Tom Collins is a delicious and easy to make gin cocktail. The drink’s name comes from a joke from the 1800s, and it’s still popular today. If you’ve never had it before, it tastes like boozy carbonated lemonade. This is a variation of a gin sour that can be made with almost any gin.
This is one of those classic cocktails that is so easy to make that you don’t even need a Tom Collins cocktail shaker.
Related: Over 40 cocktails to make at home, recipes for the classic gimlet cocktail, mint mojito, gin and tonic, cosmopolitan, hugo spritz, and simple syrup.
Who is Tom Collins?
For those who have never had Tom Collins, it’s essentially a spiked lemonade drink. It’s made with gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda or Sprite. I prefer the club soda version, but I’m not interested in the sprite version. If you’re in the mood for a refreshing cocktail, give it a try.
Want to try a variation? Try this:
- Vodka Collins – Replace the gin with vodka. Also known as Joe Collins.
- John Collins – replace gin with bourbon
- Ron Collins – Replace Gin with Rum
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tom collins ingredients
- gin – Any brand will work, but Old Tom Gin was traditionally used.
- lemon juice – Freshly squeezed
- simple syrup – Purchase at the store or make your own simple syrup recipe.
- club soda – Brands like Topo Chico and Fever Tree, and sparkling waters like LaCriox also work.
- ice
- lemon slice For garnish
- maraschino cherry As a garnish (we often use it) luxardo brand)
How to make tom collins
Add gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a Collins glass.
Add ice, pour in club soda and stir until well mixed.
Garnish with lemon slices and maraschino cherries.
tom collins cocktail collins glassalso called highball glass.
Replacement and notes
- Some recipes use sugar cubes or granulated sugar instead of syrup. You can do it this way, but simple syrup mixes best with the drink, so we recommend it here.
- Replace club soda with Sprite or 7Up for a sweeter cocktail.
- Place the glass in the freezer before mixing for an even more refreshing taste.
Tom Collins Cocktail History
The name Tom Collins Recipe dates back to 1874. It all started when a group of friends started telling people at bars in New York City that a man named “Tom Collins” was spreading lies. So many parties began searching for the mysterious Tom Collins that bartenders were inspired to name drinks after him.
Tom Collins was first recorded in 1882 by mixologist Jerry Thomas in his book. New and improved bartender manual. Thomas is considered the father of modern mixology. Since then, this drink has become well known.
Other gin cocktails:
- gin fizz
- Gin Ricky
- dry martini
- gin mule
- bee’s knees
- last word
- vesper martini
tom collins
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- 2 ounce gin
- 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
- 1 ounce simple syrup
- 6-7 ounce club soda
- 1 lemon wedge for showiness
- 1 maraschino cherry For decoration
Instructions
- Add gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup to a Collins glass.
- Add ice, pour in club soda and stir until well mixed.
- Garnish with lemon slices and maraschino cherries.
Precautions
- Make a “Vodka Collins” cocktail by replacing gin with vodka.
- Make a ‘John Collins’ cocktail by replacing gin with whiskey.
- Replace club soda with Sprite or 7Up for a sweeter cocktail.
- Place the glass in the freezer before mixing for an even more refreshing taste.
