Horse’s Neck
Highballs & Fizzes · Brandy
- Strength
- 9.2%
- Std. drinks
- 0.92
- Calories
- 132
- Sugar
- 11.0 g
- 1¼ ozCognac40 ml
- 4 ozGinger ale120 ml
- 1 dashAngostura bitters (optional)
The ratio · 1 : 3
Highlighted: not in the Irish Coffee.
Head to head
Horse’s Neck and Irish Coffee side by side: what changes in the recipe, the balance, the strength and the calories.
The difference, by the numbers
They have no ingredient in common: the Horse’s Neck has Cognac and ginger ale, the Irish Coffee Irish whiskey, coffee, sugar and cream. In parts, a Horse’s Neck is 1 brandy and 3 ginger ale; an Irish Coffee is 1 whiskey, 2½ coffee and 1 cream. By volume, the Horse’s Neck is 75% mixer and juice and 25% spirit; the Irish Coffee is 75% mixer and juice, 22% spirit and 3% syrup and sugar. Different bottles, similar balance: that makes them close cousins on the ratio map.
They are about equally strong in the glass (9.2% and 9.0% ABV), but the Irish Coffee is the bigger drink, so it holds more alcohol (1.13 standard drinks against 0.92). The Irish Coffee has more calories (about 302 against 132), but the Horse’s Neck has more sugar (11.0 g against 5.4 g). Both are built; the Horse’s Neck is served in a highball, the Irish Coffee in an Irish coffee glass.
Highballs & Fizzes · Brandy
The ratio · 1 : 3
Highlighted: not in the Irish Coffee.
Creamy & After-Dinner · Whiskey
The ratio · 1 : 2½ : 1
Highlighted: not in the Horse’s Neck.
Each drink sits nearer the corners it has more of: spirit, vermouth and bitter, citrus, mixer, syrup or liqueur. The gray dots are the other classics. Explore the full ratio map.
Horse’s Neck vs.
Irish Coffee vs.