Rickey
Hailing from the United States, Rickey is a much-loved cocktail.
About Rickey
Hailing from the United States, Rickey is a much-loved cocktail. Key ingredients include lime.
🏛️ History & Culture
The Rickey is a classic American cocktail believed to have originated in Washington, D.C. during the late 19th century, though the exact details are debated. It is often attributed to a lobbyist named Rickey, who reportedly requested a drink made with bourbon, lime, and soda water at a local bar, but no single account is universally confirmed. The gin rickey, swapping bourbon for gin, soon became equally popular, and both versions remain staples of the cocktail canon.
Regionally, the rickey is most associated with the East Coast, especially the D.C. area, but it gained national fame as a refreshing summer drink. Its simple formula—lime juice, spirit, and carbonated water—has inspired non-alcoholic variants like the lime rickey soda, which became a popular fountain drink. The cocktail’s cultural significance lies in its role as an early example of the “sour” family, showcasing how a few fresh ingredients could create a balanced, enduring drink that still appears on modern bar menus.
🍳 How to make Rickey
AI-assisted, not kitchen-testedRickey (Lime Rickey)
A classic American highball born in Washington, D.C. around the 1880s, the Rickey is a tart, bubbly cocktail built on lime, gin or bourbon, and soda water. It's the kind of drink that rewards a generous squeeze of fresh lime and very cold ice.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Total
- 5 min
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
Recipe ingredients
- 60 ml (¼ cup) gin or bourbon, gin = Gin Rickey; bourbon = Bourbon Rickey, the original 1880s version
- 1 whole lime, fresh, for juice and a wedge for garnish
- 120 ml (½ cup) soda water, chilled; club soda works too
- 120 g (1 cup) ice cubes, enough to fill a highball glass
Steps
- 1 Fill a highball glass (about 350 ml / 12 oz) to the top with ice cubes.
- 2 Squeeze the juice of half a lime (about 15 ml / 1 tbsp) directly over the ice. Drop in the squeezed lime shell — the original Rickey is not shaken or stirred.
- 3 Pour 60 ml (¼ cup) of gin or bourbon over the ice and lime.
- 4 Top with 120 ml (½ cup) cold soda water.
- 5 Give it one gentle stir just to combine, then garnish with a fresh lime wedge. Serve immediately while very cold and fizzy.
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✅ Before you go to United States
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