The Horse's Neck with a kick is a drink that evolved from the classic non-alcoholic Horse's Neck drink. It's usually garnished with a long, spiraled lemon peel that' also responsible for the name of the cocktail. The end of the peel protrudes beyond the glass and resembles - admittedly, with a bit of imagination - the look of a horse head.
The drink a typical representative of the Highballs, a specific type of cocktail commonly made with only two ingredients.
Ingredients to make this Highball
- The spirit: The base of the drink is either Cognac or Bourbon. Both works, but, personally, I prefer the Cognac-based version. Either way, you should opt for a quality spirit as there's no way to hide in this highball.
- The filler: the Ginger ale, should be ice cold. That way, the drink will water down a lot slower, giving you more time to enjoy it. Ideally, you serve the Horse's Neck in a long and tall Highball glass using a collins ice stick. Collins ice sticks are long and skinny ice sticks specifically designed for use in Collins and Highball glasses.
- The mixer: To make the drink perfect, you should add two dashes of Angostura bitters.
- The garnish: And naturally, the mandatory thin lemon peel must not be missing. When done right, the result is a sweet, spicy, and refreshing cocktail.
History of the Horse's Neck cocktail
In the late 1800s, the Horse's Neck was merely a non-alcoholic refreshment. The beverage consisted of ginger ale, cocktail bitters, lots of ice, and a long lemon peel. It took until 1910 that the drink evolved into the so-called Horse's Neck with a kick, also called a Stiff Horse's Neck, spiked with Brandy.
The traditional non-alcoholic version was not immediately off the map. In the state of New York, the refreshing soft drink got poured on a regular basis until the 1960s. After that, the original version became more and more forgotten. And eventually, the drink was popular only in its alcoholic form.
These days, the IBA lists the drink under the "Contemporary" category. Their recipe uses Cognac - a specific type of Brandy. However, the base spirit is subject to change. Often, you will find recipes that suggest making the Horse's Neck with Bourbon, sometimes also Rye Whiskey. A Canadian variation named the Rye & Ginger even requires Canadian Whiskey.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Cognac (alternatively Bourbon)
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 3 oz Fever Tree Ginger Ale
- 1 Long and thin lemon peel for garnish
Instructions
- Spiral the Lemon peel along the inner side of a chilled highball glass.1 Long and thin lemon peel
- Put ice cubes or a collins ice stick in the glass and carefully add the Cognac.1.5 oz Cognac
- Fill up with ginger ale and gently stir the drink with a bar spoon3 oz Fever Tree Ginger Ale
- Add two dashes of Angostura bitters. Cheers2 dashes Angostura bitters