![]() This theory should therefore be regarded as a legend. A look at historical records, however, reveals that only rarely there is an explicit request for just one piece of ice. We have also read the opinion that the name comes from the fact that there is a piece of ice floating on top in the glass and thus resembles the raised signal, the highball, from the railway industry. The sometimes held opinion that the name refers to the speed at which one could get drunk is nonsensical – a shot rich in alcohol would be much more suitable for this. The name of the drink is supposed to derive from this, because the Highball can also be made at a high speed. The term “highball” thus became synonymous with “clear ahead” or with moving at high speed. When the track was clear, the ball was raised to the top of the mast. ![]() This highball signal was a ball attached to a pole next to the tracks. These meanings are derived from the train signal of the same name. A “highball” was understood to mean both an express train and a train that is on schedule or the instruction for a train to proceed at full speed. There are also opinions that the highball derives its name from the railway system. Reproduced from “Les Chemins de Fer Amérique” by E. A highball signal of the “Baltimore and Ohio Railroad” for two adjacent tracks. a low glass otherwise a highball or a high glass. So if you wanted to drink a whiskey without soda, you ordered a ball or lowball, i.e. īut why the addition of “low”? Quite simple. What we know as an old-fashioned glass also bears the designation “lowball glass”. Īgainst this background, it is not surprising that the expression “a ball of whiskey” has also been transferred to the corresponding glass. Perhaps, however, the word was exported to the New World not only by the Irish but also by the Dutch thus, an old Dutch was still spoken in Manhattan and the adjacent Hudson Valley until the 1940s. There was an immigration of Dutch in the 14th and 15th centuries, and with them the “boll” probably came to England and later to Ireland, where it was then changed to “ball”. In Flemish, “bolleke” refers to a glass of beer (the suffix -eke is the diminutive of the word boll, which means “glass”). The word is used in Middle English and is attested as early as around the year 1400. However, boll is also used to refer to a seed pod. One boll is equal to 6 bushels or 218.212 litres. This quantity is not to be confused with the boll, which was a measure of grain. In Ireland, this was usually understood to mean a glass of whiskey. The name probably goes back to the Irish expression “a ball of malt”. ![]() The Irish and the Dutch also have something to say about it. What is a highball and what does it have to do with the drink? It is commonly said that the highball got its name from a 19th century railway signal. The question of the origin of the name is exciting. The highball glass should hold between 200 and 250 ml We prefer the Libbey Chicago Highball glass, which holds 220 ml. ![]() The ratio between spirit and filler should be between 1:1 and 1:2 so that the filler does not dominate too much. Citrus juices, however, do not belong into a highball. In addition, colourings and flavourings can be added, for example liqueurs or bitters. The Scotch High Ball by Paul Lowe in his 1904 book “Drinks As They Are Mixed”.įirst of all, let’s start with the summary of this article: A highball combines a base drink, which can be alcoholic or non-alcoholic, with a carbonated drink. What is it, what distinguishes it and how has it changed over time? Its origins lie far away and go back to an immigration of Dutch people in the 14th century. We look into the old bar books and trace the history of the highball.
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