Is the Gin Rickey perfect for summer?
Why yes, it is! Arguably one of the most popular summer gin cocktails around the globe, this pretty drink is tailormade for those sweltering days when all you can think about is an ice-cold cocktail that will cool you off without weighing you down.
During summer, many people like to keep things on the lighter end of the spectrum, which is why the caloric value of the Gin Rickey, at 146 calories, is quite a nice deal. Folks who are focussed on staying trim often reduce the gin to 1½ ounces instead of two, which brings the calories of this drink down to 114 calories. Either way, the drink only contains a single gram of carbohydrates, which comes from the lime juice.
However, you don’t need to count calories to enjoy a Gin Rickey. The fresh and zesty combination of lime juice and club soda, underpinned by the herbaceous nature of a good gin is a match made in cocktail heaven.
Speaking of the spirit, the best gin for a Gin Rickey is London Dry Gin. It is smooth and flavorful thanks to the distillation process it undergoes and always adds a beautiful ‘green’ note to any drink. This is particularly important in cocktails like the Rickey since there are very few ingredients, so each one you add really has to shine.
Popular Rickey cocktail variations
The best gin cocktails are always quite adaptable to personal taste, and the Gin Rickey is certainly not an exception. Here are a few ways in which you can tailor the cocktail to suit your preferences or those of your guests:
Add flavored mineral water. There are a great variety of flavored mineral waters on the market today. If you want to add some more flavor notes to your Rickey without upping the caloric content, this is a great option. In fact, you could get a selection of three or four sparkling mineral waters and offer your guests a choice. Think along the lines of strawberry, cranberry, cucumber, etc.
Swap out the lime juice. Keen to go a little sweeter on the Rickey? Switching out the lime juice for pineapple- or cranberry juice is a refreshing option. Sure, it won’t technically be a Gin Rickey once you do, but the great thing about cocktail-making is that you can put your personal touch on anything you make, so go ahead and give it a brand-new name. Perhaps your own…?
