Category:Collins

Revision as of 11:18, 19 April 2006

Also sometimes known as "Fizzes".

History of the Tom Collins

9 December 1874, EVENING TELEGRAM (NY), pg. 1, col. 5:

ENGLISH SLANG. THE ASTOUNDING PREVALENCE OF_ _SLANG PHRASES IN OUR_ _EVERY DAY SPEECH.

"Where's Tom Collins?"

Generic classification

• 2 parts liquor
• 1/2 part nonalcoholic sweetener
• 1/2 part nonalcoholic souring agent
• Fill with carbonated mixer.

Build in a glass over ice.

Earliest Recipe

Jerry Thomas (1862)

• Tom Collins Gin.
• (Use small bar-glass.)
• Take 5 or 6 dashes of gum syrup.
• Juice of a small lemon.
• 1 large wine-glass of Gin.
• 2 or 3 lumps of ice;

Shake up well and strain into a large bar-glass. Fill up the glass with plain soda water and imbibe while it is lively.

How much mixer should I use?

The typical standard is to use enough nonalcoholic mixer to give the finished drink the strength of a light wine, around 10% ABV. Using standard 40% ABV spirits, this is a ratio of around 3 parts mixer (including sweeteners and souring agents) to 1 part liquor.

When ordered "tall", the drink should be made roughly beer strength, around 5% ABV. Using standard 40% ABV spirits, this is a ratio of around 7 parts mixer to 1 part liquor. When making tall Collinses, be sure to adjust the amount of sweeteners and souring agents appropriately.

Variations

• Combining the sweetener and the carbonated mixer beforehand, as in the Cuba Libre.
• Adding herbs as in the Mojito.