How to Make a Tom Collins

Guide Note

When temperatures rise outside, few drinks can match the refreshing power of a classic Tom Collins, which fortifies the dryness of gin with sweet and sour flavors and effervescent carbonation. By following this How to Make a Tom Collins guide, you can mix your own version of the cool drink.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• What You'll Need
• Making a Tom Collins
• Tom Collins Tips & Tricks
• References

Tom Collins Tips

1. Use your favorite gin
2. Use fresh-squeezed lemon juice
3. Use plenty of ice
4. Use your own simple syrup
5. Substitute other liquors for gin to make drinks like the "John Collins"

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Introduction

• Though connoisseurs may debate the origins of the Tom Collins, most can agree on its essential ingredients: gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and soda water (or club soda).¹ It's an especially welcome drink on a hot day, as the tartness of the lemon and sweetness of the syrup will do wonders to quench your thirst. Best of all, the drink is simple enough to be stirred up at home.

What You'll Need

Ingredients

(Creative Commons photo by Daniel Nguyen)

• 1 1/2 oz. Gin
• 1 oz. Lemon Juice
• 1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
• 2 oz. Club Soda
• Slice of Lemon (for garnish)
• Maraschino Cherry (for garnish)
• Ice

Equipment

• Collins Glass (a Highball Glass will also work)
• Cocktail Stirrer

Making a Tom Collins

1. Fill the glass with ice.
2. Add the gin, lemon juice, simple syrup, and club soda.
3. Stir the mixture gently.
4. Garnish with a slice of lemon and maraschino cherry.
5. Sip and savor!

• NOTE: Although many Tom Collins recipes call for the drink to be mixed in a cocktail shaker, the International Bartender Association (IBA) instructs that the drink needs simply to be stirred.² While shaking may mix the cocktail just as well, this guide will follow the IBA's recommendation.

Tom Collins Tips & Tricks

(Creative Commons photo by Derek Baird)

1. The "Tom" of Tom Collins is said to come from "Old Tom" Gin, a type of gin widely used in the eighteenth century.³ A recreation of this gin is sold under the label Hayman's Old Tom Gin, if you really want to try for that authentic, historic flavor!³
2. Variations on the Tom Collins include the John Collins (made with whiskey instead of gin), and often constitute switching the gin for a different alcohol (like vodka or rum).⁴
3. The best place to enjoy a Tom Collins may be at home, as the drink at a bar or restaurant may be mixed with a pre-made sour mix rather than with fresh lemon juice.¹

References for How to Make a Tom Collins

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Wall Street Journal: In Search of the Real Tom Collins (May 26, 2007)
2. ↑ International Bartender Association - Official Cocktails
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Oh Gosh!: A Toast to Old Tom (January 29, 2008)
4. ↑ CHOW: Tom Collins Recipe

More Tom Collins Recipes

• All Recipes: Tom Collins
• Epicurious.com: Tom Collins Recipe
• Epicurious.com: Tom Collins II
• Food & Wine: Tom Collins
• Martha Stewart: Ginger Tom Collins
• Recipezaar: Tom Collins

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