Looking for the perfect summer sipper? The Tom Collins isn’t just a cocktail—it’s basically sunshine in a glass! This fizzy, lemony legend has been refreshing folks since before your great-grandparents were going to speakeasies. And once you master this classic, you’ll never look at gin the same way again! 🍋✨
The Tom Collins is typically served in a collins glass. A collins glass is a narrow, cylindrical glass tumbler perfect for iced drinks. If you do not have a collins glass handy, you can also use a regular highball glass.
The Best Ingredients For a Tom Collins
- Gin: Ransom Old Tom ($35) is perfect for authenticity, but Hayman’s Old Tom ($30) works beautifully. For London Dry, try Beefeater ($22) or Plymouth ($30).
- Lemon Juice: Fresh only! One medium lemon typically yields 1oz juice.
- Simple Syrup: Make your own 1:1 ratio, or use Monin Pure Cane.
- Club Soda: Fever-Tree or Q Club Soda for premium bubbles.
Fun Fact
The International Bartenders Association no longer publishes an official recipe.
Why I Like It
The Tom Collins is summer sophistication in a glass! It’s like adult lemonade with just the right amount of fizz and botanical kick. Nothing beats that first sip on a hot day—the bubbles dance with the bright citrus while the gin adds that perfect herbal note. The fizzles are super fun too.
It’s the kind of drink that makes you want to put on your Sunday best and lounge on a porch somewhere fancy. Yet it’s simple enough to whip up for any occasion!
A Brief History of the Tom Collins 🍸
The origins of Tom Collins are unknown. This inability to provide a definitive origin sparked a debate between Britain and the United States, with both sides claiming the drink.
H.L Mencken stated in the 1920s that the cocktail was unmistakably American since the English had no inventiveness when it comes to naming things. As a result, if a recipe calls for whiskey and soda, it is referred to as a whiskey and soda. So, no English person would have named a cocktail “Tom Collins.”
According to some, the Tom Collins was inspired by a joke told in New York in 1874. A group of buddies started telling people at local pubs that a man named Tom Collins was wandering around town spreading lies about them.
According to some, the Tom Collins was inspired by a joke told in New York in 1874. A group of buddies started telling people at local pubs that a man named Tom Collins was wandering around town spreading lies about them.
As a result, many people began to go from bar to bar in search of the slanderer. The joke had been repeated before, but it had reached epic proportions that year. As a result, bartenders were inspired to create the Tom Collins cocktail to offer to those who entered the room in search of the elusive figure.
Final Thoughts 🎉
The Tom Collins is a true classic cocktail that proves sometimes the simplest combinations are the best. At approximately 180 calories, it’s a relatively light cocktail that delivers maximum refreshment. So, what do you think of Tom Collins? Love it? Hate it? What would you rate it? Let us know in the comments below.