 2. Cut the pineapple into 1/4-inch slices, and grill for about 1-2 minutes per side, or until grill marks appear. (To cut a pineapple, first slice off the top and bottom. Then stand it up, and use a knife to cut off the skin. Once you're pineapple is naked, cut in in half lengthwise, then in half again, and then cut out the core from each piece. For this recipe, you only need half of the pineapple. Save the rest for snacking!)
- 2. Thinly slice the jalapeno, and cut the limes in half.
- 3. Divide the jalapeno slices, pineapple, and mint between 4 (at least 12-oz) glasses. Squeeze half of a lime into each glass, and muddle everything together (crush/smash). If you don't own a muddler, the handle of a wooden spoon will work just fine.
- 4. Add 2oz of rum to each glass and fill with crushed ice. Top with seltzer water, and stir. Drink responsibly! If desired, garnish with an extra sprig of mint and a slice of pineapple and/or lime.
Notes
**Using 1 jalapeno gives these drinks a mild background note of heat. If you'd prefer a spicier drink, try using 2 jalapenos or a spicier chili like Serrano or Habanero.
This recipe can be doubled, and made in a pitcher, to make drinks for a bigger crowd.