The Gin Rickey
A Gin Rickey Cocktail Recipe
One of the best old time cocktails is the Gin Rickey. This simple highball includes: gin, lime juice and club soda, so it is very refreshing on a hot summer day and it is a fantastic change from the all to often Gin & Tonic which i seem to still be sipping on from the last post i did. I love Gin.
Washington D.C. was the birthplace of this cocktail, and we know D.C. is the home of government. There is also a popular politician’s hang out called Shoomaker’s. The recipe for the Gin Rickey was dedicated to one of those congressmen, and named after him. “Joe” Rickey was a old time lobbyist who died 1903. He was one of the popular guys in political circles of the day and regularly entertained the elected officials as part of his job.
The bartender commemorated a cocktail in Joe’s honour. He named this cocktail after Mr. Rickey passed on. Over the years, it was a nice little bit of gratitude from a bartender after years of patronage by a faithful and friendly customer.
So what goes in a Gin Rickey?
- 2 oz Gin, Tanqueray or Beefeater London Dry Gin are best
- Juice from a nicely ripened lime
- Club Soda
- a freshly cut Lime Wedge
Preparation:
- Fill tall glass (highball glass) with ice
- Pour lime juice and gin into the glass
- Top with club soda (gently stir 3 times not disturbing the “CO2″ bubbles)
- Garnish And Enjoy
My guess is if Old Joe were more of a martini drinker, he probably would have sipped this juniper flavoured tall drink out of a classier glass.