Gin Buck
Gin, lemon and ginger ale over ice. The 1920s highball that the Moscow Mule copied — a Buck is any spirit with citrus and ginger, and the gin one was first.
Built to the standard modern spec; not yet tested in our kitchen. How we test.
The recipe.
Scaling adjusts quantities only. Prepare shaken drinks in individual portions.
Let’s make a good drink.
Fill a highball glass with ice.
Add the gin and lemon juice.
Top with cold ginger ale and stir once.
Garnish with a lemon wedge.
A thoughtful finish
- Ginger ale is the 1920s mixer and makes the gentle drink; ginger beer makes a Gin Mule and is better if you like heat.
- Half a lemon squeezed in is the original measure; the drink should be tart.
- A juniper-forward gin; the ginger needs something to argue with.
Common mistakes
- Too much ginger ale; four ounces is the top.
- Lime instead of lemon; that is a Gin Mule, also fine, also different.
- No citrus at all; then it is a gin and ginger.
A few good questions.
What is a buck?
A highball of spirit, citrus juice and ginger ale or ginger beer. The Gin Buck, Bourbon Buck and Rum Buck are the classics; the Moscow Mule is a vodka buck.
Ginger ale or ginger beer?
Ginger ale is the original; ginger beer is spicier and makes the drink closer to a Mule.
How is it different from a Moscow Mule?
Gin for vodka, lemon for lime, ginger ale for ginger beer, and a glass instead of a mug. The idea is identical.
Can I use other spirits?
Any. The buck is a template.
Variations
- Moscow Mule — Vodka, lime and ginger beer.
- Gin-Gin Mule — Gin, lime, mint and ginger beer.
- Dark and Stormy — Dark rum and ginger beer.
- Cablegram — Rye, lemon, sugar and ginger ale.
Where it comes from
c. 1920s · United States
A ‘buck’ is a highball of spirit, citrus juice and ginger ale or beer, and the Gin Buck was the Prohibition-era standard — gin, half a lemon, ginger ale over ice — because ginger ale was the mixer of the age and gin was the spirit on hand. The Moscow Mule of 1941 is a vodka buck with lime and ginger beer and a copper mug; the Dark and Stormy and the Mules are all bucks by another name. The Gin Buck is the plain, honest original, and with a spicy ginger beer in place of ginger ale it is as good as any of its descendants.
Sources
- David Wondrich, Imbibe!, 2015 (book)
- Harry Craddock, The Savoy Cocktail Book, 1930 (book)
- Difford's Guide, Gin Buck, 2015 (reference)
Strength. About 1.47 US standard drinks at an estimated 11.8% ABV, estimated from the ingredients and technique, not measured. What that means.
A little character in every sip.
A keeper?
Save this drink for your next cocktail hour.
Saved in this browser.The next great drink
might already be on your shelf.
Choose your bottles and mixers. Discover what you can make.