Tom Collins co*cktail Recipe (2024)

in Recipe, Drinks, Gin

byPaul Kushnerupdated 0 Comments

Tom Collins co*cktail Recipe (2)

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A Tom Collins is a great drink, and I’d like to tell you about it. It is an effortless and classic co*cktail that is incredibly invigorating. It is always a pleasure to serve because it brings joy to everyone’s face. It consists of soda water, gin, lemon juice, and sugar. Ideal for enjoying while basking in the sun or at any time when one desires a delectable and invigorating beverage.

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Tasting Notes

A tumbler of Tom Collins tastes like sunshine. It’s gin-infused and sweet, but not overly sweet. The soda water makes it fizzy and enjoyable, while the lemon juice gives it a tangy edge. Although it seems elegant, the drink is actually quite straightforward.

Glassware and Equipment

A few tools are required to prepare a Tom Collins:

  • To shake things up, use a shaker.
  • To ensure that only the finest particles enter your glass, use a strainer.
  • A tall glass—the namesake of the beverage—is called a Collins glass!

Ingredients

  • 2 oz. of gin
  • 1 oz. lemon juice (fresh is best!)
  • 1/2 oz. simple syrup (that’s just sugar water)
  • Soda water to top it off
  • A lemon slice and a cherry for garnish

Instructions

  1. Fill your shaker with ice.
  2. Pour in the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
  3. Shake it up until it’s well mixed and chilled.
  4. Strain it into a tall glass filled with fresh ice.
  5. Top it off with soda water.
  6. Garnish with a lemon slice and a cherry.
See also Fog Cutter

Pro Tips

  • If possible, use fresh lemon juice; it makes a significant difference.
  • Add or subtract simple syrup to suit your desired level of sweetness.
  • For added cooling, chill your glass before adding the drink.

When to Serve

In all honesty, a Tom Collins is excellent anytime you want something refreshing, but it’s especially amazing in warm weather. It’s popular for celebrations, particularly in the spring and summer, or anytime you want a refreshing, effervescent beverage.

Which Liquor Brands to Choose

For a Tom Collins, any good-quality gin will do. If you’re wondering which brand to pick, here are a few I like:

  • Beefeater: classic and reliable.
  • Tanqueray: a bit more upscale, with a nice flavor.
  • Hendrick’s: if you’re feeling fancy, with its unique cucumber note.

Similar co*cktails

In addition to Tom Collins, you might like:

  • Gin Fizz: is a somewhat frothier version of a Tom Collins.
  • Lemon Drop: presented in a martini glass and sweeter.
  • Mojito: If you’re craving something minty.
  • Whiskey Sour: For a unique twist, try substituting whiskey for gin.
  • Vodka Soda: a less complicated yet equally revitalizing drink.

History

The history of the Tom Collins dates back to the 1800s. Initially, it was a practical joke between friends, but bartenders soon started doing it seriously. The Collins glass that it is served in gave rise to its name. The reason this drink has endured over time is its sheer deliciousness.

Tom Collins co*cktail Recipe (3)

Tom Collins

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Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

5 from 2 votes

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Gin, Lemon Juice, Simple Syrup, soda water, tom collins

Servings: 1

Author: Paul Kushner

Find out how to make the traditional Tom Collins co*cktail—a blend of gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water—with this easy recipe. Fit for a queen at any party!

Ingredients

  • 2 oz gin
  • 1 oz. lemon juice fresh is best!
  • 1/2 oz. simple syrup that’s just sugar water
  • Soda water to top it off
  • A lemon slice and a cherry for garnish
See also Rivi Spanish Gin and Tonic

Instructions

  • Fill your shaker with ice.

  • Pour in the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.

  • Shake it up until it's well mixed and chilled.

  • Strain it into a tall glass filled with fresh ice.

  • Top it off with soda water.

  • Garnish with a lemon slice and a cherry.

Notes

Is it possible to make it without booze?

Of course! All you need to make a delicious lemon soda is to omit the gin.

What happens if I don’t own a shaker?

Not a problem. Just mix everything in the glass really well.

Can I use lemon juice from a bottle?

Fresh is best, but bottled will do in a pinch.

Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and let us know how it was!

Tom Collins co*cktail Recipe (4)

Please drink responsibly, be fully accountable with your alcohol consumption, and show others respect.

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Written by Paul Kushner

Founder and CEO of MyBartender. Graduated from Penn State University. He always had a deep interest in the restaurant and bar industry. His restaurant experience began in 1997 at the age of 14 as a bus boy. By the time he turned 17 he was serving tables, and by 19 he was bartending/bar managing 6-7 nights a week.

In 2012, after a decade and a half of learning all facets of the industry, Paul opened his first restaurant/bar. In 2015, a second location followed, the latter being featured on The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Follow them on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Google Guide and MuckRack.

