Gin Rickey (1900)

Johnson's pieces of ice

Harry Johnson's 1900 Bartenders' Manual gives the Rickey one or two pieces of ice. Nearby drinks on the same page use fine shaved ice. That small detail resists a neat history in which one form of ice suddenly replaced the other across a whole bar.

Different drinks already asked for different cold arrangements. A Rickey could be built around a few pieces, while shaved ice packed another glass much more closely. In the historic ice article, Johnson's serving sits beside three earlier Thomas recipes to show the range.

The source calls for the juice of a good-sized lime or two small ones, Tom or Holland gin, and a carbonated top-up in a medium fizz glass. It finishes with a spoon. Our measured London Dry highball keeps the gin-lime-soda idea, with its specific changes noted below.

Rickey or something sweeter?

A dry highball is a useful description when offering this cocktail. It helps someone choose without needing to know a historical bar name. Lime is sharp, soda is unsweetened, and the spirit remains part of every sip.

Old Tom gin is an option in the notes, but it changes the profile. Keep that choice separate from reaching for tonic water: tonic supplies its own sweetness and bitterness and would make another drink.

Fresh lime is worth squeezing for the recipe. Measure the juice once the seeds are out, then use the spent half as directed. A small lime doesn't become a standardized juice measure just because it's neatly shaped.

Cold ingredients simplify the last pour

The Rickey is built in its serving glass, leaving the shaker free for another cocktail. That makes it a helpful choice on a menu beside a foamed drink or a citrus sour with several straining steps.

Chill the soda beforehand. A cold mixer helps the ice last, and a brief stir is enough to join it to the lime and gin. Prolonged stirring and a jug of finished Rickeys left standing would sacrifice the lively part of the pour.

Large clear pieces are the modern presentation, leaving room between them for the liquid and lime. You can see the drink change as the ice melts. Its first tart sip gradually becomes a little longer and lighter.

For a gathering, work out the total ingredient amounts in advance, but build each glass separately. The person choosing a Rickey is asking for something straightforward; fresh lime and cold soda deserve more attention than adding another decoration.