| Drink | Gin Fizz, a fresh gin cocktail with lemon and sparkling water |
| Base | Gin, lemon, sugar and sparkling water |
| In our recipe | 4 cl Bombay Dry Gin, 2 cl lemon juice, 2 cl 1883 Lemon/Citrus syrup, 1.5 cl sugar syrup, 1 cl egg white, 4 cl sparkling water |
| Served | In a chilled Riedel glass with lemon peel |
| Method | Everything except the sparkling water is shaken with ice, then topped up with sparkling water |
| First known print | 1876, Jerry Thomas' "The Bar-Tender's Guide" (second edition) |
| Relatives | Silver Fizz, Golden Fizz, Royal Fizz, Ramos Gin Fizz |
How to make a Gin Fizz
The method is in the recipe at the top. In short: shake everything except the sparkling water with ice, pour into a chilled glass and top up with sparkling water. The lemon peel is twisted over the glass to release its bitter citrus oils. Because our recipe has egg white in it, it is technically a Silver Fizz.
Gin Fizz history: where does it come from?
The fizz is a family of drinks that in its basic form is spirits with citrus juice, sugar and sparkling water. According to the Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails it was one of the new drinks that changed American bar culture in the 1870s and 1880s. The oldest known print is from 1876, in the second edition of Jerry Thomas' "The Bar-Tender's Guide", but the drink may be older. All the earliest mentions come from New York. The fizz is probably related to the Collins, but it is shorter and quicker to make, and it was originally served without ice. The name refers to the sparkling bubbles. It caught on in the summers of 1879 and 1880, and in 1882 the New York World called it an "ordinary indulgence" in summer.
Ramos Gin Fizz and the other Fizzes
Add egg white and you have a Silver Fizz. With egg yolk it is a Golden Fizz, and with a whole egg a Royal Fizz. The most famous relative is the Ramos Gin Fizz. Henry C. Ramos created it in 1888 at his bar, the Imperial Cabinet Saloon in New Orleans, where it was first called the New Orleans Fizz. According to Difford's Guide, devotees say it should be shaken for 12 minutes, so the bar had up to 20 bartenders and "shaker boys" going to keep up. When Prohibition came in 1919, Ramos closed the bar, and the recipe was not published until 1928. In 1935 the name was trademarked by a hotel in New Orleans.
Gin Fizz: our recipe and the classic one
Wikipedia gives a standard Gin Fizz with gin, lemon juice, sugar syrup and a splash of soda. Our recipe is a little more elaborate.
| | Our recipe / classic recipe |
| Gin | 4 cl Bombay Dry Gin / 5 cl gin |
| Lemon | 2 cl lemon juice / 3 cl freshly squeezed lemon juice |
| Sweetness | 2 cl 1883 Lemon/Citrus syrup and 1.5 cl sugar syrup / 1 cl sugar syrup |
| Egg white | 1 cl / none |
| Top | 4 cl sparkling water / a splash of soda water |
Both versions belong in the Fizz family. Ours is sweeter and gets a foam from the egg white.
Tips for your Gin Fizz
Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and chill the glass beforehand, as we say in the recipe. Twist the lemon peel over the glass. You will find the equipment here: cocktail equipment. If you want another gin classic, read about our Classic Dry Martini.
Our verdict on the Gin Fizz
A Gin Fizz is easy to adapt. With egg white it gets a soft foam, and without it is sharper. Try our recipe first and then adjust the sweetness. It deserves a place among the classic gin drinks in your home bar.
Frequently asked questions about the Gin Fizz recipe
What is a Gin Fizz?
A fresh cocktail of gin, lemon juice, sugar and sparkling water. It belongs to the Fizz family.
What goes into a Gin Fizz?
In our recipe it is 4 cl Bombay Dry Gin, 2 cl lemon juice, 2 cl 1883 Lemon/Citrus syrup, 1.5 cl sugar syrup, 1 cl egg white and 4 cl sparkling water. The garnish is lemon peel.
When was the Gin Fizz invented?
The oldest known print is from 1876 in Jerry Thomas' "The Bar-Tender's Guide", but the drink may be older.
Where does the Gin Fizz come from?
Probably from New York, where the earliest mentions come from.
Why is it called a Fizz?
The name refers to the sparkling bubbles from the sparkling water.
Should a Gin Fizz have egg white?
Not in the simplest version. With egg white it is a Silver Fizz, and our recipe has 1 cl.
What is the difference between a Gin Fizz and a Ramos Gin Fizz?
The Ramos Gin Fizz was created by Henry C. Ramos in New Orleans in 1888 and is shaken for a very long time. A regular Gin Fizz is simpler and quicker to make.
What is the difference between a Gin Fizz and a Collins?
The fizz is probably related to the Collins, but is shorter, quicker to make and was originally served without ice.
What are a Silver, Golden and Royal Fizz?
A Silver Fizz has egg white, a Golden Fizz has egg yolk, and a Royal Fizz has a whole egg.
What can I use instead of sparkling water in a Gin Fizz?
Soda water also works in the classic recipes. We use sparkling water in ours.
Read more about gin cocktails
Find more gin recipes here at Whisky.dk, or see all our drink recipes. You can also read Difford's Guide on Ramos Gin Fizz and Wikipedia on Fizz cocktails.
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