How to Make a Gin Rickey
Updated: Dec. 14, 2022
Just add club soda to a splash of gin and freshly squeezed lime juice, and you've got a refreshing gin rickey.
The rickey got its start in the 1880s, but gained popularity as a gin cocktail during the early 20th century. F. Scott Fitzgerald was a particular fan of gin cocktails. In his classic 1920s-era novel The Great Gatsby, the character Tom Buchanan makes a batch of gin rickeys to share on a broiling hot summer’s day.
What Is a Gin Rickey?
The gin rickey is named for Joe Rickey, a lobbyist in 19th century Washington, D.C. The drink was created in 1883 at Rickey’s request at a bar called Shoomaker’s. Though the original rickey featured bourbon, in subsequent years gin surpassed bourbon as the liquor of choice in this refreshing cocktail.
Find more vintage-inspired gin cocktails to wet your whistle.
Gin Rickey vs. Gin and Tonic
The main difference between a gin rickey and a gin and tonic is the use of club soda in lieu of tonic water. But a rickey also gets a squeeze of lime juice in addition to a lime garnish.
Not sure what the difference is between club soda and tonic water? Here’s how to tell the two apart.
How to Make a Gin Rickey
The recipe below makes one drink.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces gin
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice (from 1 lime)
- Club soda, to top
- Lime wheels or wedge, for garnish
Instructions
Step 1: Ice, ice baby
Fill a highball or Collins glass with ice. No need to fret over which glass. The Collins is only slightly taller and both can be used for similar drinks.
Step 2: Simply pour it together
Pour the gin and lime juice into the glass. No need to shake or stir.
Step 3: Make it sparkle
Top with club soda.
Step 4: Put a lime in it
Garnish with a lime wheel or lime wedge. Or, if you want to make it extra fancy, use a mandoline to cut thin slices of fresh lime. (Here’s how to use a mandoline safely.) Use a chopstick or thin knife to carefully slide the slices down the walls of the glass pre-filled with ice; the ice will help keep the lime wheels in place.
Gin Rickey Variations
You can easily switch up the flavor of a gin rickey by replacing the club soda with flavored soda water. (Grapefruit sparkling water would be a delicious choice.) In addition to switching gin for bourbon, other rickey variations include using brandy, tequila or rum as the liquor of choice.
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Originally Published: November 15, 2019
