Gin Fizz

When you think of classic gin cocktails, you probably think of gin and tonic or martini. But don’t sleep on the gin fizz! A staple of 19th-century bars, this classic cocktail calls for easy-to-find ingredients. It’s a refreshingly bubbly drink reminiscent of lemonade, but only for adults.

A gin fizz is meant to be a quick sip, not a cocktail to be enjoyed at a leisurely pace. The way it’s made encourages this: gin, lemon juice and a sweetener are shaken with ice, then poured into a short glass of club soda. Without ice, the drink will heat up quickly and the bubbles will flatten if left in the glass for too long.

Gin Fizz or Tom Collins?

Bars often use these names interchangeably as they both contain gin, lemon juice, a sweetener and sparkling water. However, there is one crucial difference. A gin fizz is traditionally shaken and strained into a smaller glass, such as an 8-ounce highball.

A Tom Collins cocktail is served in a taller glass over ice. The Collins glass? That’s correct. It’s named after the cocktail! The glass holds 10 to 12 ounces, which can hold the cocktail plus ice.

Which gin should I use?

your favorite! With cocktails like this, where the gin really shines through, you get to taste and savor it, so pick a winner. I like a regular London Dry Gin with a strong juniper flavor and less added botanicals. Most brands pair well with lemon.

However, some Modern American-style flavored gins might clash with the lemon. If you’re unsure, try Beefeater, a London Dry Gin first, and experiment from there.

Does Gin Fizz use egg whites?

The egg white isn’t an ingredient found in bartender Jerry Thomas’ classic recipe in the late 1800s, when fizzy drinks were all the rage. Many modern iterations include an egg white.

As with many cocktail recipes, the name changes when an ingredient is changed or added. Adding egg white gives you a silvery fizz. There’s also the Golden Fizz, the Royal Fizz, the Ramos Fizz, the Sloe Gin Fizz, etc. You get the idea! In this classic recipe, I left out the egg white.

A modern twist: add the egg whites

If you’re looking for a modern iteration with egg whites or an egg white alternative, here are a few suggestions.

• Shake dry– in a cocktail shaker without ice – the egg white with gin, lemon juice and simple syrup. This gives the cocktail a frothy, thicker head of foam.
• Not sure if your egg white is fresh? Consider using pasteurized egg whites sold in a carton. Make sure it’s 100% protein with no additives.
• For a vegan alternative, try aquafaba! Aquafaba is the liquid in a can of chickpeas. When shaken or whipped, it has a similar appearance and mouthfeel to egg whites. And no, it doesn’t taste like chickpeas. I use about 1 ounce of aquafaba instead of egg whites.

to round off the whole thing

An accompaniment seems superfluous when a cocktail is to be drunk quickly and not flattered – it just gets in the way! However, if you’re shaking up a portion for guests or just want a bite on top of your drink, a lemon slice works and calls for a key ingredient.

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