Gin Fizz
Gin, lemon and sugar shaken cold, then lifted with soda. Crisp, tart and effervescent.
About the Gin Fizz
The Gin Fizz belongs to the “fizz” family of 19th-century sours: a spirit, citrus and sugar shaken together and finished with carbonated water. Fizzes were in print by the 1860s, and the Gin Fizz appears in the bartending guides of the Jerry Thomas era, when it became one of America’s favourite morning-and-afternoon drinks.
New Orleans took the format furthest. In 1888 Henry C. Ramos created the Ramos Gin Fizz at the Imperial Cabinet Saloon, adding cream, egg white and orange flower water and shaking it for what became a famously long time. The simpler Gin Fizz stayed a staple through Prohibition and beyond, when lemon and soda were welcome cover for rough gin.
It is the closest cousin of the Tom Collins. The difference is in the build: a Collins is built over ice in a tall glass, while a Fizz is shaken, strained and topped with soda for a lighter, silkier drink.
The Classic Recipe
Classic Gin Fizz — Serves 1
- 60ml (2 oz) gin
- 22.5ml (0.75 oz) fresh lemon juice
- 15ml (0.5 oz) simple syrup
- 60–90ml (2–3 oz) chilled soda water
- Lemon wheel or twist, to garnish
Method
- Fill a highball glass with ice water, or pop it in the freezer, while you mix.
- Add the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup to a shaker with ice. Shake hard for about 10 seconds.
- Discard the ice water and strain the drink into the chilled glass, with or without a little fresh ice.
- Top with chilled soda water, pouring gently to keep the bubbles lively. Garnish with a lemon wheel or twist.
Tips for the Best Gin Fizz
- Shake hard and short. Ten seconds with plenty of ice chills and dilutes the drink without watering it down before the soda goes in.
- Squeeze fresh lemon. Bottled juice flattens the drink. Fresh lemon is what keeps a Fizz bright rather than sweet.
- Serve it right away. The soda is the point. A Fizz that sits goes flat, so top it at the last moment.
- Use a chilled glass. A cold glass keeps the drink crisp and means you can serve it with little or no ice.
- Pick a gin with some backbone. A classic London Dry stands up to the lemon and soda; very delicate gins can disappear.
Popular Variations
Silver Fizz
Add an egg white and dry-shake first, then shake with ice, for a silky foam cap.
Golden Fizz
Use an egg yolk instead of the white for a richer, custardy body.
Ramos Gin Fizz
Add cream, egg white, orange flower water and a long, hard shake. The New Orleans showpiece.
Sloe Gin Fizz
Swap part or all of the gin for sloe gin for a fruity, ruby-red drink.
How to Serve
Glass: A chilled highball or dedicated fizz glass. A 200–250ml glass leaves room for the soda without crowding the drink.
Ice: Traditionally served with little or no ice, so the drink stays lively and undiluted. If you prefer it over ice, add a few fresh cubes after straining.
Batching for a crowd: Pre-mix the gin, lemon juice and simple syrup (and chill it) in the ratio above. Shake or stir portions with ice, strain into glasses and top each with soda to order. Never add the soda to the batch.
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