Horse's Neck

Brandy and ginger ale with a lemon peel spiral — an 1890s non-alcoholic temperance original that gained brandy by the 1910s to become a Royal Navy officer classic.

The Horse's Neck has a documented two-phase history that places it among a small number of cocktails that began as temperance drinks before acquiring an alcoholic identity. The original Horse's Neck, documented in American bartending guides from the 1890s, was a non-alcoholic preparation: a tall glass filled with ginger ale and decorated with a long spiral of lemon peel that draped over the rim and into the glass, the peel's curve resembling the arched neck of a horse. This non-alcoholic version was popular in an era when temperance culture was a significant force in American social life, and many bars maintained non-alcoholic options alongside their spirit service. By the early 1910s, the practice of adding brandy or bourbon to the ginger ale base had become standard in American bars, and the Horse's Neck With a Kick — the alcoholic version — eventually became the dominant preparation. The lemon peel garnish remained the defining visual element: preparing it correctly requires cutting a single continuous spiral from a whole lemon without breaking the peel, a technique that demonstrated bartending skill and became associated with professional quality. The cocktail version — brandy and ginger ale in a tall glass with the lemon peel spiral — became a fixture of British and American military officer culture through the mid-20th century, particularly in the Royal Navy, where it was a preferred drink among officers.