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Long drinks for long weekends
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The very term suggests a long, slim glass filled with ice and your favourite combination of spirits and mixers, best consumed in a hammock and preferably by the pool.
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By That's the Spirit
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What is a "long drink?"
The classic reference to any drink containing more than 5 ounces of liquid but less than 9 ounces. This terminology had fallen out of favor over the last decade or two, but is now enjoying a revival. Typically a long drink will have lots of ice and mixer, perfect for warmer days.
Types of long drinks
Drinks used to be broken down by category much more than they are today. All of the following drink "types" fell into the larger family of "Long Drinks": Cobblers, Collins, Crustas, Fixes, Flips, Highballs, Juleps, Rickeys, Sangrias, Slings, Sodas, Swizzles, Tropicanas and more. From this long list of types came many of the classic drinks that have survived to this day, a few of which deserve to be called "Classic Long Drinks".
Some classic long drinks:
1. TOM COLLINS, (and his whole family)
A large reason for the popularity of the Tom Collins comes from its reputation as a drink which is very difficult, if not impossible, to mix improperly. Shake some gin, lemon juice and soda water with ice, and voilá.
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Few bartenders actually use real Collins glasses. Most will serve the Tom Collins in a highball glass. A Collins glass is generally larger than a highball glass and often has a frosted texture.
Unless you are royalty, your Tom Collins will likely never be made from scratch at the local bar. A Collins mix, which is basically club soda, lemon juice, and sugar, is generally sprayed from the fountain hose behind the bar. However, at home you can make yours the right way!
Tom's Family:
There are a number of variations on the basic Tom Collins theme, most differing primarily in the main alcoholic ingredient. Here are a few of the most common ones, along with their different base.
Brandy Collins (Brandy)
Jack Collins (Applejack)
John Collins (Bourbon)
Pedro Collins (Rum); also known as a Rum Collins
Tequila Collins (Tequila)
Search the database at thatsthespirit.com for the preceding drink recipes.
2. HARVEY WALLBANGER
This drink became extremely popular in the 1970s and there are two accounts of its origin. One story goes that Bill Doner, while tending bar in a place named "The Office" in Newport Beach, created it. The other tale states that a surfer named Harvey liked his screwdrivers spiked with Galliano and after a hard day, had one too many and walked into a wall. Simple, but this is our favourite.
Enjoy your own Harvey Wallbanger.
3. COINTREAU AND TONIC
The key ingredient in this drink, Cointreau, is a crystal-clear liqueur based on a perfect blend of sweet and bitter orange peels from the most exotic parts of the world. The secret recipe of Cointreau has been passed down from generation to generation and remains unique, unchanged and a secret since its creation over 150 years ago. Sometimes the simplest things in life are the best!
Here's our Cointreau and Tonic recipe.
4. MINT JULEP
The word "julep" itself is a French word, and the drink dates back to ancient times. Cool, frosty and refreshing, the mint julep originated somewhere in the southern U.S. (debates continue), but Kentucky can safely take credit for its popularity.
Try a Mint Julep in a tall glass filled with ice and real mint leaves and taste the south while pretending you are at the Kentucky derby.
Visit our Mint Julep Drink Spotlight for Mint Julep recipes and to learn more about this classic long drink.
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