Tom Collins
Gin lemonade for grown-ups. Gin, lemon and sugar lengthened with soda over ice.
Built in glass · Highball · Easy · about 2 minutes · about 12% ABV
Ingredients
- 50 ml Gin
- 25 ml Fresh lemon juice
- 20 ml Sugar syrup
- 60 ml Soda water
- Lemon wheel (garnish)
Method
- Ice the glass
- Pour 50 ml gin into the glass
- Add 25 ml fresh lemon juice
- Pour 20 ml sugar syrup into the glass
- Top with 60 ml soda water
- Stir once
- Garnish
Tip
Taste before topping. Adjust with lemon or syrup while it is still easy to stir in.
About the Tom Collins
The Tom Collins took its name from the "Tom Collins hoax" of 1874, when New Yorkers told friends that a man called Tom Collins had been insulting them in a nearby bar. Jerry Thomas printed the recipe in 1876. It is related to an earlier drink called the John Collins.
The fizz and Collins family. Tall, sour and fizzy drinks became popular in the second half of the 1800s, once soda water was easy to get. Jerry Thomas printed the Tom Collins in 1876, the Gin Fizz was a craze in New Orleans and the Rickey was born in Washington, D.C. in the 1880s. They all add soda to a sour to make it long and refreshing.
Tom Collins FAQ
What's in a Tom Collins?
50 ml gin, 25 ml fresh lemon juice, 20 ml sugar syrup, 60 ml soda water, garnished with lemon wheel.
How strong is a Tom Collins?
About 12% ABV once mixed with ice, which is 1.6 Australian standard drinks per serve. That is about as strong as a glass of wine or lighter.
Should I shake or stir a Tom Collins?
Neither. Build it straight in the glass over ice, then give it one gentle stir.
What glass do you serve a Tom Collins in?
A highball, about 350 ml. Serve it over ice. No highball? Use any tall, straight-sided glass.
