Collinses and fizzes
Tom Collins
Made with classic simple syrup · United States, 1876
- collins
- cubes
- shake
Tom Collins
- 2 oz60 ml Old Tom or London dry gin
- ¾ oz22 ml fresh lemon juice
- ¾ oz22 ml simple syrup (1:1)
- Top withTop with chilled soda water (about 3 oz)
- Shake the gin, lemon juice and syrup with ice.
- Strain into a Collins glass filled with ice.
- Top with about 3 oz of cold soda water and give it one gentle stir.
- Garnish with a lemon wheel and a cherry.
Garnish: lemon wheel and cherry
The syrup
In this recipe
Classic Simple Syrup¾ oz22 ml
Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, heated just until the sugar dissolves.
As printed: 3/4 oz simple syrup (1:1) (Punch, LCBO); Thomas: 5–6 dashes gum syrup
Or use
Cold-Process Simple Syrup (No Heat)¾ oz22 ml
Yes, you can make simple syrup without heat: shake equal weights of sugar and room-temperature water in a sealed jar, rest, and shake again until no crystals remain, about 15 minutes.
As printed: 3/4 oz simple syrup (1:1)
Or use
Gum Syrup (Gomme Syrup)½ oz15 ml
Gum syrup (gomme) is rich sugar syrup thickened with gum arabic, which gives cocktails a silky texture.
Period-correct choice. Ours is 2:1, so 1/2 oz matches 3/4 oz of 1:1.
As printed: Jerry Thomas: 5–6 dashes gum syrup
Or use
Rich Simple Syrup (2:1)½ oz15 ml
Rich simple syrup is two parts sugar to one part water by weight: 400 g sugar dissolved in 200 ml hot water.
3/4 oz 1:1 ≈ 1/2 oz 2:1.
As printed: 3/4 oz simple syrup (1:1)
Where it comes from
The Tom Collins comes from a gin punch associated with John Collin, a head waiter at Limmer's in London. Jerry Thomas printed it in his 1876 bartender's guide, sweetened with gum syrup, and the call for Old Tom gin probably explains the switch from 'John' to 'Tom'.
Source: Jerry Thomas' Bar-Tender's Guide (How to Mix Drinks) by Jerry Thomas (1876).
Checked against: Punch – Tom Collins · Imbibe Magazine – Tom Collins · LCBO Food & Drink – Tom Collins · Cocktail Kingdom Library – Collins · Tuxedo No.2 – Tom Collins · Jerry Thomas, The Bar-Tender's Guide (1887) – archive.org scan
Gear for this drink
Mixology & Craft 16-Piece Cocktail Shaker Set
OXO SteeL Angled Measuring Jigger
Best for Measuring syrup into drinks
Cuisinart Fine Mesh Stainless Strainers (set of 3)
Best for Every infused or fruit syrup
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