How to Make a Really Good Highball
My first highball was a mix of Captain Morgan spiced rum and Diet Coke poured into a red Solo cup. It was all wrong. The proportions were violated. The mixer was rough. And the ice was made from a freezer whose lines probably hadn’t been cleaned for a while.
You see, highball is deceptively simple. Just two ingredients – booze and carbonated non-booze – are poured into a tall glass filled with ice. Making a good one is easy, and making a bad one even easier. The classic highballs you know and love – G&T, vodka and soda, ginger and whiskey, and whiskey and soda – can all be delicious if you avoid a few pitfalls.
First, don’t use the ice that comes out of the freezer unless you know those lines are clean. Perfectly clear ice is unnecessary, but it will take your highball to the next level, especially if you are using a good material like expensive duct tape. (If you need instructions for the preparation of pure ice, you should refer to the English blog of Camper, Alcademics .)
Also use good ingredients. Real ginger ginger beer, Mexican Coke, and Fever-Tree tonic will make your cocktail a little better, as will the booze you can sip without grimacing. (I’m not saying you spend a ton of money on highball liqueur, but avoid stuff in plastic bottles.)
Finally, you should probably measure at least once to get an idea of what the fill should look like. The ratio of two ounces of liquor to three ounces of non-alcoholic beverage is pretty classic. Pour the booze, then non-booze, over the cracked ice and stir gently with a straw. Finish with a strip of lemon zest or lime zest if desired and enjoy.