A buck is a

cocktail A cocktail is an alcoholic mixed drink. Most commonly, cocktails are either a combination of spirits, or one or more spirits mixed with other ingredients such as tonic water, fruit juice, flavored syrup, or cream. Cocktails vary widely across ...

that is made with

ginger ale Ginger ale is a carbonated soft drink flavoured with ginger. It is consumed on its own or used as a mixer, often with spirit-based drinks. There are two main types of ginger ale. The golden style is credited to the Irish doctor Thomas Joseph ...

ginger beer Traditional ginger beer is a sweetened and carbonated, usually non-alcoholic beverage. Historically it was produced by the natural fermentation of prepared ginger spice, yeast and sugar. Current ginger beers are often manufactured rather than ...

citrus ''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering plant, flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as Orange (fruit), oranges, Lemon, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and lim ...

juice, and any of a number of base

liquor Liquor (or a spirit) is an alcoholic drink produced by distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar, that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit drink, distilled beverage or hard ...

s. Buck cocktails are sometimes called "mules" due to the popularity of a vodka buck that is known as a

Moscow Mule A Moscow mule is a cocktail made with vodka, ginger beer and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The drink is a type of buck and is sometimes called a vodka buck. The Moscow mule is popularly served in a copper mug, which ta ...

History

The buck is believed to have gotten its name when someone added a shot of whiskey to the previously nonalcoholic

Horse's Neck A horse's neck is an American cocktail recognised by the IBA, identifiably sporting a long, curling strip of lemon rind. Mixture It is made with brandy (or sometimes bourbon) and ginger ale, with a long spiral of lemon peel draped over the ed ...

, which consisted of ginger ale with lemon juice. The added alcohol gave the horse a "kick" – hence, a bucking horse.

Variations

Variations include: *Bourbon, rye, or whiskey buck. *Kentucky Buck, containing bourbon and strawberry. *Gin buck, containing gin. Sometimes known as British Buck or London Buck. *Gin Gin Mule, containing gin and mint. Also known as a Ginger Rogers (after the actress of the same name.) *Irish buck, containing

Irish whiskey Irish whiskey ( ga, Fuisce or ''uisce beatha'') is whiskey made on the island of Ireland. The word 'whiskey' (or whisky) comes from the Irish , meaning ''water of life''. Irish whiskey was once the most popular spirit in the world, though a lo ...

*Mamie Taylor, containing scotch whisky. *Rum buck, also called a Barbados buck or Jamaican buck to indicate the origin of the rum. Adding lime to a

Dark 'n' Stormy A dark 'n' stormy is a highball cocktail made with dark rum (the "dark") and ginger beer (the "stormy") served over ice and garnished with a slice of lime. Lime juice and simple syrup are also frequently added. This drink is very similar to the M ...

creates a rum buck. *Shanghai buck, made with light rum, and served at the Shanghai Club in the 1930s. *Vodka buck, also known as a

Moscow mule A Moscow mule is a cocktail made with vodka, ginger beer and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The drink is a type of buck and is sometimes called a vodka buck. The Moscow mule is popularly served in a copper mug, which ta ...

, invented in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

, US, and largely responsible for the popularity of vodka in the United States from the 1940s through 1960s. *Chilcano, made with

Pisco Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative ...

. *Variations using brandy and other liquors *Addition of syrups, different types of juice, fresh ginger, mint, and various garnishes

References

Cocktails Spicy cocktails Sweet cocktails Cocktails with Scotch whisky {{Mixed-drink-stub

History

Variations

See also

References