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During the heyday of the craft cocktail resurgence, in the mid-to-late 2000s and early 2010s, popular tastes leaned toward boozy, spirit-forward classics like Old Fashioneds, Manhattans, and Martinis. Fast-forward a decade or so later, and our infatuation with short, high-alcohol drinks has abated. Now, the world’s most popular drinks, like the Aperol Spritz, Negroni Sbagliato, canned hard seltzers, or Ranch Water, are long drinks.
Long drinks are any drink combined with soda water or other low- or no-alcohol mixer, often something bubbly, which “lengthens” the volume of drink and the time it takes to finish. You usually get the same amount of alcohol as in a short cocktail, but it’s spread across a larger drink, rather than compacted into a tight, 3-ounce Martini glass.
Some of the most iconic long drinks are highballs, which in their most basic form are a hard spirit lengthened with soda. This includes the iconic Gin & Tonic, Vodka Soda, Whiskey Ginger, or any similar combination. From there, further styles emerge.
A Tom Collins is simply a Gin Sour lengthened with soda water and served in a tall glass, which spawned its own subcategory of Collins drinks. Spritzes, in their most stripped-down form, are just wine lengthened with seltzer, though they now encompass a sprawling class of cocktails that include fanciful creations like the Hugo Spritz or the Bicicletta.
Long drinks represent a global shift toward moderation, as many seek drinks that are lower in alcohol. But they also represent a trend of fun, easy-drinking cocktails that allow experimentation with flavors in a way that another spirit-centered Manhattan riff can’t provide. Instead of a cocktail dominated by a single, high-proof spirit, vermouths now take center stage alongside gentian liqueurs; red, bitter aperitifs; and an ever-expanding array of nonalcoholic components.
The surge shows no signs of slowing, as bars channel endless innovation into this simple template. So the future is bright for those who seek to sip longer. Here’s your guide to six classic examples of the long drink category, along with six modern creations from some of the top bars across the U.S. to inspire your next pour.
Guillermo Riveros / Food Styling by Oset Babur-Winter
The Tom Collins dates to the 1800s and is essentially a spiked sparkling lemonade. It uses the classic Gin Sour template — gin, lemon juice, and sugar — and then lengthened with soda water and garnished with a maraschino cherry and lemon wheel.
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
This highball from Steve Schneider at New York City’s Sip & Guzzle takes a bartender favorite — the Hemingway Daiquiri — and lengthens the drink with grapefruit soda to create a slow-sipping version of the Cuban classic.
Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele
Originating during the 1920s and named after a 75-millimeter field gun used in World War I, the French 75 follows the same build as the Tom Collins. However, it swaps the seltzer for sparkling wine to create a punchier, yet still long-lasting drink.
Food & Wine / Photo by Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen
The Hugo Spritz originated in the mid-2000s, a creation of Roland Gruber in the town of Naturno, near the Italian-Austrian border. Though the drink has gone through a few iterations since its debut, the use of St-Germain, an elderflower liqueur released in 2007, caused its popularity to skyrocket over the next decade. It’s become one of the most popular spritz variations worldwide.
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Lauren McAnelly / Prop Styling by Addelyn Evans
Similar to the famed Aperol Spritz, the Bicicletta is a slightly more bitter variation, owing to Campari as its base. It’s combined with dry white wine and sparkling water. Urban legend says that the drink gets its name from elderly Italian drinkers who would swerve their bicycles after a few too many of these during dinner.
Food & Wine / Time Nusog
Created in the mid-2000s as a collaboration between Zachary Gelnaw-Rubin and Abraham Hawkins at Dutch Kills in Long Island City, New York, the Bicycle Thief is named after a classic 1948 Italian film. It shares a similar build to the Bicicleta, but with a few key differences. Gin and Campari form the base, but they’re brightened with lemon juice and sugar before being lengthened with fresh grapefruit juice and soda water.
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
A classic European highball, the Porto Tonico is a simple white port and tonic that’s enjoyed during aperitivo hour across Portugal. It’s a fantastic choice for those who seek a low-alcohol option that won’t weigh you down. Lime and a sprig of fresh mint for garnish create a tart drink with an aromatic bouquet that refreshes on every sip.
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Em Warden at The Houston Blacklight in Portland, Oregon, pairs rye whiskey with house-made apricot syrup, lemon, and seltzer, to create a drink that skirts the line between the iconic Whiskey Highball and a classic Collins.
Food & Wine / Photo by Brie Goldman / Food Styling by Kelsey Moylan / Prop Styling by Gabriel Greco
Though Chu-His are still catching on stateside, the Shochu highball has long been a mainstay in its native Japan. Shochu, a grain- or vegetable-based spirit, is lengthened with soda water and combined with citrus. It creates a template for experimentation. “The Lemon Chu Hai is probably the most common drink from people young to old in Japan,” says Kenta Goto, owner of Bar Goto in New York City. “It’s a cocktail you should build how you want.”
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
At Gigi’s Italian Kitchen in Atlanta, a house-made Meyer limoncello is paired with Blue Dorris liqueur, club soda, and lemon. The result is a lighter, aromatic highball that brings a bouquet of botanicals and floral aromas.
Julia Hartbeck
A Caribbean classic, Gosling’s Black Seal rum is lengthened with spicy ginger beer and a squeeze of lime. The speed at which the drink comes together and an array of complex flavors has made it (alongside the equally popular Moscow Mule) one of the most popular drinks in the U.S.
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg DuPree / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Christina Daley
Bourbon and mint always work well, but this cocktail from Jason Stevens at Austin’s Cosmic Saltillo brings mint and lemon to the fold, along with blackcurrant seltzer to lighten and brighten the classic pairing.