Slings

A sling is a type of alcoholic drink that at first was not considered a cocktail. In fact there were multiple types of drinks, like flips and toddies that initially do not fall under the heading of cocktail. The term "cocktail" was at first reserved in the 19th century for those drinks that contain bitters. This distinction is no longer made, and all alcoholic mixed drinks are now essentially considered cocktails, including the sling. However the first cocktails were called bittered slings.

From the Online Etymological Dictionary: "sweetened, flavored liquor drink, 1807, American English, of unknown origin; perhaps literally 'to throw back' a drink (see sling (v.)), or from German schlingen 'to swallow.'"

The sling was intended to be a single-serving punch, following a similar formula except without necessarily having the 1 part sour to complement the 2 parts sweet, 3 parts strong, and 4 parts weak. The sling had a teaspoon of sugar, an ounce of water, two ounces of spirits, and lump of ice (minus the sour). Heat this and it becomes a Toddy. The introduction of bitters brought about the cocktail (cocktail was defined in 1806 as a bitter sling), which had a spirit, sugar, water, and bitters, making it essentially an Old Fashioned.

Today the typical sling usually has several base ingredients, some type of alcohol, fruit flavors, particularly citrus, water (flat or fizzy), and sugar. In the 19th century, slings could be served hot or cold, and were very similar to many of the hot punches served at the time, though they typically lacked spices. The tradition of serving this drink cold, which is now the preferred method, came into popularity in the early 20th century, particularly with the invention of the Singapore Sling.

The recipe for a gin sling is found in Mrs. Beeton’s cookbook, first published in 1861, which shows the acceptability of gin in middle-class households by the mid-Victorian era:

Gin Sling

1 wineglassful of gin,
2 slices of lemon,
3 lumps of sugar,
ice (or iced-water)

The following is from Jerry Thomas' Bar-Tenders Guide: Receipts for Mixing in their purest form. Jerry Thomas is considered America's father of mixology publishing the first cocktail book in 1862. The author does not recommend any of these recipes "unless you are sick – in that case the Brandy Sling or Hot Whiskey Sling could be great for a sore throat and to induce some much needed rest."

Brandy Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
2 ounces of water
2 ounces of brandy
Ice

Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the spirit and ice and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Hot Brandy Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
4 ounces of hot water
2 ounces of brandy

Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water, add the spirit and hot water and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Gin Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
2 ounces of water
2 ounces of gin
Ice

Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the spirit and ice and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Hot Gin Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
4 ounces of hot water
2 ounces of gin

Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water, add the spirit and hot water and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Whiskey Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
2 ounces of water
2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey
Ice

Dissolve the sugar in the water, add the spirit and ice and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.

Hot Whiskey Sling

1 teaspoon of Baker’s sugar
4 ounces of hot water
2 ounces of bourbon or rye whiskey

Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water, add the spirit and hot water and stir. Grate a little nutmeg to finish.