Tom Collins

As of a few months ago, I knew basically nothing about cocktails. Not only had I made very few, I hadn't even drank many either. I don't go to bars often (even before the pandemic), and usually order beer or wine. A few of the things I inherited from Grandpa were his cocktail shaker and his 1972 edition of the Old Mr. Boston bartender's guide. While this book is a little outdated, there are lots of great resources online. Looking for something to do at home, I started experimenting. The Tom Collins is one of the first I tried, and I've since made several of them while tinkering with the recipe.

The Tom Collins is very much a classic cocktail, which dates back to the 19th century. The name refers to the traditional ingredient of Old Tom gin. Old Tom is a precursor to the modern London Dry gin, described as being a bit sweeter. London Dry took over the market, and Old Tom is relatively difficult to find now, especially in my area. As such, I make the drink with London Dry, but if Old Tom is available, it might be a good idea to use less simple syrup. I made this one with Tanqueray, but I also like it with Beefeater. The flavor of the drink is basically a boozy lemonade, but the juniper from the gin is also very present. It's a tasty, uncomplicated cocktail best enjoyed sitting on the porch on a summer day. The proportions are worth playing around with. Going to a full ounce of lemon juice is also nice if you like it a little sharper. The Collins formula can be extended to include a variety of other spirits, as well.

Going forward, you can expect to see the occasional cocktail show up here. I'm going to follow a standard format, consistent with American bartending, which measures everything in fluid ounces. It's helpful to remember an ounce is 2 tablespoons. With drinks, it is especially important to measure citrus juices, since fruit varies so much in how much juice you get out of each one. I will also list necessary equipment, recommended glassware, and recommended garnishes. The Tom Collins lends its name to the tall glass in which it's typically served. The Collins glasses I use are the 14 oz. GODIS glasses from IKEA.

Ingredients

• 2 oz. gin
• 3/4 oz. simple syrup (1:1 white sugar and water)
• 3/4 oz. fresh lemon juice
• 2 oz. sparkling water
• Garnish: lemon slice, orange slice, cocktail cherries

Equipment

• Cocktail shaker
• Fine mesh strainer (tea strainer works well)
• Collins glass

Instructions

Fill Collins glass with ice cubes. Combine gin, simple syrup, and lemon juice in cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake until cold and frosty. Double strain through the mesh strainer into the glass. Top up the glass with sparkling water. Garnish with any combination of a lemon slice, orange slice, or cocktail cherries.