Tom Collins co*cktail Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is used to serve mixed drinks especially Tom Collins co*cktail? ›

A collins glass is a glass tumbler which typically will contain 300 to 410 millilitres (10 to 14 US fl oz). It is commonly used to serve sparkling co*cktails, especially long drinks like the Tom Collins or John Collins.

What's the difference between a Tom Collins and a Gin and Tonic? ›

What's the difference between a Tom Collins and a gin and tonic? A Gin and Tonic combines gin and tonic water. A Tom Collins combines gin, simple syrup, lemon juice, and club soda. Both drinks are gin-based, but a gin and tonic is more tart, whereas a Tom Collins falls on the sweeter end of the drinks spectrum.

What gin is best for Tom Collins? ›

Now, if you want to go with a gin that would have been likely used during the original creation of the Tom Collins you can utilize something like an Old Tom Gin (and hey, both have “Tom“ in the name, so perhaps you'll find it is the perfect match). Other gins like Plymouth or Bombay Dry Drin would work well.

What's in a John Collins co*cktail? ›

Ingredients
  1. 2 fluid ounces bourbon whiskey.
  2. 1 fluid ounce lemon juice.
  3. 1 teaspoon simple syrup.
  4. 2 cups ice, divided.
  5. 2 fluid ounces club soda.
  6. 1 orange slice.
  7. 1 lemon slice.
  8. 1 maraschino cherry.
Sep 22, 2022

Why is the co*cktail called Tom Collins? ›

One origin story holds that the drink was originally called the John Collins, after a bartender that may have invented it. This story claims that the name eventually evolved because the concoction was typically made with Old Tom gin, so drinkers eventually began calling the drink Tom Collins rather than John Collins.

What is the difference between a gin fizz and a Tom Collins co*cktail? ›

The main difference between the two classic co*cktails is that a Gin Fizz is served without ice, and a Tom Collins is served on ice. Another key difference is that a Gin Fizz features egg white. Confusingly, a Gin Fizz is sometimes referred to as a Silver Fizz too.

What alcohol goes in a Tom Collins? ›

In small pitcher, stir together simple syrup, gin, and lemon juice. Fill 4 glasses to brim with ice. In each glass, pour about 2/3 cup gin mixture; top with 1/4 cup club soda. Garnish each with orange slice and 2 cherries.

Can you use tonic water instead of club soda in a Tom Collins? ›

You can definitely use club soda or even tonic water if you prefer though. To adjust the sweetness you can add more or less simple syrup. A tall glass is best for this filled with ice.

Do you shake or stir a Tom Collins? ›

Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a co*cktail shaker. Add 1 cup ice, cover, and shake until chilled. Strain into the chilled Collins glass.

What is the smoothest gin to drink? ›

Sing Gin is carefully crafted from two white varieties of grape native to Spain. Grape creates a more flavoursome and aromatic gin and it delivers a silky smoothness. It provides a softer mouth-feel than grain that makes Sing Gin among the best gins to drink neat.

Is Tom Collins a well drink? ›

Tom Collins:

This well-gin-based drink is mixed with lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water, offering a balanced taste between sweet and sour.

Can men drink Tom Collins? ›

It's safe to say any co*cktail that has a man's name should be deemed a common manly co*cktail. The Tom Collins is a perfect example of what a man's co*cktail should taste like, gin, lemon juice, club soda and a hint of sugar on the rocks.

What's in a Tom Hanks co*cktail? ›

Hanks explained how to make the drink: Fill your glass with about one-third of the Diet co*ke can, or “any Cola product.” Then, top the rest of the glass with Champagne. “It's like an American Aperol Spritz,” Colbert jabbed.

What is in a Frank Sinatra co*cktail? ›

Frank always liked to keep it simple, and this is the easiest of co*cktail recipes. You just put 3 ice cubes in a rocks glass, pour in two 'fingers' of Jack and add a splash of water. There are many old fashioned bartending terms that are no longer commonly used.

What is served in Tom Collins glass? ›

The Tom Collins is a Collins co*cktail made from gin, lemon juice, sugar, and carbonated water. First memorialized in writing in 1876 by Jerry Thomas, "the father of American mixology", this "gin and sparkling lemonade" drink is typically served in a Collins glass over ice with a cherry garnish.

What is served in a Collins? ›

A Collins is basically a sour co*cktail made using a base spirit (usually gin), lemon juice, sugar and carbonated water, served long over ice in the glass named after it. Collins glasses are tall and round and usually have a capacity of 12 to 16 ounces to their brim. In his 1948 The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks David A.

What is the difference between Tom Collins and gimlet? ›

While both co*cktails are gin-based, the Gimlet uses lime juice for a citrus addition, while the Tom Collins requires lemon juice. Furthermore, the Tom Collins is sweetened with a touch of simple syrup and topped off with soda water.

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