Rediscovering the Rickey
T.S. Eliot began his landmark poem, The Waste Land, with the memorable line, “April is the cruelest month.”
Eliot obviously never spent July or August in Washington, D.C.
Considering the hair-melting heat to be found in the nation’s capital during summer’s peak, it’s not surprising that the city’s primary contribution to mixology is the long, cooling drink known as the Rickey. As Jason Wilson writes in today’s Washington Post, the combination of spirit (originally bourbon, but more commonly made with gin), lime juice, and soda water was named for Colonel Joe Rickey, a former Confederate soldier and longtime lobbyist. He is credited with first combining the ingredients sometime around the turn of the last century at Shoemaker’s Bar, a Capitol Hill watering hole.
With the summer heat once again at hand, the D.C. Craft Bartenders Guild declared July as Rickey Month, and bartenders devised their own 21st century version of the venerable drink. Wilson took an extended crawl through participating establishments, experiencing rickeys ranging from a more-or-less classic version made with bourbon, ginger and honey, to more off-the-wall modern-day versions such as one made with herb-infused shochu and yuzu juice.
I have yet to try the version made with gin and a housemade black pepper & lime soda, but with the temperature in my own part of the country venturing into the hot and sticky realm, the timeless gin rickey seems mighty appealing. What are you finding yourself turning to this summer to help you beat the heat? We’ve still got to make our way through August, so keep the drink suggestions coming.
About the author: Paul Clarke blogs about cocktails at The Cocktail Chronicles and writes regularly on spirits and cocktails for Imbibe magazine. He lives in Seattle, where he works as a writer and magazine editor.
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7 Comments:
How about the Rickey that is a half margarita / half Dos Equis pint from Diablo Royale in NYC? Any thoughts?
burgerluver at 6:25PM on 08/06/08
The rickey is like gin tonic except saltier rather than sweet. If you want something refreshing you should try the french pastis known as ricard or a good old mojito.
xutopia at 6:29PM on 08/06/08
For a really refreshing summer drink, forget about Rickeys and just
mix your favorite vodka with lots of ice, some lemon essence sparkling water and garnish with a lemon slice.
Now you're talking.
toolminer at 10:00PM on 08/06/08
yeah i'm from dc originally and august is indeed unbearable to an insane degree. not that nyc is much better. my favorite cool down drink is indeed the classic mojito. when done to perfection, there really is nothing better on a sweltering evening. well, a corona with a slice of lime comes close :)
sarahlucy at 11:10AM on 08/07/08
Pimm's #1 Cup with ginger ale and a slice of cucumber. Very very refreshing.
blueskyman at 11:50AM on 08/07/08
I love lime rickeys! add a dash of Chambourd or (cheaper) Razzmatazz for a Delish Raspberry Lime Rickey!! Brighams in Massachusetts (best ice cream in the world, by far...) used to serve Lime Rickeys and Raspberry Lime Rickeys (alcohol free, of course) using sweetened lime syrups, raspberry syrups and soda. Nothing was more refreshing on a sweltering summer day in Boston!
juliebugsmama at 1:29PM on 08/07/08
Colonel Joe Rickey was a distant relative of mine. We were always raised with the story that the drink was named after a relative (my mom always said "somebody in politics, my grandparents were more specific).... As children we enjoyed the non-alcoholic version at the local ice cream place.
cmtigger at 1:27AM on 08/09/08