Supposedly the descendant of the “Joe Rickey”, a mixture of bourbon, lime, and carbonated water, the Gin Rickey emerged as a summery alternative. Originally concocted in Washington, D.C., the Rickey is the native drink; they even have Rickey Month in July. While this delicious refreshing drink is almost infinitely riffable, let’s start with how to make a basic.
Gin Rickey
The Gin Rickey is easy going, simple, and refreshing. The pucker of lime is gentled by the addition of simple and club soda. The brightness keeps the drink refreshing, and the slight notes of herbs and spices from the gin add a little extra dimension.
Drink Notes & Recommendations
The Gin Rickey is simple, and therefore provides a starting base to riff on. Want to make give your Rickey a little ting of fruitiness? Replace some or all of the simple with Creme de Cassis or Apricot flavored liquor. Want to make it spicy? Add a dash of bitters. Looking for more complexity? Try some pastis or absinthe. The sky is really the limit.
Some will argue that the addition of simple here is in error. In many of the recipes we encountered for Gin Rickey’s the instructions suggest squeezing half a lime into the drink. We don’t recommend this method due to the variability in limes. You could end up with anywhere from just under a ¼ oz to almost ¾ oz of juice. The results become to variable. We also found that 1 oz of lime juice gives the drink a more refreshing, less gin forward character. With the amount of acidity that 1 oz of lime juice presents, it’s best to mitigate with some sweetness.
These are our recommendations of course, and we encourage you to experiment. As a starting point for a sugar free Gin Rickey, cut the lime juice to ½ oz and remove the simple syrup.
- Gin – Beefeater is our choice, but any London Dry Gin will do.
- Lime Juice – Use fresh squeezed as always.
- Simple Syrup – A traditional 1:1 water to sugar simple is most often used here.
- Garnish – A standard lime wedge is all you need.
- Glassware – The traditional recommendation here is a highball. We recommend a highball, but you can substitute a Collins glass in a pinch.
- Ice – Start your ice 70% of the way up your glass when pouring your shaken cocktail over. Add club, and top with additional ice if needed.
