Ivy City Rickey

Our Favorite Gin Rickey Recipe!

Inspiration

Ivy City Rickey

Recipe created by AJ Johnson for District Made Spirits,

recorded by Jena Ellenwood

The birth certificate for the Rickey cocktail bears the following information:

Date 1883

Location: Washington D.C., Shoomaker’s Bar.

Traditionally, this cocktail requires spirit (gin or bourbon), lime, and club soda with a generous ammount of ice. Over the years we’ve seen the recipe evolve and run the gamut from super complicated to oh-so-simple and every July, the District of Columbia celebrates the Rickey! We love a celebration and we love this Rickey recipe from D.C.’s own District Made Spirits! Their Ivy City Gin is perfect for a refreshing Rickey, the best way to beat that Mid-Atlantic summer heat.

If you love this cocktail, check out our full cocktail library or our YouTube Craft Cocktail Making playlist for home mixology lessons as you make your drink.

Let’s Get Shakin’

Serves: 1

Special Tools: Jigger, Shaker, Strainer, Hand Juicer, Knife

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2oz DISTRICT MADE IVY CITY GIN

1 oz Lime Juice

1/2 oz Lavender-Rosemary Simple Syrup

4 oz Club Soda

Steps

Combine all ingredients except club soda in shaker.
Add ice and shake.
Strain into an ice filled Collins glass.
Top with club soda.
Garnish with rosemary and a dehydrated lime wheel.

For Lavender Rosemary Syrup:

In a medium saucepan, add 32 oz water and 32 oz sugar.

Heat at a low temperature.

Stir intermittently to incorporate sugar.

Once the mixture is transparent, add 1 cup dried culinary lavender.

Raise temperature to medium.

Once the mixture begins to boil, lower the temperature and add 10 sprigs of fresh rosemary.

Let simmer for 10-12 minutes.

Turn off the heat and strain the finished syrup into a nonreactive container.

Let cool before use.

Suzanne making a sour face wondering if she'll like this cocktail

But will I like it?

Cocktail flavor profile

Getting to know your palate, what you like, and what you don’t like is a critical part of being a great craft tippler AND key to becoming a great home bartender as well! So before you break out that barware and buy the key ingredients, here’s a little guidance on what to expect from this cocktail so you can start to hone in on exactly what elements of cocktails you enjoy and which you’d prefer to minimize. This helps you order new cocktails you love when you’re out on the town better as well!