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Have you tried the simple and refreshing cocktail called the Bourbon Rickey?
Coming in at only 3 ingredients, this classic cocktail couldn’t be easier to stir up and is guaranteed to quench your thirst.
If you love a bourbon cocktail, you’ll definitely want to add this classic drink to your repertoire.
What is a Bourbon Rickey?
A Bourbon Rickey is a simple mix of bourbon, fresh lime juice and soda water.
The Bourbon Rickey cocktail was named for the Democratic lobbyist Colonel Joe Rickey, who is known more for his namesake cocktail than his political achievements.
According to legend, Colonel Rickey was known to enjoy beverages at Shoomaker’s bar in Washington, DC back in the late 1800s. He preferred cocktails made without sugar, so his typical drink order consisted simply of bourbon and soda water.
With the help of bartender George Williamson, who added freshly squeezed lime juice to the mix, the Bourbon Rickey was born.
Although the Bourbon Rickey was the original Rickey, it’s often outshined by the Gin Rickey, which was and is still the better-known Rickey.
What’s in a Bourbon Rickey
Here’s what you’ll need to create this super simple and very refreshing cocktail:
- Quality bourbon
- Fresh lime juice
- Club soda
How to Make a Bourbon Rickey
A Rickey’s usual order is ice, bourbon, lime juice and soda. I like to do it a little differently.
Pour the bourbon into a tall glass. Then, squeeze fresh lime juice into the glass. Gently stir the bourbon and lime juice together.
Then, put in the ice.
Top off the glass with club soda and give it another gentle stir. Garnish your drink with a lime half or two.
Drinks that are similar to the Bourbon Rickey
If you fall in love with the Bourbon Rickey, here are a few others to try:
1. Gin Rickey. The better-known Rickey swaps out bourbon for dry gin. The rest of the ingredients are exactly the same. A Gin Rickey is supremely refreshing on a hot summer day.
2. Whiskey Sour. Similar to the Rickey, the Sour leaves out the soda water and adds sugar. So the ingredients are whiskey (or bourbon), citrus juice (usually lemon) and simple syrup. This delicious cocktail is often garnished with a frothy egg white.
3. Whiskey Collins. The Collins keeps all three ingredients of the Rickey and adds one more: sugar (or simple syrup).
When you make this Bourbon Rickey cocktail, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Cheers!
For more drink recipes, try these:
How to Make a Bourbon Rickey (Easy Cocktail Recipe)
Ingredients
- 3 oz. bourbon
- 1.5 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice
- sparkling water to top off
Instructions
- Pour bourbon into a highball glass. Gently stir in the lime juice.
- Fill the glass with ice. Top off with sparkling water. Stir gently.
- Garnish with fresh lime wedges.
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