Tom Collins Cocktail Recipe

Written by: Yuri Jones
July 21, 2025

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Prep Time

3 minutes

Servings

1

Glassware

Collins Glass

Ingredients

2 oz gin (60 ml)
1 oz fresh lemon juice (30 ml)
0.5 oz simple syrup (15 ml)
2–4 oz club soda (60–120 ml), to taste
Ice
Lemon wheel and cherry, for garnish

Tools

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Jigger
Citrus juicer
Cocktail shaker
Hawthorne strainer
Bar spoon
Paring knife or garnish pick

Directions

Fill a Collins glass with ice.
Add gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup.
Top with club soda and stir gently.
Garnish with a lemon wheel and cherry.

Mixologist's Notes

Always use fresh lemon juice—bottled won’t deliver the same brightness.
Adjust soda to taste: less for a stronger drink, more for a lighter one.
A tall glass and plenty of ice make this one ultra-refreshing.

Flavor Profile

Crisp, lemony, and lightly sweet with botanical notes and a clean, bubbly finish.

Tom Collins Recipe Poster

$39.00

About the Tom Collins cocktail

The Tom Collins goes back to the 1860s and owes its fame to one of the most bizarre bar pranks in history.

In 1874, jokesters in New York and Philadelphia told friends that a man named Tom Collins was talking trash about them at a nearby bar. When those friends rushed in, demanding to find him, the bartender would coolly hand them a cocktail, the now-infamous Tom Collins.

Whether the joke named the drink or the drink inspired the joke is still debated. Either way, the name stuck. And so did the cocktail.

Why the Tom Collins Endures

So what makes the Tom Collins a keeper, even over a century later?

It’s the simplicity. Gin, lemon juice, sugar, and soda water, just four ingredients. But together, they create something bright, bubbly, and almost too easy to sip.

It’s basically a gin sour served tall and sparkling. The balance of citrus and botanicals is refreshing without being overpowering.

That’s why it works for warm days, lazy afternoons, and any situation that calls for something cool and crowd-pleasing.

Variations and Food Pairings

Feeling creative?

Use Old Tom gin for a rounder, slightly sweeter flavor.
Sub in bourbon or rye and call it a John Collins.
Add muddled fruit or herbs for a personalized twist.

The Tom Collins is also versatile with food. Try it with fried chicken, fish and chips, or shrimp tacos. The bubbles cut through grease, and the lemon keeps things bright.

It’s the kind of cocktail that turns a casual meal into something worth remembering.