The Horse Neck cocktail is remembered for its refreshing ginger flavor with notes of aged alcohol and moderate sweetness. This is one of the few long drinks designed specifically for men, so the drink has taken root in the Navy. Fortress – 10% vol.
Historical information
The first variation appeared in Indiana in the 1890s and was a non-alcoholic mixture of ginger ale, lemon zest and ice.
In 1910, in San Francisco, the recipe was supplemented with bourbon (corn whiskey). According to legend, this was done by a delinquent bartender who wanted to make amends with the owner of the establishment. The alcoholic version was called “Horse’s Neck with a Kick”. The name of the bartender has not been preserved in history.
Europeans replaced bourbon with more affordable brandy in those days. In this version, the Horse Neck cocktail was included in the list of the International Bartenders Association (IBA) in the section “Modern Classics” (Contemporary classics).
The meaning of the name is lost, but it is believed that the long lemon peel, twisted in a spiral, symbolizes the elongated horse neck of a thoroughbred horse.
The cocktail was popular with US Navy officers during World War II. In 1957, the film “The Incident on the Yangtze” appeared on the screens, in which a naval officer drinks “Horse’s Neck”. Since then, this cocktail, along with gin and tonic, has become the main drink at the parties of the US Navy and British officers.
A famous fan of the Horseneck cocktail was Ian Fleming, the author of the James Bond saga. In the book On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, Bond drinks a double portion of the alcoholic Horse Neck.
Cocktail recipe Horse neck
Composition and proportions:
- brandy (cognac) – 40 ml;
- ginger ale – 120 ml;
- Angostura – 2-3 drops;
- lemon zest – from 1 fruit;
- ice cubes – 200 g.
The classic version uses cognac or other grape brandy, but for the American style, you can take bourbon or Canadian rye whiskey. The taste will change a little.
Ginger ale is a sweet non-alcoholic soda based on ginger, caramel and corn fructose. The drink has nothing to do with beer. Sold in supermarkets.
Angostura is a Venezuelan bitter that is added a couple of drops to cocktails to enhance the flavor.
Preparation
1. Fill a tall glass (highball) with ice.
2. Pour in brandy and ginger ale. Mix.
3. Drop a few drops of Angostura.
4. Decorate the finished cocktail with a long lemon zest (the spiral should pass through the entire glass). Can be served with or without a straw.
