Highball
A highball is not a specific recipe but a drink format: a base spirit poured over ice in a tall glass and topped with a larger volume of a carbonated mixer, usually club soda, tonic water, or a soda like ginger ale or cola. The name describes the build (spirit plus fizz, lightly stirred, served long) rather than any one combination of ingredients, which is why whiskey and soda, gin and tonic, and rum and coke are all technically highballs.
Varieties
A highball differs from a Collins in that a Collins includes citrus juice and sugar shaken in before the soda is added, making it sweeter and more citrus-forward. A highball is simpler: just spirit, ice, and a carbonated mixer, with no shaking required.
Buying tips
For mixers, choose plain club soda or seltzer over flavored versions if you want the spirit to be the dominant flavor. Check tonic water labels since some brands use far more sugar than others; 'dry' or light tonics have noticeably less sweetness and fewer calories.
Substitutes
Club soda — 1:1 by volume
The default highball mixer. Neutral flavor, carbonated, and lets the spirit lead.
Plain sparkling water (seltzer) — 1:1 by volume
Nearly identical to club soda but usually lower in sodium since club soda often has added mineral salts.
Tonic water — 1:1 by volume
Adds bitterness and sweetness from quinine and sugar; turns a plain highball into something closer to a gin and tonic.
Ginger ale — 1:1 by volume
Milder and sweeter than ginger beer, with a soft ginger flavor that works well with whiskey and rum.
Ginger beer — 1:1 by volume, or slightly less since it's more assertive
Sharper, spicier, and less sweet than ginger ale; the standard mixer for a Moscow mule rather than a plain highball.
Cola — 1:1 by volume
Turns the drink into a rum and coke or whiskey and coke; much sweeter and adds significant sugar and calories.
Storage
Open bottles or cans of any carbonated mixer lose fizz within a day or two even refrigerated, so buy in single-serving cans or small bottles rather than opening a large one for a single drink. Keep unopened bottles upright in a cool, dark spot; refrigerate only once opened, and use within 24 to 48 hours for the best carbonation.
How to use
Build directly in the serving glass: fill a tall (highball or Collins) glass with ice first, add 1.5 to 2 ounces of spirit, then top with 4 to 6 ounces of mixer and give it one or two gentle stirs. Adding the mixer last and stirring minimally preserves carbonation better than shaking or over-stirring.
What it pairs with
Whiskey and rye pair well with club soda or ginger ale; gin pairs with tonic; vodka is flexible with almost any mixer; dark rum pairs with cola or ginger beer. A citrus twist or wedge (lemon, lime, or orange depending on the spirit) is the traditional garnish.
Nutrition
Calories in a highball come mostly from the spirit (roughly 65 to 100 calories per 1.5-ounce pour depending on proof) plus whatever the mixer adds. Club soda and plain seltzer add none, while tonic, ginger ale, and cola can add 80 to 150 calories over a 6-ounce pour due to sugar.
FAQ
Is a gin and tonic a highball?
Yes. Any drink built with a spirit over ice and topped with a carbonated mixer in a tall glass qualifies as a highball, including gin and tonic, whiskey and soda, and rum and coke.
What glass should a highball be served in?
A tall, narrow glass holding 8 to 12 ounces, often literally called a highball glass, though a Collins glass works the same way.
What's the standard spirit-to-mixer ratio for a highball?
Most bartenders use roughly 1 part spirit to 3 parts mixer, meaning a 2-ounce pour of spirit gets topped with about 6 ounces of soda or tonic.
Can a highball be made without alcohol?
Yes. Building the same way with ice and a carbonated mixer but no spirit produces a mocktail version; ginger beer or tonic alone over ice with a citrus twist is a common non-alcoholic substitute.
Why does my highball go flat quickly?
Stirring too much or too hard knocks out carbonation. Stir once or twice at most, and pour the mixer down the side of the glass rather than directly onto the ice.
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