According to David Wondrich , around 1830 there was a limerick about a John Collins, supposedly waiting at Limmer’s Hotel, Conduit street London, proposing a gin punch to his customers. This punch probably contained gin, lemon juice, maraschino liqueur and chilled soda water. In England it is believed that the original cocktail is named John Collins and it is credited to that waiter from Limmer’s.
When the cocktail travelled to America, it changed name and in the 1876 edition of Jerry Thomas’s book , it appears as Tom Collins, and in three variations : Tom Collins Whiskey, Tom Collins Brandy, and Tom Collins Gin . Actually, at that same time, in New York, a big practical joke took the city, and probably the whole country, by storm. The Great Tom Collins Hoax, started at 1874 and was about “telling a friend that a man called Tom Collins was insulting them and that he could be found in a bar some distance away”( – Simon Difford) . “For people who had never heard of Limmer’s or Old John , “Tom Collins” must have made more sense as a drink name – particularly since the thing was generally made with Old Tom Gin, one of the grown spirits of the time”.
“There a few more versions of the drink’s creation in San Francisco and Australia, and it is not impossible that the drink evolved in two or more places independently”
Tom Collins original formula taken from David Wondrich’s Imbibe (source : Steward & Barkeeper’s manual, 1869)
(Use large bar glass)
Teaspoonful of powdered sugar
The juice of half a lemon
A wine glass of Old Tom Gin
A bottle of plain soda
Shake up, or stir up with ice. Add a slice of lemon peel to finish
- Imbibe! – David Wondrich , 2007 , Published by the Penguin Group, New York, USA
- Gin Diffords Guide, 2012 , Published by Odd Firm of Sin Limited, London, England
The Bar Institute’s proposal:
-60ml Gin
-30ml Fresh Lemon Juice
-20ml Sugar Syrup
Soda to top up
Method : shaking
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Lemon wedge
Ice: cubed
Gary Regan’s Tom Collins (from the Joy Of Mixology)
-45ml Gin
-15ml Maraschino Liqueur
-15ml Simple Syrup
-15ml Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Dash Orange Bitters
Soda to top up
Method : Shaking
Glass: Collins
Garnish : Orange wedge and maraschino cherry
Ice : cubed
Cheers to a Summer Cocktail Weekend**
#boozyfridays #thebarinstitute#cocktails#tomcollinscocktail
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