Basic Highball Recipe
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A highball is any spirit served with a carbonated beverage over ice. The origin of the term highball is about as difficult to pin down as a champagne bubble. New York bartender Patrick Duffy claimed to have invented it in 1895, and since no one has challenged him, he holds the title. A random poll in most bars would indicate that people have no idea what a highball is—yet it is right in front of them. Scotch and Soda, Gin and Tonic, Coolers, Daisies, and so on are all highballs. A highball is primarily any alcoholic drink meant to refresh.
The highball is served in a highball glass, but that goes without saying. Mixing the drink into an old-fashioned glass makes it a lowball. “Build” the drink in the glass by slowly adding ingredients one at a time. Avoid overstirring freshly opened carbonated beverages. A flat highball is a foul ball.
- 1 ounce whiskey
- 5 ounces cold ginger ale
- Twist of lemon peel
- Pour the whiskey into a chilled highball glass over ice. Add ginger ale to fill; then garnish with lemon peel.
I heard a story from an older man once and he told me the origin of a highball. His great grandfather used to work for the railroad and explained that before the electric red and green signals they would use a ball on a pole to indicate if a train can take the high rail or low rail. If the ball was raised high on the pole it would give the switchmen and rail crew time to go grab a drink and back then there wasnt much to choose from. Some whiskey and gingerale pretty much were the choices Well it wasnt too long before they started using the phrase lets go grab a highball and history was made. So, does anyone know if this story holds water? Or was it a clever story as to the origis of a highball?!