Rickey
Also known as: gin rickey, lime rickey
In short
The rickey is the austere relative of the soda family: spirit, lime and soda, entirely without sugar. We explain the story of Colonel Joe Rickey and the distinction from Collins and buck.
In depth
What is a rickey?
The rickey is the austere relative of the soda family: spirit, lime and soda, and deliberately without any sugar. Dry, tart and refreshing, a drink for throats that do not need anything sweet. The history is well documented: the rickey is named after Colonel Joe Rickey, a lobbyist in Washington who drank his bourbon with soda at Shoomaker's bar in the 1880s, and the variation with lime became known as his drink. Later the gin rickey became the family's favorite.
What makes a rickey
- No sugar: the definition is the absence, you will search in vain for sweet here
- The lime: squeezed and into the glass, peel and juice provide the tang
- Soda fresh: only right before serving, the bubbles make the character
Distinction: rickey, Collins and buck
The Collins is the built sour with soda and sugar, the rickey leaves out the sugar, and the buck swaps the soda for ginger: three soda relatives, each with its own character, more on the siblings in our Collins and buck entries.
Remember: the punch is the big round, the sling the simple formula, the rickey the dry variant, the spritz the Italian evening, the nog the velvety family.
At our lounge
If you like it dry, the rickey is the right call: lime, soda, spirit, nothing more is needed, and that is exactly the point. Feel free to ask about our version.