Cocktail Curiosities

Odd, Forgotten, and Historical Cocktails

Horse’s Neck

This cocktail was originally a mocktail. In the 1900s, it was a non-alcoholic drink but was later made into a long drink due to the addition of brandy or bourbon. It is said that U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt enjoyed this drink without the alcohol. He would order a ‘horse’s neck’ during lengthy gatherings or occasions.

When it comes to art and pop culture of the time, you’ll hear this cocktail name come up in several movies made in the 1930s and other films made in the 70s and 80s. This drink is regarded as something refreshing and is recommended for days that are warmer than usual. In some places, it is considered a kind of drink perfect for a derby.

You might wonder why it has a quirky name, but the answer is pretty simple. It is called a horse’s neck because the long lemon peel hanging over the rim of the glass resembles a horse’s neck. This simple, often two-ingredient drink is hard to hate. It’s straightforward, and there’s a reason why it was enjoyed during the 1900s. No fuss, easy, and refreshing too!

What You’ll Need

• 2 ounces bourbon or brandy or whisky

• Ginger ale

• Lemon

• Ice

Procedure

• Add some ice into a Collins glass or any similar tall glass.

• Pour in your choice of bourbon or brandy.

• Fill to the top with ginger ale.

• Using a paring knife or a peeler, gently peel a lemon, creating one long spiral piece.

• Add this to the drink, making sure that one end of the peel hangs on the rim of the glass, and let the rest of the peel float in the drink. The spiral peel should be seen from the top to the bottom of the glass.

Tips

• For added flavor, you may add a couple of dashes of Angostura Bitters.

• To strengthen the drink, you may switch ginger ale for ginger beer.

• If you want to change the type of liquor. You can try to recreate this drink, but use rum instead of brandy or whisky.

• To create one long lemon peel, it’s best to start from one side of the lemon and peel as you go around the fruit until you reach the other end. You’ll need to create a peel that’s a few inches long for this drink to really get the right effect when it comes to the garnish. Don’t forget to fold a small piece of the peel over the rim to secure it in place and, of course, create the horse’s neck effect.